초록 ▼

Low pressure oxygen or other breathable gas is supplied from a tank or other source to a patient or other person through a flexible plastic tube, and a safety valve system is connected between the source and the tube. The valve system includes a valve member having a tubular outlet portion and suppo

Low pressure oxygen or other breathable gas is supplied from a tank or other source to a patient or other person through a flexible plastic tube, and a safety valve system is connected between the source and the tube. The valve system includes a valve member having a tubular outlet portion and supported for axial movement within a valve body having an inlet connected to the gas source. Fluid passages are formed within the valve member and valve body, and the valve member shifts axially to an open position in response to connecting the flexible tube to the tubular outlet portion of the valve member. The valve member shifts to a closed position in response to removing the tube from the tubular outlet portion, and the supply gas holds the valve member in the closed position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A safety valve system connecting a source of low pressure therapeutic gas to a flexible tube for dispensing the low pressure therapeutic gas through said flexible tube to a patient or other person, said safety valve system comprising: a valve body of rigid material and defining a gas inlet and a

1. A safety valve system connecting a source of low pressure therapeutic gas to a flexible tube for dispensing the low pressure therapeutic gas through said flexible tube to a patient or other person, said safety valve system comprising: a valve body of rigid material and defining a gas inlet and a gas passage,a valve member of rigid material and supported within said valve body for linear movement on an axis,said valve member including an axially projecting tubular portion and defining a gas passage with an outlet port in said axially projecting tubular portion,said flexible tube having an end portion supporting a resilient coupling sleeve releasably connected by friction to said axially projecting tubular portion of said valve member,axially spaced annular gas seals carried by said valve member and engaging said valve body,said valve member movable axially within said valve body to an open position connecting said gas passage within said valve member between said axially spaced annular gas seals to said gas passage within said valve body in response to pushing said resilient coupling sleeve onto said axially projecting tubular portion of said valve member, andsaid valve member movable to a closed position where said gas passage within said valve member is blocked by said axially spaced annular gas seals from said gas passage within said valve body in response to pulling said resilient coupling sleeve from said axially projecting tubular portion of said valve member with a force overcoming said friction to remove said resilient coupling sleeve and said flexible tube from said axially projecting tubular portion of said valve member. 2. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve body comprises an outer valve body surrounding an inner valve body, and said outer valve body has an annular end wall surrounding said tubular portion of said valve member and forming a stop against axial movement of said valve member to said closed position. 3. The safety valve system as defined in claim 2 and including axially spaced resilient annular seals between said inner valve body and said outer valve body. 4. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 wherein said projecting tubular portion of said valve member includes a tapered outer surface forming a gas-tight seal with a tapered inner surface within said resilient coupling sleeve on said end portion of said flexible tube. 5. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 in combination with a portable tank of pressurized gas, and said valve body is connected to and supported by said tank. 6. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 in combination with a gas supply fixture adapted to be mounted on a wall of a building, and said valve body is connected to and supported by said fixture. 7. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve member has a cylindrical outer surface with axially spaced circumferential grooves, said axially spaced annular gas seals comprise resilient sealing rings supported within said grooves, and said gas passage within said valve member extends from between said grooves to said outlet port in said tubular portion. 8. The safety valve system as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve body includes a tubular inlet portion adapted to be threadably connected to said source of low pressure therapeutic gas. 9. The safety valve system as defined in claim 8 wherein said tubular inlet portion of said valve body has internal threads, and an externally threaded nipple extending into said inlet portion and adapted to extend into an internally threaded outlet portion of said source of low pressure therapeutic gas. 10. A valve system adapted to fluidly engage an associated source of low pressure gas with an associated dispensing tube, said valve system comprising: an elongated outer valve body having an end wall, andan internal bore;a hollow elongated inner valve body at least partially located within the internal bore and engaged with the internal bore to form a fluid tight seal, said hollow elongated inner valve body having a first fluid passage therethrough;a valve member slidably engaged within said hollow elongated inner valve body, said valve member, having an outlet port,being positionable at a first position within said hollow elongated inner valve body at which first position said first fluid passage is in fluid communication with said outlet port, andbeing positionable at a second position within said hollow elongated inner valve body at which second position, a valve chamber is defined between said valve member and said hollow elongated inner valve body, andsaid first fluid passage is in fluid communication with said valve chamber. 11. The valve system as defined in claim 10 wherein said end wall has a hole through which a tubular portion of said valve member extends and which forms a stop adapted to limit axial movement of said valve member. 12. The valve system as defined in claim 11 and including axially spaced seals between said inner valve body and said outer valve body. 13. The valve system as defined in claim 11 wherein said tubular portion of said valve member includes a tapered outer surface adapted to form a gas-tight seal with an associated tapered inner surface. 14. The valve system as defined in claim 13, wherein said fluid passage is engaged with a portable tank of pressurized gas. 15. The valve system as defined in claim 13, wherein said fluid passage is engaged with a gas supply fixture affixed to a wall of a building. 16. The valve system as defined in claim 13 wherein said valve member has a cylindrical outer surface with axially spaced circumferential grooves,resilient annular gas sealing rings supported within said axially spaced circumferential grooves, anda second fluid passage which extends from between said axially spaced circumferential grooves to said outlet port. 17. The valve system as defined in claim 13 wherein said first fluid passage has a tubular inlet portion adapted to be threadably connected to said associated source of low pressure gas. 18. The valve system as defined in claim 17 wherein said tubular inlet portion has internal threads threadedly engaged with an externally threaded nipple extending into said tubular inlet portion, said externally threaded nipple being adapted to extend into an internally threaded outlet portion of said associated source of low pressure gas. 19. A method of fluidly engaging a valve system between an associated source of low pressure gas and to an associated dispensing tube, said method comprising: providing a valve system adapted to fluidly engage an associated source of low pressure gas with an associated dispensing tube, said valve system having an elongated outer valve body having an end wall, andan internal bore;a hollow elongated inner valve body at least partially located within the internal bore and engaged with the internal bore to form a fluid tight seal, said hollow elongated inner valve body having a first fluid passage therethrough;a valve member slidably engaged within said hollow elongated inner valve body, said valve member, having an outlet port,being positionable at a first position within said hollow elongated inner valve body at which first position said first fluid passage is in fluid communication with said outlet port, andbeing positionable at a second position within said hollow elongated inner valve body at which second position, a valve chamber is defined between said valve member and said hollow elongated inner valve body, andsaid first fluid passage is in fluid communication with said valve chamber;providing a source of low pressure gas, said source of low pressure gas being either, a portable tank of pressurized gas, ora gas supply fixture affixed to a wall of a building;providing a dispensing tube;fluidly engaging said first fluid passage with said source of low pressure gas; andfluidly engaging said outlet port with said dispensing tube. 20. The valve system as defined in claim 10 wherein the hollow elongated inner valve body is secured to the elongated outer valve body such that the hollow elongated inner valve body is stationary with respect to the elongated outer valve body, and wherein the elongated inner valve body and the elongated outer valve body have an opening through which the outlet port of the valve member extends.