Patent ID: 6431169
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A mini pneumatic mechanical pulmonary ventilator comprising:a single moving part, wherein the single moving part is a diaphragm including an outer edge, a flexible lateral part within the outer edge, and a ring-shaped salience formed on a first side of the diaphragm; the ventilator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the gas inlet adapted to receive gas pressurized above ambient atmospheric pressure; gas entering the ventilator through the gas inlet applying pressure to the first side of the diaphragm within the ring shaped salience, and a spring within a chamber applies pressure on a second opposing side of the diaphragm; the pressure of the gas entering the ventilator from the gas inlet being sufficient to overcome the pressure of the spring and moving the diaphragm toward the chamber, opening a pathway for the gas to pass beyond the diaphragm; the pathway allowing gas to move toward the gas outlet and toward a needle valve, the needle valve cooperating with a opening to allow some of the gas to leak past the needle valve and enter the chamber; the pressure of the gas leaking into the chamber acting on the second side of the diaphragm, adding to the pressure being applied to the second side of the diaphragm by the spring until the pressure on the second side of the diaphragm is sufficient to move the diaphragm away from the chamber, blocking the pathway and holding the incoming gas from passing the diaphragm; the gas within the chamber leaking past the needle valve out of the chamber into the passageway, reducing the pressure in the chamber until the pressure of the incoming gas within the ring-shaped salience on the first side is sufficient to move the diaphragm toward the chamber and allow gas from the gas inlet to enter the pathway; a period of time when the pathway is closed to gas from the gas inlet defining a first cycle phase, and a period of time when the pathway is open to gas from the gas inlet defining a second cycle phase, the first and second phases together defining a cycle.