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US5902229A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Drive system for controlling cardiac compression

Assignee: Cardio Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1998-03-30
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Granted: 1999-05-11
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Expires: 2018-03-30
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Abstract

Abstract An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure profile applied to an inflatable chamber includes a pneumatic source disposed in fluid communication with a pressure path including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels. A supply mechanism is disposed at the output of the pressure path and is operative to alternately expose the inflatable liner to the high and low pressure levels to define an independently controllable rise time.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joshua E. Tsitlik
  • 👤 Howard R. Levin
  • 👤 Naum Ziselson
  • 👤 Paul C. Michelman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 01:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M60/00; A61M60/40; A61M60/424; A61M60/427; A61M60/432; A61M60/10; A61M60/122; A61M60/165; A61M60/191; A61M60/20; A61M60/289; A61M60/465; A61M60/468; A61M60/50; A61M60/508; A61M60/515; A61M60/562; A61M60/569

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim 97 words
An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure cycle profile applied to an inflatable chamber, said system including: a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 97 words
An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure cycle profile applied to an inflatable chamber, said system including: a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pneumatic source comprises an air compressor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pneumatic source comprises a pre-pressurized pneumatic cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pneumatic source comprises a pump.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pneumatic source comprises a pneumatic distribution line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said predetermined high pressure level is within the range 150 to 300 mmHg; and said low pressure level is within the range 60 to 150 mmHg.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 59 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pressure path comprises a reservoir having an inlet disposed in fluid communication with said pneumatic source and a controllable bypass mechanism disposed in fluid communication with said reservoir and operative, when said duration expires, to controllably relieve the pressure in said reservoir to a second pressure defining said plateau level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
An inflation system according to claim 7 wherein: said reservoir comprises a tank; and said supply mechanism comprises a supply control valve disposed downstream of said tank.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
An inflation system according to claim 7 wherein: said bypass mechanism comprises a regulator having an inlet connected to said reservoir, and a bypass control valve connected to the outlet of said regulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
An inflation system according to claim 9 and further including: a controller for generating predefined sequenced signals to control said supply mechanism and said bypass control valve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 67 words
An inflation system according to claim 10 wherein: said controller produces respective first and second signals according to timing defined by said switchable durations, said supply mechanism operates responsive to said first signal to expose said chamber to said predetermined pressure according to an essentially exponential pressure increase; and said bypass mechanism operates responsive to said second signal to relieve said chamber pressure to said plateau level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 77 words
An inflation system according to claim 1 wherein: said pressure path includes a high pressure path connected to said pneumatic source and including a high pressure reservoir and a regulator to maintain a first pressure in said reservoir; and a low pressure path connected to said pneumatic source and disposed in parallel relationship with said high pressure path and having a low pressure reservoir and a low pressure regulator to maintain a second pressure in said reservoir.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 64 words
An inflation system according to claim 12 further comprising: a switching valve including a first inlet and a second inlet connected to said high and low pressure paths, respectively, and an outlet connected to said chamber and operative to switch between said first and second pressure paths to selectively control the pressure within said chamber to correspondingly control said rise time and plateau level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 22 words
An inflation system according to claim 13 and further including: a controller for generating predefined sequenced signals to control said switching valve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 83 words
An inflation system according to claim 14 wherein: said controller produces respective first and second signals according to timing defined by said switchable durations; and said switching valve operates responsive to said first signal to open said high pressure path and expose said chamber to said first pressure according to an essentially exponential pressure increase and responsive to said second signal to close said high pressure path and simultaneously open said low pressure path to expose said chamber pressure to said second pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 68 words
An inflation system according to claim 13, further comprising: a tank being in fluid communication with one of an atmospheric pressure and a negative pressure, said tank having an outlet; a venting mechanism including a first inlet and a second inlet end connected to said outlet of said switching valve and to said outlet of said tank, respectively, said venting mechanism including an outlet connected to said chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
An inflation system according to claim 16, wherein said venting mechanism defaults to being in fluid communication with said outlet of said tank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 33 words
An inflation system according to claim 12 wherein: said high pressure level is within the range 150 to 300 mmHg; and said low pressure level is within the range 60 to 150 mmHg.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 55 words
An inflation system according to claim 12, further comprising: a first control valve connected to said high pressure path and a second control valve connected to said low pressure path; and an outlet of said first control valve and an outlet of said second control valve each being in communication with a common supply manifold.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 63 words
An inflation system according to claim 19, further comprising: a tank being in fluid communication with one of an atmospheric pressure and a negative pressure, said tank having an outlet; a venting mechanism including a first inlet and a second inlet connected to said manifold and to said outlet of said tank, respectively, said venting mechanism including an outlet connected to said chamber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 23 words
An inflation system according to claim 20, wherein said venting mechanism defaults to be in fluid communication with said outlet of said tank.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 143 words
An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure cycle profile applied to an inflatable chamber, said system including: a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; a reservoir having an inlet disposed in fluid communication with said pneumatic source; a controllable switching valve disposed in fluid communication with said reservoir and operative when said duration expires, to controllably relieve the pressure in said reservoir to a second pressure defining said plateau level; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 143 words
An inflation system for independently controlling the rise time and plateau level of a pressure cycle profile applied to an inflatable chamber, said system including: a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; a reservoir having an inlet disposed in fluid communication with said pneumatic source; a controllable switching valve disposed in fluid communication with said reservoir and operative when said duration expires, to controllably relieve the pressure in said reservoir to a second pressure defining said plateau level; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 27 words
An inflation system according to claim 22 wherein: said reservoir comprises a tank; and said supply mechanism comprises a supply control valve disposed downstream of said tank.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 61 words
An inflation system according to claim 22, wherein said switching valve comprises a three-way valve having a first inlet being a first pressure path that is regulated to said high pressure level and a second inlet that is connected to a second pressure path that is regulated to said low pressure level and an outlet that is connected to said reservoir.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 25 words
An inflation system according to claim 24, further including a controller for generating predefined sequence signals to control said supply mechanism and said switching valve.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 66 words
An inflation system according to claim 25, said controller produces respective first and second signals according to timing defined by said switchable durations, said supply mechanism operates responsive to said first signal to expose said chamber to said predetermined pressure according to an essentially exponential pressure increase; and said switching valve operates responsive to said second signal to relieve said chamber pressure to said plateau level.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 146 words
A heart assistance system for supporting and assisting the cyclic pumping of a heart, said compression system including: a cardiac compression apparatus having a support cup and an internal inflation chamber for uniformly compressing said heart; and an inflation system for applying a pressure pulse to said inflation chamber and place said heart in cyclic compression by independently controlling the rise time and the plateau level of a pressure pulse, said inflation system including a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 146 words
A heart assistance system for supporting and assisting the cyclic pumping of a heart, said compression system including: a cardiac compression apparatus having a support cup and an internal inflation chamber for uniformly compressing said heart; and an inflation system for applying a pressure pulse to said inflation chamber and place said heart in cyclic compression by independently controlling the rise time and the plateau level of a pressure pulse, said inflation system including a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.
Claim 31
Independent Claim 81 words
A method of independently controlling the rise time and the plateau level of a pressure cycle applied to an inflatable liner disposed in a cardiac compression apparatus, said method including the steps of: exposing said liner to a first pressure from a pressure reservoir to essentially exponential increase the pressure within said liner for a controllable duration defining said rise time; switching the pressure in said reservoir following expiration of said duration to a constant second pressure defining said plateau level.
Claim 32
Independent Claim 81 words
A method of independently controlling the rise time and the plateau level of a pressure cycle applied to an inflatable liner disposed in a cardiac compression apparatus, said method including the steps of: exposing said liner to a first pressure from a pressure reservoir to essentially exponential increase the pressure within said liner for a controllable duration defining said rise time; switching the pressure in said reservoir following expiration of said duration to a constant second pressure defining said plateau level.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 28 wherein: said switching step includes relieving the pressure in said reservoir with a bypass mechanism comprising a regulator disposed in fluid communication with said reservoir, and a control valve connected to the output of said regulator.
Claim 34
Independent Claim 83 words
A method of assisting the pumping of a heart, said pumping corresponding to a definable systolic cycle, said method including the steps of: selecting a cardiac compression apparatus having a support cup and an inflatable liner; exposing said liner to a first pressure from a pressure reservoir to exponentially increase the pressure within said liner for a controllable duration defining said rise time; switching the pressure in said reservoir following expiration of said duration to a constant second pressure defining said plateau level.
Claim 35
Independent Claim 83 words
A method of assisting the pumping of a heart, said pumping corresponding to a definable systolic cycle, said method including the steps of: selecting a cardiac compression apparatus having a support cup and an inflatable liner; exposing said liner to a first pressure from a pressure reservoir to exponentially increase the pressure within said liner for a controllable duration defining said rise time; switching the pressure in said reservoir following expiration of said duration to a constant second pressure defining said plateau level.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 88 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein: said selecting step includes providing an inflation system having a pneumatic source for pressurizing fluid at a predetermined pressure; a pressure path disposed in fluid communication with said source and including a regulation device for establishing respective high and low pressure levels; and a supply mechanism disposed at the output of said pressure path and operative to alternately expose said chamber to said high and low pressure levels according to predetermined switchable durations to define said rise time and plateau levels.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4794910A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-05-10 2002-11-09 2003-05-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-05-10 2006-11-09 2007-05-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-05-10 2010-11-09 2011-05-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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