Oscillating ventilator apparatus and method and patient isolation apparatus

An oscillating ventilator for air breathing mammalian patients, comprising:

• a hollow housing having an open end defined by a peripheral end face concentric about an axis;
• a diaphragmatically sealed piston having a periphery sealably closing said open end, said piston having a fixed vibrational axis substantially coaxial with said peripheral end face axis;
• electrically actuated means in said housing for vibrating said piston along said fixed axis at a selected frequency and with a selected wave form;
• a patient isolation connection means defining an open end chamber having a peripheral rim portion abuttable with said end face;
• a flexible diaphragm disc having a peripheral portion sealably secured to said peripheral rim portion and an impermeable medial portion, thereby sealably closing said open end of said chamber;
• means for sealably securing said patient isolation connection means to said housing with said medial portion of said diaphragm disc disposed in adjacent relationship to said medial portions of said piston;
• and
• tubular means connecting said chamber to the airway of a patient, thereby eliminating contact of said piston with fluids emanating from the patient.

An oscillating ventilator for air breathing mammalian patients, comprising:

• a housing having an end face defining an opening having a concentric axis;
• a diaphragmatically sealed piston having its periphery sealably connected to said end face to close said open end;
• electrically actuated means for vibrating said piston along said axis at a selected frequency and with a selected wave form;
• patient isolation connection means having one end face sealably connectable with said housing end face around said housing open end;
• means on said patient isolation connection means for connecting the interior of said patient isolation connection means with tubing leading to a patient's airway;
• and
• a flexible, impermeable diaphragm sealably secured across said one end of said patient isolation means, thereby preventing contact of patient fluids with said piston, said flexible diaphragm being disposed in adjacent relationship to said piston to transmit said vibrations of said piston to the air within said patient isolation connection means.

A method of modifying an oscillating ventilator comprising the steps of:

• providing an oscillating ventilator having a diaphragmatically sealed portion;
• separating the airways of a patient from said ventilator by placing an impermeable, flexible diaphragm in adjacent relationship with the diaphragmatically sealed piston of said ventilator and between said patient airways and said ventilator;
• and
• ensuring said impermeable, flexible diaphragm vibrates in synchronism with said diaphragmatically sealed piston.

A patient isolation apparatus for use with an oscillating ventilator having a diaphragmatically sealed piston mounted within a housing having an open end, comprising:

• a patient isolation connection unit having a first opening with a peripheral rim wherein said peripheral rim of said first opening is abuttable to the periphery of said open end of s id ventilator housing, and having a second opening for connection with the airway of a patient;
• a flexible, impermeable diaphragm having its periphery sealably attached to said peripheral rim of said first opening of said patient isolation connection unit;
• and
• means for removably securing said patient isolation connection unit and attached diaphragm to said open end of said ventilator housing such that said diaphragm is disposed in adjacent relationship to the face of said diaphragmatically sealed piston face.