Patent ID: 7597670

Claim:
A chest compression apparatus comprising: an air bladder adapted to engage at least a portion of the thoracic region of a patient; an air valve assembly having an air port in fluid communication with a pressurized air source, a vent port in fluid communication with an air vent, and a pair of bladder-side ports, said air valve assembly providing selective fluid communication between the air vent and one of the pair of bladder-side ports and between the vent port and the other bladder-side port; and an air manifold coupled to the air valve assembly, with said air valve assembly periodically interrupting a flow of pressurized air from said source into said air manifold, and said air manifold providing fluid communication between the pair of bladder-side ports and a pair of air lines coupled to the air bladder and with said pair of air lines communicating a series of air pulses to said air bladder, said series of air pulses being established by the flow of pressurized air through the air valve assembly and the air manifold.