Valve assembly for breathing systems

• US 6,837,245 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essex Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Essex Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Pinkston, Steve R., Matheny, Kim I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MITAL B
• Application Number:
  US10/253,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20040000312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.21, 128/205.24, 128/201.22, 128/201.29, 128/201.23, 137/499, 137/68.29, 137/68.3, 137/907, 137/908, 222/5
• US Class Current: 128/205.21
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/02 with compressed oxygen or air
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10

Abstract

Control valve (10) for a user-donnable breathing device selectively switches from a normal breathing oxygen source to a pressurized emergency bottle. A valve body (12) has a normal oxygen source inlet and also an emergency source inlet for oxygen flow to the user of the device when donned. A poppet (30) permits normal source oxygen flow into the valve body (12), normally keeping a piston (32) in a spring-biased cocked position spaced from a seal of the emergency bottle. A user-operated release permits the poppet to move to a position for blocking the normal source inlet but allowing the piston to become uncocked and so be driven by spring force to pierce the emergency bottle seal. Only emergency breathing oxygen from the bottle then flows to the user for emergency breathing. The device can be an escape hood for an aircraft passenger.

Claims

1. For use in a system including a user-donnable breathing device for supplying breathing oxygen to a user of the device, the improvement comprising:

a control valve for selectively switching from a normal source of the breathing oxygen to a pressurized emergency source of breathing oxygen associated with the device, the control valve including;

a valve body having a normal source inlet, an emergency source inlet, and a delivery outlet for delivery of the breathing oxygen to the user of the device when donned;

the valve including a poppet configured when in a normal position for permitting oxygen from the normal source to flow into the valve body and then out through the delivery outlet;

a normal oxygen supply fitting associated with the normal source inlet;

a releasable retention device for maintaining the poppet in its normal position;

a cocked piston normally occupying a cocked position and shiftable when released from its cocked position for being urged against the supply fitting,

a drive device biasing the piston in its cocked position for urging the piston against the poppet to maintain the cocked position, the poppet normally preventing the piston from being driven from the cocked position by the drive device,

a seal for normally preventing flow of oxygen from the emergency source until ruptured;

a rupturer interposed between the piston and the seal to rupture the seal by being driven by the piston when released from its cocked position;

the retention device being selectively releasable by the user, the retention device when released permitting the poppet to move, in response to urging of the piston, from the normal poppet position to a flow blocking poppet position, so as to block the normal source inlet and to allow the piston to be driven against the rupturer;

the seal when ruptured permitting the emergency breathing oxygen to flow through the valve body and then through the delivery outlet for user emergency breathing.

2. The control valve of claim 1 wherein the normal oxygen supply fitting is attached to the valve body for normally connecting the normal source of oxygen to the valve body is detachable from the valve body in response to movement of the poppet to the flow blocking position;

whereby the valve body and device are physically disconnected from the normal oxygen source while the user is breathing emergency oxygen from the emergency source.

3. A control valve for selectively switching from providing a breathable primary gas from a primary gas source to a breathing gas outlet, to providing a breathable secondary gas from a secondary gas source to the outlet, the valve comprising:

a body including a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet and the outlet being normally in fluid communication;

an end fitting removably disposed over the first inlet, the end fitting connected to the primary gas source, the second inlet connected to the secondary gas source;

a retention device securing the end fitting to the first inlet;

a flow control device disposed in relation to the secondary gas source for normally preventing a flow of the secondary gas source;

a poppet adjacent the end fitting;

a piston fitted within the body;

a biasing means for biasing the piston into contact with the poppet;

the piston normally positioned in a cocked position to one side of the poppet, the piston being normally maintained in said cocked position by the poppet, the piston being shiftably released from its cocked position by the poppet when permitted by the poppet;

wherein upon removal of the retention device from the valve, the poppet permits the piston to be uncocked so that the piston is driven forcefully and rapidly from its cocked position by the biasing means in a direction toward the flow control device, forces the poppet toward the first inlet for stopping the flow of the primary gas through the first inlet, and forcefully actuates the flow control device in response to the biasing means to permit the secondary gas to flow from the secondary gas source.

4. The control valve of claim 3 the breathable primary gas from a primary gas source is a plumbed primary oxygen gas source in a passenger transportation device and the secondary gas is an emergency source of breathing oxygen, and the outlet supplies breathing oxygen to a user-donnable breathing device for use both within, and during escape from the transportation device.

5. The control valve of claim 4 further comprising a lanyard connecting the control valve device to structure associated with the primary gas source, the lanyard being operative to disconnect the control valve from the primary gas source, and to activate the retention device when a user pulls against the lanyard during escape.

6. For use in an emergency breathing system including a user-donnable breathing device for supplying breathing oxygen to a user of the breathing device:

a control for selectively switching from a normal source of the breathing oxygen to a pressurized emergency source of breathing oxygen associated with the device, the control including;

a normal source inlet, an emergency source inlet, and a delivery outlet for delivery of the breathing oxygen to the user of the breathing device when donned;

the control including a valve body carrying therein a cocked control element when in a cocked position permitting oxygen to flow from the normal source into the control and then out through the delivery outlet;

a releasable retention device for maintaining the control element in its cocked position;

a drive element urging the control element against the retention device , the retention device normally preventing the control element from being driven from its cocked position by the drive element;

a seal for normally preventing flow of oxygen from the emergency source until ruptured;

rupturing means interposed between the control element and the seal for rupturing the seal by being driven by the control element when released from its cocked position;

the retention device being selectively releasable by the user, the retention device when released permitting the control element to move in response to the drive element from its cocked position to an uncocked emergency position which blocks the normal source inlet and instead bears against the rupturing means;

the seal when ruptured permitting the emergency breathing oxygen to flow through the valve body and then through the delivery outlet for user emergency breathing.

7. For use in an emergency breathing system including a user-donnable breathing device for supplying breathing oxygen to a user of the breathing device and escape use of the breathing device while supplying emergency breathing oxygen to the user:

a control for selectively switching in an emergency from a normal source of the breathing oxygen to a pressurized emergency source of breathing oxygen associated with the device, the control including;

a normal source inlet, an emergency source inlet, and a delivery outlet for delivery of the breathing oxygen to the user of the breathing device when donned;

the control including a valve body carrying therein a cocked control element when in a cocked position permitting oxygen to flow from the normal source into the control and then out through the delivery outlet;

a releasable retention device for maintaining the control element in its cocked position;

a drive element urging the control element against the retention device, the retention device normally preventing the control element from being driven from its cocked position by the drive element;

a seal for normally preventing flow of oxygen from the emergency source until ruptured;

rupturing means interposed between the control element and the seal for rupturing the seal by being driven by the control element when released from its cocked position;

the retention device being selectively releasable by the user, the retention device when released permitting the control element to move in response to the drive element from its cocked position to an uncocked emergency position which blocks the normal source inlet and instead bears against the rupturing means;

the seal when ruptured permitting only the emergency breathing oxygen to flow through the valve body and then through the delivery outlet for user emergency breathing.