Exhalation valve assembly with integral flow sensor
First Claim
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1. An exhalation valve assembly for controlling pressure in a ventilation system comprising:
- a valve module comprising a valve body and attached seal element, the valve body defining an inlet port allowing gas to enter a valve chamber and an exhaust port allowing gas to exit the valve chamber, the valve body having a valve seat opposite the seal element wherein displacement of the seal element relative to the valve seat controls gas pressure within the inlet port, wherein all gas that enters the inlet port exits the exhaust port;
an actuator module fixed to a ventilator housing and removably connectable to the valve module and, when attached to the valve module, that is operable to move the seal element relative to the valve seat to control the pressure of gas in the inlet port and the release of gas via the exhaust port; and
a flow sensor contained in the valve body monitoring the flow of gas between the inlet port and the valve seat, wherein all gas entering the inlet port and exiting the exhaust port is monitored by the flow sensor.
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Abstract
An exhalation valve assembly that controls the pressure of exhaled gas in a ventilation system is described. The exhalation valve assembly includes an actuator module that may be fixed to the ventilation system and a valve module, removable for cleaning or disposal, through which the exhaled gas flows and that controls the pressure and release of the exhaled gas to the environment. Other components may also be incorporated into the assembly including a filter module, a flow meter and a condensate trap.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An exhalation valve assembly for controlling pressure in a ventilation system comprising:
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a valve module comprising a valve body and attached seal element, the valve body defining an inlet port allowing gas to enter a valve chamber and an exhaust port allowing gas to exit the valve chamber, the valve body having a valve seat opposite the seal element wherein displacement of the seal element relative to the valve seat controls gas pressure within the inlet port, wherein all gas that enters the inlet port exits the exhaust port; an actuator module fixed to a ventilator housing and removably connectable to the valve module and, when attached to the valve module, that is operable to move the seal element relative to the valve seat to control the pressure of gas in the inlet port and the release of gas via the exhaust port; and a flow sensor contained in the valve body monitoring the flow of gas between the inlet port and the valve seat, wherein all gas entering the inlet port and exiting the exhaust port is monitored by the flow sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A respiratory ventilation system comprising:
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a pressure delivery system; an inspiratory limb that receives respiratory gas from the pressure delivery system and delivers the respiratory gas to a patient interface; an expiratory limb that receives exhaled gas from the patient interface; a valve module comprising a valve body and attached seal element, the valve body defining an inlet port that receives the exhaled gas from the expiratory limb and directs it through a valve seat to a valve chamber and an exhaust port allowing exhaled gas to exit the valve chamber, wherein all gas that enters the inlet port exits the exhaust port, the valve seat opposite the attached seal element wherein displacement of the seal element relative to the valve seat controls gas pressure within the expiratory limb; an actuator module fixed to a ventilator housing and removably connected to the valve module and, when attached to the valve module, is operable to move the seal element relative to the valve seat to control the pressure of gas in the inlet port and the release of gas via the exhaust port; and a flow sensor contained in the valve body monitoring the flow of gas between the inlet port and the valve seat, wherein all gas entering the inlet port and exiting the exhaust port is monitored by the flow sensor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controlling pressure in an expiratory limb of a ventilation system comprising:
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receiving a patient'"'"'s exhaled gas from an expiratory limb through an inlet port into a removable valve body connected to the ventilation system, the removable valve body comprising;
the inlet port, an exhalation port through which gas is released to the environment, and a surface comprising a seal element, wherein all gas received through the inlet port is released through the exhalation port;displacing a member external to the removable valve body that interfaces with the seal element on the removable valve body, thereby changing a distance between the seal element and a valve seat in the removable valve body and controlling the pressure of the exhaled gas in the expiratory limb; and monitoring the flow of gas with a flow meter located between the inlet port and the valve seat of the removable body, wherein all gas entering through the inlet port and released through the exhalation port is monitored by the flow meter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification