Pressure relief in a respiratory assistance system

• US 9,149,598 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vyaire Medical 211, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: CareFusion 207, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Dugan, Greg J., Rustad, Andre M., Pierro, Brian W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Annette
• Application Number:
  US13/359,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20120192870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/201.28, 128/202.28, 128/202.29, 128/203.11, 128/205.24, 128/207.12, 137/512, 137/512.1, 137/512.3, 137/512.5, 137/513.3, 137/601.2, 137/625, 137/855, 137/908, 137/102, 137/484.2, 251/65, 251/336, 251/12, 251/142, 251/149, 251/175, 251/176, 251/180, 251/283, 251/313, 251/321, 251/337
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/201 Controlled valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise

Abstract

A pressure relief device comprising a valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by the valve when the valve resiliently deforms in response to said predetermined pressure.

Claims

1. A pressure relief device comprising:

a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;

a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and

a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;

wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.

2. The pressure relief device of claim 1, further comprising:

a lid, wherein said sound dampener is disposed between said lid and said valve.

3. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein said valve is an umbrella valve.

4. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein said sound dampener is a disk shape.

5. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein said sound dampener is a ring shape.

6. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein said sound dampener is a clover-like shape.

7. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein said sound dampener is a pinwheel-like shape.

8. The pressure relief device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sound dampener centering feature configured to facilitate in centering said sound dampener within said pressure relief device.

9. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein the first tube and the second tube are collinear.

10. The pressure relief device of claim 1, wherein the first tube and the second tube are fluidly coupled when the valve is not deformed.

11. A respiratory assistance system comprising:

a gas source;

a patient interface; and

a pressure relief device comprising;

a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;

a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and

a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;

wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.

12. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11, where said respiratory assistance system is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system.

13. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11, where said respiratory assistance system is a nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) system.

14. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11, wherein said patient interface comprises:

a CPAP generator.

15. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11, wherein said patient interface comprises:

an nCPAP generator.

16. A variable-flow continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system comprising:

a flow driver;

a CPAP generator; and

a pressure relief device configured to ensure a pressure in said variable-flow CPAP system does not exceed a predetermined pressure, the pressure relief device comprising;

a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;

a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and

a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;

wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.

17. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16, wherein a shape of said sound dampener is selected from a group consisting of:

a disk shape, a ring shape, a clover-like shape, and a pinwheel-like shape.

18. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16, wherein said valve is an umbrella vale.

19. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16, wherein said variable-flow CPAP system is a variable-flow nasal CPAP system.

20. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16, further comprising:

a sound dampener centering feature configured to facilitate in centering said sound dampener within said pressure relief device.