Airway valve to facilitate re-breathing, method of operation, and ventilator circuit so equipped
First Claim
1. An airway valve for diverting respiratory flow from a primary path to an alternative path, comprising:
- a housing defining a primary passage including a first primary passage portion and a second primary passage portion, a first diversion passage perpendicular to the first primary passage portion and opening thereinto, and a second diversion passage opening into the second primary passage portion;
a valve element oriented at a 45°
angle to both the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage and movable between a first position occluding the first diversion passage and a second position occluding communication between the first primary passage portion and the second primary passage portion.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airway valve, method of operation and ventilator circuit including the valve. The airway valve includes an outer housing defining a primary passage including first and second coaxial primary passage portions mutually directly communicating within the housing, and first and second diversion passages extending transversely to the primary passage, each diversion passage being integral with the housing and opening onto a primary passage portion. The airway valve controls diversion of air flow between the first primary passage portion and the second primary passage portion into and through an enlarged volume defined by a re-breathing loop external to the housing via the first and second diversion passages. To selectively effect such diversion, an elliptical valve element is oriented within the housing at a 45° angle to both the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage and disposed on the end of an actuation shaft aligned with the first diversion passage. The actuation shaft is adapted to selectively move between a normal operating mode position wherein the valve element occludes the mouth of the first diversion passage and a re-breathing mode position occluding communication between the first primary passage portion and second primary passage portion and diverting air flow through the first diversion passage into the re-breathing loop and back into the airway valve through the second diversion passage, which opens onto the second primary passage portion.
54 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. An airway valve for diverting respiratory flow from a primary path to an alternative path, comprising:
-
a housing defining a primary passage including a first primary passage portion and a second primary passage portion, a first diversion passage perpendicular to the first primary passage portion and opening thereinto, and a second diversion passage opening into the second primary passage portion; a valve element oriented at a 45°
angle to both the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage and movable between a first position occluding the first diversion passage and a second position occluding communication between the first primary passage portion and the second primary passage portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of operating an airway valve for diverting respiratory air flow from a primary path to an alternate path, comprising:
-
providing a housing defining a primary passage including a first primary passage portion and a second primary passage portion, a first diversion passage and a second diversion passage, and a valve element associated with the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage; opening communication between the first and second primary passage portions and closing communication between the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage by placing a valve element in a first position within the first diversion passage; and
closing communication between the first and second primary passage portions andopening communication between the first passage portion and the first diversion passage by placing the valve element in a second position within the primary passage. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A ventilator circuit, comprising:
-
a primary conduit arrangement for communicating respiratory flow to and from a patient along a primary respiratory path; a sensor device for measuring air flow incorporated in the primary conduit arrangement; a sensor device for measuring carbon dioxide incorporated in the primary conduit arrangement; a secondary conduit defining an alternative respiratory path; an airway valve for diverting respiratory flow from a portion of the primary respiratory path to the alternative respiratory path, comprising; a housing defining a primary passage in communication with the primary conduit arrangement and including a first primary passage portion and a second primary passage portion, a first diversion passage perpendicular to the first primary passage portion, opening thereinto and in communication with a first end of the secondary conduit, and a second diversion passage opening into the second primary passage portion and in communication with a second end of the secondary conduit; a valve element oriented at a 45°
angle to both the first primary passage portion and the first diversion passage and movable between a first position occluding the first diversion passage and a second position occluding communication between the first primary passage portion and the second primary passage portion;structure for processing signals from the sensor devices; and structure for controlling actuation of the airway valve. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification