External carbio-pulmonary resuscitation aid

External Cardie♦’Resuscitation Aid

מכ(4יר עזר חיצוני להחיאמ הלב

This invention relates to a small inflatable pillow provided with a pressure gauge for enabling a rescuer to accurately control the force applied to the victims chest when administering external cardiac resuscitation.

When the heart is stopped as a result of injury, poisoning, electric shock, heart attack or other causes, circulation sufficient to maintain life may be maintained by the rhytmic application of the correct amount of pressure to the chest.

In adult males, for example, the correct pressure is approximately ninetypounds. If too little pressure is applied the circulation created, if any. will not be sufficient to prevent brain damage or even death. On the other hand, if the pressure applied is too great, broken ribs, punctured lungs and other damage may result. Further, application of pressure on too small an ar@a c< the chest can more readily result in broken ribs and other damage, for example, if the knuckles of the rescuer’s hand are pressing on the victim's ribs. Also, if th® pressure is not applied evenly but applied in quick jabs, the likelihood of injury is increased, and if the pressure is nohap^ied rythmically and with proper timing.

satisfactory results may not be obtained.

Therefore, it is an object of thia invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby the pressure applied during external cardiac resuscitation may be observed by the person administering such aid.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an inexpensive and compact device which will indicate the amount of pressure applied |i during external cardiac resuscitation.

j It is also an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive and !!

compact pressure distribution device which optionally may not have the pressure measuring and indicating means.

It is another object of this invention to provide one or more of the

1j above described devices with a timing indication means to insure that the rescuer will use the appropriate rythmn in the application of external cardiac resuscitation.

!'! It is a further object of the invention to provide the above-mentioned devices with an adhesive backing so that the device need only be located in .׳ the proper position on the victim one time.

׳ Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set י ^,ί ;! forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obviouq

SMALLWOOD. HANSEN !

& KETTLESTRINGS i< ATTORNEYS AT LAW ~ A ~

SUITE 121

MONTGOMERY CENTER > 8030 FENTON STREET \

SILVER SPRING. MO. 2ΟΘΙ0

X. )

]]from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention« (!The objects and advantages are realized and attained by means of the

׳1 ;instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended !1 claims.

I

1: To achieve these and other objects the present invention provides

1' ’1

]]for an inflatable structure of heavy vinyl or other suitable material !i approximately three inches square and two inches high (when inflated) i!

^having a pressure indicating device such as a pressure gauge associated !]therewith. The structure is Inflated by mouth through a suitable inflation :valve such as are found on air mattresses. The gauge may be calibrated I!

]:to indicate the pressure applied to a victim by placing the inflatable ]structure on a spring weight scale and applying various pressures, '1 ':(especially in the range required for external cardiac resuscitation) on the ]]structure and recording these pressures from the spring weight scale onto lithe face of the pressure gauge indicator face. In experiments it has been :;found that a pressure of eight pounds per square inch on the gauge Is 1!

!:representative of a downward force on the Inflatable structure of ninety ,i ^pounds.

!!

In use, the above described external cardiac resuscitation aid is !inflated by mouth and placed on a victim's chest over the lower sternum, i!

!,and pressure Is applied to the victim's chest through the device. The ;! ¹j' liuser will observe the gauge each time he applies pressure (about once per ! second) to be sure that the proper pressure is attained.

]j In another embodiment a timing device such as an easily readable ;(step watch may be attached to the device to enable the rescuer to »

maintain the proper rythmn. Any other suitable adjustable timing device can be used using audible and/or visual signals, as an example. Electronic

6MAULW00D, hansen ;j_{w o}th_er timing means and even a compact metronome device could be used, β KETTLESTRINGS _ΊATTORNEYS AT LAW

QUITE 121 . _T 3 ־

MONTGOMERY CENTER J &63Ο FENTON STREET '

SILVER SPRING. MD. 20910

I For example, with two rescuers the rythmn should be one compression ׳׳ and relaxation per second (compression comprising one half second relax* ii !1 attan one half second).

H in another embodiment, the timing means may be an integral

1, li part of the pressure gauge, for example, the pressure gauge may be i!

J designed so that an appropriate time interval, e. g., one half second, io .I j required for the pressure indicator pointer to relax to zero. Ideally, ׳' this timing feature is adjustable to suit different circumstance^.

] The resiliency ot the inflatable pillow or other pressure applying

1׳ means is a valuable feature of the invention. This resiliency tends to ji

I; reduce the chances of damage or Injury to the patient when administering ׳ cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by virtue of the fact that it provides ii j; far an even distribution pf pressure. Further, it tends to absorb the f harmful effects of improperly applied (CPRj, such as sharp jabs rather ii • than even, regular compressions. Accordingly, one embodiment of the : invention would consist simply In an inflatable pillow or other similarly '1 ί shaped structure of suitable material such as foam rubber for the application of CPR. Suqh s device would be of value even though it did

II ji not have the pressure sensing and pressure indicating means and other ,1 , features described above. However, it could include these additional _N features or any combination thereof, including the use ot the timing means. .!

i| Further improvement to the above-described embodiments is the , provision of a pressure sensitive adhesive surface, such as medical il adhesive tape, on the bottom of the pillow or resilient cushion. This ׳; adhesive would have a peel-off cover. Thus, the rescuer need only locate . the proper position for the device, peel off the cover and apply it to the victim’s chest. Then, should the rescuer have to stop the CPR for an ’ SMALLWOOD, HANSEN(| ft KETTLESTRINGQI

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

SUITS 121j'

MONTGOMERY CENTERji

66SO FENTON STREETj

SILVER SPRING, MO. 20810 ;!

because of moving or transporting the victim or to apply mouthto־ mouth resuscitation (one man rescue) the rescuer will not lose time 1!

qin reapplying CPR because the device will have remainjjed in the proper

!׳ ! position on the victim’s chest. Further, the chance of causeing damage il ;!by Inadvertently applying pressure in the wrong place will be greatly jireduced.

i! Any type of suits blepressure-sensing device coupled with a !1 !,suitable pressure indicating means may be employed in the practice of this invention. For example, an electrical transducer might be used to

1׳ sense pressure in the inflatable ״pillow or might be used to sense the 'direct pressure applied through the resilient cushion to the victim.

•1

Pressure indicating means may be a visual and/or an audible signal.

;1 The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a pert of this specification, illustrate the invention, and togethejrZ ; with the description servo to explain the principles of the invention.

SMAU.WOOC. HANSEN a kettlestrings ATTORNEYS AT LAW cuirc 181 UOHTQOMEItT CENTER aeso FSNTON STREET SILVER SPUING. HD, 20010

If !! Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

j Figure 2 shows a section of another embodiment of the invention;

| Figure 3 is a cross־section of a further embodiment of the invention;

jl ;! Figure 4 18 a cross-section of still another embodiment of the ;׳' invention; and

Figure 5 Is a view illustrating the application of CPP using tbs ו cushion or pillow of this invention.

I;

1׳ With reference now to the drawings, wherein like reference >1 characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several

I!

views, there is shown in Figure 1 an inflatable pillow of vinyl or other .f suitable material 1 with an inflation valve 2, such as found in air 'mattresses and children's inflatable toys. The inflatable structure 118

I - 5 זך-ד----ז——י------־?ר ־ך־־יז־ק.«יייד—~־ד־~———r—--<τ—קך-ץץ־ —— _i

-.: ‘•37 ׳: י .’״':.׳. I il . , . . 'י־ > I I

II : . ^ψ ־! I

Ιί . . ,.י ” . .!

also provided with a pressure gauge 3 which measures the pressure !inside the inflatable structure 1. The pressure gauge 3 indicates the li.

!!downward force exerted on the structure 1, which force is related to but :not necessarily equal to the pressure inside the structure 1. Optional !;instructions 4 may be printed on the top cd the inflatable portion of the!

]external cardiac resuscitation aid. In addition a timing means (not 'shown) may be used In conjunction with pressure gauge 3 to enable proper

!׳ )!rythmical application of CPR.

' Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a similar embodiment with

I optional improvements. Inflatable vinyl pillow 11 is provided with one i! ';

!way inflation valve and tube 13. Inflation valve 13 18 optional if the !device 18 provided with its own sealed-in supply of air or other fluid.

i '. ;

i An optional, resilient, porous, fohm rubber or porous foam plastic

: י.!!

;pad 12 may be located inside the inflatable or Inflated vinyl pillow 11. to 1!’ | permit continued use of the pillow even if it becomes punctured and unable |to hold air. Optional adhesive layer 14 may be located on the bottom!

surface of the pillow covered by removable sheet 15. A flexible Instruction :

]!sheet 16 showing detailed instructions for CPR is attached both to the !'pillow and to pressure gauge 17. Instructions 16 and the face of pressure |!

!i gauge 17 may be provided with luminous lettering or other indicia for use

Γ .!when no light is available. Pressure gauge 17 may be optionally designed i!׳' ' so that the pressure indicator needle requires one half second or some !

i! .

! other predetermined time Interval to relax back to zero to provide for a

J!i timing reference for the rescuer. Another optional feature may provide !

for this relaxation time interval to be adjustable. This timing feature is ![ !

)illustrated in Figure 2 by 17' and other timing means not specifically;

*!described herein may also be used. Hollow tube 18 conducts fluidi ! \ . '

WOOD, HANSEN 6 ־ |ן “

TTLESTRINGS I

RHEYS AT LAW ׳ן

SUITS l&l { ’»

1.‘

3OMERY CENTER ’.1

FENTON STRGBT ¹׳

IPRINO. Mt>. aosio ₍![ ___________L..___________... ׳ .׳ >

<img file="IL48778A_D0001.tif" />

e from the interior 11' of pillow Π to pressure gauge 17 io that

<img file="IL48778A_D0002.tif" />

tithe force and pressure exerted by the rescuer on the pillow Is registered |0B gauge 17. >

; With reference now to Figure 3, cushion or pillow 19 is coortructed jjof suitably resilient fotan. rubber or foam plastic or other suitable ם rial 12 to provide even pressure distribution in the application of and to lessen harmful effects of imporperly applied CPR. Optionally, instruction sheet 16 may also be provided attached to cushion 19» Though t shown, adhesive layer and removable sheet 14, 15 0F Figure 2 may attached to the bottom of cushion 19. ;י | Figure 4 shows an inflatable pillow 20 which has an inflation tube Lnd valve 18» Instruction sheet 1® is also attached to Inflatable ftllow 20.

1’ '

Fhe pillow may be constructed of vinyl or other suitable material. This embodiment has the advantage, that it may be deflated and easily carried >n the person or stored in a smell space« Though not shown, the adhesive gestures 14 and 15 of Figure 2 may also be provided with this unit i' The present Invention provides for an inexpensive, portable, and 1 . ' ^: ipompact device and method for assisting a rescuer in applying CPS by Indicating the amount of pressure applied. The device may also provide |or a predetermined time interval for relaxation to zero of the pressure gauge whereby 0 timing reference is also provided for the rescuer and whereby the correct rhythm can he followed ip applying CPR. Studies jhave shown that upto 40% of persons trained in CPR forget the proper |CF® techniques three months after having been trained. This invention Cnhbles anyciie to properly administer CPR. even those who are untrained

Or those who have forgotten their training.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific smallwooo. hansen details showo and described» and departures may be made from such

A KEKLESTRiNBS !j

ATTORNEYS AT LAW details without departing from ths principles of the invention and without

SUITE 121 j ¹ י י י '

Sacrificing ita chief advantages.

Silver spring, mq. £0210 ' ' ' 7 '

48778/2