Condensate drain for respiratory air line

• US 5,101,821 A
• Filed: 05/03/1991
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Carie Jr
• Original Assignee: John Carie Jr
• Inventors: Carie, John Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US07/695,103
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/205.12, 128/205.24, 128/912, 137/192, 210/123, 210/124
• US Class Current: 128/205.12
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/003 Means for influencing the temperature or humidity of the breathing gas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body

Abstract

A drain for removing condensate from a respiratory air line comprising a hollow body having an inlet end, adapted for connection to the respiratory air line, and an outlet end. A normally closed float valve restricts the flow of air through the body during periods of relatively high pressure in the respiratory line, but opens in the presence of condensate to allow condensate to flow out of the body. A reed-type valve permits condensate to pass through the body from the inlet to the outlet, but restricts condensate from refluxing back into the respiratory line during periods of relatively low pressure in the respiratory line. The reed-type valve is of the type comprising two converging flexible members configured to allow condensate to flow in one direction through the body.

Claims

1. A drain for removing condensate from a respiratory air line that is alternately under relatively high pressure during the patient'"'"'s inspiration, and under relatively low pressure during the patient'"'"'s expiration, the drain comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet end, adapted for connection to the respiratory air line, and having an inlet opening therein, and an outlet end having an outlet opening therein;

a one-way reed-type valve for permitting condensate to pass through the body from the inlet to the outlet, but restricting condensate from refluxing back into the respiratory line during periods of relatively low pressure in the respiratory line, the reed-type valve comprising two converging flexible members configured to allow condensate to flow in one direction through the body;

a float valve that is normally closed to restrict the flow of air through the body during periods of relatively high pressure in the respiratory line, but which opens in the presence of condensate to allow condensate to flow out of the body, the float valve comprising a float member that normally seats over a valve opening to close the outlet opening, but which when sufficient condensate is present in the body floats to allow the condensate to pass through the body.

2. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the reed-type valve is adjacent the inlet end of the body, and wherein the float valve is adjacent the outlet end of the body.

3. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the reed-type valve is adjacent the outlet end, and wherein the float type valve is upstream of the reed-type valve.

4. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the reed-type valve has a gusseted cross-section.

5. The drain according to claim 4 wherein the reed-type valve comprises opposing generally flat members joined at the sides with inwardly folded gussets.

6. The drain according to claim 5 wherein the flat members have raised lands between the gussets, to accommodate the thickness of the gussets.

7. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the reed-type valve has a generally cruciform cross section.

8. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the reed-type valve comprises perpendicularly intersecting pairs of planar members.

9. The drain according to claim 1 wherein the float member is generally elongate, and further comprising a sleeve surrounding the float member, the sleeve closely conforming to the float member, but sufficiently large to allow the float member to freely reciprocate therein.

10. A drain for removing condensate from a respiratory air line that is alternately under relatively high pressure during the patient'"'"'s inspiration and under relatively low pressure during the patient'"'"'s expiration, the drain comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet end, adapted for connection to the respiratory air line, and having an inlet opening therein, and an outlet end having an outlet opening therein;

a one-way reed-type valve adjacent the inlet end of the body, the reed valve comprising two converging flexible members configured to allow condensate to enter the body through the inlet opening but restrict flow out of the body;

a float valve adjacent the outlet end of the body, the float valve comprising a float member that normally seats over the outlet opening to close the outlet opening, but which when sufficient condensate is present in the body floats to allow the condensate to drain out the outlet.

11. The drain according to claim 10 wherein there is a generally convex seat surrounding the outlet opening, and wherein the float is has a generally concave surface to mate with the generally convex seat.

12. A drain for removing condensate from a respiratory air line that is alternately under relatively high pressure during the patient'"'"'s inspiration and under relatively low pressure during the patient'"'"'s expiration, the drain comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet end, adapted for connection to the respiratory air line, and having an inlet opening therein, and an outlet end having an outlet opening therein;

a float valve, adjacent the outlet end of the body, the float valve comprising a cage and a float member contained within the cage, the cage having an outlet end having an outlet opening, the float member normally seats over the cage outlet opening to close the opening, but which when sufficient condensate is present in the cage floats to allow the condensate to drain out the cage outlet; and

a one-way reed valve adjacent the outlet end of the body, the reed valve comprising two converging flexible members configured to allow the condensate to drain from the cage outlet out of the body outlet but restricts flow of condensate into the body outlet.

13. The drain according to claim 12 wherein there is a generally concave seat surrounding the cage outlet opening, and wherein the float has a generally convex surface to mate with the generally concave seat.

14. The drain according to claim 12 wherein the cage comprises a grill adjacent the body inlet opening.

15. The drain according to claim 12 wherein the reed valve has a gusseted cross-section.

16. The drain according to claim 12 wherein the reed valve comprises opposing generally flat members joined at the sides with inwardly folded gussets.

17. A drain for removing condensate from a respiratory air line that is alternately under relatively high pressure during the patient'"'"'s inspiration and under relatively low pressure during the patient'"'"'s expiration, the drain comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet end, adapted for connection to the respiratory air line, and having an inlet opening therein, and an outlet end having an outlet opening therein;

a float valve, adjacent the outlet end of the body, the float valve comprising a chamber in the body having an outlet opening and a float member in the chamber which normally seats over the cage outlet opening to close the opening, but which when sufficient condensate is present in the chamber floats to allow the condensate to drain out chamber opening; and

a one-way reed valve adjacent the outlet end of the body, the reed valve comprising two converging flexible members configured to allow the condensate to drain from the cage outlet out of the body outlet but restricts flow of condensate into the body outlet.

18. The condensate drain according to claim 17 wherein the float member is generally elongate, and further comprising a sleeve in the chamber, surrounding the float member, the sleeve closely conforming to the float member, but sufficiently large to allow the float member to freely reciprocate therein.