Exhaust air transfer device for open system underwater diving
AssigneeDavenport Innovations, Inc.
InventorSteven Roy Davenport
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for use during open system diving to support underwater human respiration. In accordance with various embodiments, an air supply provides a supply of air along a supply conduit. A regulator is adapted for engagement with a diver's mouth to receive air from the supply during an inhale cycle and to direct a mixture of water and exhaust air away from the diver along an exhaust conduit during an exhale cycle. An air/water separator separates the exhaust air from the water in said mixture and directs the separated exhaust air through an exhaust air port. In some embodiments, a one-way stop valve is provided within the air/water separator to prevent back flow. In further embodiments, a bubble diffuser emits the exhaust air as a fine mist of bubbles into the surrounding water.
Claims22
An apparatus for use during open system underwater diving, comprising:
- an air supply which provides a supply of air along a supply conduit;
- a regulator adapted for engagement with a diver's mouth to receive air from the supply conduit during an inhale cycle and to direct a mixture of water and exhaust air away from the diver along an exhaust conduit during an exhale cycle, wherein the regulator comprises an air chamber and an exhaust chamber separated by a one-way stop valve, wherein water pressure in the exhaust chamber closes the stop valve during said inhale cycle and wherein the stop valve opens during an exhale cycle so that said mixture of exhaust air and water flow out a port of said exhaust chamber;
- an air/water separator coupled to the exhaust conduit which separates the exhaust air from the water in said mixture and directs the separated exhaust air along an exhaust air conduit;
- and
- a bubble diffuser coupled to the exhaust air conduit which passes the separated exhaust air as a fine mist of bubbles into the surrounding water, the bubble diffuser located on a tank of the air supply adapted to be mounted to a back of the diver.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an air supply which provides a supply of air along a supply conduit;
- a regulator adapted for engagement with a diver's mouth to receive air from the supply conduit during an inhale cycle and to direct a mixture of water and exhaust air away from the diver along an exhaust conduit during an exhale cycle, the regulator comprising an air chamber and an exhaust chamber separated by a check valve, wherein water pressure in the exhaust chamber closes the check valve during the inhale cycle and wherein the check valve opens during the exhale cycle so that the mixture of exhaust air and water flows out a port of the exhaust chamber;
- and
- an air/water separator coupled to the exhaust conduit which separates the exhaust air from the water in said mixture and directs the separated exhaust air along an exhaust air conduit.
An apparatus comprising:
- an air supply which provides a supply of air along a supply conduit;
- a regulator adapted for engagement with a diver's mouth to receive air from the supply conduit during an inhale cycle and to direct a mixture of water and exhaust air away from the diver along an exhaust conduit during an exhale cycle;
- an air/water separator coupled to the exhaust conduit which separates the exhaust air from the water in said mixture and directs the separated exhaust air along an exhaust air conduit;
- and
- an exterior check valve coupled to the regulator adapted to remain closed during the exhale cycle and to immediately open at the end of the exhale cycle to permit a back flow of water into the regulator.
An apparatus comprising a regulator comprising a mouthpiece adapted for insertion into a diver's mouth to receive air from a supply conduit during an inhale cycle and to direct a mixture of water and exhaust air away from the diver along an exhaust conduit during an exhale cycle, the regulator further comprising a body forming an air chamber and an exhaust chamber separated by an internal check valve, wherein water pressure in the exhaust chamber closes the internal check valve during the inhale cycle and wherein the internal check valve opens during the exhale cycle so that the mixture of exhaust air and water flows out the exhaust conduit from the exhaust chamber, the regulator further comprising an external check valve connected to the body between the exhaust chamber and a surrounding volume of water, the external check valve adapted to facilitate an inrush of water from the surrounding volume of water into the exhaust chamber at the conclusion of the exhale cycle to ensure closure of the internal check valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.