Patent ID: 6869409

Claim:
An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, armpits, and a sternum, said sternum having a superior-inferior length and said chest having an anterior surface, the inflatable vest comprising: a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient and to cover substantially the entire width of the chest between the armpits and to cover substantially the entire superior-inferior length of the sternum, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient; and, a bladder attached to the belt, said bladder having a width and said bladder comprising: a bottoms-chest panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover at least substantially the entire portion of the anterior surface of the chest of the patient; a top-belt panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to the bottom-chest panel to form a gas tight bladder chamber having an opening to receive compressed gas; wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel form a radially extensible bellows; and wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.