Exhalation valve for use in an underwater breathing device

• US 20060272637A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Johnson
• Original Assignee: Mark Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,011,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/201.270
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/205 with air supply by suction from diver, e.g. snorkels B63C11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7836 Flexible diaphragm or bellows reactor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/784 Integral resilient member forms plural valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/789 Central mount

Abstract

An underwater breathing device, such as a snorkel, may include an exhalation valve. The exhalation valve is configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user of the underwater breathing device in order to reduce the overall work of underwater breathing. The exhalation valve includes a plate defining an exhalation port. The exhalation valve also includes a flexible membrane that is sealable against a surface of the plate and is sized and positioned to be capable of sealing the exhalation port. The flexible membrane is configured to have a sealed position in which the flexible membrane seals the exhalation port such that substantially no exhaled air escapes the snorkel. The flexible membrane is also configured to have an unsealed position in which exhaled air escapes the snorkel.

Claims

1. An exhalation valve for use in an underwater breathing device, the exhalation valve configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user of the underwater breathing device in order to reduce the overall work of underwater breathing, the exhalation valve comprising:

a plate defining at least one chamber port and an exhalation port, the at least one chamber port being positioned opposite the exhalation port; and

a flexible membrane that is sealable against a surface of the plate and is sized and positioned to be capable of sealing the exhalation port, the flexible membrane comprising;

a sealed position in which the flexible membrane seals the exhalation port such that substantially no air can flow between the at least one chamber port and the exhalation port; and

an unsealed position in which the flexible membrane does not seal the exhalation port such that air can flow between the at least one chamber port and the exhalation port.

2. The exhalation valve as recited in claim 1, wherein the plate is substantially rigid and substantially disk-shaped.

3. The exhalation valve as recited in claim 1, wherein the exhalation port is one of oval-shaped or teardrop-shaped.

4. The exhalation valve as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible membrane further comprises a hinged region positioned so as to divide the exhalation port into two sides such that, when the flexible membrane bends along the hinged region, one side can become unsealed while the other side remains sealed.

5. The exhalation valve as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one protrusion positioned between the plate and the flexible membrane and formed on the plate and/or the flexible membrane.

6. An underwater breathing device configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user of the underwater breathing device in order to reduce the overall work of underwater breathing, the underwater breathing device comprising:

a chamber including first and second openings, the chamber being configured such that when air is being exhaled through the first opening into the chamber in a manner that restricts air from simultaneously escaping through the first opening, there is no unrestricted passageway out of the chamber through which air can exit the underwater breathing device and, as a result, the exhaled air creates an exhalation pressure within the chamber; and

a valve for restricting airflow between the chamber and the second opening, the valve comprising;

a plate defining the at least one chamber port and the exhalation port, the at least one chamber port being positioned opposite the exhalation port, the at least one chamber port and the exhalation port defining the second opening; and

a flexible membrane that is sealable against a surface of the plate and is sized and positioned to be capable of sealing the exhalation port, the flexible membrane being configured such that an opening force, comprising any exhalation pressure within the chamber, biases the valve in a first direction and a closing force biases the valve in a second direction, the first direction being substantially opposite the second direction, the flexible membrane comprising;

a closed position in which the flexible membrane seals the exhalation port such that substantially no air is released from the chamber through the exhalation port;

the flexible membrane being disposed in the closed position when the opening force is less than or equal to the closing force; and

an open position in which the flexible membrane does not seal the exhalation port such that air is released from the chamber through the exhalation port, the flexible membrane being disposed in the open position when the opening force exceeds the closing force.

7. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 6, further comprising a mouthpiece connected to the first opening.

8. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 6, further comprising an exhalation conduit connected to the exhalation port.

9. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 8, wherein the exhalation conduit is divided by a septum which creates a first conduit and a second conduit, the second conduit being sized and positioned such that, when the underwater breathing device is in use, any water that enters the exhalation conduit tends to collect in the second conduit.

10. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 9, wherein the flexible membrane further comprises a hinged region aligned with the septum such that, when the flexible membrane bends along the hinged region, the first conduit can become unsealed while the second conduit remains sealed.

11. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the opening force required to bend the flexible membrane at the hinged region of the flexible membrane and thereby only unseal the first conduit is less that the opening force required to bend the flexible membrane such that both the first and the second conduits are unsealed.

12. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the closing force includes ambient water pressure when at least a portion of the underwater breathing device is submerged in water.

13. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the opening force further includes a force created by a tension of an elastic string attached to the flexible membrane which biases the flexible membrane in substantially the first direction.

14. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 13, wherein the tension of the elastic string, and the resulting opening force, is manually adjustable.

15. An underwater breathing device configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user of the underwater breathing device in order to reduce the overall work of underwater breathing, the underwater breathing device comprising:

a chamber including first and second openings, the chamber being configured such that when air is being exhaled through the first opening into the chamber in a manner that restricts air from simultaneously escaping through the first opening, there is no unrestricted passageway out of the chamber through which air can exit the underwater breathing device and, as a result, the exhaled air creates an exhalation pressure within the chamber; and

a valve for restricting airflow between the chamber and the second opening, the valve being configured such that any exhalation pressure within the chamber biases the valve in a first direction and a counter pressure biases the valve in a second direction, the first direction being substantially opposite the second direction, the valve comprising;

a closed position in which substantially no air is released from the chamber through the second opening, the valve being disposed in the closed position when any exhalation pressure within the chamber is less than or equal to the counter pressure; and

an open position in which at least some air is released from the chamber through the second opening, the valve being disposed in the open position when any exhalation pressure within the chamber exceeds the counter pressure.

16. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 15, further comprising a mouthpiece connected to the first opening.

17. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 15, further comprising an exhalation conduit connected to the second opening.

18. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 15, wherein the counter pressure comprises ambient water pressure when at least a portion of the underwater breathing device is submerged in water.

19. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 18, wherein the counter pressure further comprises one or more springs.

20. The underwater breathing device as recited in claim 15, wherein the chamber further comprises a third opening and the valve further restricts airflow between the chamber and the third opening, the valve further including a purge position in which at least some air is released from the chamber through the second opening and the third opening, the valve being disposed in the purge position when any exhalation pressure within the chamber is distinctly greater than the counter pressure.