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US 12,582,795 B2Granted
Gas flow controller and a valve pin for a gas flow controller
AssigneeIntersurgical AG
InventorsAndrew Miller, Mark Browne, Philip Dixon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to gas flow controllers, for example to gas blender units such as an air/oxygen blender (2) for healthcare use, and to a valve (8) and valve pin (20,120) suitable for use in such a flow controller (20). In particular, a medical gas blender (2) is provided that avoids the need for pre-regulation by incorporating one or more flow control valves (8) having a high turndown ratio. Valves suitable for use in such a blender, or other flow controller (2), are also disclosed.
Claims24
A valve for use in a medical gas flow controller, the valve comprising:
- a valve pin having an elongate body with an outer sealing surface having a substantially constant cross-section, and a sealing element surrounding the valve pin to provide a seal with the outer sealing surface at a defined sealing position, wherein relative movement of the valve pin and the sealing element away from the sealing position provides a variable flow area between the sealing element and the valve pin, the valve pin having a recess in the outer sealing surface of the body close to the sealing position to increase the flow area of the valve close to the sealing position, wherein the recess comprises an elongate slit, the length of the elongate slit being aligned with the length of the elongate body, the valve pin further comprising a tapered part, having a non-linear or curved taper, located within the elongate slit on an interior portion of the elongate body and tapering in a direction from the sealing element toward a free end of the elongate body such that the elongate slit has a variable depth along the length thereof based on the tapered part of the valve pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.