Passive, proportional measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide consumption for assessment of metabolic parameters

• Main Authors: Standley, Robert Linton, Candell, Lawrence M, Mahan, Joseph M, McClung, Holly, Siegel, Andrew M, Hoyt, Reed Wasson, Shaw, Gary A, Thompson, Kyle
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.10.2022
• Subjects: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY

A conventional flow tube for a metabolic cart is usually a straight length of pipe whose inner diameter is fixed by the respiratory burden imposed by the flow tube on the user, with a smaller diameter imposing a higher respiratory burden. The ratio of the straight flow tube's length to diameter is fixed by fluid dynamics, so increasing the flow tube's diameter causes the flow tube's length to increase. As the flow tube gets longer, it exerts more torque on the user's neck and jaw, creating discomfort. Reducing the flow tube's length causes an undesired increase in the respiratory burden but increasing the flow tube's diameter to reduce the respiratory burden makes the flow tube less comfortable, making the flow tube unconformable, hard to breathe through, or both. Bending the flow tube, e.g., in an L shape, makes it possible to increase the flow tube's propagation length without increasing the flow tube's lever arm length.