Flow regulating valve in a breathing gas delivery system

• US 5,937,855 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Respironics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Blazek, Frank V., Pujol, John Raymond, Zdrojkowski, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US08/466,582
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.24, 128/204.25, 128/205.24, 128/207.12, 128/207.16, 128/204.23, 128/204.26, 137/504, 137/501, 138/45, 138/46
• US Class Current: 128/205.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/206 Capsule valves, e.g. mushroom, membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0113 the sensing element acting as a valve

Abstract

A flow regulating system including a valve and a method for maintaining a constant gas flow rate at varying gas pressure by means of differential gas pressure applied to opposed sides of a valve diaphragm.

Claims

1. A system for providing breathing gas to a user, said system comprising:

a conduit;

means for providing a flow of breathing gas within said conduit;

means for varying a pressure of breathing gas flow within said conduit between selected pressure levels over a given time interval; and

means for passing an essentially continuous flow of varying pressure gas from said conduit to an ambient pressure at an essentially constant flow rate throughout said given time interval.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for passing an essentially continuous exhaust flow maintains said exhaust flow at a rate substantially equal to an average flow rate of said flow of breathing gas within said conduit.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for varying a pressure of breathing gas flow within said conduit is a pressure regulator separately located from said means for providing a flow of breathing gas within said conduit.

4. A system for providing breathing gas to a user, said system comprising:

a conduit;

a flow generator operatively coupled to said conduit so as to generate a flow of breathing gas within said conduit;

a pressure regulator operatively coupled to at least one of said conduit and said flow generator so as to vary a pressure of breathing gas within said conduit between selected pressure levels over a given time interval; and

an exhaust valve operatively coupled to said conduit, said exhaust valve being configured so as to pass an essentially continuous flow of gas from said supply conduit to an ambient pressure at an essentially constant flow rate throughout said given time interval.

5. A system for supplying breathing gas to a user, said system comprising:

a conduit;

means for providing a flow of said breathing gas within said conduit at selected pressure levels that vary in magnitude during a given time interval; and

an exhaust valve coupled to said conduit, said exhaust valve having at least one exhaust path communicating an inside of said conduit with an ambient atmosphere, said exhaust valve being configured and coupled to said conduit such that a resistance to flow imposed by said exhaust path increases as pressure in said conduit increases.