Container for forced expiration exercises

Claim 2

A unitary self-supporting container for forced expiration exercises comprising: a pair of compartments for containing liquid into which a patient can forceably blow to achieve respiratory stimulation, a web between and integrally joined to said compartments, and a conduit in said web which iNcludes a pair of substantially vertical spaced channels each of which is connected to the lower portion of said adjacent compartment and each of which extends upwardly therefrom in said web to the level of the upper portions of said compartments and a restriction in said web at the level of the upper portions of said compartments interconnected with and having a breadth less than the breadth of said channels for the transfer of the liquid from one compartment to the other when a patient forceably blows into the compartment containing the liquid.

Claim 3

A unitary self-supporting container for forced expiration exercise comprising: a pair of compartments for containing liquid into which a patient can forceably blow to achieve respiratory stimulation, a web between and integrally joined to compartments, and a conduit in said web for transferring the liquid from one compartment to the other in which said conduit includes a pair of vertical spaced channels each of which is connected to the lower portion of said adjacent compartment and each of which extends upwardly therefrom in said web to the level of the upper portions of said compartments and an orifice in said web at the level of the upper portions of said compartments interconnected with and having a breadth less than the breadth of said channels for controlling the quantity of liquid which can flow through said channel downstream of said orifice so that the liquid flowing therethrough will not remove the air therein and effect siphoning when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid containing compartment to cause the liquid in said compartment to flow through said conduit and into the other of said compartments.

Claim 4

A unitary self-supporting container for forced expiration exercise comprising: a pair of compartments for containing liquid into which a patient can forceably blow to achieve respiratory stimulation, a web between and integrally joined to compartments, and a conduit in said web for transferring the liquid from one compartment to the other in which said conduit includes a pair of vertical spaced channels each of which is connected to the lower portion of said adjacent compartment and each of which extends upwardly therefrom in said web to the level of the upper portions of said compartments and an orifice in said web at the level of the upper portions of said compartments interconnected with and having a breadth less than the breadth of said channels for controlling the quantity of liquid which can flow through said channel downstream of said orifice so that the liquid flowing therethrough will not remove the air therein and effect siphoning when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid containing compartment to cause the liquid in said compartment to flow through said conduit and into the other of said compartments.

Claim 5

The unitary container according to claim 2 wherein said container is semi-rigid and of a one piece construction.

Claim 6

The unitary container according to claim 3 wherein said container is at least translucent and is formed from thermoplastic materials selected from the group consisting of high or low density polyethylene, polycarbonate and polypropylene.

Claim 7

A unitary self-supporting, semi-rigid container for forced expiration exercises comprising: a pair of compartments for containing liquid, wherein one of said compartments has a removable cap for filling said compartment with liquid and to which is attached means for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment, and wherein the other of said compartments has means attached thereto for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment, has means attached thereto for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment; a strengthening web to provide rigidity to said container between and integrally joined to said compartments; and a conduit in said web for transferring the liquid from one compartment to the other in which said conduit includes a pair of substantially vertical spaced channels each of which is connected to the lower portion of said adjacent compartment and each of which extends upwardly therefrom into the upper portion of said web and an orifice located in the upper portion of said web interconnecting said channels and having a breadth less than the breadth of said channels for allowing the flow of liquid between said channels while preventing a siphoning effect from occurring when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid containing compartment to cause the liquid therein to flow through said channels and into the other of said compartments.

Claim 8

A unitary self-supporting, semi-rigid container for forced expiration exercises comprising: a pair of compartments for containing liquid, wherein one of said compartments has a removable cap for filling said compartment with liquid and to which is attached means for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment, and wherein the other of said compartments has means attached thereto for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment, has means attached thereto for allowing a patient to blow into said compartment; a strengthening web to provide rigidity to said container between and integrally joined to said compartments; and a conduit in said web for transferring the liquid from one compartment to the other in which said conduit includes a pair of substantially vertical spaced channels each of which is connected to the lower portion of said adjacent compartment and each of which extends upwardly therefrom into the upper portion of said web and an orifice located in the upper portion of said web interconnecting said channels and having a breadth less than the breadth of said channels for allowing the flow of liquid between said channels while preventing a siphoning effect from occurring when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid containing compartment to cause the liquid therein to flow through said channels and into the other of said compartments.

Claim 9

The conduit according to claim 5 wherein said interconnecting orifice is formed by a substantially horizontal channel in said conduit having a diameter less than the diameter of said vertical channels.

Claim 10

The container according to claim 5 wherein said compartments are substantially vertical and the web is integrally joined thereto along the height of such compartments.

Claim 11

The container according to claim 7 wherein said web has a pair of holes therethrough on opposite sides of the conduit in said web for suspension of said container.

Claim 12

The container according To claim 5 wherein said compartments have incremental graduations in the form of integral raised edges along with the capacity of said compartments being indicated by raised numerals at each graduation.

Claim 13

The container according to claim 5 wherein said means for blowing into the compartments includes a hollow nipple.

Claim 14

The unitary container according to claim 5 wherein said means for blowing into each compartment includes a nipple, a flexible tube fitted over said nipple, and a mouthpiece attached to the other end of said flexible tube.

Claim 15

A unitary self-supporting, semi-rigid container for forced expiration exercises comprising: a pair of vertical compartments for containing liquid into which a patient seeking respiratory stimulation can blow; a strengthening web to provide rigidity to said container between and integrally joined to said compartments along the height of each; and a conduit in said web for transferring liquid between said compartments in which said conduit has a pair of vertical channels each of which is connected at its lower end to the lower portion of the adjacent compartment and extends upwardly therefrom into the upper portion of said web, and a horizontal channel in the upper portion of said web interconnecting said vertical channels and having a diameter less than the diameters of said vertical channels so that when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid filled compartment liquid therefrom flows upwardly through said adjacent vertical channel across said horizontal channel and downwardly through said other vertical channel into its adjacent compartment without effecting siphoning.

Claim 16

A unitary self-supporting, semi-rigid container for forced expiration exercises comprising: a pair of vertical compartments for containing liquid into which a patient seeking respiratory stimulation can blow; a strengthening web to provide rigidity to said container between and integrally joined to said compartments along the height of each; and a conduit in said web for transferring liquid between said compartments in which said conduit has a pair of vertical channels each of which is connected at its lower end to the lower portion of the adjacent compartment and extends upwardly therefrom into the upper portion of said web, and a horizontal channel in the upper portion of said web interconnecting said vertical channels and having a diameter less than the diameters of said vertical channels so that when a recuperating patient blows into the liquid filled compartment liquid therefrom flows upwardly through said adjacent vertical channel across said horizontal channel and downwardly through said other vertical channel into its adjacent compartment without effecting siphoning.