Respirator intended for connection to human or animal airways

Claim 1

A respirator for use with a supply of a respiratory gas, and with a supply of a separate breathable gas, for connection to airways of human or animal subjects having lungs, the respirator comprising in combination: a first ventilator adapted for connection to the supply of respiratory gas and having first means communicating with the airways of the subject for supplying a flow of respiratory gas from the supply of respiratory gas to, and receiving exhaled respiratory gas from, the airways of the subject for ventilating the lungs of the subject in a normal respiratory pattern to simulate spontaneous breathing; a second ventilator adapted for connection to the supply of the separate breathable gas and having second means communicating with the airways of the subject for supplying the separate breathable gas to the airways of the subject, for inspiration by said subject, independently of said flow of respiratory gas, said second means communicating with the airways of the subject having at least one line for supplying the separate breathable gas under pressure, said second ventilator further having a plurality of valves connected to said at least one supply line and adapted for parallel connection between said at least one line and the supply of the separate breathable gas, said plurality of valves being individually actuatable via control signals for providing high frequency pulsating flow of the separate breathable gas to said at least one line; and a control unit connected to said plurality of valves in said second ventilator for generating said control signals to said plurality of valves, said control unit having means for setting selected characteristics of said high frequency pulsating flow of the separate breathable gas by varying said control signals.