Patent ID: 6921267

Claim:
A lung simulator for simulating breathing in real time during a breathing cycle in a patient simulator, comprising: a. a positive pressure source of a gas; b. a vacuum pressure source; c. a vessel having an inlet, a outlet, and a breath passage port, the vessel defining a fixed interior volume, the inlet in communication with the positive pressure source and the outlet in communication with the vacuum pressure source; d. a plurality of regulating means, a first regulating means disposed intermediate and in fluid communication with the positive pressure source and the inlet of the vessel, and a second regulating means disposed intermediate and in fluid communication with the vacuum pressure source and the outlet of the vessel; e. a pressure sensor, disposed in communication with the interior volume of the vessel, wherein the pressure sensor generates a pressure signal based on the measured pressure of the gas within the vessel; f. means for continuously evaluating a desired pressure level within the vessel, based upon any one of i) a time and event based script, ii) a computer model, and iii) a combination of a time and event based script and a computer model based on a physiological state of a simulated patient, during the breathing cycle such that a flow of gas entering and exiting the breath passage port of the vessel is synchronized with a predetermined desired flow rate of breathing for the breathing cycle, wherein the evaluating means compares the pressure signal to the desired pressure level and generates a response signal based on the comparison; and g. feedback means, responsive to the pressure signal, adapted to adjust at least one of the regulating means so that the pressure within the interior volume of the vessel is maintained at the desired pressure level.