Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7207947 | System and method for detecting circadian states using an implantable medical device Techniques are provided for detecting the circadian state of a patient using an implantable medical device based on selected blood carbon dioxide (CO2) parameters. In one example, the implantable device tracks changes in end tidal CO2 (etCO | 04/24/2007 |
| 7055520 | Device and method for detecting the flow of a gas A device for detecting the flow of a gas from an opening comprising a chamber with an inlet, the chamber carrying a pressure displaceable member with an inner face exposed to the interior of the chamber and an outer face exposed to the ambient pressure such that the... | 06/06/2006 |
| 6974449 | Friction compensation in a minimally invasive surgical apparatus Devices, systems, and methods for compensate for friction within powered automatic systems, particularly for telesurgery and other telepresence applications. Dynamic friction compensation may comprise applying a continuous load in the direction of movement of a join... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6955169 | Inhaler device A device used with fluid canisters comprising a transparent body allowing the viewing of movement within the body having a minor and major cavity with a float indicator and float seat within the minor cavity. An inhaler top and bottom fits each end of the body formi... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6942625 | Incentive spirometry devices by the employment of verbal simulated humanlike voices An apparatus used in the medical industry, in order to increase transpulmonary pressure and respiratory volumes, to improve inspiratory muscle performance and re-establish the normal pulmonary hyperinflation, through the employment of electronic technology, providin... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6915147 | Sensing apparatus and process A sensing apparatus with a connector, a sensor lead and a sensor module with a spacer placed over electrodes that have been deposited on a substrate. The spacer may have a space for receiving an enzyme. End portions of the sensor module may be encapsulated, such as ... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6656129 | Flow based incentive spirometer An improved flow based incentive spirometer operable through a range of user set flow rates and being adapted to receive a supplemental flow of Oxygen without requiring any change in the calibration of the device or effecting the patient's monitoring of u... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6626845 | Method and apparatus for measurement of in vivo air volumes This invention relates to instruments, particularly medical and research instruments that are used for assessing gas volumes of cavities, particularly, cavities that may exhibit a compliance to changes in pressure, such as in vivo volumes of the lung, tho... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6532383 | Apparatus and methods for detecting and processing EMG signals Methods are provided for smoothing input signals having rapidly changing amplitudes, such as EMG signals from the tongue, which are detected by an intraoral device. One method calls for amplifying the EMG signals, converting the EMG signals to digital for... | 03/11/2003 |
| 6308705 | Integrated lung therapy method In a lung therapy method, hyperpolarized gas is administered for one breath to a subject, and a magnetic resonance scan of at least one lung of the subject is conducted. The data obtained from the scan are evaluated, specifically to determine the extent a... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6238353 | Incentive spirometer An improved incentive spirometer having a modular goal recording counter (GRC) releasably attached thereto for enabling a patient to view the number of times a predetermined respiratory therapy inhalation exercise has been properly performed. The GRC also... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6083141 | Portable respiratory exercise apparatus and method for using the same A breathing apparatus having a main body with a generally cylindrical inner cavity. The main body has a main aperture for the user to breath into and at least two sets of outer openings. An inner cylinder is coaxially disposed within the inner cavity of t... | 07/04/2000 |
| 5868681 | Device and a method for measuring the resistance of the respiratory tract A device for measuring the resistance of the respiratory tract with the interrupter method consists essentially of a housing (2) which comprises an air passage (3), and of a closing arrangement (5) for temporarily closing the air passage (3). The closing ... | 02/09/1999 |
| 5839430 | Combination inhaler and peak flow rate meter The utility and elements of a metered dose inhaler, a spacer device and a peak respiratory flow rate meter are combined in a single personally portable device. The present device provides a tool for improving compliance of patients with asthma and other p... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5769070 | Device for the treatment of asthmatic patients, suitable for measuring the peak expiratory flow rate and for delivering drugs used in the treatment of asthma A device is disclosed for the treatment of asthmatic patients suitable for performing the double function of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) meter and device for delivering drugs used in the treatment of asthma. The PEFR meter and the devices for deliver... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5565630 | Peak flow meter An improved peak flow meter for measuring the peak flow of exhaled air including an indicator and one or a plurality of vents designed so that the indicator provides a logarithmic measurement of the exhaled air. Also provided is a peak flow meter adaptabl... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5560371 | Instrument for measuring the peak flow during an exhalation An instrument for measuring the peak flow during an exhalation, which can be quickly and simply assembled and disassembled manually, so that a simple and cost effective production is possible, on the one hand, and a complete cleaning of the instrument is ... | 10/01/1996 |
| 5540234 | Peak flow meters A peak flow meter consists in known fashion of a housing having in it a channel along which a pointer (6) is movable to a distance dependent on the lung function of a patient using the meter. Positioned adjacent the channel are two or more indicators (12)... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5454375 | Pneumotachograph mask or mouthpiece coupling element for airflow measurement during speech or singing A pneumotachograph mask or mouthpiece coupling element may reduce the distortion and muffling of the voice otherwise caused by a mask or mouthpiece when measuring the low-frequency components of a volume-velocity of oral or nasal airflow during speech or ... | 10/03/1995 |
| 5431154 | Incentive metered dose inhaler An inhalation device for administering an aerosolized medication includes an incentive spirometer and a medication inhalation chamber having receptacle means adapted to receive a metered dose inhaler for misting aerosolized medication in the chamber. Furt... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5211180 | Respiratory test apparatus A respiratory test apparatus for lung function comprises a chamber into which air can be blown by a subject to displace a piston. The chamber communicates with a space shielded from the incoming air flow to provide a measure of the static air pressure in ... | 05/18/1993 |
| 4973047 | Therapeutic device for lung exercise A therapeutic device for exercising and stimulating the lung with the aid of a mouthpiece (1) which sealingly co-acts with the lips of the user during the exhalation phase of a breathing cycle. The mouthpiece is connected to a cylindrical, hollow extensio... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4706685 | Spirometer with double rolling seals A spirometer having double rolling seals, each seal comprising an annular elastomeric membrane folded upon itself and arranged between a piston and a cylindircal casing so that the rounded folds of the two membranes face each other. When the piston is ful... | 11/17/1987 |
| 4693256 | Respiratory device A spirometer is provided which has a cylinder with a piston slidable in the cylinder. A pair of orifices from the atmosphere to the opposite sides of the piston are provided, the resistance to air flow through them being in a predetermined ratio. A tube i... | 09/15/1987 |
| 4671298 | Isothermal rebreathing apparatus and method A isothermal rebreathing apparatus and method for collecting human breath samples for chemical analysis of the ethyl alcohol content wherein the breath samples are obtained from a subject repetitively exhaling into the inhaling from an enclosed, flexible,... | 06/09/1987 |
| 4499905 | Apparatus for measuring human respiration A lightweight and portable volumetric spirometer for measuring the volume of and rate of flow of air inhaled by human lungs. The device includes a movable piston within a first transparent cylindrical chamber provided with calibrated markings along its su... | 02/19/1985 |
| 4462410 | Spirometer A recording spirometer for performing both a single breath test and a maximum voluntary ventilation test. The spirometer includes a housing in which is disposed a pusher plate. This pusher plate is supported by a member constrained by rotary bearings to m... | 07/31/1984 |
| 4425923 | Incentive spirometer with automatic levelling An incentive spirometer, of the type wherein an object is raised in a tube by a patient inhaling through the tube, is improved by automatically maintaining the tube vertically-oriented in spite of tilting of the frame from which the tube is supported.... | 01/17/1984 |
| 4391283 | Incentive spirometer An incentive spirometer is provided with a mechanism for inhibiting the incentive in response to high flow rate bursts of inhalation so as to promote proper long inhalation efforts by a patient. In one embodiment, the spirometer includes a transparent col... | 07/05/1983 |
| 4368661 | Control valve for brake booster Axially extending guide arms cooperate with the interior surfaces of an annular poppet member in the control valve of a brake booster for centering a resilient poppet member face against a succession of valve seats. The guide arms can be a tube contacting... | 01/18/1983 |
| 4350167 | Respiratory exerciser A respiratory exercise device for measuring the volume of air inhaled by the user, the device comprising an essentially rigid transparent container having an inhalation tube by means of which air is evacuated from the container, the container having an ex... | 09/21/1982 |
| 4307729 | Optical digitizer for measuring spirometer output A spirometer includes an expansible chamber of the piston type fitted with an indicia strip. The indicia comprise two columns of alternating light and dark bars. The columns are offset from one another by one-half the thickness of a bar and are respective... | 12/29/1981 |
| 4284083 | Inhalation incentive device An inhalation device for indicating inhalation flow rate and the passage of time between inhalations, including a vertical cylindrical chamber having a lower first closed end with a first one-way valve for allowing gas flow into said chamber, an upper sec... | 08/18/1981 |
| 4269196 | Pediatric tidal volume indicator and ventilator adaptation The tidal volume indicator consists of a spirometer in conjunction with a ventilator system adapted for use for small children and neonates. The ventilator system incorporates valving to segregate the component parts into a machine system and a patient sy... | 05/26/1981 |
| 4221381 | Respiratory exerciser A respiratory exerciser which includes a hollow tubular body having at least two openings at one end and an opening at the other end. A piston is reciprocally slidable in the tubular body. A mouthpiece assembly is removably connectable to one opening at t... | 09/09/1980 |
| 4210155 | Inspirational inhalation spirometer apparatus A disposable inhalation spirometer apparatus for prophylactic respiratory maneuver is in expensively constructed and intended for single-patient use. The apparatus includes a tube with an interior respiratory passage communicating through a one-way valve ... | 07/01/1980 |
| 4171804 | Respiratory exerciser and the like A disposable, compact respiratory exerciser having a housing defining a vertically upstanding chamber attached to a base. A first opening or aperture is defined in a lower portion of the housing and connects the interior of the housing with the ambient en... | 10/23/1979 |
| 4096855 | Incentive spirometer There is disclosed an incentive spirometer for measuring, as desired, the inspiratory breathing capacity and/or the expiratory breathing capacity including a freely floating piston positioned within a chamber. The piston is responsive to an inspired breat... | 06/27/1978 |
| 4041935 | Device for breathing measurement A device for monitoring the patient's ability to exhale has a piston slidable within a body part by air exhaled through a mouthpiece against a spring. A vent allows part of the air to discharge between the mouthpiece and the piston. By providing one or mo... | 08/16/1977 |
| 3985124 | Spirometer A spirometer for measurement of both the rate and volume of expiratory breathing, and creating a graphic record of the same. In a preferred embodiment, the spirometer incorporates an expansible chamber of the piston type, fitted with a molded rolling rubb... | 10/12/1976 |
