Ball valve for use in a respiration circuit and a respiration circuit including a ball valve

A respiration circuit system comprising:

• a ball valve comprising:
• a housing defining a ball chamber, the ball chamber communicating with a gas inlet and at least two gas outlets;
• a ball received in the ball chamber, the ball being configured for rotation about an axis of rotation within the ball chamber, the ball having a channel extending transverse to the axis of rotation, the channel having a channel inlet configured for selective fluid communication with the gas inlet, the channel inlet being in fluid communication with a channel outlet configured for selective fluid communication with at least one of the at least two gas outlets, wherein the channel inlet has a smaller cross-sectional area than the channel outlet;
• and
• an actuator configured to rotate the ball about the axis of rotation, wherein the actuator can rotate the ball to a first position with the gas inlet in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet in fluid communication with each of the at least two gas outlets, a second position with the gas inlet in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet in fluid communication with only one gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets, and a third position with the gas inlet in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet in fluid communication with at least one other gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets;
• a mask having a mask inlet, the mask inlet being in fluid communication with the one gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets;
• and
• a nebulizer having a nebulizer inlet and a nebulizer outlet, the nebulizer inlet being in fluid communication with the at least one other gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets and the nebulizer outlet being in fluid communication with the mask.

A valve for use in a respiration circuit, comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber, the chamber communicating with a single gas inlet and at least two gas outlets;
• and
• a channel extending through the chamber, the channel having a channel inlet configured for selective fluid communication with the single gas inlet, the channel inlet being in fluid communication with a channel outlet configured for selective fluid communication with at least one of the at least two gas outlets, wherein the channel inlet has a smaller cross-sectional area than the channel outlet;
• wherein the channel is movable between at least three positions, wherein in a first position the single gas inlet is in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet in fluid communication with each of the at least two gas outlets, wherein in a second position the single gas inlet is in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet in fluid communication with only one gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets, and wherein in a third position the single gas inlet is in fluid communication with the channel inlet and the channel outlet is in fluid communication with at least one other gas outlet of the at least two gas outlets.