Patent ID: 7343916

Claim:
A pulmonary therapy system for use with a ventilator for supplying air to the lungs of a patient, said system comprising: a chest binding apparel apparatus including a plurality of air bladders, said chest binding apparel apparatus configured to be supported proximate the chest of a patient; an air supply in fluid communication with said plurality of air bladders; a controller operably connected to said air supply; a ventilator pressure sensor adapted to be coupled to a ventilator for sensing a pressure of air supplied to the patient and generating a ventilator pressure signal indicative thereof, said ventilator pressure sensor in communication with said controller for supplying said ventilator pressure signal thereto; an apparel pressure sensor coupled to said binding apparel apparatus for sensing a pressure applied by said binding apparel apparatus to the chest of the patient and generating an apparel pressure signal indicative thereof, said apparel pressure sensor in communication with said controller for supplying said apparel pressure signal thereto; and wherein said controller controls air flow to said plurality of air bladders in response to said ventilator pressure signal.