Lung and chest exerciser and developer

• US 5,154,167 A
• Filed: 04/16/1990
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christopher H. Hepburn
• Original Assignee: Christopher H. Hepburn
• Inventors: Hepburn, Christopher H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US07/509,889
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/204.18, 128/205.11, 128/205.13, 128/205.14, 128/205.17, 128/914, 128/205.24, 272/99
• US Class Current: 128/200.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0045 Means for re-breathing exhaled gases, e.g. for hyperventilation treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/14 specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/006 under hypoxy conditions, i.e. oxygen supply subnormal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/914 Rebreathing apparatus for increasing carbon dioxide content in inhaled gas

Abstract

A lung and chest exerciser that arranges for some of the air expired from the lungs on an outbreath to be collected and then to be breathed back into the lungs on the next inbreath, together with some fresh air. By so arranging, the lungs have to open deeper or more often to receive an equivalent amount of fresh air. An embodiment of the invention may have a body, a collector bag, an adjustment slider, a filter and a nose-piece. The exerciser directly develops the lungs and the respiratory muscles and indirectly exercises the heart thereby affecting the body'"'"'s metabolism, circulation and relaxation level.

Claims

1. A respiratory rebreathing device comprising a mouthpiece, a collector bag having a top and a bottom portion for receiving exhaled air from a user, an inlet for permitting inhalation of atmospheric air by the user, and an air passage connecting said mouthpiece, said bag, and said inlet;

means for variably restricting said inlet, said restricting means allowing entry of appreciable quantities of atmospheric air only in response to at least a predetermined level of inhalation force by a user, said restricting means not allowing entry of appreciable amounts of atmospheric air in response to inhalation attempts below said predetermined level, wherein a weak inhalation effort by a user results in the inhalation of mainly previously exhaled air from said bag, and an increased inhalation attempt at least of a force to meet said predetermined level results in the inhalation of increased amounts of atmospheric air; and

means for permitting only inhalation of atmospheric air comprising entrance means on said bag, said entrance means preventing inhalation of previously exhaled gas by closing together in response to a sharp inbreath by a user, wherein with said entrance means closed, a continuing inbreath by a user causes atmospheric air to be inhaled by a user through said inlet.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for restricting said inlet comprises a filter having a resistance to air flow, said resistance acting as a valve.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for restricting said inlet comprises a filter and a valve, said valve being in the form of a constriction in said inlet.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said air passage has a crossection of at least 1 cm₂.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece further comprises a nosepiece for restricting air flow through a user'"'"'s nose.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said bag contains a volume, and further comprises means for varying said volume.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said means for varying said volume comprises a slider.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a face mask.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece comprises means for gripping by a user'"'"'s teeth.