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Double acting respiratory pump apparatus including a pump member reciprocable with respect to two pump chambers to deliver air to a patient via a respirator exhalation system, which also facilitates exhalation of the patient. The exhalation system has a pump unit that is operatively connected to an

Double acting respiratory pump apparatus including a pump member reciprocable with respect to two pump chambers to deliver air to a patient via a respirator exhalation system, which also facilitates exhalation of the patient. The exhalation system has a pump unit that is operatively connected to an exhalation valve member and configured for selectively generating an air pressure sufficient for pressurizing one side of the valve member for closing the same when said exhalation system is operating in inhalation mode, and may be operated for opening to allow the patient to exhale therethrough.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Double acting respirator pump apparatus comprising: a housing having a pump cylinder, a pump inlet port for respiratory gas supply to the pump cylinder, and a pump outlet port for delivery of pressurized respiratory gas to a patient;the pump cylinder having opposite first and second ends, and a p

1. Double acting respirator pump apparatus comprising: a housing having a pump cylinder, a pump inlet port for respiratory gas supply to the pump cylinder, and a pump outlet port for delivery of pressurized respiratory gas to a patient;the pump cylinder having opposite first and second ends, and a pump member movably mounted in said cylinder and separating said cylinder into first and second pump chambers on opposite sides of said pump member between the pump member and the first end of the cylinder and the pump member and the second end of the cylinder, respectively;said pump member being reciprocable in opposite first and second directions in a reciprocation cycle with respect to said pump chambers to provide an outlet pumping stroke with respect to the first pump chamber in which respiratory gas is pumped from said first pump chamber to said outlet chamber and out of said outlet port and an inlet stroke with respect to the second pump chamber in which respiratory gas is drawn from said inlet chamber into said second pump chamber when said pump member moves in the first direction towards the first end of the cylinder, and an outlet pumping stroke with respect to the second pump chamber in which respiratory gas is pumped from said second pump chamber to said outlet chamber and out of said outlet port and an inlet stroke with respect to said first pump chamber in which respiratory gas is drawn from said inlet chamber into said first pump chamber when said pump member moves in the second direction towards the second end of said cylinder; wherein said inlet stroke and said outlet stroke for each pump chamber defines for the respective pump chamber a displacement volume that is displaced in the respective pump chamber by reciprocation of the pump member in one reciprocation cycle between the respective inlet stroke and the respective outlet pumping stroke, and wherein a volume of at least one said pump chamber at the end of the respective said outlet pumping stroke thereof is a first proportion of the respective said displacement volume, wherein said first proportion is not less than about 50%, and wherein said pump member comprises a piston reciprocably mounted with respect to said pump chambers via a convolution diaphragm configured to support and guide the pump member in axial reciprocating movement in said opposite first and second directions in said cylinder, the diaphragm being peripherally joined to the piston and anchored with respect to said cylinder, and wherein said diaphragm is configured for avoiding being collapsed during the outlet pumping stroke of each said pump chamber. 2. Pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diaphragm is configured to have a portion thereof that bulges in a direction towards said first pump chamber and away from said second pump chamber during reciprocation of said pump member in first and second directions throughout said reciprocation cycle. 3. Pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing has an end wall spaced from one end of said pump cylinder in which said inlet and outlet ports are located, at least one inlet chamber between the end wall and said one end of said pump cylinder and connected to the pump inlet port and at least one outlet chamber between the end wall and said one end of said pump cylinder connected to the pump outlet port, said pump inlet port is in fluid communication with a first inlet valve of said first pump chamber via said at least one inlet chamber having a first volume and with a second inlet valve of said second pump chamber via said at least one outlet chamber, and wherein said pump outlet port is in fluid communication with a first outlet valve of said first pump chamber via said at least one outlet chamber having a second volume and with a second outlet valve of said second pump chamber via said at least one outlet chamber, and wherein each one of said first volume and said second volume is at least a second proportion of said displacement volume of said respective pump chamber, wherein said second proportion is not less than about 50%. 4. Pump apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said inlet chamber comprises a first inlet chamber adjacent the first end of said pump cylinder and a second inlet chamber adjacent the second end of said pump cylinder, and said outlet chamber comprises a first outlet chamber adjacent the first end of said pump cylinder and a second outlet chamber adjacent the second end of said pump cylinder, and wherein said first outlet chamber is in fluid communication with said second outlet chamber, and wherein said first inlet chamber is in fluid communication with said second inlet chamber. 5. Pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diaphragm has a convolution diameter that is between about 5% and about 15% of a diameter of said piston. 6. Pump apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said diaphragm is made from a flexible material, having a hardness of between about 50 Shore A and about 70 Shore A. 7. Pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said piston has an axial translation in a reciprocation direction of said piston between a top dead center position corresponding to an end of an outlet pumping stroke of said first pump chamber, and a bottom dead center position corresponding to an end of an outlet pumping stroke of said second pump chamber, wherein said axial translation is between about 10% and about 20% of a diameter of said piston. 8. Pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said piston is driven by a motor by means of a crank and piston shaft arrangement. 9. Pump apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said crank and piston shaft arrangement are accommodated in a shaft housing in fluid communication with one said pump chamber, and wherein said motor is accommodated in a motor housing and operatively connected to said crank in a manner providing for sealing of said respective pump chamber within respect to said motor housing. 10. Pump apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said motor comprises a driveshaft operatively connected to said crank, and wherein said driveshaft is mounted with respect to said shaft housing via a bearing arrangement, and wherein said bearing arrangement comprises an integral seal for sealing said respective pump chamber with respect to said motor housing. 11. Pump apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said housing comprises a first end part including said first inlet chamber in fluid communication with said first pump chamber via said first inlet valve in the inlet stroke of said first pump chamber and said first outlet chamber in fluid communication with said first pump chamber in the outlet pumping stroke of said first pump chamber, a second end part including said second inlet chamber in fluid communication with said second pump chamber via said second inlet valve in the inlet stroke of said second pump chamber and said second outlet chamber in fluid communication with said second pump chamber via said second outlet valve in the outlet pumping stroke of said second pump chamber. 12. Pump apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said pump inlet port is in fluid communication with said inlet chamber of each said pump chamber, and wherein said pump outlet port is in fluid communication with said outlet chamber of each said pump chamber. 13. Double acting respirator pump apparatus comprising a housing defining two pump chambers and a pump member reciprocable with respect to said pump chambers and configured to provide an inlet stroke and an outlet stroke with respect to each said chamber in each reciprocation cycle of said pump member, the housing having an inlet port which communicates with each pump chamber in the inlet stroke of said pump member with respect to the respective pump chamber and an outlet port configured for connection to a respirator breathing tube via respirator exhalation system, the outlet port communicating with each pump chamber in the outlet stroke of said pump member with respect to the respective pump chamber, wherein said inlet stroke and said outlet stroke for each pump chamber defines for the respective pump chamber a displacement volume that is displaced in the respective pump chamber by reciprocation of the pump member in one reciprocation cycle between the respective inlet stroke and the respective outlet stroke, and wherein a volume of at least one said pump chamber at the end of the respective said output stroke thereof is a first proportion of the respective said displacement volume, wherein said first proportion is not less than about 50%, and wherein said pump member comprises a piston reciprocably mounted with respect to said pump chambers, wherein said piston has a axial translation in a reciprocation direction of said piston between a top dead center position corresponding to an end of an output stroke of one said pump chamber, and a bottom dead center position corresponding to an end of an output stroke of the other said pump chamber, wherein said axial translation is between about 10% and about 20% of a diameter of said piston as projected in a direction substantially orthogonal to said reciprocation direction. 14. Respirator exhalation system for facilitating exhalation of a patient connected to a respiratory apparatus, comprising: an exhalation valve comprising a valve housing, a valve seat inside the housing, and a valve member movable between a first, closed position seated against the valve seat when the exhalation system is operating in an inhalation mode and a second, open position spaced from the valve seat when the exhalation system is operating in an exhalation mode, the valve housing defining a valve control chamber on the one side of the valve member, the valve housing having a control inlet communicating with the valve control chamber, an exhaust inlet on the opposite side of the valve member from the control chamber, and an exhalation discharge port communicating with the external atmosphere and in communication with the exhaust inlet when the valve member is in the open position; anda solenoid pump unit operatively connected to the control inlet of said exhalation valve and configured for operation as a pump and selectively generating an air pressure in said control chamber sufficient for pressurizing one side of said valve member for closing the same when said exhalation system is operating in inhalation mode. 15. Respirator system according to claim 14, wherein said pump unit comprises a pump control member and a pump housing having a seat, wherein a pumping chamber is defined between said pump control member and said seat, wherein in operation of said pump unit said pumping chamber comprises a confined volume of compressible air, and wherein said pumping chamber is in fluid communication with said control chamber of said valve member, and wherein said pump unit is configured for selectively bringing said pump control member into proximity with said housing seat to compress said volume of compressible air and thereby to generate a pump pressure for pressurizing said control chamber of said valve and urging said valve member into the closed position. 16. Respirator system according to claim 15, wherein said pump control member comprises an armature, and said pump unit further comprises an electric coil in said pump housing, and wherein energizing said coil magnetically attracts said armature to bring said pump control member into proximity with said housing seat, thereby compressing air enclosed in said pumping chamber and generating said pump pressure. 17. Respirator system according to claim 16, wherein said pump unit is configured for modulating said pump pressure by selectively variably energizing said coil. 18. Respirator system according to claim 16, wherein said armature is connected to said housing seat via a flexible resilient diaphragm, wherein said diaphragm is configured for providing substantially hysteresis-free operation of said pump unit. 19. Respirator system according to claim 18, wherein said diaphragm extends between said armature and said housing seat, preventing contact therebetween when said coil is fully energized and providing for rapid separation therebetween when said coil is not energized. 20. Respirator system according to claim 18, wherein said diaphragm is biased to space said armature away from said housing seat when said coil is not energized. 21. Respirator system according to claim 14, further comprising a two-way control valve in fluid communication with said pumping chamber and said control chamber of said valve member, and configured for selectively venting said control chamber of said valve member. 22. Respiratory apparatus comprising the respiratory pump as defined in claim 1 operatively connected to a respirator exhalation system for facilitating exhalation of a patient connected to said respiratory apparatus. 23. Respiratory apparatus comprising a respiratory pump apparatus for delivering pressurized gas to a patient connected to said respiratory apparatus, the respiratory pump apparatus being operatively connected to a respirator exhalation system as defined in claim 14.