US 6,659,960 B2 · Apparatus for recording respiratory sounds in exercising horses

Abstract

A portable recording unit (10) for recording the upper airway respiratory sounds of an exercising horse to determine whether the horse suffers from an upper airway obstruction condition. The portable recording unit (10) comprises horse restraining apparatus (200) wherein microphone (12) is mounted on support (14), which is secured to nose-band (202) of horse restraining apparatus (200), and recorder (16). When horse restraining apparatus (200) is mounted onto head (102) of horse (100), microphone (12) is positioned forward to and between nostrils (108) of horse (100). Recorder (16) is fastened to neck (104) of horse (100) or is located at a remote location. Portable recording unit (10) allows recording of the upper airway respiratory sounds made by the exercising horse (100).

Claims17

Dependent claims

An apparatus for recording respiratory sounds of an exercising horse which comprises:

(a) a microphone with a head which detects respiratory sounds at close proximity;
(b) a horse restraining apparatus comprising a nose-band and a cheek-piece with a top for going behind and around the ears of the horse which is mountable on the head of the horse and which includes a support means with a distal end and a proximal end wherein the microphone is securely mounted to the distal end of the support means and the proximal end of the support means is securely mounted on the nose-band of the horse restraining apparatus and wherein the support means enables the head of the microphone to be positioned between nostrils of the horse and without touching the horse so that the respiratory sounds at close proximity to the nostrils of the horse are detected;
and
(c) a recording means for recording the respiratory sounds detected by the microphone at close proximity to the nostrils of the horse wherein the recording means squelches other sounds at a distance from the nostrils.

1 more element

A method for recording and analyzing respiratory sounds of an exercising horse to detect an airway condition which comprises:

(a) providing an apparatus for analyzing respiratory sounds of an exercising horse which comprises:
(1) a microphone with a head which detects respiratory sounds at close proximity;
(2) a horse restraining apparatus comprising a nose-band and a cheek-piece with a top for going behind and around the ears of the horse which is mountable on the head of the horse and which includes a support means with a distal end and a proximal end wherein the microphone is securely mounted to the distal end of the support means and the proximal end of the support means is securely mounted on the nose-band of the horse restraining apparatus and wherein the support means enables the head of the microphone to be positioned between nostrils of the horse and without touching the horse so that the respiratory sounds at close proximity to the nostrils of the horse are detected;
and
(3) a recording means for recording the respiratory sounds detected by the microphone at close proximity to the nostrils of the horse and squelching other sounds at a distance from the nostrils;
(b) mounting the apparatus on the head of the horse and positioning the head of the microphone to be adjacent to the nostrils of the horse;
(c) recording the respiratory sounds detected by the head of the microphone with the recording means;
and
(d) analyzing the respiratory sounds recorded on the recording means to detect the condition.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for recording respiratory sounds in exercising horses

Life of this patent

Apparatus for recording respiratory sounds in exercising horses

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17