Respiration monitor

Claim 2

A respiration monitor for remotely sensing flow of inspired and expired air along a respiratory air flow path comprising, a plurality of tubes having open ends, means connected to one end of each of said tubes for holding each of said one ends adjacent the respiratory air flow path so that inspired and expired air flows across said one end of each of said tubes to induce air flow into said tubes from their other ends, means vented to the atmosphere attached to said other ends of each of said plurality of tubes, a transducer mounted within said means vEnted to the atmosphere adjacent to said other ends and providing an output signal responsive to temperature change induced by cooling air flow, whereby the flow of air into said tubes from the atmosphere causes said transducer to produce said output signal, said output signal thereby being indicative of respiratory air flow relative to a critical threshold.

Claim 3

A respiration monitor for use with a tracheostomy tube through which passes an inspired and expired air stream, comprising first and second connector tubes having open ends, adapter means for detachable mounting on the end of the tracheostomy tube, said adapter means being connected to said first and second connector tubes for orienting said connector tubes adjacent the end of the tracheostomy tube when mounted thereon, so that said connector tubes have their axes at substantially a right angle with respect to the air stream, whereby air flow across said open ends adjacent the end of the tracheostomy tube induces unidirectional air flow into said connector tubes from their other ends, a transducer having an output responsive to temperature change, and means vented to the atmosphere for mounting said other ends of said connector tubes together with said transducer adjacent thereto so that said transducer senses temperature change due to the flow of air into said other ends of said tubes and thereby provides an output signal indicative of respiratory air flow.

Claim 4

A respiration monitor for use with a tracheostomy tube through which passes an inspired and expired air stream, comprising first and second connector tubes having open ends, adapter means for detachable mounting on the end of the tracheostomy tube, said adapter means being connected to said first and second connector tubes for orienting said connector tubes adjacent the end of the tracheostomy tube when mounted thereon, so that said connector tubes have their axes at substantially a right angle with respect to the air stream, whereby air flow across said open ends adjacent the end of the tracheostomy tube induces unidirectional air flow into said connector tubes from their other ends, a transducer having an output responsive to temperature change, and means vented to the atmosphere for mounting said other ends of said connector tubes together with said transducer adjacent thereto so that said transducer senses temperature change due to the flow of air into said other ends of said tubes and thereby provides an output signal indicative of respiratory air flow.

Claim 5

A respiration monitor as in claim 2 including a monitor connected to receive the output of said transducer for providing an alarm when respiratory air flow falls below a critical threshold.

Claim 6

A respiration monitor for use with a patient, comprising a section of air flow path of uniform cross section for conducting inspired and expired air to and from the patient, a manifold in communication with the atmosphere, a plurality of tubes having open ends with one of said open ends connected to and in communication with said section of air flow path and the other of said open ends connected to and in communication with said manifold, and a transducer mounted in said manifold adjacent to said other open ends, said transducer being responsive to cooling induced by air flow and providing an output signal responsive to temperature change, whereby when inspired and expired air flows through said section of air flow path, unidirectional air flow is induced from the atmosphere through said manifold, to flow by said transducer, and through said plurality of tubes toward said section of air flow path, thereby causing the temperature of said transducer to change and said output to be indicative of respiration relative to a critical respiration threshold.

Claim 7

A respiration monitor for use with a patient, comprising a section of air flow path of uniform cross section for conducting inspired and expired air to and from the patient, a manifold in communication with the atmosphere, a plurality of tubes having open ends with one of said open ends connected to and in communication with said section of air flow path and the other of said open ends connected to and in communication with said manifold, and a transducer mounted in said manifold adjacent to said other open ends, said transducer being responsive to cooling induced by air flow and providing an output signal responsive to temperature change, whereby when inspired and expired air flows through said section of air flow path, unidirectional air flow is induced from the atmosphere through said manifold, to flow by said transducer, and through said plurality of tubes toward said section of air flow path, thereby causing the temperature of said transducer to change and said output to be indicative of respiration relative to a critical respiration threshold.