Patent ID: 6098405
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A medical-appliance driving apparatus comprising:a pressure generator for alternately applying a positive pressure and a negative pressure to a tube line connected to a device to be driven in order to periodically inflate and deflate said device to be driven;a tube-line pressure sensor for detecting an interior pressure of said tube line;a gas supply system for supplying a gas into said tube line, said gas supply system comprising:a primary gas tank filled with a relatively high-pressure gas;a first valve connected to an output side of said primary gas tank;a secondary gas tank connected to said output side of said primary gas tank so as to allow gas flow therebetween when said first valve is open;a tank-pressure sensor for detecting an interior pressure of said secondary gas tank,and a second valve, connected to an output side of said secondary gas tank, for controlling a gas supply from said secondary gas tank into said tube line by opening and closing said second valve; anda controller for controlling an amount of said gas supplied to said tube line by said gas supply system, wherein when said interior pressure detected by said tube-line pressure sensor is not more than a predetermined pressure value, said controller closes said first valve and opens said second valve in order to allow said gas to be supplied from said secondary gas tank to said tube line, said controller calculating said amount of said gas supplied to said tube line based on a pressure change in said secondary gas tank detected by said tank-pressure sensor.