US3460558A - Valve device,particularly for breathing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

8" 1219.679: b. o. A. JOHANNISSON 3,460,558

VALVE DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR BREATHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5. 1966 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

INVENTOR DAG O. A. JOHANNISSON BY oz/ csw ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent Int. Cl. F16k 7/17; A61m 16/00 US. Cl. 137-102 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve device for use With breathing apparatus comprises a chamber having three apertures, the first of which is for connection to the patient, the second to the source of breathing gas, and the third for exhalation. The second and third apertures terminate in valve seats. A flexible closure member cooperates to open and close the second and third apertures. The closure member is constructed and positioned so as to seat in its inoperative position on the valve seat of the third aperture and is formed with a free edge portion which in the inoperative position seats on a corresponding portion of the seat of the second aperture. The closure member is easily flexible inwardly toward the chamber upon the creation of a relative subpressure therein, thereby opening the second aperture to the chamber.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 206,509, filed June 29, 1962, entitled Valve Device, Particularly for Breathing Apparatus, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a valve device by means of which the wearer of a breathing apparatus may be connected either to a source of breathing gas for inhalation or with the surrounding atmosphere for exhalation. The device comprises a chamber having three apertures, the first one of which is for connection to the patient, the second to the source of breathing gas, and the third for exhalation.

According to the invention the second and third apertures terminate in valve seats With which a flexible closure member cooperates to open and close the second and third apertures. The closure member preferably is constructed and positioned so as to seat in its inoperative position on the valve seat of the third aperture and is formed with a free edge portion which in the inoperative position seats on a corresponding portion of the valve seat of the second aperture and which is easily flexible inwardly toward the chamber upon the creation of a relative subpressure therein, thereby creating a free passage between the second aperture and the chamber around the free edge. There is thus an exposed portion of the flexible closure member between the portion which seats on the third aperture seat and the free edge portion which seats on the second aperture seat, and the relative chamber pressure acts upon this exposed portion to open the second aperture or the third aperture depending upon whether the chamber pressure relatively decreases or increases. By virtue of the fact that the second and third apertures are normally closed, and because of the ease with which the closure member may flex, particularly the free outer edge portion, the closure member operates in response to relatively small pressure differences or changes, and there is no danger of the third aperture being open during inhalation or the second aperture being open during exhalation.

Preferably the second and third apertures are in opposed facing relationship, and at least part of the valve seat of the second aperture lies laterally outwardly of the valve seat of the third aperture, and conveniently the valve seats may be aligned, with the second aperture seat having a greater lateral extent than the third aperture seat. Also conveniently the valve seats lie in closely adjacent substantially parallel planes so as to permit the closure member to take the form of a substantially disclike member with the freely flexing outer edge thereof normally seated on the second aperture seat.

Accordingly, it will be apparent from the foregoing summary that the general object of this invention is to provide an improved valve device for use particularly with breathing apparatus.

I have set forth with particularity in the appended claims those novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention, but the invention itself, its structure, operation, advantages and variants, will be best understood by those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying illustration of an exemplary and presently preferred embodiment incorporating the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic section through a valve device during inhalation, with the inoperative or normal position being shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 1 of the valve device during exhalation;

FIGURE 3 shows a detail of the structure of the closure member in accordance with one embodiment thereof.

In the drawings the arrows indicate how the gas flow takes place during the respective operative positions of the flexible closure member. The valve device comprises a housing 1, 2, of which one portion 1 is cylindrical and carries a tubular member 3, while the portion 2 has the form of a cover for the portion 1 and also carries a tubular member 4. The portion 1 carries furthermore a lateral tube 5. The tube 5 is the first aperture referred to previously, the tube 4 the second aperture and the tube 3 the third aperture of the chamber formed by the housing 1, 2.

Each of the tubes 3 and 4 forms a valve seat facing the chamber for a valve member 6 in the form generally of an elastic disc. The disc conveniently is attached at a portion of its circumference for cooperation with the two valve seats. A simple arrangement of this kind is obtained if a circular disc of rubber is placed as a sealing member between the two principal portions 1 and 2, and a cut is made in it along the circumference leaving a stem of suitable width, as indicated generally in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 1 shows the inhalation state, the normal or inoperative state being shown in broken lines at 6a. In this inoperative or normal state the closure member 6 thus beats with one of its faces against the third aperture seat and with the free edge portion on the other of its faces against the second aperture seat. Both the second and third apertures are thus closed. Breathing gas is applied through 4, for instance from an oxygen container. The valve disc then seats on the seat of tube 3, and because of the relative pressures bearing against the flexible closure member, it moves from the position shown at 6a to the position shown in full lines. That is, its borders flex and allow the breathing gas to pass as indicated by the arrows of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 shows the exhalation state, during which the pressure created by the patient forces the disc 6 away from the third aperture seat and more firmly against the second aperture seat. This is so because the valve disc, even when it is seated on the tube 3, has a peripheral surface of sufiicient magnitude facing toward the chamber and which responds to an increase in pressure to force the disc 011 the third aperture seat and against the tube 4.

It is important for the disc to have its inoperative position on the seat of the tube 3 so that the patient will not be able to inhale through the tube 3. If the inoperative be able to inhale through the tube 3. If the inoperaing to FIGURE 2, such inhalation would be possible if it took place at such a small subpressure in the chamber that it would not suflice for drawing the valve member toward the seat on the tube 3. A similar situation might be possible if the aperture of tube 4 were not closed in the inoperative position. A very weak exhalation might then not create suflicient overpressure to close the aperture of tube 4, and exhaled air might conceivably leak out this way. Because the second and third apertures are normally closed, and because of the ease with which the flexible closure member, particularly the free edge portion, may flex to open these apertures, these possibilities are obviated, and the flexible closure member is fully responsive to relatively slight changes or differences in chamber pressure.

The valve device may also be used for artificial respiration if the rescuer blows air to the patient through the tube 4, the patient being connected to the tube 5. The tube 4 may then be provided with a non-return valve for inhalation, through which valve the rescuer inhales air which is then forced into the lungs of the patient when the rescuer exhales. The lungs are emptied through the tube 3 as before.

The exhalation tube 3 may be somewhat flared out- Wardly to lower the resistance to the exhalation.

The valve member 6 obviously may be an elastic disc of other material, such as plastic or possibly leather.

As an alternative, the valve disc may be completely free around its outer edge, and may be supported in the device by small prongs or projections which project into the tube 3.

The valve device may also be used for administering a liquid through the tube 3 from a container connected to the tube 5. The liquid is supplied through the tube 4 to the container, and may flow out from it by way of the tube 3 when the pressure in the aperture 4 is smaller than the pressure existing within the tube and the chamber. In this manner the valve device may be used for intravenous application of blood or other liquid.

Having thu described my invention in the manner required by the patent statutes, I claim:

1. In a breathing apparatus comprising a source of breathing gas and a valve device for connecting the breathing organs of a user to the breathing gas and for carrying off exhaled gas from the breathing organs, the improvement wherein said valve device comprises a casing forming a chamber; a first aperture for connection to the breathing organs of the user; a second aperture connected to said source of breathing gas; a third aperture for carrying off exhaled gas; said second and third apertures terminating in valve seats in said chamber;

said second and third apertures being located in substantially opposed relationship; a flexible closure member in said chamber for normally closing said third aperture by engaging said valve seat of said third aperture in the inoperative position of the closure member, and for opening said third aperture While closing said second aperture upon an increase of pressure in said chamber above the pressure from said second aperture; said closure membe comprising a thin elastic disc of impervious material having a free edge portion for controlling the second aperture.

2. In a breathing apparatus, a valve device comprising: a casing forming a chamber, a first aperture for connection to the breathing organs of the user; a second aperture for connection to a source of breathing gas; a third aperture for carrying off exhaled gas; said second and third apertures terminating in valve seats in said chamber; said second and third apertures being located in substantially opposed relationship; said casing comprising two separable parts with a sealing member interposed therebetween; said sealing member comprising an elastic member extending entirely across the chamber formed by said casing, said elastic member having a cut extending in a partially closed path lying inwardly of the part of the member which is interposed between said separable parts so as to form a partially cut-out inner portion in the form of a thin elastic disc of impervious material having a free edge portion for controlling the second aperture, and connected to the outer part of the sealing member by the uncut portion of the partially closed path; said partially cut-out inner portion comprising a flexible closure member in said chamber for normally closing said third aperture by engaging said valve seat of said third aperture in the inoperative position of the closure member, and for opening said third aperture while closing said second aperture upon an increase of pressure in said chamber above the pressure from said second aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,412,473 4/1922 Lane 137102 1,506,012 8/1924 Lewis 137102 XR 2,533,965 12/1950 Schmohl et a1. 137-525.3 XR 3,105,488 10/1963 Richards 128-1457 3,196,890 7/1965 Brandenberg 137-102 3,285,267 11/1966 Groth l37525 XR 3,356,100 12/1967 Seeler 137-102 FOREIGN PATENTS 799,225 8/ 1958 Great Britain.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner RICHARD GERARD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 137--525

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