A battery retaining system for a portable oxygen concentrator includes a first rail configured to receive a first slide of a battery, a second rail configured to receive a second slide of the battery, the second rail being spaced apart from the first rail so as to form a channel configured to receive the battery, and a flexible stiffening mechanism configured to impart a biasing force on a surface of the battery when the battery is received within the channel. The flexible stiffening mechanism includes a protrusion projecting from the first rail at least partially towards the second rail and a slit positioned behind the protrusion and configured to facilitate travel of the protrusion fore and aft.

Lightweight, portable oxygen concentrators that operate using an ultra rapid, sub one second, adsorption cycle based on advanced molecular sieve materials are disclosed. The amount of sieve material utilized is a fraction of that used in conventional portable devices. This dramatically reduces the volume, weight, and cost of the device. Innovations in valve configuration, moisture control, case and battery design, and replaceable sieve module are described. Patients with breathing disorders and others requiring medical oxygen are provided with a long lasting, low cost alternative to existing portable oxygen supply devices.

An oxygen concentrator includes one or more adsorbent sieve beds operable to remove nitrogen from air to produce concentrated oxygen gas at respective outlets thereof, a product tank fluidly coupled to the respective outlets of the sieve bed(s), a compressor operable to pressurize ambient air, one or more sieve bed flow paths from the compressor to respective inlets of the sieve bed(s), a bypass flow path from the compressor to the product tank that bypasses the sieve bed(s), and a valve unit operable to selectively allow flow of pressurized ambient air from the compressor along the one or more sieve bed flow paths and along the bypass flow path in response to a control signal. The valve unit may be controlled in response to a command issued by a ventilator based on a calculated or estimated total flow of gas and entrained air or % FiO.sub.2 of a patient.

A system for improving cardiac output of a patient suffering from pulseless electrical activity or shock and yet displays myocardial wall motion including: a sensor to detect myocardial activity to determine the presence of residual left ventricular pump function having a contraction or ejection phase and a filling or relaxation phase, a device to prompt the application of or apply a compressive force repeatedly applied to the chest based on the sensed myocardial activity such that the compressive force is applied during at least some of the ejection phases and is ceased during at least some of the relaxation phases to permit residual cardiac filling, thereby enhancing cardiac output and organ perfusion.

Aspects of the technology include methods and systems for performing remote adjustments to a ventilator with a remote device. A remote device may include an interactive display including a remote position indicator. The remote position indicator may be associated or correlated with a local ventilator position indicator. A selection and/or adjustment at the remote device (or an activation at the remote device) at the interactive display may result in a selection, adjustment, or activation at the ventilator. Information may be transmitted to the ventilator from the remote device to remotely adjust the ventilator. Additionally or alternatively, the remote device may additionally display a view of, or replicate, some or all portions of the ventilator display.

A portable medical ventilator using pulse flow from an oxygen concentrator to gain higher oxygen concentration includes a positive pressure source to deliver pressurized air to the patient and a negative pressure source to trigger the oxygen concentrator. A patient circuit attached to a patient interface mask connects the ventilator to the patient. The ventilator includes a controller module that is configured to generate a signal to the negative pressure device to trigger the concentrator to initiate one or more pulses of oxygen from the oxygen concentrator. The oxygen pulses are delivered to the patient interface directly through multi-tube or a multi lumen patient circuit. The oxygen does not mix with air in the ventilator or in the patient circuit and bypasses the leaks in the patient circuit and/or patient interface.

A portable oxygen delivery system including an oxygen concentrator having a housing, a compressor mounted inside the housing, a sieve module located within the housing and in fluid connection with the compressor, the sieve module containing a zeolite for removing Nitrogen from air through a pressure swing adsorption process for creating concentrated oxygen, a power source attached to the housing and an oxygen controller device for electronically controlling the pressure swing adsorption process. The portable oxygen delivery system also preferably includes a blowing apparatus fluidly connected to the oxygen concentrator having a blower housing, a blower motor mounted inside the blower housing, a blower fan connected to the blower motor, a second power source attached to the blower housing and a blower controller device for electronically controlling the blower.

In alternative embodiments, provided are mechanical ventilators and methods for making and using them.

Apparatus and methods for delivering a heated and humidified mixture of oxygen and air are provided. The apparatus includes an air compressor and oxygen concentrator enclosed in the housing of a vapor transfer system. The air compressor supplies air at a first pressure to a gas inlet. The oxygen concentrator provides oxygen at a second pressure to the gas inlet. The oxygen concentrator and the air compressor are in fluid communication and are configured such that the first pressure of the compressed air and the second pressure of the oxygen are about equal. The apparatus includes a vapor transfer system having a gas passage, a liquid passage having heated liquid and vapor, and a membrane that separates the gas passage and liquid passage. The membrane is positioned to transfer vapor from the liquid passage to the gas passage.

This disclosure relates to a system configured to detect the presence of secretions in a subject's airway during respiratory therapy. The system can determine whether the subject requires airway clearance. A pressure generator generates a pressurized flow of breathable gas. Sensors generate output signals relating to one or more gas parameters of the pressurized flow of breathable gas. The system can determine a first parameter that is an indication of the volume of breathable gas within the airway of the subject and a time derivative of the first gas parameter to generate a plot of these parameters. The plot includes a perimeter and an area that can be used to determine whether to effectuate initiation of airway clearance based on a complete breathing cycle that includes at least one inhalation and exhalation.