Low flow controller
AssigneeVyaire Medical Consumables LLC
InventorsManuel Barraza, Michael J. Cegielski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow controller can include a conduit wall and a membrane coupled to the conduit wall. The membrane is configured to obstruct gas flow through the conduit. The flow controller includes a membrane controller, positioned adjacent to the membrane, wherein the membrane is positioned on one side of the membrane controller, such that the membrane controller impedes bending of the membrane in a second direction different from the first direction, thereby restricting gas flow through the conduit.
Claims20
A flow controller conduit comprising:
- a conduit comprising a conduit wall;
- a membrane coupled to the conduit wall, the membrane obstructing gas flow through the conduit when the membrane is in a closed position;
- and
- a membrane controller coupled to the conduit wall adjacent the membrane, the membrane, in the closed position, being spaced apart in a first direction from the membrane controller;
- wherein the membrane bends in the first direction to permit a gas flow through the conduit in the first direction, and the membrane bends in a second direction, different from the first direction, to contact and deflect the membrane controller, the membrane controller impeding the bending of the membrane to restrict a gas flow through the conduit and membrane in the second direction.
A membrane controller comprising:
- an annular portion configured to contact a conduit wall, such that the membrane controller is configured to be secured within a conduit by the contact between the annular portion and the conduit wall;
- and
- an elongate portion extending across a central opening of the annular portion, the elongate portion comprising a first end portion connected to the annular portion, and a second end portion separated from the annular portion by a first slit, wherein second and third slits intersect the first slit at the first end portion;
- and
- wherein the membrane controller is configured (i) to be positioned within the conduit and spaced apart on one side of a flexible membrane and (ii) to deflect when contacted by the flexible membrane against the elongate portion when the flexible membrane is bended toward the membrane controller.
A method of controlling flow through a conduit, the method comprising:
- providing a membrane controller comprising:
- an elongate portion;
- and
- an annular portion secured within the conduit and positioned within the conduit and spaced apart on one side of a flexible membrane, such that the membrane controller is contacted by the flexible membrane against the elongate portion when the flexible membrane is deflected toward the membrane controller;
- the elongate portion extending across a central opening of the annular portion, and the elongate portion being connected to the annular portion at only one end of the elongate portion;
- and
- impeding a fluid flow conducted through the conduit in a first direction, wherein the fluid flow in the first direction causes the flexible membrane to bend toward and deflect the membrane controller;
- and
- permitting a fluid flow through the conduit in a second direction, wherein the fluid flow in the second direction causes the flexible membrane to bend away from the membrane controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.