US 7,374,550 B2
	Respiratory vest for repetitive pressure pulses
Craig N. Hansen, Plymouth, Minn. (US); and Lonnie J. Helgeson, New Prague, Minn. (US)
Assigned to Electromed, Inc., New Prague, Minn. (US)
Filed on Apr. 07, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/100,778.
Application 11/100778 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/646357, filed on Aug. 22, 2003, granted, now 7,278,978.
Application 10/646357 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/902471, filed on Jul. 10, 2001, granted, now 6,676,614.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/217367, filed on Jul. 11, 2000.
Prior Publication US 2005/0234372 A1, Oct. 20, 2005
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61H 31/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 601—152  [601/DIG. 11]

37 Claims

1. A vest for applying repetitive pressure pulses to a human body comprising: a non-elastic outer cover, a flexible liner attached to the cover surrounding an internal chamber, a bladder located in the internal chamber between the cover and liner adapted to accommodate air pressure pulses which apply pressure pulses to a human body wearing the vest, said bladder having flexible side walls secured together providing an air chamber for accommodating air, said side walls having bottom portions, an elongated sleeve joined to the bottom portions of the side walls having an air receiving passage, said bottom portions having at least one passage open to said air chamber and air receiving passage to allow air and air pressure pulses to flow from the air receiving passage into said air chamber, and an elongated oval-shaped coil spring located within and along the length of the air receiving passage of said sleeve to maintain the air receiving passage open to allow air to flow in said air receiving passage.