# US 12,217,624 B2 · Lung simulator for teaching and training > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,624 B2 - Document ID: US12217624B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/049,016 - Filed: 2019-04-11 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-17 - Assignees: Neosim AG - Applicants: Neosim AG - Inventors: Josef X. Brunner; Patrick Büchele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217624B2 ## CPC - G09B 23/288: {for artificial respiration or heart massage} - G09B 23/30: Anatomical models {(G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence)} - G09B 23/32: with moving parts - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A physical lung model (PLM) for training and teaching comprising a lung compartment which is delimited by an enlargeable and reducible piston for enlarging and reducing the volume of the lung compartment, a lid sealing a first end of the piston, a support body carrying the piston in that a second end of the piston is sealingly attached to the support body; and an airway leading from the lung compartment to an airway opening. A mechanical stop is attached to the piston and partitions the piston into a first enlargeable and reducible section and a second enlargeable and reducible section, the mechanical stop describing a path of movement during the enlargement of the lung compartment. A lever, is installed for blocking the movement of the stop at a predefined point on the path of movement during enlargement of the lung compartment and restricting the enlargement of the lung compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A physical lung model (PLM) for training and teaching, comprising: a lung compartment which is delimited by: an enlargeable and reducible piston for enlarging and reducing the volume of the lung compartment; a lid sealing a first end of the piston; and a support body carrying the piston, a second end of the piston sealingly attached to the support body; an airway leading from the lung compartment to an airway opening; a mechanical stop attached to the piston and partitioning the piston into a first enlargeable and reducible section and a second enlargeable and reducible section, the mechanical stop describing a path of movement during enlargement of the lung compartment; and a lever for blocking movement of the stop at a predefined point on the path of movement during enlargement of the lung compartment and, thereby, restricting the enlargement of the lung compartment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein the lever is adjustable for setting said predefined point at any desired position on said path of movement of the stop during operation of the physical lung model. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein the mechanical stop and the lever are arranged outside of the lung compartment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein, for the purpose of adjusting the lever, the lever is driven by a motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein the piston is a corrugated piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, further comprising means for determining a position of the lid or changes of the position of the lid and based on the position of the lid or the changes of the position of the lid is used to determine a volume of the lung compartment or volume changes of the lung compartment over time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, further comprising a string with one end fixed to the lid and with another end wound-up on a reel and a rotary encoder coupled to the reel, and wherein the rotary encoder serves for measuring the rotation of the reel and for determining the position or change of position of the lid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The physical lung model of claim 7, further comprising a motor to drive the reel to wind-up the string to simulate a patient's own inhaling effort. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein the support body is shaped as a cylinder larger than the piston, at a first end comprises a cover plate and at a second end carries the piston, and wherein the support body and the piston are mutually arranged such that the piston is housed within the cylinder of the support body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, wherein the volume of the compartment is enlarged when reducing the piston. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The physical lung model of claim 10, wherein the lung compartment comprises an inlet of a gas supply, said inlet arranged near or at a second end of the cylinder-shaped support body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The physical lung model of claim 11, wherein the piston comprises a restoring force, for restoring a length of the piston. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The physical lung model of claim 1, further comprising an artificial ventilator attached to the airway opening for simulating artificial ventilation. ### Claim 14 A lung simulator for treating and training, comprising: a physical lung model comprising: a lung compartment delimited by: an enlargeable and reducible piston for enlarging and reducing a volume of the lung compartment; a lid sealing a first end of the piston; and a support body carrying the piston, a second end of the piston sealingly attached to the support body; an airway leading from the lung compartment to an airway opening; a mechanical stop attached to the piston and partitioning the piston into a first enlargeable and reducible section and a second enlargeable and reducible section, the mechanical stop describing a path of movement during enlargement of the lung compartment; a lever for blocking movement of the stop at a predefined point on the path of movement during enlargement of the lung compartment and, thereby, restricting the enlargement of the lung compartment; a control unit configured to read sensor and status data from the physical lung model and set actuators, in the physical lung model; a physiological model unit configured to compare sensor and status data from the physical lung model with data desired and input by an operator and to provide amended settings for the physical lung model on a basis of physiological or pathophysiological models; and a graphical user interface receiving operator input and presenting sensor and status data of the physical lung model provided via the physiological model unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The lung simulator of claim 14, further comprising a diagnostic module configured to provide simulated patient reactions on a basis of sensor and status data from the physical lung model or allowing for carrying out diagnostic procedures. ### Claim 16 A method of simulating lung mechanics, for training and teaching purposes, comprising: providing an enlargeable and reducible piston having two ends, wherein a lid is attached sealingly to the first end of the piston and the piston with a second end is sealingly attached to a support body, the support body, piston and lid forming an enlargeable and reducible compartment, so that the first end of the piston may move freely during enlargement and reduction of the piston; enlarging and reducing said compartment by enlarging and reducing the piston for simulating enlargement and reduction of a lung volume; and restricting the enlargement of the compartment by blocking a movement of a section of the piston during enlargement of the compartment for simulating reduced lung compliance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the compartment is enlarged when reducing the piston. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the compartment is enlarged when enlarging the piston. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising a mechanical stop attached to the piston and dividing the piston into a first enlargeable and reducible section and a second enlargeable and reducible section, and wherein movement of a section of the piston can be blocked by restricting movement of the mechanical stop by a lever attached to the support body or a common support of the support body and the lever. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a volume or volume change of the compartment over time, determining the position of the lid by a rotary encoder coupled to a motor-driven reel to wind-up a string, which with one end is fixedly attached to the lid, for measuring a change of length of the wound-up string, and wherein a motor is controlled by a constant current to keep the string pulled taut. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the motor is controlled to pull the lid with variable force to simulate a patient's inhaling effort. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein exhaling is simulated by reducing all applied forces so that the extension of the piston restores due to its elastic properties.