US3713436A — Method and apparatus for measuring mechanical pro…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 203 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means adapted for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to said respiratory system, said sampling means including means adapted to sample the gas pressure adjacent such inlet at a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, and second means adapted to sample such gas pressure at a second plurality of selected points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 203 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means adapted for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to said respiratory system, said sampling means including means adapted to sample the gas pressure adjacent such inlet at a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, and second means adapted to sample such gas pressure at a second plurality of selected points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 203 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means adapted for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to said respiratory system, said sampling means including means adapted to sample the gas pressure adjacent such inlet at a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, and second means adapted to sample such gas pressure at a second plurality of selected points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 203 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means adapted for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to said respiratory system, said sampling means including means adapted to sample the gas pressure adjacent such inlet at a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, and second means adapted to sample such gas pressure at a second plurality of selected points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sampled pressures at said inlet include the residual pressure of the respiratory system, and wherein said sampling means includes means for effectively cancelling said residual pressure from the results obtained.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further including respiratory resistance electrical readout means Coupled to said sampling means and responding to said sampled pressures proportional to respiratory resistance to provide a visual readout of substantially the value of total respiratory resistance of said respiratory system.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrical readout means includes means responding to the frequency of said pulsating volume of gas to provide for a direct readout of said respiratory resistance at different frequencies of said pulsating volume.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further including respiratory stiffness electrical readout means coupled to said sampling means and responding to said sampled pressures proportional to respiratory stiffness to provide a visual readout of substantially the value of dynamic stiffness of said respiratory system.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further including a limp diaphragm adapted to be connected between said pump means and such a respiratory system.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 227 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means including means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness, and the sampled pressures at said inlet including the residual pressure of the respiratory system, said sampling means further including means for effectively cancelling said residual pressure from the results obtained, said last mentioned means including storage means for separately storing values of said sampled pressures taken at at least two successive but alternate sampling times when said sampled pressures are proportional to one of said respiratory resistance or stiffness, and means responding to said separately stored sampled pressures to provide a pressure value substantially proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 227 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; and inlet pressure sampling means for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means including means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to such a respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistance, or dynamic stiffness, and the sampled pressures at said inlet including the residual pressure of the respiratory system, said sampling means further including means for effectively cancelling said residual pressure from the results obtained, said last mentioned means including storage means for separately storing values of said sampled pressures taken at at least two successive but alternate sampling times when said sampled pressures are proportional to one of said respiratory resistance or stiffness, and means responding to said separately stored sampled pressures to provide a pressure value substantially proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 91 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for separately storing successive but alternate sampled pressures includes means for storing separately the value of two successive positive sampled pressures proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness, and the value of the intermediate negative sampled pressure proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness, and wherein said means responding to said stored sampled pressures includes means for summing said successive positive sampled pressures and subtracting from this sum twice the value of said intermediate negative peak of sampled pressures.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 193 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; rotary drive means drivingly connected to said pump means, the rotary position of said drive means having a fixed relationship to the flow and volume displacement of said gas; and inlet pressure sampling means for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to such respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistAnce, or dynamic stiffness, said sampling means including indexing means responding to the rotary position of said drive means to provide said selected points in time when said flow and volume displacement of said gas are substantially peaked.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 193 words

Apparatus adapted for measuring mechanical properties of the human respiratory system comprising, in combination: pump means adapted for forcing a pulsating known volume of gas into and out of such a respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume of gas adapted to cause fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet of such a respiratory system when applied thereto; rotary drive means drivingly connected to said pump means, the rotary position of said drive means having a fixed relationship to the flow and volume displacement of said gas; and inlet pressure sampling means for sampling the gas pressure adjacent such an inlet, said sampling means responding to said pump means to sample said gas pressure only at selected points in time during the time that said pulsating volume of gas is applied to such respiratory system, said selected points in time being such that said sampled pressures are proportional to one of respiratory resistAnce, or dynamic stiffness, said sampling means including indexing means responding to the rotary position of said drive means to provide said selected points in time when said flow and volume displacement of said gas are substantially peaked.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 121 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said sampling means includes means providing electrical values proportional to said sampled pressures at said selected points in time, and further includes storage means responding to said indexing means for separately storing such electrical values taken at at least two successive but alternate sampling times so that each of said sampled pressures includes a pressure value proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness, and a pressure value corresponding to a residual pressure of the respiration system; and means responding to said separately stored electrical values for combining said electrical values to provide another electrical value substantially proportional to the value of said sampled pressures less said residual pressures at said successive sampling times.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 75 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said storage means includes a plurality of capacitors each for separately storing each of said separately stored electrical values, and said last-mentioned means includes switch means responding to said indexing means for selectively storing said separately stored electrical values in said capacitors and selectively combining said stored electrical values to provide a composite electrical signal having a measurable electrical value proportional to said one of respiratory resistance or stiffness.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 130 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said storage means and indexing means includes a rotary capacitor memory unit drivingly connected to said rotary drive means to follow the rotation thereof, said capacitor memory unit including a plurality of rotary discs driven by a common shaft and a plurality of storage capacitors mounted on said disc and selectively connected during rotation of said disc to store separately at least three of said separately stored electrical values, and wherein said last-mentioned means is connected to said capacitor memory unit and responds at selected times during rotation of said capacitor memory unit to the stored electrical values in said storage capacitors to sum the first and third of said stored electrical value and subtract from this sum twice the intermediate stored electrical value.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 59 words

The apparatus of claim 12 including means whereby said first and third of said stored electrical values are proportional to positive peaks of the sampled alternating pressure proportional to respiratory resistance, and the intermediate stored electrical value is proportional to the negative peak of the sampled alternating pressure intermediate said first and third peaks and proportional to respiratory resistance.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

The apparatus of claim 12 including means whereby said first and third of said stored electrical values are proportional to positive peaks of the sampled alternating pressure proportional to respiratory stiffness, and the intermediate stored electrical value is proportional to the negative peak of the sampled alternating pressure intermediate said first and third peaks and proportional to respiratory stiffness.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 247 words

A method of determining mechanical properties of the human respiratory system, including respiratory resistance and stiffness in such a respiratory system, said method comprising the steps of: forcing a pulsating predetermined volume of gas into and out of said respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume causing fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet to said respiratory system; sampling the gas pressure adjacent said inlet in response to said pulsating volume of gas at selected points in time to determine resistive and reactive components of said pressure respectively proportional to respiratory resistance and stiffness, said sampling step including the steps of determining a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system when the flow of said gas is substantially peaked, sampling the inlet gas pressures of said respiratory system at said first points in time, said sampled pressures being substantially proportional to total respiratory resistance, determining a plurality of second points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system when the volume displacement of said gas is substantially peaked, and sampling the inlet gas pressures of said respiratory system at said second points in time, said sampled pressures being substantially proportional to dynamic respiratory stiffness; and utilizing at least a part of said sampled pressures to obtain measurable indications proportional to total respiratory resistance and stiffness of said respiratory system.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 247 words

A method of determining mechanical properties of the human respiratory system, including respiratory resistance and stiffness in such a respiratory system, said method comprising the steps of: forcing a pulsating predetermined volume of gas into and out of said respiratory system at a known frequency, said pulsating volume causing fluctuations in the gas pressure adjacent the inlet to said respiratory system; sampling the gas pressure adjacent said inlet in response to said pulsating volume of gas at selected points in time to determine resistive and reactive components of said pressure respectively proportional to respiratory resistance and stiffness, said sampling step including the steps of determining a plurality of first points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system when the flow of said gas is substantially peaked, sampling the inlet gas pressures of said respiratory system at said first points in time, said sampled pressures being substantially proportional to total respiratory resistance, determining a plurality of second points in time during the time that gas is being forced into and out of such a respiratory system when the volume displacement of said gas is substantially peaked, and sampling the inlet gas pressures of said respiratory system at said second points in time, said sampled pressures being substantially proportional to dynamic respiratory stiffness; and utilizing at least a part of said sampled pressures to obtain measurable indications proportional to total respiratory resistance and stiffness of said respiratory system.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 15 wherein a constant rotary motion is utilized to force said known volume into and out of said respiratory system, and said first and second points in time are determined by indexing said rotary motion.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said sampled pressures include values equal to residual pressures of the respiratory system, and further including the step of cancelling said residual pressure from said measurable indication.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 17 wherein said cancelling step includes the steps of averaging the values of successive, sampled pressures proportional to one of respiratory resistance or stiffness.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-01-30	1976-07-31	1977-01-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-01-30	1980-07-31	1981-01-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-01-30	1984-07-31	1985-01-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for measuring mechanical properties of the respiratory system

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