MOUTH PIECE FOR A BREATHING APPARATUS

• US 20110073111A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Poseidon Diving Systems AB
• Original Assignee: Poseidon Diving Systems AB
• Inventors: Stone, William C., Sahibzada, Jörgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,770,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/205.24
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/186 Mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/2227 Second-stage regulators B63C11/2245 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/24 in closed circulation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mouth piece for a breathing apparatus, a breathing apparatus and a method for adjusting a valve trigger mechanism arranged on a mouth piece for a breathing apparatus. The mouth piece according to the present invention comprises a housing comprising a mouth piece breathing part opening for inhaling and exhaling a breathable gas. An inlet port for providing breathable gas into said mouth piece housing, the inlet port being in communication with valve means arranged to open or close said inlet port. The housing further comprises a first exit port for exhausting gas from said housing into a closed circuit flow channel and a second exit port for exhausting gas from said mouth piece housing into an ambient environment. Switch means for selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first exit port and said second exit port to change the mouth piece between open circuit breathing and closed circuit breathing. The switch means is arranged to adjust the valve means so as to provide an automatic diluent valve function in closed circuit mode and an open circuit regulator in open circuit mode. The mouth piece according to the present invention is compact, light weight and provides for a mouth piece which is very simple to handle.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A mouth piece (1) for a breathing apparatus, said mouth piece (1) comprises valve means (99) comprising a valve trigger mechanism (112) arranged to operatively open and close said valve means (99), and a mouth piece housing (38) comprising;

a mouth piece breathing part opening (64), for inhaling and exhaling a breathable gas,

an inlet port (74, 108) for providing breathable gas into said mouth piece housing (38), said inlet port (74, 108) being in communication with said valve means (99) being arranged to operatively open and close said inlet port (74, 108),

a first exit port (205, 140) for exhausting gas from said housing (38) into a closed circuit flow channel (96),

a second exit port (206, 71) for exhausting gas from said housing (38) into an ambient environment,

switch means (42) for selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first exit port (205, 140) and said second exit port (206, 71),

characterized in

that said switch means (42) is further arranged to adjust the opening and closing function of said valve trigger mechanism (112.

38. The mouth piece according to claim 37, characterized in that said adjustment is done when selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first and second exit port (205, 206).

39. The mouth piece according to claim 38, characterized in that said valve trigger mechanism (122) is arranged in working cooperation and to be triggered by a flexible diaphragm (48) at a pressure threshold.

40. The mouth piece according to claim 39, characterized in that said pressure threshold is about 20-40 mbar when said valve means (99) is arranged to direct said exhaust gas to said first exit port (205).

41. The mouth piece according to claim 39, characterized in that said pressure threshold is about 2-10 mbar, preferably 2-6 mbar when said valve means is arranged to direct said exhaust gas to said second exit port.

42. The mouth piece according to claim 39, characterized in that said that adjustment of said valve means comprises moving said valve trigger mechanism and said flexible diaphragm (48) a relative distance with respect to each other.

43. The mouth piece according to claim 42, characterized in that said valve trigger mechanism (112) is adjusted by moving said valve trigger mechanism (112) with respect to said flexible diaphragm (48).

44. The mouth piece according to claim 42, characterized in that said valve trigger mechanism (112) is adjusted by moving said flexible diaphragm (48) with respect to said valve trigger mechanism (112).

45. The mouth piece according to claim 42, characterized in that said relative distance is between 1-20 mm, preferably 2-10 mm.

46. The mouth piece according to claim 39, characterized in that said flexible diaphragm (48) comprises a maximum flex distance (FD), within which said flexible diaphragm (48) triggers said valve trigger mechanism (112).

47. The mouth piece according to claim 46, characterized in that the distance of said movement of said at least a part of said adjustable valve means (99) and said flexible diaphragm (48) relative to each other is not exceeding said maximum flex distance (FD).

48. The mouth piece according to claim 37, characterized in that said adjustment of said valve trigger mechanism is at least partly done by moving at least a part of said valve means back and forth along a first direction (B) using said switch means (42), when selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first and second exit port (205, 206).

49. The mouth piece according to claim 48, characterized in that said mouth piece housing (38) comprises a open circuit segment (59) with a substantially cylindrical form, said open circuit segment (59) comprises a longitudinal axis (A), wherein said first direction (B) is aligned with said longitudinal axis (A).

50. The mouth piece according to claim 37, characterized in that said valve means (99) is arranged at least partly inside said mouth piece housing (38).

51. The mouth piece according to claim 50, characterized in that said mouth piece housing (38) comprises a substantially cylindrical inner chamber (137) comprising a first and a second end (242, 243) and in that said switch means (42) comprises a substantially hollow cylinder at least partly arranged in said substantially cylindrical inner chamber (137).

52. The mouth piece according to claim 51, characterized in that said valve means (99) is at least partly arranged inside said switch means (42).

53. The mouth piece according to claim 52, characterized in that said valve means (42) is moved between a first and a second position in order to adjust said valve trigger mechanism.

54. The mouth piece according to claim 51, characterized and in that switch means (42) comprises a first and a second end (202, 203), wherein only said second end (203) of said switch means (42), is arranged between said first and second end (242, 243) of said cylindrical inner chamber (137).

55. The mouth piece according to claim 37, characterized in that said inlet port for providing breathable gas into said housing is provided via said switch means (42).

56. The mouth piece according to claim 37, characterized in that said switch means (42) is arranged with at least one sensor device (37), said sensor device (37) being arranged to detect the position of said switch means (42).

57. The mouth piece according to claim 56, characterized in that said sensor is arranged to be in communication with a processing unit, such as a computer, said processing unit being in communication with a second sensor device.

58. The mouth piece according to claim 59, characterized in that said second sensor device being arranged to detect the status of the breathable gas.

59. The mouth piece according to claim 56, characterized in that said mouth piece further comprises a display in communication with said sensor, said display being arranged to indicate an imminent redirecting of said switch means (42), to a user during use.

60. A mouth piece (1) for a breathing apparatus, said mouth piece (1) comprises valve means (99) comprising a valve trigger mechanism (112) arranged to operatively open and close said valve means (99), and a mouth piece housing (38) comprising;

a mouth piece breathing part opening (64), for inhaling and exhaling a breathable gas,

an inlet port (74, 108) for providing breathable gas into said mouth piece housing (38), said inlet port (74, 108) being in communication with said valve means (99) being arranged to operatively open and close said inlet port (74, 108),

a first exit port (205, 140) for exhausting gas from said housing into a closed circuit flow channel (96),

a second exit port (206, 86) for exhausting gas from said housing (38) into an ambient environment,

switch means (42) for selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first exit port (205, 140) and said second exit port (206, 71) so as to switch between a closed circuit and an open circuit and,

characterized in

that said valve means (99) provides an automatic diluent valve function operable in said closed circuit and in that said valve means (99) provides an open circuit regulator function operable in said open circuit, and in that said switch means (42) is arranged to actuate said valve means (99) to switch between said automatic diluent valve function and said open circuit regulator function.

61. The mouth piece according to claim 60, characterized in that said valve means is activated by means of a first pressure threshold when said switch means is directed to said first exit port (205, 140) and a second pressure threshold when said switch means is directed to said second exit port (206, 86).

62. The mouth piece according to claim 61, characterized in that said pressure threshold is changed by means of adjusting said valve trigger mechanism by means of said switch means (42).

63. The mouth piece according to claim 62, characterized in that said valve trigger mechanism is adjusted by means of moving said valve trigger mechanism a distance along a first direction.

64. The mouth piece according to claim 63, characterized in that said mouth piece housing further comprises a flexible diaphragm wherein said valve trigger mechanism is arranged in working cooperation with said flexible diaphragm to activate said automatic diluent valve.

65. Method of adjusting the opening and closing function of a valve trigger mechanism in a valve means (99) arranged on a mouth piece for a breathing apparatus comprising the steps of;

providing a mouth piece, said mouth piece comprises a mouth piece housing (38) comprising;

a mouth piece breathing part opening (64), for inhaling and exhaling a breathable gas,

an inlet port (74, 108) for providing breathable gas into said mouth piece housing (38), said inlet port (74, 108) being in communication with valve means (99) arranged to open or close said inlet port (74, 108),

said housing (48) further comprising a first exit port (205, 140) for exhausting gas from said housing (38) into a closed circuit flow channel (96),

a second exit port (206, 86) for exhausting gas from said housing (38) into an ambient environment,

switch means (42) for selectively directing said exhaust gas between said first exit port and said second exit port (206, 71) so as to switch between a closed circuit and an open circuit,

characterized in

that said adjustment of said valve trigger mechanism is done by means of switching said switch means (42) between said first and second exit port (205, 206).