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Exhalation valve assembly

  • US 6,073,630 A
  • Filed: 11/03/1997
  • Issued: 06/13/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An exhalation valve assembly for use with a respiratory pump having an outlet, said assembly comprising:

  • an exhalation valve comprising an inlet port connectable to the outlet of the pump;

    an outlet port adapted to be connected to a patient, an exhalation port leading to the atmosphere, a valve member of the exhalation valve selectively connecting the outlet port to said exhalation port, and a control chamber for controlling the operation of said valve member in response to the pressure in said control chamber; and

    a control valve for controlling the pressure in said control chamber to increase the pressure therein during inspiration to cause the valve member of the exhalation valve to disconnect the outlet port from said exhalation port, and to decrease the pressure in the control chamber during exhalation to thereby cause the valve member of the exhalation valve to connect the outlet port to the exhalation port of the exhalation valve;

    wherein said control valve includes;

    presettable modulating means for presetting a pressure in the control chamber during exhalation to any predetermined partial pressure to thereby preset the exhalation pressure to open said exhalation valve, comprisingan inlet port connectable to an outlet of the pump;

    a control port connected to said control chamber of the exhalation valve;

    a vent leading to the atmosphere;

    a valve member of the control valve movable over a continuum of positions between a first position during inspiration to open a first passageway connecting the control chamber of the exhalation valve to the inlet port of the control valve, and thereby to the outlet port of the pump, and a second position during exhalation to close said first passageway and to open a second passageway connecting the control chamber of the exhalation valve to said vent leading to the atmosphere;

    a solenoid having an armature controlling the pressure in the control chamber of the exhalation valve according to the energization of the solenoid, and capable of providing any of no, partial or full energization; and

    a circuit for controlling the energization of said solenoid such that during inspiration it moves said valve member of the control valve fully or partially to said first position, and during exhalation it moves said valve member of the control valve to said second position.

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