Abstract:
The present disclosure discloses an apparatus of cardiopulmonary resuscitator that is operated through a driving mechanism controlled and driven by air power. The driving mechanism functions to actuate a belt adapted to extend around a chest of a patient to generate reciprocating movement of pressing and releasing so as to achieve a purpose of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for recovering heartbeat and breathing of the patent.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional of an application Ser. No. 11/686,130, filed on Mar. 14, 2007. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a chest compression apparatus, and relates to an apparatus of cardiopulmonary resuscitator. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The American Heart Association (AHA) has estimated that over 350,000 individuals in the United States experience a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) each year, which is a sudden, abrupt loss of heart function resulting in sudden cardiac death within minutes of onset. Unfortunately, 95 percent of SCA victims die because cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) isn&#39;t provided soon enough. 
     CPR is the abbreviation for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, and is an emergency technique applied by combining artificial respiration and massage outside the heart, when breathing stops and the heart stops beating. Due to brain damage is likely to occur in just 4 to 6 minutes without oxygen supplying, and irreparable brain damage will be further caused while there is no oxygen supplying in more than 6 minutes. Accordingly, if the CPR is provided promptly, the breathing and circulation can be maintained to provide oxygen and blood flow to the brain so as to sustain life of patient in time. In another words, any cause of breath cease and cardiac arrest, including drowning, heart attack, car accident, electric shock, drug poisoning, gas poisoning and airway obstruction, before getting proper medical care, CPR is a effective choice to keep the brain cell and other organs from being damaged. With the merits of CPR described above, right now, the AHA trains more than 9 million people a year and it is determined to more than double that number, to 20 million, within the next five years. 
     However, manual CPR, even operated properly, will not provide enough efficiency to maintain the normal circulation of blood flowing to brain or heart due to, during processing CPR, the effectiveness getting decreased in occasions such as inadequate chest compression, rescuer fatigue, and moving patient by rescuer. Therefore, it has been a vital topic for the one skilled in this field to spend efforts providing an apparatus of cardiopulmonary resuscitator for overcoming the drawbacks of manual CPR. 
     Conventional technique for solve the above problem of manual CPR, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,267 applied by Michigan Instruments, Inc. in 1999, discloses a high impulse cardiopulmonary resuscitator shown in  FIG. 1 . The cardiopulmonary resuscitation method and apparatus that is adapted to performing high-impulse CPR includes providing a chamber having an expandable volume and a patient-contacting pad that moves as a function of volume of the chamber and supplying a controlled quantity of a fluid to the chamber. This results in increasing the chamber volume by a controlled amount, thereby compressing the patient&#39;s chest with the patient-contacting pad during a systolic phase. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , the apparatus comprises a base  11 , a column  12  supported by the base  11 , and a cardiopulmonary resuscitation arm assembly  13  adjustably supported along the column  12 . The cardiopulmonary resuscitation arm assembly  13  has a fluid control system additionally including a timing circuit, a control valve assembly and a pressure regulator. A flexible pressure hose  14  interconnects the portion of the pneumatic source providing pneumatic power. The timing circuit is selectively to operate to control valve assembly so as to control operating frequency and pressing depth of a massage pad  15 . 
     Another conventional way, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,745 of Revivant Corporation, discloses a modular CPR assist device shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B . The device includes a panel  20 , a motor box  21  and a drive spool  22  driven by the motor box  21 , a belt  23  and a computer module  24 . The computer module  24  is programmed and operated to repeatedly turn the motor and release the clutch inside the motor box  21  to roll the compression belt  23  onto the drive spool  22  and release the drive spool  22  to allow the belt  23  to unroll so as to generate massage effect to the patient. The merits of the device can avoid causing injury to the chest during the operation and improve the efficiency of the compression. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure is to provide a cardiopulmonary resuscitator actuating a belt around chest of a patient to generate reciprocating movement through a pneumatic power controlled by a controlling module so as to achieve a purpose of cardiac massage. 
     The present disclosure is to provide a cardiopulmonary resuscitator controlled and driven through a pneumatic power so as to actuate a belt around chest of a patient to generate reciprocating movement, wherein the cardiopulmonary resuscitator is capable of being driven without any electrical device so that the cardiopulmonary resuscitator my be used in outdoor environment or circumstances without supplying of electrical power. 
     The present disclosure is to provide a cardiopulmonary resuscitator with a massage mechanism actuated by the pneumatic power to drive the belt around the chest of the patient so as to achieve a purpose of simplifying the mechanical design. 
     The present disclosure provides a cardiopulmonary resuscitator, comprising: a panel for supporting a patient; a first belt, disposed at a side of the panel, for wrapping around the chest of the patient; a driving device, connected to the first belt and driven by a pneumatic source to cyclically tighten and loosen the first belt around the chest of the patient; and a controlling module, coupled to the pneumatic source, functioning to control and adjust the pneumatic power generated by the pneumatic source. 
     In addition, the present disclosure further provides a cardiopulmonary resuscitator, comprising a panel for supporting a patient; a first belt, disposed at a side of the panel, wrapping around the chest of the patient; a flexible body, disposed on one side of the panel opposite to the side for supporting the patient, functioning to tighten and loosen the first belt for compressing and releasing the chest of the patent through a inflating and deflating motion generated by a pneumatic power; and a controlling module, connected to a pneumatic source, being capable of adjusting the airflow provided from the pneumatic source to pass in and out the flexible body. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings, incorporated into and form a part of the disclosure, illustrate the embodiments and method related to this disclosure and will assist in explaining the detail of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitator. 
         FIG. 2A . and  FIG. 2B  illustrate another conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitator. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a perspective view of the first embodiment of a cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a bottom view of the first embodiment of a cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  illustrate the operation of the first embodiment of the cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4C  is a schematic illustration of a massage pad disposed in the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of pneumatic source in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  illustrates a second embodiment of cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrates a third embodiment of cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics of the disclosure, several preferable embodiments cooperating with detailed description are presented as the follows. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , wherein  FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of a cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure and  FIG. 3B  illustrates a bottom view of the first embodiment of a cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. The cardiopulmonary resuscitator  3  comprises a panel  30 , a first belt  31 , a flexible body  37 , and a controlling module  35 . The panel  30  is capable of supporting a patient. There is at least one handle  38  disposed around the side of the panel  30  so as to increase the portability of the cardiopulmonary resuscitator  3 ; in this embodiment, two of the handles  38  are disposed on the two sides of the panel  30  and another handle  38  is disposed on the front of the panel  30 . The first belt  31 , disposed at a side of the panel  30 , for wrapping around the chest of the patient  90 . The first belt  31  further has a fastener  310  for appropriately adjusting the first belt  31  according to the size of chest of the patient  90 . In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the fastener  310  is a hook-and-loop fastener, but should not be a limitation of the present disclosure. The flexible body  37 , disposed on the bottom of the panel  30 , has an accommodation space for allowing air flow in and out so that the flexible body  37  can generate an inflating and deflating movement to cyclically tighten and loosen the first belt  31  for compressing and releasing the chest of patient  90 . The flexible body  37  in this embodiment is a bladder. 
     The controlling module  35 , coupled to a pneumatic source  34  and the flexible body  37 , is capable of controlling airflow provided from the pneumatic source  34  to pass in and out of the accommodation space of the flexible body  37 . In the embodiment, the pneumatic source  34  is a high-pressure bottle for providing airflow to the flexible body. In addition, an operating panel  36  with plural turn knobs or bottom is coupled to the controlling module  35  for controlling the flowing rate to the flexible body  37 . The controlling module  35  connects to the flexible body  37  with pipes  350  so that the flexible body  37  can receive and exhaust air through the pipes  350 . 
     Meanwhile, the panel  30  further has two openings  301  on two opposite sides thereof for allowing two ends of a second belt  32  to pass therethrough. The second belt  32  contacts with the flexible body and its two ends connect to the two ends of the first belt with a buckle  33  respectively. Preferably, a fastener (not shown) such as hook-and-loop fastener is disposed between the flexible body  37  and the second belt  32  for enforcing the adhesive force between the second belt  32  and the flexible body  37 . A plurality of rollers  39 , shown in  FIG. 4A , are disposed at the bottom of the panel  30  to contact with the second belt  32  for providing action force to the second belt  32  so as to increase and adjust the tension force of the second belt  32 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , which illustrate the operation of the first embodiment of the cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. The patient  90  lies down the panel  30  and the first belt  31  wraps the chest of the patient  90 . By means of the controlling module controlling the pneumatic pressure inside the flexible body  37 , the flexible body  37  inflates, shown in  FIG. 4A , to actuate the second belt  32  pulling the first belt  31  through the buckle  33 . Once the first belt  31  is pulled, the first belt  31  will tighten to compress the chest of the patient  90 . Please refer to  FIG. 4B , the controlling module controls the air to pass out of the flexible body  37  which deflates the flexible body  37  so that the second belt  32  returns to the original status to loosen the first belt  31  so as to release the chest of the patient  90 . With the cyclic movement of the first belt  31  shown in  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , the pressure inside the chest of the patient  90  increases to push the blood in circulation so as to prevent the irreparable brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen from occurring. 
     Returning to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , in this embodiment, the emergency operator setup condition through turn knob of the control panel  36  according to the age, the type of build, and gender of the patient so that the controlling module  35  can be operated in an appropriate manner in accordance with the setup of the control panel. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the compression frequency can be configured between 50 times per minutes to 100 times per minutes; meanwhile, the inflating range of the flexible body  37  is up to 4 to 8 centimeter while the compression force is between 30 to 60 kilogram. 
     In the embodiment, the controlling module  35  is a module of mechanical air control valve, which is capable of providing steady airflow to the flexible body  37  during chest compression, reducing environmental influence, and avoiding breaking down usually arisen from the electrical controlling module utilized in the conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitator, so as to improve the reliability and stability and increase use occasions of the cardiopulmonary resuscitator. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4C , a massage pad  6  is disposed on the first belt  31  toward the chest of the patient to concentrate a compression force to the center of the chest of the patient  90 . The massage pad  6  is made of rubber and is removably attached to the first belt  31  through hook-and-loop fastener so that the emergency operators may optionally decide whether to use the massage pad  6  or not according the patient status. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which illustrates another embodiment of pneumatic source in the present disclosure. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the pneumatic source  34   a  is an inflator with a pedal  341   a  disposed thereon. The operator&#39;s foot  91  can step on the pedal  341   a  through a cyclical motion to compress the inflator so that the inflator can provide airflow to inflate and deflate the flexible body  37  so as to tighten and loosed the first belt  31  around the chest of the patient for providing the compression force toward the chest of the patient. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , which illustrates a second embodiment of cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. In the embodiment, the cardiopulmonary resuscitator  4  comprises a panel  40 , a first belt  41 , and controlling module (not shown in figure) and a driving device  45 . The panel  40 , the first belt  41 , and the controlling module are the same as the embodiment described previously. 
     The driving device  45  has an air cylinder  450 , a piston rod  451  and a fastener  452 . The air cylinder  450  actuates the piston rod  451  to generate a linear reciprocating motion through the pneumatic power from the pneumatic source  44 . The fastener  452 , disposed in the front end of the piston rod  451 , functions to clamp a second belt  42 . The two ends of the second belt  42  connect to the two ends of the first belt  41  with a buckle  43  respectively. A plurality of rollers  46 , disposed on the bottom side of the panel  40 , contact to the second belt for providing action force to the second belt  42  so as to adjust the tension force of the second belt  42 . 
     By means of the controlling module controlling the pneumatic source  44  to provide airflow into the air cylinder  450 , the air cylinder  450  will actuate the piston rod  451  moving back and forth to tighten and loosen the second belt  42  so as to pull the first belt  41  to compress and release toward the chest of the patient  90 . In  FIG. 6A , the piston rod  451  extending outward to loosen the second belt  42  for releasing the first belt  41 , while in the  FIG. 6B , the piston rod  452  moving backward to pullback the second belt  42  so as to make the first belt  41  compress the chest of the patient  90 . 
     Just like the previous embodiment, the emergency operator setup condition through turn knob of the control panel (not shown, but the same as the previous embodiment) according to the age, the type of build, and gender of the patient  90  so that the controlling module can be operated in an appropriate manner in accordance with the setup of the control panel. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the compression frequency can be configured between 50 times per minutes to 100 times per minutes; meanwhile, the piston stroke can be controlled between 3 to 6 centimeter while the compression force is between 30 to 60 kilogram. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B , which illustrates a third embodiment of cardiopulmonary resuscitator according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the cardiopulmonary resuscitator  5  has a panel  50  for supporting a patient  90 , a first belt  51 , a controlling module  55 , and a driving device  56 . The panel  50  has four supporters  57  disposed at four edges of the bottom side of the panel  50 . The panel  50 , the first belt  51  and the controlling module  55  are the same as the embodiment described before, it will not be further described hereafter. 
     The driving device  56  includes an air cylinder  560 , a clamping member  561 , a pair of second belts  52 , and a pair of holders  562 . The air cylinder  560  disposed on the bottom of the panel  50  communicates with the controlling module  55  through air piping  550 . The air cylinder  560  actuates a piston rod disposed thereon to generate a linear reciprocating motion through the pneumatic power from the pneumatic source  54 . The clamping member  561  connects to the piston rod. The two ends for each of the second belt  52  connect to the one end of the first belt  51  and the holder  562  respectively. The pair of the holders, disposed at two sides of the air cylinder  560  respectively, connect to the clamping member  561 . 
     The holder  562  further has a frame  5620  for sliding, a slider  5621 , and a strap  5622 . The frame  5620  for sliding is disposed on the bottom side of the panel  50 . The slider  5621  disposed on the frame  5620  for sliding connects to the end of the second belt  52 . The strap  5622  has two ends, wherein one end is connected to the slider  5621  and another end is connected to the clamping member  561 . The bottom side of the panel  50  further includes plural rollers  5623  contacting with the strap  5622  for adjusting the tension force of the strap  5622 . 
     By means of the controlling module  55  to control the pneumatic power provided by the pneumatic source  54 , the air cylinder  560  actuates the piston rod to move back and forth so as to drive the slider  5621  to generate a reciprocating motion through the clamping member  561  and the strap  5622 . Since the second belt  52  is a relaying element connecting to the slider  5621  and the first belt  51 , the first belt  51  will become tightened and loosened to massage the chest of the patient  90  through the reciprocating motion of the second belt  52  driven by the air cylinder  560 . 
     While the preferred embodiment of the disclosure has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the disclosure as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.