US 4,770,168 AGranted

Electrically controllable anesthesia vaporizer

AssigneeTibor Rusz

InventorsTibor Rusz, W. Stetson Hallowell

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Abstract

A vaporizer has a main conduit supplied at an inlet end by a carrier gas of oxygen and nitrous oxide having a constant flow rate. The outlet end of the conduit is connected to the breathing system of a patient. A series circuit with an input end connected to a proximal port in the conduit includes a check valve, a chamber in which anesthetic vapor is maintained in saturation and a positive displacement pump driven by an electrical motor for pumping the vapor-saturated gas at a rate that is only a function of an electrical signal applied to the motor. The output of the pump is connected to a distal port of the conduit. More than one such chamber may be provided, each containing a different liquid anesthetic, and any one being connected into the circuit by means of a selector valve.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An electrically controllable anesthesia vaporizer for introducing vapor at a controllable rate into a carrier gas stream flowing therethrough comprising:

(a) a main closed container with an outer wall, said container having in a portion thereof a reservoir for holding a liquid anesthetic, having a chamber means above said reservoir for collecting and containing anesthetic vapor from said liquid anesthetic, and having spaced apart inlet and outlet ports extending through separate portions respectively of said container wall, said inlet port being adapted for connection to a source of a carrier gas;
(b) a conduit having a source end adapted for connection to another a source of a carrier gas, having a load end adapted for connection to a patient's breathing-system, and having a distal port located in said wall of said conduit near said load end;
(c) an electric-motor-driven pump assembly comprising a positive displacement pump having an inlet side and an outlet side;
and an electric motor mechanically connected to said pump;
and
(d) an outlet connection for connecting said pump between said container outlet port and said distal port of said conduit to introduce the anesthetic vapor into the carrier gas stream flowing in said conduit, when an electrical energizing signal is applied to said motor, and at a rate that is directly related to a parameter of the electrical energizing signal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.