Abstract
The invention relates to a device for performing respiratory training, in particular altitude training, comprising a mouthpiece (1) through which a person can exhale respiratory gas into a volume (2, 3a, 7) or can inhale it out of the volume (2, 3a, 7), wherein this volume (2, 3a, 7) is formed at least in part by a container (2) which is adjustable in terms of its volume and which is connected to the mouthpiece, wherein the volume (2, 3a, 7) adjoins one side of at least one gas-permeable membrane (4), to the other side of which at least one gas exchange chamber (3b) is connected, through which a fluid provided for the gas exchange, in particular CO.sub.2 and/or O.sub.2 gas exchange, can actively flow. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for performing respiratory training, in particular altitude training, wherein a person exhales into a training device through a mouthpiece (1) and inhales from this training device, wherein the O.sub.2 and/or CO.sub.2 partial pressure in the respiratory gas inhaled from the device is influenced by exchange of O.sub.2 and/or CO.sub.2 between the respiratory gas in the training device and a fluid provided for the gas exchange through at least one gas-permeable membrane (4).
Claims
1. An apparatus for respiratory training, the apparatus comprising: a mouthpiece through which a person is able to exhale and inhale respiratory gas; a variable-volume container forming at least part of a closed space connected to the mouthpiece; at least one gas-permeable membrane delimiting a part of the closed space on one side and forming on an opposite side a gas-exchange chamber; and means operated by the respiratory gas flow of the inhaled and exhaled respiratory gas for flowing an O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 gas-exchange fluid over the opposite side of the membrane.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is closed to ambient air.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a breath-gas reservoir forming part of the closed space immediately adjacent the variable-volume container, the breath-gas reservoir comprising movable or flexible wall regions so that the volume of the breath-gas reservoir can be made larger or smaller by inflowing and outflowing respiratory gas.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: means for limiting movement and thus a maximum volume of the breath-gas reservoir the limiting means including at least one adjustable stop against which the movable or flexible wall regions of the breath-gas reservoir can engage at maximum filling with the respiratory gas.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a valve in the closed space so as to release respiratory gas through the valve out to the environment from the closed space when there is a positive pressure relative to the outside environment or to draw fresh air in through the valve to the closed space when there is a negative pressure relative to the outside environment.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the closed space adjoins respective outer surfaces of a plurality of gas-permeable tubular fibers in the interior of which the CO.sub.2 or O.sub.2 gas-exchange fluid flows actively in use.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas-permeable tubular fibers are formed by a modularly assemblable mount comprising at least one module having a plurality of the tubular fibers.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is a variable-length bellows or comprises at least two container sections that telescope relative to one another.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
(1) Embodiments and characteristics of the method according to the invention are described below. In the drawing:
(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the system of this invention;
(3) FIG. 2 is a detail of the first embodiment of FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the system of this invention;
(5) FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating operation of the second embodiment;
(6) FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are schematic views illustrating third, fourth, and fifth embodiments of the invention; and
(7) FIGS. 8-15 are graphs illustrating the invention.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(8) FIG. 1 illustrates a principal schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention where a person (not shown) breathes through a mouthpiece 1 (only schematically illustrated), blowing respiratory gas into the apparatus according to the invention or inhaling respiratory gas out of the apparatus according to the invention that, according to the schematic drawing shown here, comprises a container 2 of variable volume as well as a gas exchanger 3 having an internal closed space that is subdivided into closed compartments 3a and 3b by at least one gas-permeable membrane 4, the closed compartment 3a being connected to the total internal volume according to the invention and the closed compartment 3b being a gas-exchange chamber through which a gas-exchange fluid is passed.
(9) The inhaled and exhaled respiratory gas is therefore here passes over the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4 in order to thus allow a gas exchange to take place with the fluid flowing on the other side of the at least one membrane, so that the flow velocity or closed space flow of this fluid makes it possible to adjust the ultimately attained O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 partial pressure inside the apparatus according to the invention.
(10) As has already been described above, the size of the volume of the container 2 of variable volume is selected so as to influence the total internal volume according to the invention that is thus composed at least of the internal closed space of the container 2, the closed space 3a of the apparatus 3 provided for the gas exchange, and optionally additional elements connecting these parts, such as conduits or tubes or other such components of the overall apparatus according to the invention that conduct the respiratory gas.
(11) FIG. 1 shows the variable-volume container 2, for example, as a bellows upstream in the direction of flow of the exhaled respiratory gas (expiration gas) of the gas exchanger having two closed compartments 3a and 3b and the at least one gas-permeable membrane. Even while achieving substantially the same function, the container 2 may also be provided downstream in the direction of flow of the exhaled respiratory gas of the apparatus 3 provided for the gas exchange, as shown in the FIG. 2 as an alternative (without showing the mouthpiece), in which the total volume according to the invention is open toward the environment via to the container 2 that here has an opening 2a to the environment.
(12) The exhaled respiratory gas (expiration gas) can therefore also escape to the ambient air, and likewise a person is able to inhale ambient air through the entire apparatus when inhaling. FIG. 2 also illustrates a variant embodiment where the matter of whether respiratory gas should be guided past the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4 via the bypass line 6 only upon exhalation or only upon inhalation can be adjusted depending on the direction of one-way valves 5 (not shown), and thus a gas exchange with the fluid in the closed space region 3b of the apparatus part 3 always takes place only in one of the two respiratory phases (inhalation or exhalation).
(13) Yet another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention or the performance of the method is shown in FIG. 3 that, in contrast to FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrates that first the volume-variable container 2 is provided downstream in the direction of flow of the exhaled respiratory gas (expiration gas) of the gas exchanger 3, and a breath-gas reservoir 7 is also provided on the container 2 and is part of the total internal volume according to the invention, comprising a movable and/or flexible wall regions 7a, for example, due to being formed as a movable film or as a movable elastic membrane, so that the volume of the breath-gas reservoir 7 can get larger or smaller by the inflow and outflow of the respiratory gas, and FIG. 3 further illustrates that the maximum volume of the breath-gas reservoir 7 is limited by a stop 7b formed by the outer walls of the breath-gas reservoir 7. This causes the movable wall regions 7a to follow the increase in closed space upon exhalation, until the wall regions come up against the limiting stop 7b and thus the volume of the breath-gas reservoir 7 can no increase no further.
(14) FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of the breath-gas reservoir 7 having the flexible wall regions 7 and the stop 7b, and showing in detail that the maximum closed space of this breath-gas reservoir 7 can be variably adjusted by displacement of the stop 7b and in particular by telescoping relative to another housing section 7c, for example, one that is fixed to the container 2. The design here could also be a bellows, like the container 2. At least one wall region of the housing wall serving as the stop 7b is here formed with perforations 8, so that upon expansion and thus with an increase in closed space, air outside the movable and/or flexible wall regions 7a can be displaced out of the housing of the breath-gas reservoir 7 and offers no resistance.
(15) The embodiment according to FIG. 3 is such that both the inhaled respiratory gas and the exhaled respiratory gas flow over the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4, and therefore in both respiratory phases gas exchange can take place with the fluid in the closed space 3b, to which end a desired flow rate in the closed space of the gas-exchange fluid can be determined here with a drive 9. In this instance, the drive 9 may be an electric-motor drive, and in particular a pump.
(16) FIG. 3 further illustrates that valves 10 may be provided in particular on the container 2, but optionally also on any wall region limiting the total volume according to the invention, the valves serving as one-way valves and, in the present instance, being used to release the exhaled respiratory gas (expiration gas) out to the environment if there is a resulting positive pressure within the apparatus upon exhalation, or to inhale ambient air into the apparatus if a negative pressure is created in the process of inhalation. These effects may in particular arise when the variably adjustable volume of the breath-gas reservoir 7 is adjusted so as to be smaller than the breathing closed space of the person training that may be, for example, the same as his or her lung volume.
(17) Should a larger quantity of CO.sub.2 be eliminated than the quantity of O.sub.2 that is fed into the gas exchanger, the result is a deficit in the closed space in the apparatus over the course of use thereof. Here, then, air from the environment may optionally be drawn into the apparatus.
(18) As an alternative to FIG. 3, FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment where, as with FIG. 2, a bypass line 6 is provided that runs directly from the container 2 via a one-way valve 11 and causes the air to be directly guided to the mouthpiece 1 from the container 2 and from the breath-gas reservoir 7 during exhalation, bypassing the gas-permeable membrane 4. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, therefore, a gas exchange only takes place upon exhalation, but not upon inhalation, when the exhaled respiratory gas (expiration gas) flows over the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4. The direction of the air flow inside the bypass 6 can also be reversed by appropriate orientation of the one-way valve 11.
(19) FIG. 6 illustrates yet another embodiment that in particular can be combined with those embodiments that comprise a breath-gas reservoir 7 and in which the internal closed space of the entire apparatus according to the invention is closed off from the environment. This embodiment makes clear that movement of the movable wall regions 7a in the breath-gas reservoir upon exhalation and inhalation reduces or enlarges the volume of the closed air space 11 on the other side, i.e. lying outside the internal volume according to the invention. The air or alternatively even any fluid that is displaced or drawn in through the closed space region 11 may also generate movement and closed space flow in the chamber section 3b of the gas exchanger 3, so that instead of an electric motor drive, the closed space flow of a gas-exchange fluid is also produced directly by the respiration of the person training on the one side of the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4.
(20) FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment similar to those of the previous embodiments, and here, water is used as the gas-exchange fluid for the adjusting the partial pressures of O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 in the internal volume according to the invention, the water being conveyed in a closed circuit 12, in particular by an electric motor drive 13, and within this circuit two gas exchangers are providedone for adjusting the O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 partial pressure in the internal volume according to the invention, and another gas exchanger 14 is provided, also with at least one gas-permeable membrane 15, in order to carry out the gas exchange between water within the circuit 12 and another fluid, for example air.
(21) All of the embodiments of the drawings described above illustrate that a collection container 16, for example, for saliva from the mouth of the person training may be provided at the mouthpiece that, for example, is provided in the mouthpiece or in a mask covering the face, for moisture that has condensed inside the respiratory gas, a filter and in particular a gas filter 17 may optionally be provided, as well. These elements and a filter for collecting the gas moisture are not mandatory or essential for the method or apparatus according to the invention, and may also be eliminated in any of the embodiments shown.
(22) FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the evolution of the partial pressures of O.sub.2 (FIG. 8) and CO.sub.2 (FIG. 9) in differently adjusted flow rates of the gas-exchange fluid through the gas-exchanging chamber 3. Here it can be seen that the final partial pressure of O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 in the interior space according to the invention can be adjusted in accordance with the closed space flow.
(23) This final pressure is, in each case, shown with an asymptotic curve after a certain number of respirations n that are shown on the respective X-axis of each drawing. FIGS. 8 and 9 thus demonstrate that in comparison to the prior art, it is possible to reproducibly and adjustably select the training conditions for a person through the flow rate of the gas-exchange fluid, i.e. select the partial pressures that must be achieved for O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 and thus also the altitude to be simulated during training.
(24) FIGS. 8 and 9 show the typical progression of the partial pressure of O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 for when the respiratory gas moving within the apparatus flows over the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4 of the apparatus upon both exhalation and inhalation.
(25) FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the same situation for the same flow rates of the gas-exchange fluid for a case in which the air moving in the apparatus is subject to a gas exchange (i.e. flows over the at least one gas-permeable membrane 4 only upon exhalation, while the inhaled respiratory gas (inspiration gas) flows directly to the mouthpiece via a bypass line and a one-way valve, as visualized, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 5.
(26) Here it can be seen that at the same flow rates, with the oxygen partial pressure, a lower pressure is achieved in comparison to the two iterations of gas exchange, whereas with the CO.sub.2 partial pressure, a higher pressure in comparison to the two iterations of gas exchange in FIGS. 8 and 9 is achieved. It is thus possible, therefor, to influence the respective partial pressures needing to be achieved for oxygen and CO.sub.2, by selecting whether the air moving in the apparatus is subject to a gas exchange only upon inhalation, only upon exhalation, or upon both respirations.
(27) FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate, in turn, the respective evolution of the partial pressures for O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 as a function of the number of respirations and for different sizes of the total closed space of the respective apparatus according to the invention, these being selected here by differently adjusted container closed spaces of the above-described container 2. It can be seen here that the respective partial pressures of O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 that are adjusted by the closed space flow of the fluids participating in the gas exchange, are achieved at different speeds in accordance with the volume or the container.
(28) In this case, FIGS. 12 and 13 depict the case corresponding to FIGS. 8 and 9, where the respiratory gas (inspiration and expiration gas) flows over the at least one gas-permeable membrane upon both inhalation and exhalation. In contrast, FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate the same case in which only the exhaled air is subject to a gas exchange, as has also been described for FIGS. 10 and 11.
(29) Here, not only are the respectively achieved limit values changed, but also the dependence on the volume is significantly recognizable.
(30) In particular, performing the method of training a person opens up the possibility of enabling an untrained person to train with a larger volume, so as to reach the adjusted final value of the oxygen or carbon dioxide partial pressure over a longer period of a time, than a trained person for whom the volume can be selected so as to be lower.
(31) Regarding the apparatus schematically shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, it should be noted that a single gas-permeable membrane 4 is shown in the gas exchanger 3 and so only one membrane 15 is shown with the apparatus 14, solely for the purpose of simplifying the depiction, whereas in practice a bundle of a plurality of gas-permeable tubular fibers may preferably be provided, in particular tubular fibers having an exterior on which the respiratory gas flows and an interior on which the gas-exchange fluid acts.
(32) With the same initial and boundary conditions, it is possible to measure different O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 patterns (as a function of time) for different users. The apparatus can thus be used to evaluate the user's lungs.
