WHOLE BODY PLETHYSMOGRAPH SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO CONTROL THE GAS TIGHTNESS INSIDE A CABINET OF A WHOLE BODY PLETHYSMOGRAPH

Abstract

A whole-body-plethysmograph 11 for examination of a lung function of subjects. The whole-body-plethysmograph has a cabinet 12 with a cabinet opening 13 and a cabinet closure 14 for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening 13. A pressure control device 15 is provided, and the pressure control device 15 is configured to provide a desired negative gas pressure inside the cabinet 12 to seal the cabinet opening 13 by the cabinet closure 14. Furthermore, methods to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet 12 of the whole-body-plethysmograph are disclosed.

Claims

1-24. (canceled)

25. A whole-body-plethysmograph (11; 111; 211) for examination of a lung function of subjects, the plethysmograph comprising: a cabinet (12; 112; 212) having a cabinet opening (13; 113; 213); a cabinet closure (14; 114; 214) for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening (13; 113; 213); a pressure control device (15) is provided, said pressure control device (15) is configured to provide a desired negative gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212) to seal said cabinet opening (13; 113; 213) by said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214), while a pressure variation caused by the examination of the lung function is measured, and wherein the desired negative gas pressure inside the cabinet (12; 112; 212) is between 0.3 and 2.0 kPa below ambient pressure, preferably 0.5 kPa.

26. The plethysmograph according to claim 25, wherein the pressure control device (15) is a pump or a blower (16) or a vacuum system for providing a gas outlet flow from said cabinet (12; 112; 212) to the ambient outside the cabinet (12; 112; 212).

27. The plethysmograph according to claim 25, wherein a control system (20) is provided, said control system (20) is configured to control the pressure control device.

28. The plethysmograph according to claim 27, wherein said control system (20) is configured to stabilize a pressure condition between a gas outlet flow and a gas inlet flow by means of leakages and/or warming of gas inside the cabinet (12; 112; 212) by the subject.

29. The plethysmograph according to claim 27 wherein at least a pressure sensor (18) for detecting a negative gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212) is arranged in the cabinet (12; 112; 212) and is connected to said control system (20) for sending measured pressure data to said control system (20).

30. The plethysmograph according to claim 29, wherein said control system (20) comprises a first control program and a memory (22), said first control program (21) is configured to perform a comparison of said desired negative gas pressure provided by said memory (22) and the detected negative gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212).

31. The plethysmograph according to claim 30, wherein said control system (20) is configured to control the pressure control device (15) from a higher gas outlet flow to a lower gas outlet flow based on said comparison.

32. The plethysmograph according to claim 27, wherein said control system (20) comprises a further control program (24), which is configured to provide the relation of a gas outlet flow and at least a measured gas pressure data to provide an indication of gas tightness of said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214).

33. The plethysmograph according to claim 25, wherein at least a flow sensor for detecting a gas outlet flow in said cabinet (12; 112; 212) is arranged in the cabinet (12; 112; 212) and is connected to a control system (20) for sending measured gas outlet flow data to said control system (20).

34. The plethysmograph according to claim 25, wherein said cabinet (12; 112; 212) comprises a cabinet wall (25; 125; 225) and said cabinet wall (25; 125; 225) comprises a pressure dependent material (126; 226), said pressure dependent material (126; 226) changes stiffness depending on the negative gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212).

35. The plethysmograph according to claim 34, wherein said pressure dependent material (126; 226), is arranged with a skeleton, and is preferably a plastic foil.

36. The plethysmograph according to claim 34, wherein said pressure control device (15) is arranged in said cabinet wall (25; 125; 225).

37. A method to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet of a whole-body-plethysmograph comprising a cabinet (12; 112; 212) with a cabinet opening, a cabinet closure (14; 114; 214) for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening, preferably a whole-body plethysmograph according to claim 25, wherein said method comprising steps of: a) providing a gas outlet flow out of the cabinet (12; 112; 212) with a pressure control device (15); b) providing a desired negative gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212) to lock said cabinet opening (13; 113; 213) by said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214), while a pressure variation caused by the examination of the lung function is measured; c) wherein the desired negative gas pressure inside the cabinet (12; 112; 212) is between 0.3 and 2.0 kPa below the ambient pressure, preferably kPa.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein a control system (20) is provided and after step a), the gas outlet flow is controlled from a higher gas outlet flow to a lower gas outlet flow, preferably after a predefined waiting time.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said desired negative gas pressure is measured and is stored in a memory (22) and said desired negative gas pressure is compared to an actual gas pressure in said cabinet (12; 112; 212).

40. The method according to claim 37, further comprising after step b), stabilizing the pressure condition between said gas outlet flow and a gas inlet flow based on leakages and/or warming of the gas inside the cabinet (12; 112; 212) by the subject.

41. The method according to claim 37, further comprising after step b), providing an indication for the gas tightness of said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214), which is preferably based on the relation of the gas outlet flow and at least a measured pressure data, preferably measured with a pressure sensor (18) or a flow sensor or via a vacuum system.

42. The method according to claim 37, further comprising changing a stiffness of at least one wall of said cabinet (12; 112; 212), preferably of said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214), based on said negative gas pressure inside the cabinet (12; 112; 212).

43. A whole-body-plethysmograph for examination of a lung function of subjects, the whole-body-plethysmograph comprising a cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312) with a cabinet opening, a cabinet closure (14; 114; 214; 314) for gastight sealing of the cabinet opening, wherein said cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312) comprises at least one cabinet wall (25; 125; 225; 325), which is made of a pressure dependent material (126; 226; 326), and a stiffness of said pressure dependent material (126; 226; 326) changes depending on gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312).

44. The whole-body-plethysmograph according to claim 43, wherein said cabinet closure (14; 114; 214; 314) is made of said pressure dependent material (126; 226; 326).

45. The whole-body-plethysmograph according to claim 43, wherein a pressure control device (15; 315) is provided and said pressure control device (15; 315) is configured to provide a desired negative or positive gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312).

46. The whole-body-plethysmograph according to claim 45, wherein the pressure control device (15; 315) is an external vacuum system or an external compressor (316).

47. A method to control the gas tightness and/or stiffness of a cabinet of a whole-body-plethysmograph comprising a cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312) with a cabinet opening, a cabinet closure (14; 114; 214; 314) for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening, preferably a whole-body-plethysmograph according to claim 43, wherein said method comprising steps of: a) providing a gas outlet flow out of the cabinet or a gas inlet flow into the cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312) with a pressure control device (15; 315); b) providing a desired gas pressure inside said cabinet (12; 112; 212; 312) to provide a desired stiffness of at least one cabinet wall (25; 125; 225; 325) or cabinet closure (14; 114; 214; 314) made of a pressure dependent material (126; 226; 326).

Description

[0045] Further advantageous aspects of the invention are explained in the following by means of exemplary embodiments and the figures. In the drawings, it is shown in a schematic manner. Furthermore, a numeric counting within this application is just used to differ between said parts of said whole-body-plethysmograph.

[0046] FIG. 1: A first embodiment of a whole-body-plethysmograph in an exploded-view,

[0047] FIG. 2: the whole-body-plethysmograph of FIG. 1 in a sectional view,

[0048] FIG. 3: A second embodiment of a whole-body-plethysmograph in an exploded-view,

[0049] FIG. 4: A third embodiment of a whole-body-plethysmograph in an exemplary-view, and

[0050] FIG. 5: A fourth embodiment of a whole-body-plethysmograph in an exemplary-view.

[0051] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 discloses a first embodiment of a whole-body-plethysmograph 11 for examination of the lung function of subjects. The whole-body-plethysmograph 11 comprises a cabinet 12 with a cabinet wall 25, a cabinet opening 13 and a cabinet closure 14 for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening 13. During examination of the subject, which may be human or an animal, inside the cabinet 12, the cabinet closure 14, e.g. the door, must be closed and sealed against the ambient conditions outside the cabinet 12. Between said cabinet opening 13 and cabinet closure 14 a sealing 19 is arranged. The whole-body-plethysmograph 11 is connected to a pressure control device 15, which is configured to provide a desired negative gas pressure inside said cabinet 12 to seal said cabinet opening 13 by said cabinet closure 14. During the examination, a constant negative gas pressure of 0.5 kPa is provided, to reliably lock the cabinet closure 14 and seal the cabinet 12. The whole-body-plethysmograph utilizes the force generated by the pressure difference between the ambient pressure and the pressure inside the cabinet 12, affecting the cabinet closure 14. The disclosed pressure control device is a blower 16 with a fan 17. The blower 16 works as a valve for ventilating the cabinet 12, when the operation of the fan 17 of the blower 16 is stopped or the rotation speed of the fan 17 is reduced.

[0052] The blower 16 is connected to a control system 20, while said control system 20 is configured to control the blower 17. The control system 20 is configured to stabilize the pressure condition between said gas outlet flow and a gas inlet flow by means of leakages of the cabinet 12 and/or by means of warming of the gas inside the cabinet 12 caused by the subject/patient. The cabinet 12 comprises a pressure sensor 18 for detecting said negative gas pressure inside said cabinet 12 and is connected to said control system 20 for sending said measured gas pressure data to said control system 20. Said pressure sensor 18 is used to monitor the negative gas pressure in said cabinet 12. Said pressure sensor 18 is used to provide a feedback system to control the fan 17 and therefore the gas pressure condition inside the cabinet 12.

[0053] The control system 20 comprises a first control program 21 and a memory 22. Said first control program 21 is configured to receive said detected pressure data from said gas pressure sensor 18 and creates at least one control parameter to control the blower 16. Said memory 22 comprises desired negative gas pressure data values, which are provided by the controller 23 of the plethysmograph. The controller 23 is a computing unit, in particular with an input unit and a monitor. Said first control program 21 is configured to perform a comparison of said desired negative gas pressure provided by said memory 22 and a detected negative gas pressure inside said cabinet 12. The desired pressure difference depends on the gas flow and the leakage of the cabinet 12. The control system 20 is configured to control the blower 17 from a higher gas outlet flow to a lower gas outlet flow based on the above-mentioned comparison.

[0054] Furthermore, the control system 20 comprises a further control program 24, which is configured to provide the relation of a gas outlet flow and at least a measured gas pressure data to provide an indication for the gas tightness of said cabinet closure 14.

[0055] Alternatively, the pressure control device 15 comprises a pump or a vacuum system of the hospital, for providing a gas outlet flow from said cabinet 12 to the ambient outside of the cabinet 12 and comprises a valve or a flow control device for quickly ventilate the cabinet 12 after examination of the lung function of the patient. The flow outlet is e.g. determined by the speed of the pump.

[0056] FIG. 3 discloses a second embodiment of the a whole-body-plethysmograph 111 for examination of the lung function of subjects. The whole-body-plethysmograph 111 comprises a cabinet 112 with a cabinet opening 113 and a cabinet closure 114 for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening 112. During examination of the subject, the cabinet closure 114, e.g. the door, must be closed and sealed against the ambient conditions outside the cabinet 112. The whole-body-plethysmograph 111 is connected to a pressure control device 15, which is described in the embodiments disclosed above in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0057] Said cabinet 111 comprises a cabinet wall 125 and a skeleton 127. Said cabinet wall 125 comprises a pressure depended material 126, e.g. a plastic foil, while said pressure dependent material 126 changes its stiffness depending on the negative gas pressure inside said cabinet 112. Thus, small pressure changes inside the cabinet 112 do not change the gas volume inside said cabinet 112, when the cabinet wall 125 comprises a sufficiently stiff cabinet wall 125. At least said cabinet closure 114 is made of said dependent material 126. Such a cabinet closure 114 may be used in the a whole-body-plethysmograph 11, disclosed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, too. The skeleton 127 is arranged outside the pressure depended material 126 and is connected to the cabinet walls 125 and supports the whole structure of the plethysmograph 111, when the system is not in operation.

[0058] FIG. 4 discloses a third embodiment of the a whole-body-plethysmograph 211 for examination of the lung function of subjects. The plethysmograph 211 comprises a cabinet 212 with a cabinet opening 213 and a cabinet closure 214 for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening 212. During examination of the subject, the cabinet closure 214, e.g. the door, must be closed and sealed against the ambient conditions outside the cabinet 212. The whole-body-plethysmograph 211 is connected to a pressure control device 15, which is described in the embodiments disclosed above in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Said cabinet comprises at least one cabinet wall 225, which is made of a pressure dependent material 226, while said pressure dependent material 226 changes its stiffness depending on the gas pressure inside said cabinet 212. Such a whole-body-plethysmograph operates with a positive gas pressure or a negative gas pressure, without using a separate locking system.

[0059] Said cabinet 211 comprises a cabinet wall 225 and a skeleton 227. Said cabinet wall 225 comprises a pressure depended material 226, like a plastic foil, as described in the above in FIG. 3. The skeleton 227 is arranged inside the pressure depended material 226 and inside to the cabinet walls 225.

[0060] FIG. 5 discloses a fourth embodiment of the a whole-body-plethysmograph 311 for examination of the lung function of subjects. The whole-body-plethysmograph 311 comprises a cabinet 312 with a cabinet opening 313 and a cabinet closure 314 for gas-tight sealing of the cabinet opening 312. During examination of the subject, the cabinet closure 314, e.g. a flexible zipper door, must be closed and sealed against the ambient conditions outside the cabinet 312.

[0061] The whole-body-plethysmograph 311 is operating with a positive gas pressure. Therefore, the cabinet 312 comprises at least a cabinet closure 314, which is arranged inside the cabinet 312. This cabinet closure 314 is pressed against the cabinet wall 325 caused by the overpressure in the cabinet 312 during operation. A skeleton is not needed.

[0062] The whole-body-plethysmograph 311 is connected to a pressure control device 315, which is in general configured like the pressure control device disclosed above in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The pressure control device 315 is configured to provide a desired positive gas pressure (instead of a negative gas pressure) inside said cabinet 331. The stiffness of the cabinet wall 325 and/or the cabinet closure 314 is reproduceable controlled and thus the operation conditions can be easily held stable during the examination. The pressure control device is an external compressor 316 for providing a gas inlet flow. The gas flow sensor 318 detects the inlet flow into the cabinet 312. A gas pressures sensor detects the positive pressure in the cabinet 312. The overpressure must achieve a range that stabilizes the entire soft pressure dependent material 326 and increases the stiffness of the material.

[0063] A method to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet, e.g. for the cabinet of the whole-body-plethysmograph 11 of the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The following method may also be used in for the whole-body-plethysmograph 111 or 211 in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4. The method comprising the steps: [0064] a) Providing a gas outlet flow out of the cabinet 12 with a pressure control device 15; [0065] b) Providing a desired negative gas pressure inside said cabinet 12 to seal said cabinet opening 13 by said cabinet closure 14.

[0066] After step a), the gas outlet flow is controlled from a higher gas outlet flow to a lower gas outlet flow with the control system 20 and the stiffness of said cabinet closure 14 is controlled, based on said negative gas pressure inside the cabinet 12.

[0067] After step b), the pressure condition between said gas outlet flow and a gas inlet flow is stabilized based on leakages and/or warming of the gas inside the cabinet 12 by the subject.

[0068] During the method, a desired negative gas pressure is measured and is stored in a memory 22. The stored data may be used to speed up the system. The desired negative gas pressure is compared to an actual gas pressure, measured by the gas pressure sensor 18 in said cabinet 12 to provide a quick feedback system.

[0069] Further preferably, after step b), an indication for the gas tightness of said cabinet closure is provided, which is preferably based on the relation of the gas outlet flow and at least a measured pressure data, preferably measured with a pressure sensor or a flow sensor.

[0070] Another method to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet, e.g. for the cabinet of the whole-body-plethysmograph 211 of the FIG. 4. The following method may also be used in for the whole-body-plethysmograph 11, 211 in in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. The method comprising the steps: [0071] a) Providing a gas outlet flow out of the cabinet 212 with a pressure control device 15; [0072] b) Providing a desired gas negative pressure inside said cabinet 212 to provide a desired stiffness of at least one cabinet wall 226 or cabinet closure 214.

[0073] The advantage of said system is, that said cabinet 212 or said cabinet closure 214 does not need any locking system for sealing the cabinet 212 during the examination of the lung function of the patient.

[0074] Further preferred steps to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet 212 are disclosed in the said method above.

[0075] Another method to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet, e.g. for the cabinet 312 of the whole-body-plethysmograph 311 of the FIG. 5. The method comprising the steps: [0076] a) Providing a gas inlet flow into the cabinet with a pressure control device 315; [0077] b) Providing a desired positive gas pressure inside said cabinet 312 to provide a desired stiffness of at least one cabinet 312 wall or cabinet closure 314.

[0078] During the method, a desired positive gas pressure is measured and is stored in a memory 22. The stored data may be used to speed up the system. The desired positive gas pressure is compared to an actual gas pressure, measured by the gas pressure sensor or determined based on the measured data of the flow sensor 318 to provide a quick feedback system.

[0079] Further preferred steps to control the gas tightness inside a cabinet 312 are disclosed in the said methods above.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0080] 11 whole-body-plethysmograph [0081] 12 Cabinet [0082] 13 cabinet opening [0083] 14 cabinet closure [0084] 15 pressure control device [0085] 16 Blower [0086] 17 Fan [0087] 18 gas pressure sensor [0088] 19 Sealing [0089] 20 control system [0090] 21 first control program [0091] 22 Memory [0092] 23 Controller [0093] 24 further control program [0094] 25 cabinet wall [0095] 111 whole-body-plethysmograph [0096] 112 Cabinet [0097] 113 cabinet opening [0098] 114 cabinet closure [0099] 125 cabinet wall [0100] 126 pressure depended material [0101] 127 Skeleton [0102] 211 whole-body-plethysmograph [0103] 212 Cabinet [0104] 213 cabinet opening [0105] 214 cabinet closure [0106] 225 cabinet wall [0107] 226 pressure depended material [0108] 227 Skeleton [0109] 311 whole-body-plethysmograph [0110] 312 Cabinet [0111] 313 cabinet opening [0112] 314 cabinet closure [0113] 315 pressure control device [0114] 316 external compressor [0115] 318 gas flow sensor [0116] 325 cabinet wall [0117] 326 pressure depended material