Active exhalation valve

• US 10,576,237 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ventec Life Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ventec Life Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: DeVries, Douglas F., Gaw, Shan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US16/167,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20190054268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0808 Condensation traps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0883 Circuit type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/201 Controlled valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/202 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/207 Membrane valves with pneumatic amplification stage, i.e. having master and slave membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 : in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 : in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 : the O2 concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 : introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 : Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0272 : Electro-active or magneto-active materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 : Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3358 : Measuring barometric pressure, e.g. for compensation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 : Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 : User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/12 : Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 : Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40009 : using sensors or gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/401 : using a single bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4533 : for medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0476 : Vacuum pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/053 : with storage or buffer vessel

Abstract

An active exhalation valve for use with a ventilator to control flow of patient exhaled gases. The valve includes a patient circuit connection port, a patient connection port, an exhaled gas port, a pilot pressure port, and a valve seat. The valve further has a movable poppet with inner and outer bellows members and a bellows poppet face. An activation pressure applied to the pilot pressure port extends the bellows members to move the poppet face into engagement with the valve seat and restrict flow of patient exhaled gases to the exhaled gas port, and the reduction of the activation pressure allows the bellows members to move the poppet face away from the valve seat and out of engagement with the valve seat to permit flow of patient exhaled gases to the exhaled gas port, thereby controlling the flow of patient exhaled gases from the valve.

Claims

1. An active exhalation valve for use with a patient connection and a ventilator having a pressure source usable to control operation of the valve, comprising:

a valve body having an internal body chamber with gasses therein having a body chamber pressure;

a first body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the patient connection;

a second body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the ventilator;

a passageway in fluid communication with the body chamber and with ambient air exterior of the valve body; and

a valve seal movable between a closed position sealing the passageway and an open position opening the passageway, the valve seal having;

(a) an outer member,

(b) an inner member positioned within the outer member,

(c) an internal seal chamber located between the outer and inner members and in fluid communication with the pressure source, and

(d) a seal member extending between the inner and outer members and movable therewith, the seal member having a first surface portion inside the seal chamber configured for movement of the valve seal toward the closed position in response to pressure applied thereto by the pressure source and a second surface portion outside the seal chamber configured for movement of the valve seal toward the open position in response to pressure applied thereto by the body chamber pressure, with amount and direction of movement of the valve seal being responsive to a resultant force generated by the pressure source and the body chamber pressure on the first and second surface portions.

2. The exhalation valve of claim 1, wherein the inner member has an inner member fluid passageway extending therethrough in fluid communication with the body chamber and having a first end in fluid communication with the first body port and a second end in fluid communication with the second body port.

3. The exhalation valve of claim 2, wherein the inner member fluid passageway is in continuous fluid communication with the first and second body ports during operation of the exhalation valve, and out of fluid communication with the seal chamber between the inner and outer members.

4. The exhalation valve of claim 1, wherein the inner member has an inner member fluid passageway extending therethrough with a first opening in continuous fluid communication with the first body port and a second opening in continuous fluid communication with the second body port.

5. The exhalation valve of claim 1, wherein the body has a wall portion positioned outward of the valve seal and defining another chamber positioned outward of the valve seal with the passageway being in the wall portion.

6. The exhalation valve of claim 1, wherein the body has a perimeter wall portion extending circumferentially about the body chamber and positioned outward of the valve seal, and defining an elongated perimeter chamber extending at least partially about the body chamber, with the passageway being in the perimeter wall portion.

7. The exhalation valve of claim 1, wherein the passageway comprises a plurality of apertures in an external wall of the body in fluid communication with the body chamber and with ambient air exterior of the valve body.

8. An active exhalation valve for use with a patient connection and a ventilator having a pressure source usable to control operation of the valve, comprising:

a valve body having an internal body chamber with gasses therein having a body chamber pressure and a body wall portion with a channel therein for fluid communication with the pressure source and an aperture in fluid communication with the channel;

a first body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the patient connection;

a second body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the ventilator;

a passageway in fluid communication with the body chamber and with ambient air exterior of the valve body; and

a valve seal movable between a closed position sealing the passageway and an open position opening the passageway, the valve seal having;

(a) an outer longitudinally extending and longitudinally compressible wall,

(b) an inner longitudinally extending and longitudinally compressible wall positioned within the outer wall, each of the outer and inner walls having a first end and a second end,

(c) a seal end wall closing a space between the first ends of the outer and inner walls and being longitudinally movable with the first ends of the outer and inner walls,

(d) the body wall portion closing a space between the second ends of the outer and inner walls, and

(e) an internal seal chamber located between the outer and inner walls and extending between the seal end wall and the body wall portion, the aperture of the body wall portion being in fluid communication with the seal chamber to provide fluid communication with the pressure source, the seal end wall being longitudinally movable within the valve body between the closed position with the outer and inner walls being in an extended configuration and the open position with the outer and inner walls being compressed into at least a partially longitudinally compressed position, the seal end wall having a first surface portion inside the seal chamber configured for movement of the valve seal toward the closed position in response to pressure applied thereto by the pressure source and a second surface portion outside the seal chamber configured for movement of the valve seal toward the open position in response to pressure applied thereto by the body chamber pressure, with amount and direction of movement of the valve seal being responsive to a resultant force generated by the pressure source and the body chamber pressure on the first and second surface portions of the seal end wall.

9. The exhalation valve of claim 8, wherein the inner wall has an inner wall fluid passageway extending therethrough in fluid communication with the body chamber and having a first end in fluid communication with the first body port and a second end in fluid communication with the second body port.

10. The exhalation valve of claim 9, wherein the inner wall fluid passageway is in continuous fluid communication with the first and second body ports during operation of the exhalation valve, and out of fluid communication with the seal chamber between the inner and outer walls.

11. The exhalation valve of claim 8, wherein the inner wall has an inner wall fluid passageway extending therethrough with a first opening in continuous fluid communication with the first body port and a second opening in continuous fluid communication with the second body port.

12. The exhalation valve of claim 8, wherein the longitudinally compressible outer and inner walls are corrugated with a plurality of corrugations, and when in the at least partially longitudinally compressed position more than one of the corrugations is longitudinally compressed.

13. An active exhalation valve for use with a patient connection and a ventilator having a pressure source usable to control operation of the valve, comprising:

a valve body having an internal body chamber with gasses therein having a body chamber pressure and a channel therein for fluid communication with the pressure source and an aperture in fluid communication with the channel;

a first body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the patient connection;

a second body port in fluid communication with the body chamber and configured for fluid communication with the ventilator;

a passageway in fluid communication with the body chamber and with ambient air exterior of the valve body; and

a valve seal movable between a closed position sealing the passageway and an open position opening the passageway, the valve seal having a seal chamber defined by first and second longitudinally spaced apart ends, and by an outer longitudinally extendable wall and an inner longitudinally extendable wall positioned within the outer wall, the aperture of the valve body being in fluid communication with the seal chamber to provide fluid communication with the pressure source, the first end of the seal chamber being longitudinally movable within the valve body between the closed position of the valve seal whereat the outer and inner walls are in a longitudinally extended configuration and the open position of the valve seal whereat the outer and inner walls are in a longitudinally retracted configuration, the valve seal being moved toward the closed position in response to pressure applied by the pressure source and toward the open position in response to pressure applied by the body chamber pressure, with amount and direction of movement of the valve seal being responsive to a resultant force generated by the pressure source and the body chamber pressure.

14. The exhalation valve of claim 13, wherein the inner wall has an inner wall fluid passageway extending therethrough in fluid communication with the body chamber and having a first end in fluid communication with the first body port and a second end in fluid communication with the second body port.

15. The exhalation valve of claim 14, wherein the inner wall fluid passageway is in continuous fluid communication with the first and second body ports during operation of the exhalation valve, and out of fluid communication with the seal chamber between the inner and outer walls.

16. The exhalation valve of claim 13, wherein the inner wall has an inner wall fluid passageway extending therethrough with a first opening in continuous fluid communication with the first body port and a second opening in continuous fluid communication with the second body port.