Compensator valve

• US 4,082,093 A
• Filed: 04/27/1977
• Issued: 04/04/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bear Medical Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bourns Incorporated
• Inventors: Fry, Stanley Eugene, Hurd, Claude Calvert
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US05/791,457
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 128/145.8, 128/145.6, 128/145.5, 128/142.2, 128/203, 128/188, 128/DIG. 17, 251/61.4, 251/61.5, 251/360, 137/DIG. 2, 137/625.5
• US Class Current: 128/204.25
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/206 Capsule valves, e.g. mushroom, membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/207 Membrane valves with pneumatic amplification stage, i.e. having master and slave membranes

Abstract

A compensator valve for use with a respirator/ventilator system having means for permitting patient assisted breathing and also permitting selection of a positive and expiratory pressure (PEEP). The system incorporating the advantages of the present invention generally incorporates an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase in its operative cycle. An exhalation valve assembly coupled into the system is operable between open and closed positions. This exhalation valve is maintained in a closed position during the time that breathing gas is being supplied to a patient. Operation of the compensator valve of the invention limits the exhalation/exhaustory pressure to a reference positive and expiratory pressure, thus affecting the patient'"'"'s breathing effort. In practice, the difference between a reference positive and expiratory pressure and patient instantaneous exhaustory pressure causes the operation of the compensator valve of the invention so as to regulate the pressure applied to the exhaustion valve.

Claims

1. A respirator system connected to a source of breathing gas under pressure having an inspiratory phase and an expiratory phase in its operative cycle comprising:

means for originating and maintaining a positive and expiratory pressure (PEEP);

venturi assembly means responsive to the PEEP and having an output;

demand valve means differentially responsive to the output pressure from said venturi assembly means and inspiratory/expiratory patient pressure to control the supply pressure of the breathing gas under pressure;

patient circuit means responsive to the supply pressure as controlled by said demand valve means;

exhalation valve means;

reference orifice means responsive to output pressure from said venturi assembly means and supplying pressure to said exhalation valve means, said exhalation valve means being differentially responsive to patient expiratory pressure and said pressure from the reference means;

fixed bleed orifice means responsive to output pressure from said reference orifice means;

compensator valve means differentially responsive to pressure from said venturi assembly means and the expiratory pressure from a patient so as to operate said exhalation valve means and maintain the patient'"'"'s expiratory pressure at the PEEP reference level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said compensator valve comprises:

a valve housing attached to a body defining first pressure port means responsive to a patient'"'"'s expiratory pressure;

second pressure port means responsive to a positive and expiratory reference pressure;

first pressure chamber means in fluid communication with said first pressure port means;

second pressure chamber means in fluid communication with said second pressure port means;

flexible resilient means for separating said first pressure chamber means from said second chamber means;

an adjustable valve fitting in said valve housing having third pressure port means;

a valve seat in said adjustable valve fitting at an interior end of said third pressure port;

ball valve means for seating at said valve seat;

a shaft linking said ball valve to said flexible resilient means;

a spring operative to maintain a position of said flexible resilient means;

fourth pressure port means in fluid communication with atmospheric pressure and said third pressure port means when said ball valve means is unseated from said valve seat.

3. In a ventilator for a patient including means for providing an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase in its operative system having patient connection means and pressure responsive exhalation valve means and including means for determining and providing a positive end expiratory reference pressure in respect to a patient user of said ventilator system with means for distribution of said positive end expiratory reference pressure within the system of the ventilator and first sensing means for sensing a pressure differential between an effort to breathe initiated by said patient user of said ventilator and said reference pressure, and means responsive to said first sensing means within the system of said ventilator for controlling a supply of breatheable gas to be furnished to the patient user of said ventilator and additionally providing second sensing means for sensing a pressure differential between an end expiratory lung pressure remaining in said patient user'"'"'s lungs at the termination of an expiration and said reference pressure and for varying said patient user'"'"'s end expiratory lung pressure during any exhalation phase as a function of said positive end expiratory reference pressure, said second sensing and varying means comprising:

a valve housing;

first pressure chamber means in said housing including a first pressure port means communicating with said patient connection means;

second pressure chamber means also defined in said housing including a second pressure port means communicating with said distributing means;

flexible resilient means located in said housing for separating said first pressure chamber means from said second chamber means and resiliently movable therebetween;

an adjustable valve fitting mounted on said valve housing having a third pressure port means communicating with said exhalation valve means;

a valve seat in said adjustable valve fitting communicating with said third pressure port;

ball valve means in said adjustable valve fitting for seating at said valve seat;

shaft means linking said ball valve to said flexible resilient means;

spring means in said second pressure chamber operative to maintain positive bias upon said flexible resilient means so as to maintain said ball valve seated against said valve seat;

fourth pressure port means in fluid communication with atmospheric pressure and said third pressure port means when said ball valve means is unseated from said valve seat thereby, varying the pressure in said pressure responsive exhalation valve means during any exhalation phase as a function of said positive end expiratory reference pressure.