EXPIRATORY VALVE OF AN ANESTHETIC BREATHING APPARATUS HAVING SAFETY BACKUP

• US 20100252046A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Dahlström, Bo, Tornesel, Carl Magnus, Danielsen, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 8,967,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/205.240
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0075 Bellows-type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0078 Breathing bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0081 Bag or bellow in a bottle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0093 by adsorption, absorption or filtration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0866 Passive resistors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/205 used for exhalation control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/206 Capsule valves, e.g. mushroom, membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/16 with back-up system in case of failure

Abstract

A ventilatory valve controls a pressure level in a patient breathing circuit of an anesthetic breathing apparatus. The ventilatory valve has a valve unit having a controllable restriction to control the pressure level in an expiratory branch of the breathing circuit of the anesthetic breathing apparatus, an electrical operating unit for the valve unit, configured to electrically control the restriction during electrical operation of the anesthetic breathing apparatus, and a non-electrical operating unit (100) for the valve unit, configured to non-electrically control the restriction upon electrical defective or powerless operation of the anesthetic breathing apparatus.

Claims

1. A ventilatory valve that controls at least one of a expiratory flow or an expiratory pressure level in an expiratory branch of a patient breathing circuit of an anesthetic breathing apparatus, said ventilatory valve comprising:

a valve unit having a controllable restriction that controls said expiratory flow and/or expiratory pressure in said patient breathing circuit;

an electrical operating unit for said valve unit, configured to electrically control said restriction during electrical operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus; and

a non-electrical operating unit for said valve unit, configured to non-electrically control said restriction upon electrical defective or powerless operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus.

2. The ventilatory valve according to claim 1, wherein

said electrical operating unit is operative at normal electrical operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus;

and

said non-electrical operating unit is operative at a powerless emergency operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus.

3. The ventilatory valve according to claim 1, wherein said ventilatory valve is a combined expiratory valve during a mechanical ventilation mode of said anesthetic breathing apparatus and an adjustable pressure limiting valve during a manual ventilation mode of said anesthetic breathing apparatus.

4. The ventilatory valve according to claim 1, wherein said controllable restriction is formed of a membrane arranged that is located and movable in a gas flow channel of said expiratory branch.

5. The ventilatory valve according to claim, 4 wherein said electrical operating unit comprises a solenoid operated by an electric current for providing a mechanical force on said membrane, said mechanical force being adjustable by said electric current and to adjust said restriction and thereby said expiratory flow and/or expiratory pressure.

6. The ventilatory valve according to claim 5, wherein said non-electrical operating unit comprises a mechanical unit for excerting said mechanical force on said membrane upon said electrical defective or powerless operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus, said mechanical force being adjustable such that a limit of said expiratory pressure level is adjustable with said non-electrical operating unit.

7. The ventilatory valve according to claim 6, wherein said mechanical unit comprises a pneumatic unit.

8. The ventilatory valve according to claim 7, wherein said pneumatic unit comprises a sealed chamber controllably pressurized with a gas provided from a source of pressurized gas via an adjustable pressure regulator to excert said mechanical force on said membrane.

9. The ventilatory valve according to claim 8, wherein

said solenoid is enclosed in said sealed chamber having an inlet for pressurized gas, for excerting said mechanical force on said membrane.

10. The ventilatory valve according to claim 8, wherein

said solenoid comprises a solenoid housing to which said sealed chamber is attached, a push rod extending from said solenoid into said sealed chamber and said push rod comprising a sealing engaging a sealing surface of said solenoid housing in powerless condition of said solenoid.

11. The ventilatory valve according to claim 7, wherein said mechanical unit comprises a push rod operated by said pneumatic unit.

12. The ventilatory valve according to claim 11, wherein said pneumatic unit is a device for transforming pressure into a defined mechanical movement when provided with a gas from a source of pressurized gas via an adjustable pressure regulator.

13. The ventilatory valve according to claim 12, wherein said pneumatic device is a pressure cylinder.

14. The ventilatory valve according to claim 13, wherein said pressure cylinder comprises a mushroom device.

15. The ventilatory valve according to claim 5, comprising a manual operating unit is arranged to both adjust said electric current in normal operation and said mechanical force in emergency operation.

16. An anesthetic breathing apparatus having comprising:

a patient breathing circuit, comprising

a ventilatory valve that controls at least one of an expiratory flow or an expiratory pressure level in said patient breathing circuit, and said ventilatory valve comprising

a manually operable emergency manual ventilation switch, which normally is in an off-position in which said anesthetic breathing apparatus in normal operation is supplied with electrical power and operational for at least one electrically controlled mechanical ventilation mode and a manual ventilation mode;

said emergency manual ventilation also having an on-position that causes said anesthetic breathing apparatus to be disconnected from said electrical power and operational in a pneumatically controlled manual ventilation operation mode;

said ventilatory valve, during said normal operation being electrically controlled and in said pneumatically controlled manual ventilation operation mode is non-electrically controlled.

17. The anesthetic breathing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said emergency manual ventilation switch is a combined electrical switch and a pneumatic switch, in which a pneumatic line is interruptible and in which electric power supply to the anesthesia machine is controllable.

18. The anesthetic breathing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein when said emergency manual ventilation switch is in the on-position, the electric power to the anesthesia machine is interrupted and the pneumatic line is opened by said emergency manual ventilation switch, and wherein an adjustable metered amount of oxygen is supplied to the patient breathing circuit controllable by a manual ventilation bag.

19. The anesthetic breathing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said emergency manual ventilation switch is automatically electrically operated, such that it enters the on-position upon a power failure.

20. A method of controlling a pressure level in a breathing circuit of an anesthetic breathing apparatus, with a ventilatory valve that controls, said method comprising the steps of:

electrically controlling a controllable restriction of said ventilatory valve during electrical non-faulty operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus; and

upon electrical faulty operation or upon emergency operation of said anesthetic breathing apparatus non-electrically controlling said controllable restriction of said ventilatory valve.