Breathing mask

A breathing mask comprising:

• a body comprising an inlet and an exhaust;
• a respiratory interface configured to provide fluid communication between each of the inlet and the exhaust, and a user's respiratory system;
• a pneumatically balanced exhaust valve configured to selectively flow fluid between the exhaust and the respiratory interface wherein the exhaust valve is configured to have a first bias, and wherein the exhaust valve is pneumatically connected to the exhaust so as to pneumatically provide a second bias configured to reduce the amount of the first bias;
• and
• an inlet valve configured to selectively flow fluid between the inlet and the respiratory interface.

A pneumatically-balanced exhaust valve, comprising:

• a valve body comprising a body inlet, a body exhaust, and a body channel extending between the body inlet and the body exhaust;
• a valve actuator positioned within the body channel and configured to be movable with respect to the valve body between an open and a closed position, so as to selectively allow and restrict fluid flow between the body inlet and the body exhaust, wherein the valve actuator comprises:
• a balance inlet;
• a balance outlet;
• and
• an inner balancing channel extending between the balance inlet and the balance outlet;
• and
• a pneumatic balancer comprising a balance chamber in fluid communication with the balance outlet, the balancer movably engaged with respect to the valve actuator body.

A breathing mask diverter, comprising:

• a tubular diverter body comprising an inner breathing channel;
• a breathing port configured to provide fluid communication between the inner breathing channel and a user's respiratory system;
• an exhaust port configured to engage the tubular diverter body with a breathing mask exhaust valve;
• a demand port configured to engage the tubular diverter body with a breathing mask demand valve;
• and
• a diverter wall extending within the tubular diverter body, wherein the diverter wall divides at least a portion of the breathing channel into a separate exhaust channel and a separate demand channel, and wherein the diverter wall provides a barrier between the exhaust port and the demand port, so as to prevent the direct flow of fluid between the exhaust port and the demand port.