Control valve for respiratory devices
Inventors
Friberg, Harri • Daescher, Jakob • Wirth, Michael • Kramer, Felix
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8695599-B2
Publication Date
2014-04-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to a respiratory device for keeping a patient breathing artificially or support his or her breathing naturally. Said respiratory device comprises an air inlet, an air source, and at least one proportionally adjustable control valve. The control valve is provided with a housing (11) and a rotary valve (12) which is arranged in the housing so as to be twistable about the longitudinal axis thereof and which allows through-holes (11d) of the housing (11) to be entirely or partially closed by twisting the rotary valve (12). The rotary valve (12) and a corresponding support surface (11f) of the housing (11) have a conical shape, the support surface (11f) cooperating with the rotary valve (12). The through-holes (11d) are disposed in the area of the support surface (11f).
Core Innovation
The invention describes a flow control valve with a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and an intermediate cone-like wall disposed between the inlet and the outlet. The intermediate cone-like wall has a first side forming a wall support surface with a contact support surface, and a second side opposite the first side across the wall thickness. At least one through-hole passes through the thickness from the first side to the second side, and the intermediate cone-like wall has a base connected to the housing so that it spans a flow passage in the housing.
A rotary slide valve is disposed in the housing and includes a cylindrical, axially-extending shaft with a first end surface inside the housing proximate to the intermediate cone wall. A flow-sealing hopper is connected to the shaft and has a hopper sealing surface configured to cooperate with the intermediate cone wall’s support surface to control fluid flow through the through-hole(s). A ball is seated in a recess to support it between the first end surface and the contact support surface, producing a point-like locus of bearing contact between the shaft and the contact support surface of the intermediate cone-like wall.
The ventilator architecture applies the flow control valve in an inhalation/exhalation context by using sensors for measuring flow and pressure and by arranging the valve in an air inlet. The described ventilator includes an air source and a ventilator casing with the air inlet connected to the air source and connected to the flow control valve housing. The invention further specifies conical through-hole geometry and a hopper sealing surface with a cone radius (r/R) that changes continuously relative to a closing direction, to control the flow through the through-holes during valve rotation.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00014, and each includes a rotary slide valve cooperating with an intermediate cone-like wall having through-holes, where a flow-sealing hopper cooperates with a support surface to control fluid flow, with a point-like bearing contact produced by a ball. Overall, the inventive features are expressed through the conical intermediate wall/through-hole arrangement, hopper sealing cooperation, shaft-mounted rotary slide valve, and the specified bearing support arrangement (and, in the ventilator, additional air inlet sensing and air-source integration).
Rotary slide valve with intermediate cone-like wall through-holes and hopper sealing cooperation
A flow control valve comprising a housing with an inlet and an outlet, an intermediate cone-like wall between the inlet and outlet having a wall support surface and a contact support surface, and at least one through-hole passing through the intermediate cone-like wall from the first side to the second side, with the intermediate cone-like wall spanning a flow passage connected to the housing base, and a flow-sealing hopper having a hopper sealing surface configured to cooperate with the intermediate cone wall’s support surface to control fluid flow through the at least one through-hole.
Point-like bearing contact between shaft and contact support surface
A rotary slide valve disposed in the housing including a cylindrical, axially-extending shaft with a first end surface inside the housing proximate to the intermediate cone wall, and a ball seated in a recess configured to support it between the first end surface and the contact support surface to produce a point-like locus of bearing contact between the shaft and the contact support surface of the intermediate cone wall.
Ventilator with air inlet flow and pressure sensors and integrated flow control valve
A ventilator comprising an air source, an air inlet connected to the air source, a sensor for measuring flow in the air inlet, a sensor for measuring pressure in the air inlet, and a flow control valve housing in the air inlet having a valve inlet and a valve outlet, with an intermediate cone-like wall disposed between the valve inlet and the valve outlet spanning a flow passage, a rotary slide valve, and a flow-sealing hopper whose hopper sealing surface cooperates with the intermediate cone wall’s support surface to control fluid flow through the at least one through-hole.
Point-like bearing contact in ventilator valve
The ventilator further includes a rotary slide valve with a cylindrical, axially-extending shaft having a first end surface proximate to the intermediate cone wall and a ball seated in a recess configured to support it between the first end surface and the contact support surface to produce a point-like locus of bearing contact between the shaft and the intermediate cone wall’s contact support surface.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is directed to a rotary slide valve using a shaft-mounted flow-sealing hopper cooperating with an intermediate cone-like wall having through-holes, where controlled closure is implemented via cooperation between the hopper sealing surface and the cone wall support surface. The claims also require a ball-supported, point-like locus of bearing contact between the shaft and the contact support surface, and in the ventilator claim this valve is integrated into a ventilator having an air inlet with flow and pressure sensors.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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