Valve arrangement with shut-off unit and process for operating a ventilator with such a valve arrangement

A ventilation system comprising:

• a ventilator;
• a fluid carrying arrangement;
• and
• a valve arrangement, the valve arrangement comprising:
• a patient-side port connected to the fluid carrying arrangement;
• a device-side port connected by a portion of the fluid carrying arrangement to the ventilator;
• a shut-off unit moveable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the shut-off unit is configured to establish a fluid communication between the patient-side port and the device-side port with the shut-off unit being in the open position and the fluid communication is at least partially interrupted with the shut-off unit being in the closed position;
• and
• a locking unit configured to lock in an open locked state the shut-off unit in the open position and to lock in a closed locked state the shut-off unit in the closed position, wherein the valve arrangement is configured, with the shut-off unit in the closed position and with a pressure above a preset pressure limit present at the patient-side port, to automatically move the shut-off unit against a locking effect of the locking unit into the open position.

A process for operating a ventilation system, wherein the ventilation system comprises a ventilator for ventilating a patient and a valve arrangement, wherein the valve arrangement comprises:

• a shut-off unit;
• a locking unit;
• a patient-side port;
• and a device-side port, wherein the shut-off unit is moveable between an open position and a closed position, a fluid connection is or may be established between the ventilator and the device-side port and a fluid connection is or may be established between a patient-side coupling unit and the patient-side port, the process comprising the steps of:
• ventilating a patient mechanically with the ventilator and with the two established fluid connections, wherein with the shut-off unit being in the open position, a fluid stream flows through the valve arrangement and the locking unit locks the shut-off unit in the open position during the mechanical ventilation;
• subsequently ending or interrupting the mechanical ventilation with the ventilator;
• moving the shut-off unit into the closed position;
• and
• locking, with the locking unit, the shut-off unit in the closed position;
• and
• with the shut-off unit in the closed position and upon a pressure at the patient-side port being above a preset pressure limit, moving the shut-off unit automatically into the open position against a locking effect of the locking unit.