On-airway pulmonary function tester
AssigneeMgc Diagnostics Corporation
InventorsDavid A. Blanton, Charles P. Howard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compact, on-airway, respiratory gas analyzer for performing pulmonary function tests incorporates an IR spectroscopy light guide having a curved, rather than linear, sample chamber that lies transverse to a direction of respiratory gas flow. Cooperating with the sample chamber is an impact plate that functions to steer respiratory and test gases impinging on the impact plate into the curved sample chamber. A source of IR energy is at one end of the sample chamber and an electro-optical sensor responsive to IR energy is disposed at an opposite end of the chamber. The respiratory gas analyzer also includes gas flow paths and valving for carrying out lung capacity and lung diffusion tests.
Claims8
In a mainstream respiratory gas analyzer apparatus, the combination comprising:
- a. an adapter plate having an aperture over which a tubular pneumotach is adapted to be mounted;
- b. a toroidal light guide member supported on the adapter plate and generally concentrically located with respect to said aperture, an inner surface of the toroidal light guide member defining a central opening thereof and having a circumferentially extending groove of arcuate cross-section formed inwardly of the inner surface over a predetermined arc, said groove having a light-reflective surface;
- c. an IR emitter affixed to the light guide member at one point on the groove for directing IR energy along the arcuate groove;
- d. at least one light sensor aligned with the groove at a second point on the groove;
- e. a generally circular impact plate fitted within said central opening of the light guide member, said impact plate having first and second major surfaces and a peripheral edge contoured to direct respiratory gases breathed through the aperture of the adapter plate and impinging on the impact plate into the groove;
- and
- f. an air actuatable blister valve on the first major surface of the impact plate for selectively blocking the aperture of the adapter plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.