Insufflator gas flow device

Claim 2

In a device to provide a therapeutic gaseous mixture for inhalation by a patient, wherein the device has an inlet port to receive a pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid and has a breathing port for use by the patient, the combination of: a venturi throat having its downstream end in communication with the breathing port; a nozzle at the upstream end of the venturi throat to direct a jet stream of the pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid into the venturi throat; at least one vent port to the atmosphere in the wall of the venturi throat near the jet stream from the nozzle to serve three purposes, namely: to induce atmospheric air into the venturi throat to mix with the gaseous therapeutic fluid when the device functions to fill the lungs of the patient; to vent the therapeutic fluid from the venturi throat to the atmosphere when the filling of the patient''s lungs creates a back pressure in the venturi; and to permit the patient to exhale into the atmosphere; and metering means in direct communication with said nozzle to release the pressurized therapeutic fluid to the nozzle at a constant reduced rate.

Claim 3

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the metering means is adjustable for different rates of flow.

Claim 4

A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said metering means includes a fixed passage and a valve member having a plurality of ports therethrough of different sizes, said valve member being movable to place said ports selectively in register with the fixed passage to permit different rates of flow through the metering means.

Claim 5

A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said valve member is a rotarY member.

Claim 6

In a device to provide a therapeutic gaseous mixture for inhalation by a patient, wherein the device has an inlet port to receive a pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid and has a breathing port for use by the patient, the combination of: a venturi throat having its downstream end in communication with the breathing port; a nozzle at the upstream end of the venturi throat to direct a jet stream of the pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid into the venturi throat; at least one vent port to the atmosphere in the wall of the venturi throat near the jet stream from the nozzle to serve three purposes, namely: to induce atmospheric air into the venturi throat to mix with gaseous therapeutic fluid when the device functions to fill the lungs of the patient; to vent the therapeutic fluid from the venturi throat to the atmosphere when the filling of the patient''s lungs creates a back pressure in the venturi; and to permit the patient to exhale into the atmosphere; a control valve between said inlet port and said nozzle operable to control flow of the therapeutic fluid to the nozzle; and a metering means in direct communication with said nozzle providing a bypass around the control valve to provide a flow of pressurized therapeutic fluid to said nozzle at a reduced rate when the control valve is closed.

Claim 7

In a device to provide a therapeutic gaseous mixture for inhalation by a patient, wherein the device has an inlet port to receive a pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid and has a breathing port for use by the patient, the combination of: a venturi throat having its downstream end in communication with the breathing port; a nozzle at the upstream end of the venturi throat to direct a jet stream of the pressurized therapeutic gaseous fluid into the venturi throat; at least one vent port to the atmosphere in the wall of the venturi throat near the jet stream from the nozzle to serve three purposes, namely: to induce atmospheric air into the venturi throat to mix with gaseous therapeutic fluid when the device functions to fill the lungs of the patient; to vent the therapeutic fluid from the venturi throat to the atmosphere when the filling of the patient''s lungs creates a back pressure in the venturi; and to permit the patient to exhale into the atmosphere; a control valve between said inlet port and said nozzle operable to control flow of the therapeutic fluid to the nozzle; and a metering means in direct communication with said nozzle providing a bypass around the control valve to provide a flow of pressurized therapeutic fluid to said nozzle at a reduced rate when the control valve is closed.

Claim 8

A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said control valve is a normally closed manually operable valve.

Claim 9

A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which said control valve is a push button valve.

Claim 10

A combination as set forth in claim 5 which includes means to cut off flow through the bypass.

Claim 11

A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said bypass is adjustable for various rates of flow therethrough.

Claim 12

A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said bypass has a fixed portion; which includes a valve member having at least one port therethrough to serve as a portion of the bypass, said valve member being movable to a position to register said port with the fixed portion of the bypass, said valve member being movable to position said port out of register with the fixed portion of the bypass to cut off flow through the bypass.

Claim 13

A combination as set forth in claim 10 in which said valve member has a plurality of passages therethrough of different flow capacities for registration selectively with said fixed portion of the bypass.

Claim 14

A combination as set forth in claim 11 which includes index means to indicate the various positions of the valve member at which the various ports therethrough register respectively with said fixed portion of the bypass.

Claim 15

In a device to provide a mixture of air and a therapeutic gas for inhalation by a patient, wherein the device has an inlet port to receive a pressurized therapeutic gas and has a breathing port for use by the patient, the combination of: a venturi throat having its upstream end in communication with said inlet port, said venturi throat being near said breathing port and having its downstream end in communication with the breathing port; a nozzle at the upstream end of the venturi throat to direct a jet stream of the pressurized therapeutic gas from said inlet port into the venturi throat; at least one vent port to the atmosphere in the wall of the venturi throat near the jet stream from the nozzle to serve three purposes, namely: to induce atmospheric air into the venturi throat to mix with the therapeutic gas when the device functions to fill the lungs of the patient; to vent the therapeutic gas from the venturi throat to the atmosphere when the filling of the patient''s lungs creates a back pressure in the venturi throat; and to permit the patient to exhale into the atmosphere through the venturi throat without entrapping in the device an excessive amount of exhalation that must be subsequently inhaled by the patient; a first manually operable valve means between the inlet port and the nozzle; a byPass from the inlet port around the first valve means to said nozzle; and a second manually operable valve means controlling the bypass, whereby with the second valve means closed, the first valve means may be opened intermittently for use of the device on an unconscious patient and with the first valve means closed the second valve means may be kept open for use of the device on a conscious patient.

Claim 16

In a device to provide a mixture of air and a therapeutic gas for inhalation by a patient, wherein the device has an inlet port to receive a pressurized therapeutic gas and has a breathing port for use by the patient, the combination of: a venturi throat having its upstream end in communication with said inlet port, said venturi throat being near said breathing port and having its downstream end in communication with the breathing port; a nozzle at the upstream end of the venturi throat to direct a jet stream of the pressurized therapeutic gas from said inlet port into the venturi throat; at least one vent port to the atmosphere in the wall of the venturi throat near the jet stream from the nozzle to serve three purposes, namely: to induce atmospheric air into the venturi throat to mix with the therapeutic gas when the device functions to fill the lungs of the patient; to vent the therapeutic gas from the venturi throat to the atmosphere when the filling of the patient''s lungs creates a back pressure in the venturi throat; and to permit the patient to exhale into the atmosphere through the venturi throat without entrapping in the device an excessive amount of exhalation that must be subsequently inhaled by the patient; a first manually operable valve means between the inlet port and the nozzle; a byPass from the inlet port around the first valve means to said nozzle; and a second manually operable valve means controlling the bypass, whereby with the second valve means closed, the first valve means may be opened intermittently for use of the device on an unconscious patient and with the first valve means closed the second valve means may be kept open for use of the device on a conscious patient.