Ventilator exhalation valve

A ventilator exhalation valve, comprising:

• (a) a housing assembly having an inlet port, an outlet port, a pressure sense port and a valve seat, wherein the valve seat is disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port, and the pressure sense port is disposed between the valve seat and the inlet port;
• (b) a resilient diaphragm disposed proximal to the valve seat such that upon a fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port the diaphragm is separated from the valve seat;
• (c) a poppet disposed proximal to the diaphragm so that the diaphragm is between the poppet and the valve seat, wherein the poppet selectively contacts the diaphragm so as to permit independent motion of the poppet relative to the diaphragm;
• (d) a suspension assembly for retaining the poppet relative to the housing, the suspension system including at least one substantially planar spring flexure connecting the poppet and the housing;
• and
• (e) a feedback assembly in communication with the poppet for providing a feedback signal corresponding to the velocity of the poppet relative to the valve seat, the feedback assembly including a passive coil and a ferromagnetic element moveable relative to each other.

A ventilator exhalation valve, comprising:

• (a) a housing assembly including an inlet port, an outlet port and a valve seat fluidly connected to and intermediate of the ports;
• (b) a diaphragm disposed proximal to the valve seat and biased against the valve seat for selectively preventing fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port, and for preventing fluid flow from the outlet port to the inlet port;
• (c) a linear actuator for selectively controlling the position of the diaphragm relative to the valve seat so as to regulate the amount of fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• and
• (d) a feedback assembly connected to the linear actuator for providing a feedback signal corresponding to the velocity of the diaphragm relative to the valve seat, the feedback assembly including a passive coil and a ferromagnetic element moveable relative to each other.

A ventilator exhalation valve, comprising:

• (a) a housing assembly including an inlet port, an outlet port and a valve seat, wherein the valve seat is disposed intermediate of and fluidly connected to the inlet port and the outlet port;
• (b) a diaphragm disposed proximal to the valve seat for selectively providing fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• (c) a linear actuator having a moveable member for physically contacting the diaphragm so as to regulate the fluid flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• and
• (d) a suspension assembly for retaining the moveable member of the linear actuator relative to the housing wherein the suspension assembly includes a spring flexure attached to the moveable member for permitting axial motion of the moveable member relative to the housing while preventing radial motion of the moveable member relative to the housing.