Abstract: A piston ventilator is provided which advantageously monitors the positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) in a patient circuit for supplying breathable gas to a patient, and controls a shiftable valve element in an exhalation valve to regulate the amount of resistance during the exhalation portion of the patient's breath. The shiftable element is preferably an inflatable diaphragm which receives a pneumatic signal through a signal conduit. The pressure provided by the signal conduit is controlled by the amount of gas vented by a PEEP valve, wherein the greater the opening of the PEEP valve, the greater the amount of gas from the patient circuit is vented therethrough and consequently the less the restriction is provided in the exhalation valve.

Abstract: An ultrasonic atomizer for respiration systems, which is integrated in the breathing gas line from and to the patient via two connections. The ultrasonic atomizer is in a gas flow connection with the atomizer chamber to which an aerosol is admitted by a piezo vibrating element for the inhalation via a nonreturn valve. The arrangement bridges over the atomizer chamber for the exhalation via a second nonreturn valve by means of a second, spatially separated gas flow path.

Abstract: A device and process for using same is described for controlling free burn rate of a lit cigarette. The device is mountable on a cigarette and is adapted to permit insertion and movement of the cigarette into the device. The device includes a unit which controls rate of air diffusion to reduce supply of oxygen for supporting tobacco combustion by the lit cigarette coal. The structure for controlling rate of air diffusion is non-combustible at combustion temperature of a lit cigarette coal. By use of this device, the number of puffs per cigarette is greatly increased and, depending upon the selected design of the device for controlling free burn rate can reduce sidestream smoke emitted by a lit idle cigarette.

Abstract: A piston based ventilator for delivering breathing gas to the lungs of a patient, and more particularly a piston based ventilator that delivers breathing gas to a patient upon longitudinal movement of a piston rod and associated piston head within a piston cylinder. The piston rod is centrally located within the cylinder and moves along the cylinder in response to direct drive from a motor to move the piston head within the cylinder and displace a volume of gas to be delivered to the patient.

Abstract: A smoking article holder that is lightweight, inexpensive and can be used to retain a player's smoking article during a round of golf. The holder comprises a generally oblong member for receiving and retaining the smoking article, a pin extending from the oblong member and a retractable clamp attached to the oblong member which retains the smoking article against the oblong member. While the holder may be placed in the ground, the pin extending from the oblong member is designed to fit snugly in one of the tee holder holes provided in the dash of a golf cart.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for expanding tobacco, particularly tobacco impregnated with solid carbon dioxide are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an arcuate, generally C-shaped duct for conveying the tobacco material in a hot gaseous medium to sublimate the solid carbon dioxide and expand the tobacco. The duct has a non-circular cross-section, preferably a rectangular cross-section, with a high width-to-depth ratio and an increasing depth from the inlet to an intermediate portion of the duct then a decreasing depth from the intermediate portion to the outlet of the duct. A winnower device infeeds the tobacco material into the duct adjacent the throat of a venturi section connected to the inlet of the conveying duct. A tangential separator with an adjustable baffle at the inlet thereof for controlling velocity in the separator is used to separate the expanded tobacco from the gaseous medium.

Abstract: A high humidity drying apparatus for cut tobacco is shown. The apparatus has a furnace which heats circulated air within the apparatus. The air is forced through a first arcuate elbow which has a tobacco air inlet located thereon for inserting the cut tobacco into the airstream. The tobacco is then redirected into a vertically extending drying chamber. The air entrained tobacco is then forced through a second arcuate elbow which places the tobacco into a tangential separator for removing the tobacco from the heated air. The separator has dual air exhausts, each leading to a high efficiency cyclone for further removal of the tobacco dust form the circulated air. All of the air is then passed back to the furnace for heating and then recirculated through the drying apparatus.

Abstract: A sleeved filter apparatus prevents germs from becoming resident on both the interior and exterior of a breathing device. The sleeved filter apparatus includes a filter member and a sleeve member. The filter member is composed of a first and second enclosure half which are sealed on their interior ends. The external ends of the two enclosure halves have connectors for connecting the sleeved filter apparatus to a breathing device and/or a patient airway component. A filter element is disposed inside the filter member enclosure for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the filter member without passing through the filter element. This filter member prevents germs from passing between the patient and the interior of the breathing device. The sleeve member is made of a flexible material, and has a first open end, a second open end, and a middle portion extending between the first open end and the second open end.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for use with a pressurized dispensing container dispenses an aerosol spray. The dispensing apparatus includes a housing defining a tubular body that receives, in use, the pressurized dispensing container. A tubular mouthpiece projects laterally from the body, the mouthpiece having a tubular lip portion defining an outlet through which the aerosol spray is inhalable. A removable cap engages the mouthpiece to overlay the lip portion and close the outlet. A strap connects the cap to the body so that the cap is maintained with the housing when it is disengaged from the mouthpiece. The cap includes a tubular portion with an internal surface that conforms with an external surface of the lip portion. Movement of the cap into and out of the engaged position is accompanied by co-axial relative movement of the cap and the lip portion.

Abstract: The process serves to more precisely aromatize and/or remove certain smoke fume constituents from tobacco smoke or tobacco smoke drawn from a cigarette, by means of a flowable carrier material or filtration material for aromatizing products, arranged in a cavity (1) of a mouthpiece of the cigarette.For this purpose, the flowable active carrier material or filter material (2) for aromatizing products is, before being put into this cavity (1), mixed with at least one flowable material (3) which is inactive with respect to tobacco smoke flowing through to give a mixture which is as homogeneous as possible, and, mixed in this way, is introduced into the cavity (1).

Abstract: An artificial airway device to facilitate a patient's lung ventilation comprises an airway tube and a laryngeal mask at one end of the tube. The mask is of generally elliptical configuration, with an inflatable peripheral cuff of flexible material around the edges of the mask, for sealed support of the mask around the inlet to the patient's larynx. The mask has an aperture through which the airway tube opens into the interior of the mask. The mask also comprises a longitudinally directed bar, extending across the mask aperture, from the central upper edge or rim of the mask aperture, to which it has effectively a hinged attachment, to the posterior rim of the mask aperture, at which the bar is free.

Abstract: An improved unilimb anesthesia tube assembly includes a rotatable end fitting at the patient end and inner and outer cylinders to which inner and outer unilimb tubes are secured with gas-tight seals. The invention also includes a tool and method for checking the gas-tight seals of the assembly.

Abstract: A disposable nose filter to be inserted in a nostril, including a flexible housing, a filtering component, a flange and an adhesive component. The nose filter is adapted to be easily inserted and removed from the nostril. When positioned in the nasal passage of a nostril the nose filter becomes fixedly attached inside the nostril through the adhesive component, until removal. The flange forms a seal with the lower exterior portion of the nostril, thus, forcing air through the filter and preventing air from passing between the housing and the inner walls of the nostril.

Abstract: The mask at the end of a laryngeal mask assembly is made from a flexible cylindrical member having radially projecting ledges at each end. The ends of the cylindrical member are folded axially within the member to form an annulus with an inner rib formed by the contacting ledges. One side of the rib is located in a channel around an elliptical mount member at the patient end of a tube. The other side of the rib is located in a channel around a plate, which is attached to the mount member trapping the rib between the plate and the mount member so that a cuff is formed extending around the mount member.

Abstract: Apparatus for orienting elongate objects, for example capsules of medicament, comprises a passage for receiving an individual capsule in a preferred orientation, a container for holding a bulk supply of capsules, and a ramp surface which directs a capsule towards the passage when the device is positioned such that the passage extends vertically downwardly from the container. It has been found that by appropriate choice of ramp angle, passage diameter and container diameter there is a high probability that a single capsule will be loaded into the dispensing passage when the apparatus is inverted to place the dispensing passage below the bulk supply. The apparatus is particularly useful in a dry medicament dispensing apparatus comprising, in addition to the orienting apparatus, a chamber for receiving capsules from the dispensing passage, means for piercing the ends of the capsule, and a mouthpiece for drawing air through the capsule and to entrain the medicament.

Abstract: A pneumatic oxygen conserver used with a single-tube cannula. The conserver includes a body having first and second cavities. A main diaphragm divides the first cavity into first and second chambers. An inlet passage delivers oxygen from a supply to the first chamber, and an outlet passage delivers oxygen from the first chamber to the cannula. The main diaphragm is movable between a closed position preventing oxygen flow through the outlet passage and an open position permitting flow. A first flow control passage connects the inlet passage and the second chamber, and a first flow control orifice in the passage restricts flow. A sensing diaphragm divides the second cavity into third and fourth chambers. A second flow control passage connects the second and third chambers, and a second flow control orifice in the passage restricts flow. The sensing diaphragm is movable between a closed position preventing flow through the second passage and an open position permitting such flow.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for cleaning an electrical lighter are provided. A sleeve, e.g., ceramic or metal, surrounds the heater fixture, and a resistive heating element is in thermal proximity with the sleeve. The resistive heating element is either a dedicated element or the cigarette heating elements. The sleeve serves as a aerosol barrier and condensate accumulator to protect other components. Periodically, e.g., substantially contemporaneously with a battery recharge, the heating element is activated to thermally liberate condensates deposited on the sleeve during smoking and also heats, and thereby cleans, other components. Also, a cleaning element is optionally inserted into the cigarette receptacle of the electrical lighter or placed at the exit thereof to absorb, attract and/or catalytically break down the thermally liberated condensates. The sleeve also directs a desired flow path for drawn air within an electrical lighter toward the cigarette.

Abstract: In a ventilator system and a method of operating the ventilator system, the ventilator system has a ventilator and a connection system for connecting the ventilator system to a patient. Parameters for a respiration gas pattern are set on the ventilator. Due to the influence of the connection system on the respiration gas pattern, the generation of the respiration gas pattern needs to be calibrated in order to ensure that the set respiratory gas pattern is delivered to the patient. In order to obtain calibration factors a test gas pulse is generated by an inspiration system before connecting the patient. Measurements of the test gas pulse are made with parameter meters at different locations in the connection system. The parameters for the test gas pulse, as well as the measured parameters are stored in different data sets. By synchronizing and subtracting measured parameter data sets from the set parameter data set, calibration factors are obtained.

Abstract: A smoking article wrapper has discrete areas of reduced permeability for improving ignition proclivity characteristics of a smoking article. The reduced permeability areas define a gradually decreasing permeability profile in a burning direction of the smoking article such that permeability reduction in the reduced permeability areas increases from a minimum reduction to a maximum permeability reduction in the burning direction of the smoking article.

Abstract: A smoking article wrapper having improved ignition proclivity characteristics includes discrete areas of an outer circumferential surface of the wrapper treated with a non-aqueous solution of a solvent soluble cellulosic polymer dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. The solution also includes a particulate inorganic non-reactive filler suspended in solution by weight percentage of solution. The solution is applied in discrete areas as bands or patterns causing reduced permeability of the treated areas within a permeability range adequate to reduce ignition proclivity. A method is also provided for producing a smoking article wrapper having improved ignition proclivity characteristics as described.