US Patent 7121277 Ventilator

A ventilator has an inspiratory unit and an expiratory valve for regulating a flow of breathing gas and a control unit for controlling the inspiratory unit and the expiratory valve. In order to facilitate the opening of collapsed alveoli in the lungs, the control unit controls the inspiratory unit and the expiratory valve to generate a recruitment phase with an elevated basic pressure for the flow of breathing gas upon which a number of breaths is superimposed at a faster breathing rate.