Cpr training device

Abstract

An inexpensive take-home training aid for practicing human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is contained in a non-humanoid shaped housing. When placed in a prominent location in the home, such as a child's room, the CPR training aid reminds users of the CPR sills they have learned and encourages them to practice with the training aid. The internal mechanism consists of a simulated airway, a compression mechanism, a compression feedback mechanism, a metronome, a breast plate and back plate with simulated anatomical landmarks, and/or an external landmark for identifying the proper location for placing a hand, hands, or fingers on the chest. Voice prompts on the steps of CPR and/or actual CPR performance may also be included. The chest plate and back plate are connected by one or more telescoping posts and a resistance device is between the two plates to simulate the resistance of a human chest to compression. The internal mechanism can be placed in a variety of non-humanoid containers such as a child's teddy bear or other stuffed toy. A CPR student can use the toy or other non-humanoid container to practice CPR during a CPR class and then later at home.

1 - 50 . (canceled)  
   
   
       51 . An apparatus for training or simulating human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a first plate;    at least one upright post fixed to the first plate;    a second plate;    at least one downwardly extending post fixed to the second plate and adapted to telescopically engage upright post for providing a reciprocal motion to simulate human chest compressions; and    a resistance device engaged between the first and second plates and adapted to simulate the resistance a user would encounter in compressing a human chest.    
   
   
       52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein one or more posts are hollow and are adapted for a telescopic-like engagement having sufficiently tight tolerances to require applying force in a direction essentially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the posts so that the posts will bind when a non-parallel force is applied to an upper surface of the second plate.  
   
   
       53 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the resistance device is a spring and it is located within one or more posts.  
   
   
       54 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the resistance device is a closed cell foam spring.  
   
   
       55 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein one or more posts are square or rectangular in shape to prevent rotation of the posts.  
   
   
       56 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the distal ends of the one or more posts are flared.  
   
   
       57 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the first and second plates are generally rectangular.  
   
   
       58 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the first and second plates contain anatomical landmarks.  
   
   
       59 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the second plate has anatomical landmarks on an upper surface adapted to resemble a chest to indicate proper hand or finger placement for applying CPR.  
   
   
       60 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein a landmark on the stuffed toy housing marks the location for properly compressing the chest during CPR.  
   
   
       61 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , comprising a generally central upright post fixed to the first plate and a generally central downwardly extending post fixed to the second plate and opposed to and engaged with the generally central upright post, wherein the spring device is received within the generally central upright post.  
   
   
       62 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the stuffed toy housing resembles a non-human animal.  
   
   
       63 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the stuffed toy housing is a teddy bear.  
   
   
       64 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising a metronome.  
   
   
       65 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising a compression force sensor for measuring the amount of force used to press the first and second plates closer together and an indicator to the user of the force applied.  
   
   
       66 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising a compression depth sensor for measuring the distance traveled when pressing the first and second plates closer together and an indicator of whether this distance is an appropriate distance for proper CPR.  
   
   
       67 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , wherein the stuffed toy housing has a neck, and the indicator is located in the neck of the stuffed toy housing and is stylized to look like a brooch or bowtie.  
   
   
       68 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising a rescue breath indicator to indicate when a breath should be given in the CPR cycle.  
   
   
       69 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising voice prompts to remind a user of the steps of CPR.  
   
   
       70 . The apparatus of  claim 69 , wherein the voice prompts provide feedback on actual CPR performance.  
   
   
       71 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 a flexible container adapted to simulate human lungs; and    an air tube connected to the flexible container.    
   
   
       72 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising an apparatus for simulating pulmonary resuscitation.  
   
   
       73 . The apparatus of  claim 72 , wherein the simulated pulmonary resuscitation apparatus comprises a flexible container sized to simulate the capacity of human lungs, wherein the flexible container is received in an interior portion of the housing and one end of an air tube is connected to the flexible container while another end is open to the environment and allows air to flow into the flexible container from the external environment.  
   
   
       74 . An apparatus for training or simulating human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising a stuffed toy housing, a chest plate and back plate, a compression depth sensor, and a compression depth indicator located on the apparatus and in the line of sight of a user while the user is training or simulating human CPR.  
   
   
       75 . The apparatus of  claim 74 , further comprising a metronome.  
   
   
       76 . The apparatus of  claim 74 , further comprising a simulated airway.  
   
   
       77 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the airway simulates the resistance of a human lung and the rise of the chest when breaths are given.  
   
   
       78 . The apparatus of  claim 79 , further comprising an external face mask attached to an internal air tube which is attached to an internal simulated lung to facilitate practicing breaths given during CPR.  
   
   
       79 . The apparatus of  claim 78 , wherein the face mask is a stylized human face.  
   
   
       80 . The apparatus of  claim 74 , further comprising auditory voice prompts.  
   
   
       81 . The apparatus of  claim 80 , wherein the voice prompts comprise steps of CPR.  
   
   
       82 . The apparatus of  claim 80 , wherein the voice prompts indicate proper or improper performance of CPR skills.  
   
   
       83 . The apparatus of  claim 72 , wherein the apparatus for simulating pulmonary resuscitation comprises a simulated lung, an air tube connected to the simulated lung, a face mask connected to the air tube, and an opening in the face mask where air can be blown into the air tube and the simulated lung causing the simulated lung to expand.  
   
   
       84 . The apparatus of  claim 74 , further comprising a landmark on the stuffed toy housing to indicate the proper location for hand or finger placement during CPR.  
   
   
       85 . The apparatus of  claim 84 , wherein the landmark is a stylized heart.  
   
   
       86 . An apparatus for practicing human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply;    an electronic control board connected to the power supply; and    a speaker connected to the control board,    wherein the speaker emits a sound at intervals which correspond to the rate at which compressions should be performed during CPR.    
   
   
       87 . An apparatus for training a user in the steps of human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply;    a microprocessor chip connected to the power supply; and    a speaker connected to the microprocessor,    wherein the speaker emits at least one voice prompt of a step of CPR.    
   
   
       88 . The apparatus of  claim 87 , further comprising a metronome.  
   
   
       89 . The apparatus of  claim 87 , wherein the stuffed toy housing resembles a non-human animal.  
   
   
       90 . The apparatus of  claim 87 , wherein the stuffed toy housing is a teddy bear.  
   
   
       91 . The apparatus of  claim 87 , further comprising: 
 a simulated lung; and    a tube connected on one end to the simulated lung and open on another end to the environment.    
   
   
       92 . The apparatus of  claim 90 , further comprising voice prompts describing at least one complete cycle of CPR.  
   
   
       93 . The apparatus of  claim 91 , wherein the simulated lung is calibrated to hold an amount of air about equivalent to the average air capacity of human adult, child or infant lungs.  
   
   
       94 . An apparatus for training a user in the steps of human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply; and    a means for producing a sound connected to the power supply,    wherein the sound comprises a voice prompt of at least one step of CPR.    
   
   
       95 . The apparatus of  claim 94 , further comprising a metronome.  
   
   
       96 . The apparatus of  claim 94 , wherein the stuffed toy housing resembles an non-human animal.  
   
   
       97 . The apparatus of  claim 94 , wherein the stuffed toy housing is a teddy bear.  
   
   
       98 . The apparatus of  claim 94 , further comprising: 
 a simulated lung; and    a tube connected on one end to the simulated lung and open on another end to the environment.    
   
   
       99 . The apparatus of  claim 97 , further comprising voice prompts describing at least one complete cycle of CPR.  
   
   
       100 . The apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the simulated lung is calibrated to hold an amount of air about equivalent to the average air capacity of human adult, child or infant lungs.  
   
   
       101 . An apparatus for training a user in the steps of human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply;    a microprocessor chip connected to the power supply; and    a speaker connected to the microprocessor,    wherein the speaker emits at least one voice prompt of a step of CPR and wherein the stuffed toy housing is a teddy bear.    
   
   
       102 . An apparatus for training a user in the steps of human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply;    a microprocessor chip connected to the power supply; and    a speaker connected to the microprocessor,    wherein the speaker emits voice prompts comprising at least one complete cycle of CPR and wherein the stuffed toy housing is a teddy bear.    
   
   
       103 . An apparatus for training a user in the steps of human cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprising: 
 a stuffed toy housing;    a power supply;    a power switch connected to the power supply;    a microprocessor chip connected to the power supply; and    a speaker connected to the microprocessor,    wherein the speaker emits at least one voice prompt of a step of CPR and the stuffed toy housing is a non-human animal.