초록 ▼

An anti-asphyxia valve is adapted to, in use, be disposed between a patient and structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient. The valve includes a housing having an interior, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere and at least one flap in

An anti-asphyxia valve is adapted to, in use, be disposed between a patient and structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient. The valve includes a housing having an interior, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere and at least one flap including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is adapted for mounting to the housing. The second portion is adapted to flex between a first biased open position allowing gas to pass from the housing interior through the at least one port to atmosphere when a difference in gas pressure in the housing interior and atmosphere is below a predetermined operating threshold and a second forced closed position substantially occluding the at least one port when the difference in gas pressure between the housing interior and atmosphere is substantially equal to or above the operating threshold.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An anti-asphyxia valve adapted to, in use, be disposed between a patient and a blower to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the valve comprising a housing having an interior defining a blower side and a patient side, at least one port to provide fluid communicatio

The invention claimed is: 1. An anti-asphyxia valve adapted to, in use, be disposed between a patient and a blower to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the valve comprising a housing having an interior defining a blower side and a patient side, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere and at least one flap comprising a first portion adapted for mounting to the housing and a second portion adapted to flex between a first open position allowing gas to pass from the patient side to the housing interior through the at least one port, and from the blower side through the at least one port, to atmosphere when a difference in gas pressure in the housing interior and atmosphere is below a predetermined operating threshold and a second forcibly closed position substantially occluding the at least one port when the difference in gas pressure between the housing interior and atmosphere is substantially equal to or above the operating threshold. 2. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion completely occludes the at least one port in the closed position. 3. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a gas inlet in the form of a first substantially frusto-conical portion adapted to frictionally engage a flexible conduit in fluid communication with the structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient and a gas outlet in the form of a second substantially frusto-conical portion adapted to engage a mask or a flexible or rigid conduit in fluid communication with the mask. 4. The valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frusto-conical portions taper from a smaller distal end to a larger proximal end relative to the housing of the inlet valve. 5. The valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the gas inlet or gas outlet includes a snap-engageable swivel portion adapted to engage the mask or flexible conduit. 6. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is comprised of two housing parts which are releasably engageable with one another. 7. The valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing parts engage by way of bayonet style fittings. 8. The valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inlet and outlet are respectively provided on one of the two housing parts. 9. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is of unitary construction. 10. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of ports spaced about the periphery thereof and the second portion of the flap includes a like plurality of flaps. 11. The valve as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing includes three pairs of ports and the second portion of the flap includes three flaps each adapted to close adjacent pairs of the ports. 12. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the flap is a single flap which is adapted to occlude each said at least one port in the second position. 13. The valve as claimed in claim 12, wherein the single flap includes at least one of perforations, ribs, pleats and folds. 14. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are integrally formed. 15. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are initially formed from separate components that are later attached to each other. 16. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a rim adapted to assist in mounting the flap to the housing. 17. The valve as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rim is an external rim of rectangular cross-section which is adapted to engage an internal recess of substantially similar cross-section in the housing. 18. The valve as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first portion includes a substantially cylindrical portion between the rim and the second portion. 19. The valve as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of the rim and the substantially cylindrical portion is tapered. 20. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the flap preferably terminates in an internal orifice. 21. The valve as claimed in claim 20, wherein the orifice includes a one-way valve adapted to only allow gas flow through the orifice in a direction towards the patient. 22. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap is substantially round in cross-section. 23. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the flap is at least one of an ellipse, a partial ellipse, a rectangle and another non-round-shape. 24. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is manufactured from plastics material. 25. The valve as claimed in claim 24, wherein the plastics material is polycarbonate. 26. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap is manufactured from a flexible elastomeric material. 27. The valve as claimed in claim 26, wherein the elastomeric material is silicone rubber. 28. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve is integral with a mask. 29. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating threshold is about 2 cm H2O. 30. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the at least one flap is fixed relative to the housing in the first open position and the second forcibly closed position. 31. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a substantially conic section. 32. The valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one flap is adapted to evert between the first open position and the second forcibly closed position.