Valve with internal member
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
InventorsMark John Arrowsmith, Andrew John Partington, Sophia Adele Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve with an internal member is disclosed which allows exhaled carbon dioxide to escape from a breathing circuit when the circuit gas pressure drops below a threshold pressure. The valve operates by occluding one or more ports under a relatively high pressure and opening the one or more ports under a relatively low pressure. The internal member is attached to the body of the valve at two or more locations on the internal member. The internal member moves in a direction perpendicular to the gas flow through the valve.
Claims19
A valve configured for use in positive airway pressure therapy, the valve comprising:
- a tubular body with an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface surrounding a passageway through which fluids can flow;
- one or more ports comprising through holes in the tubular body that extend from the interior surface to the exterior surface such that the passageway is in fluid communication with an environment through the one or more ports;
- at least one internal member attached to the tubular body by an adhesive or by overmoulding;
- wherein the at least one internal member comprises an elongate ribbon that is opposed to the one or more ports of the valve, the elongate ribbon having an axial dimension parallel to an axial center of the tubular body and a circumferential dimension around a circumference of the tubular body, the axial dimension being less than the circumferential dimension, the at least one internal member having an open configuration in which the elongate ribbon curves away from the interior surface of the tubular body and a closed configuration in which the elongate ribbon abuts the interior surface to occlude the one or more ports;
- and
- wherein fluids can flow from a first end of the tubular body to a second end of the tubular body when the at least one internal member is in the open configuration and when the at least one internal member is in the closed configuration.
A valve configured for use in positive airway pressure therapy, the valve comprising:
- a tubular body with an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface surrounding a passageway through which fluids can flow;
- one or more ports comprising through holes in the tubular body that extend from the interior surface to the exterior surface such that the passageway is in fluid communication with an environment through the one or more ports;
- at least one internal member attached to the tubular body by an adhesive or by overmoulding;
- wherein the at least one internal member comprises an elongate ribbon that is opposed to the one or more ports of the valve, the elongate ribbon having an axial dimension parallel to an axial center of the tubular body and a circumferential dimension around a circumference of the tubular body, the axial dimension being less than the circumferential dimension, the at least one internal member having an open configuration in which the elongate ribbon curves away from the interior surface of the tubular body and a closed configuration in which the elongate ribbon abuts the interior surface to occlude the one or more ports;
- and
- wherein movement of the elongate ribbon is in a direction perpendicular to a flow of air through the tubular body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.