Human lung ventilator system

Claim 2

A ventilator system for use in assisting a patient to breathe, comprising: gas control means for mixing and regulating the gas that is to flow to a patient and receiving the gas that flows from the patient; and controller means including a plurality of control modes and a plurality of parameter settings for controlling the gas control means, the controller means including an operator interface consisting essentially of only a single knob that selects between all of said control modes and parameter settings in the operation of the gas control means, the single knob being accessible to and operable by a human operator of the ventilator system.

Claim 3

The ventilator of claim 1, wherein an operator can select ventilation mode, gas pressure, gas composition, and flow rate of the gas that flows to the patient using the single control knob.

Claim 4

The ventilator of claim 1, wherein the current status and control functions are displayed on a cathode ray tube visible to the operator of the ventilator.

Claim 5

The ventilator of claim 3, wherein the operation of the control knob is integrated with the display on the cathode ray tube, so that the operator can select control modes and parameter settings viewed on the cathode ray by manipulating the control knob, and then enter the selected modes and settings into the controller means.

Claim 6

The ventilator of claim 1, wherein the controller means utilizes program instructions stored on removable memory devices.

Claim 7

A ventilator system for use in assisting a patient to breathe, comprising: gas control means for mixing and regulating the gas that is to flow to a patient and receiving the gas that flows from the patient, the gas control means including flow control means for mixing together controllable amounts of two gases to form a mixed gas that flows to the patient, the flow control means including a custom-calibrated rotary flow control valve for each of the two gases, an inhalation flow sensor through which the mixed gas slows, the inhalation flow sensor including a screen through which the mixed gas flows and a pressure sensor that senses the pressure drop across the screen, whereby the mixed gas flow rate is determined with a preexisting calibration relationship, a nebulizer that injects a controllable flow of a third component into the mixed gas stream, ventilation tube means extending to the patient for conducting the mixed gas to the patient and for receiving exhaled gas from the patient, the ventilation tube means including a filter for the mixed gas, a humidifier for the mixed gas, a water trap for the exhaled gas, and a filter for the exhaled gas, and positive end expiratory pressure means for controllably maintaining a minimum pressure in the exhaled gas; compressor means for supplying compressed gas to the gas control means, in the event that an external supply of compressed gas is not available, the compressor means including a compressor that operates continuously against a compressor accumulator and is sized to meet average rather than peak gas flow volume; and controller means for controlling the gas control means and the compressor means, the controller means permitting the setting of control modes and parameter settings with a single control knob.

Claim 8

A ventilator system for use in assisting a patient to breathe, comprising: gas control means for mixing and regulating the gas that is to flow to a patient and receiving the gas that flows from the patient, the gas control means including flow control means for mixing together controllable amounts of two gases to form a mixed gas that flows to the patient, the flow control means including a custom-calibrated rotary flow control valve for each of the two gases, an inhalation flow sensor through which the mixed gas slows, the inhalation flow sensor including a screen through which the mixed gas flows and a pressure sensor that senses the pressure drop across the screen, whereby the mixed gas flow rate is determined with a preexisting calibration relationship, a nebulizer that injects a controllable flow of a third component into the mixed gas stream, ventilation tube means extending to the patient for conducting the mixed gas to the patient and for receiving exhaled gas from the patient, the ventilation tube means including a filter for the mixed gas, a humidifier for the mixed gas, a water trap for the exhaled gas, and a filter for the exhaled gas, and positive end expiratory pressure means for controllably maintaining a minimum pressure in the exhaled gas; compressor means for supplying compressed gas to the gas control means, in the event that an external supply of compressed gas is not available, the compressor means including a compressor that operates continuously against a compressor accumulator and is sized to meet average rather than peak gas flow volume; and controller means for controlling the gas control means and the compressor means, the controller means permitting the setting of control modes and parameter settings with a single control knob.