US 5,396,895 A · Apparatus for simulating blood circulation

Abstract

An apparatus simulating blood circulation in the human body which allows sphygmic diagnosis simulation to be performed by measuring simulated arterial pulses along a simulated artery portion which simulates an artery portion leading to either the left or right hand of the blood circulating system of the human body. The simulated artery portion is included in a simulated blood circulating passage formed by a layout of tubes representative of the human circulatory system. Each tube has a circular section of rubber resin made of both silicon and natural rubbers in which the wall thickness of the tube, Young Modulus, tensile strength, dimension, and compliance are predetermined to simulate the human body. Sphygmic diagnosis simulation can be performed by measuring the simulated arterial pulses at three points along of a radial artery portion corresponding to three positions of shun, khan, and shaku of the sunko as in the practice of Oriental medicine. Three pressure sensors may be used to detect the simulated pulses and blood circulation at the shun, khan, and shaku spots of the sunko. Information on blood viscosity, artery hardness, and inner wall condition is also obtained.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A simulated blood circulating apparatus for simulating a sphygmic human blood flow through the human circulatory system, comprising:

an atrium reservoir for holding a supply of simulated blood and for providing said simulated blood to an artificial heart unit;
said artificial heart unit connected to said atrium reservoir and pumping said simulated blood in response to an artificial heart driving unit to provide volumetric pulses of the simulated blood to a simulated blood circulating passage means;
wherein, said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises a layout of open-ended tubes connected to one another so as to be representative of the layout of the human circulatory system extending from the heart to at least one hand;
said layout of open-ended tubes directing and exerting pressure on said volumetric pulses of said simulated blood traveling therethrough for simulating the flow of a human pulse;
and
said layout of open-ended tubes including artery tubing comprised of at least one tube portion, responsive to said volumetric pulses, through which said volumetric pulses of said simulated blood travel in a single direction of flow.

3 more elements

A simulated blood circulating apparatus for simulating a sphygmic human blood flow through the human circulatory system, comprising:

an atrium reservoir for holding a supply of simulated blood;
an artificial heart unit connected to said atrium reservoir to which the simulated blood is supplied from said atrium reservoir;
an artificial heart driving unit connected to said artificial heart unit for driving the artificial heart unit;
and
a simulated blood circulating passage means to which the simulated blood is supplied from said artificial heart unit,
wherein, said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises tubing means, arranged in a layout simulating portions of the human circulatory system, including an artery tubing means comprised of at least one tube portion through which volumetric pulses of the simulated blood from the artificial heart unit pass,
wherein the volumetric pulses of simulated blood passing through said at least one tube portion in said simulated circulatory system simulate human pulses and said at least one tube portion changes due to the passage of pulses therethrough to simulate the travel of human blood pulses through an artery,
wherein said tubing means of said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises a curved aorta tubing means having a curve simulating the arch of the aorta connected to the artery tubing means;
said artery tubing means comprises a subclavian artery tube, a radial artery tube, an ulnar artery tube, and a hand artery tube and each tube of said artery tubing means has at least two ends;
wherein, said at least one tube portion through which the simulated blood pulses pass comprises the radial artery tube,
said subclavian artery tube connected at one end to the curve of the curved aorta tubing means;
said radial artery tube is connected in parallel with the ulnar artery tube, both the radial artery tube and ulnar artery tube have one end connected in common with the other end of the subclavian tube and have their other ends connected in common with a hand artery tube.

9 more elements

A simulated blood circulating apparatus for simulating a sphygmic human blood flow through the human circulatory system, comprising:

an atrium reservoir for holding a supply of simulated blood;
an artificial heart unit connected to said atrium reservoir to which the simulated blood is supplied from said artrium reservoir;
an artificial heart driving unit connected to said artificial heart unit for driving the artificial heart unit;
and
a simulated blood circulating passage means to which the simulated blood is supplied from said artificial heart unit,
wherein, said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises tubing means, arranged in a layout simulating portions of the human circulatory system, including an artery tubing means comprised of at least one tube portion through which volumetric pulses of the simulated blood from the artificial heart unit pass,
wherein, the volumetric pulses of simulated blood passing through said at least one tube portion in said simulated circulatory system simulate human pulses and said at least one tube portion changes due to the passage of pulses therethrough to simulate the travel of human blood pulses through an artery,
wherein said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises a curved aorta tubing means having a curve for simulating the arch of the aorta connected to a right and a left artery tubing means;
said right artery tubing means comprises a right subclavian artery tube, a right radial artery tube, a right ulnar artery tube, and a right hand artery tube;
said left artery tubing means comprises a left subclavian artery tube, a left radial artery tube, a left ulnar artery tube, and a left hand artery tube, each of said tubes having at least two ends;
wherein, said at least one tube portion where the simulated blood pulses pass comprises the right radial artery tube and the left radial artery tube, each of said tubes having at least two ends;
said right subclavian artery tube connected at one end to a tube juncture located along the curve of the curved aorta tubing means down from the artificial heart unit and up along the aorta curve from the left subclavian artery tube;
said left subclavian artery tube connected at one end along the curve of the curved aorta tubing means down from the tube juncture leading to the right subclavian artery tube;
said each right and left radial artery tube being connected in parallel with the respective right and left ulnar artery tube, both the radial artery tube and ulnar artery tube have one end connected in common with the other end of the respective right and left subclavian tube and have their other ends connected in common with a respective right and left hand artery tube.

11 more elements

A simulated blood circulating apparatus for simulating a sphygmic human blood flow through the human circulatory system, comprising:

an atrium reservoir for holding a supply of simulated blood;
an artificial heart unit connected to said atrium reservoir to which the simulated blood is supplied from said atrium reservoir;
an artificial heart driving unit connected to said artificial heart unit for driving the artificial heart unit;
and
a simulated blood circulating passage means to which the simulated blood is supplied from said artificial heart unit,
wherein, said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises tubing means, arranged in a layout simulating portions of the human circulatory system, including an artery tubing means comprised of at least one tube portion through which volumetric pulses of the simulated blood from the artificial heart unit pass.
wherein the volumetric pulses of simulated blood passing through said at least one tube portion in said simulated circulatory system simulate human pulses and said at least one tube portion changes due to the passage of pulses therethrough to simulate the travel of human blood pulses through an artery, wherein:
said simulated blood circulating passage means comprises tubes having a circular section made of rubber resin, whereby said tubes have a preset wall thickness, Young Modulus, tensile strength, dimension, and compliance such that changes in the tubes due to the simulated blood pulses passing therethrough in said tubes simulate the changes in an artery in a human circulatory system as human blood pulses pass therethrough.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for simulating blood circulation

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Apparatus for simulating blood circulation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44