Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B9/00—Component parts for respiratory or breathing apparatus
  • A62B9/02—Valves
  • A62B9/022—Breathing demand regulators
  • A62B9/027—Breathing demand regulators pilot operated, i.e. controlled by valve means sensitive to a reduced downstream pressure
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10S137/908—Respirator control

Definitions

• Respiratory protection systems intended for crew members of aircraft likely to fly at high altitude, include a regulator for supplying a respiratory mask from a source of pressurized respiratory gas (generally oxygen) .
• the regulator can be worn by the mask or mounted on the crew member's seat.
• pressurized respiratory gas generally oxygen
• Such regulators have two selection members available to the user:
• a normal switching button 100% allowing the choice of supplying the mask with respiratory gas diluted with air or with pure gas; - an "emergency" button, the control of which, from a rest position, causes the mask to be supplied with overpressure.
• the user thus has four possible operating states: 1. Normal, for use against hypoxia,
• the invention therefore aims to provide a simple type demand regulator, nevertheless making it possible to meet all needs.
• the invention proposes in particular a demand regulator comprising:
• a manual control member having a normal position causing the operation without overpressure and with dilution and a standby position causing the interior of the mask to be supplied with pure respiratory gas and in overpressure
• FIG. 5 again similar to Figure 1, shows an embodiment usable when the demand regulator is equipped with an inflatable support system
• the demand regulator comprises a housing 10 made of several assembled parts, having an inlet 12 intended to be connected to a source of pressurized respiratory gas, constituted for example by an oxygen cylinder under pressure or a liquid oxygen converter.
• the housing also comprises a tube 14 for connection with the interior of a respiratory mask, not shown, which carries the regulator.
• the housing 10 contains a main valve 16 constituted by a membrane cooperating with a fixed seat.
• a control chamber 18 limited by the rear of the main diaphragm and the housing is connected by a throttle 20 to the inlet.
• the membrane 16 When it is subjected to the inlet pressure, the membrane 16 is applied against the seat, closes the passage in this seat and separates the inlet 12 from the pipe 1.
• the pressure prevailing in the chamber 18 is controlled by a pilot valve 22.
• This pilot valve comprises a membrane 24 sensitive to the pressure.
• the membrane carries a shutter 26 which cooperates with a fixed seat to put the control chamber 18 into communication with a chamber 28 delimited by the membrane 24 or to separate the chambers.
• the chamber 28 also communicates with the admission by a throttle 29.
• the pressure in the chamber 28 is limited by an atmospheric valve 30 which prevents overpressure in the chamber 28 from exceeding a predetermined value.
• an ejector 32 is interposed between the main valve 16 and the tubing 14.
• a passage 34 allows, when open, the arrival of dilution air downstream of the ejector.
• the pilot valve 22 is formed so as to also form an exhaust valve.
• the membrane 24 has an annular flange 36 which rests on an exhaust seat to one atmosphere.
• the regulator of FIG. 1 comprises a selection member 38 shown in solid lines in the "emergency” position and in dashes in the "normal” position.
• This selection member is guided on the housing 10 by means not shown.
• elastic retaining means such as a ball pushed back by a spring, hold it in the position where it has been brought manually.
• the selection member 38 controls a dilution valve 40 which closes the passage 34 when the member 38 is in the "emergency” position and opens it when the member is in the "normal” position.
• the selection member 38 also controls a valve 42 which opens a passage for venting the chamber 28 to the "normal” position and closes this passage in the "emergency” position.
• the regulator shown in Figure 1 includes a valve 44 for connecting the chamber 28 with the atmosphere, pushed by a spring 46 to an open position.
• the valve 44 is provided with a pusher 48 which projects out of the housing 10 at rest.
• This pusher is designed to be depressed and to close the valve 44 when the mask with which the regulator is fitted is placed on the face.
• the pusher can be provided to apply against the face. It can also be placed so that it is pushed in when a harness which presses the mask against the face is put under tension.
• the spring 46 can be calibrated either so that a simple contact between the pusher 48 and the face is sufficient to close the valve, or so that the valve 44 only closes when a sufficient force of application is exerted .
• the operation of the regulator, when in the "normal" state is conventional and, for this reason, it is not necessary to describe it here.
• the inlet pressure tends to settle by the interme ⁇ diary of the constriction 29. But the pressure in the chamber 28 is limited by the opening of the venting valve 30, while the pressure reached in the chamber 28 is sufficient to cause the opening of the pilot valve 22.
• the pressure in the control chamber 18 decreases to a value fixed by the setting of the valve 30.
• the main valve 16 subjected to the difference between the inlet pressure and the pressure in the chamber 18 opens and supplies the pipe 14 with pure respiratory gas. the main valve 16 closes only when the pilot valve 22 closes itself under the effect of the increased pressure inside the mask.
• the annular rim 36 Upon expiration, the annular rim 36 lifts from its seat and allows escape to the atmosphere.
• the regulator does not deliver to the atmosphere, even when the selection member 38 is in the "emergency" position, as long as the valve 44 remains open, therefore as long as the mask is not in place.
• the box 52 for receiving the mask is provided for bringing and / or retaining the selection member 38 in the "normal” position as long as the mask is stored and for causing the passage into position. "rescue” when extracting the mask.
• the box has an elastic lock 54 and the selection member 38 has a stud 56.
• the lock begins by pushing back to the left the member 38 until bringing it to the "normal" position, then clicks beyond the nipple.
• the elastic lock 54 brings the member 38 back to the "emergency" position before disappearing.
• the embodiment of Figure 3 may be CONSI ⁇ sidered having a pusher operating opposite to that of Figure 1.
• the valve 44a is pushed back by a spring 46a to its open position.
• the pusher 48a is designed to be depressed and to open the valve 44a when the mask provided with its regulator is placed in the box 52a.
• the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is especially usable when the regulator is mounted on the mask and can be stored in a box.
• the link throttle 29 of Figure 1 is omitted.
• the first inspiration of the wearer of the mask creates a depression in the tubing 14.
• the intake pressure then tends to be established in the chamber 28 and keeps the pilot valve permanently open.
• the pressure is however limited by the permanently open pilot valve.
• the pressure is however limited by the vent valve 30 to a value low enough that the main valve remains open and high enough to that the main valve also remains open.
• the regulator When the regulator is in the "emergency" position, ambient depressurization causes the valve 30 to open and the pressure in the chamber 18 to decrease to a level such that the main valve is continuously discharged. To avoid this situation when the mask is not worn, the mask will generally be stored in a box.
• FIG. 5 The embodiment of Figure 5 is intended to be worn by a mask. It differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the operation - even in the "emergency" position - is conditioned by the inflation of a pneumatic mask harness, such as for example one of those described in application FR 98 05949 or the US-A-5,690,102.
• a pneumatic mask harness such as for example one of those described in application FR 98 05949 or the US-A-5,690,102.
• the regulator proper has the same constitution as that of FIG. 1, except that it does not include a valve 44 which closes when the mask is applied to the face.
• the housing 10 also contains an inflation and pressure adjustment mechanism in a harness 60 for holding the mask.
• the inlet 12 for pressurized breathing gas is connected to the annular chamber located under the membrane 16 of the main valve only in response to the opening of a valve 62 controlled by a differential piston 64.
• a spring 66 urges the piston 64 to a position where the valve 62 is applied to its seat. In this case, the absence of operation of the regulator is due to the interruption of its supply.
• the large face of the piston 64 is subjected to atmospheric pressure, which tends to close the valve 62.
• the small face of the piston is subjected to the pressure prevailing downstream of the valve 62.
• the annular surface 68 formed by the staging of the piston is subjected to a pressure controlled by an inflation and deflation valve of the harness 60.
• the valve can have various constitutions.
• a passage 72 is provided in the housing.
• a plunger 70 which constitutes a double shutter member.
• One end of the passage is connected to the supply of pressurized respiratory gas. The other end opens to the atmosphere.
• a first O-ring carried by the plunger 70 rests on a cylindrical portion of the passage and separates the gas intake from the harness when the plunger 70 is maintained by the intake pressure in abutment against the operating lug 74 in position rest.
• the ear 74 when pressed manually pushes the plunger to a position where it connects the gas inlet and the harness.
• the displacement of the plunger brings a second O-ring 78 in abutment against a frustoconical portion of the passage and separates the harness from the atmosphere.
• a constricted passage 76 allows the pressure prevailing in the harness to also be established against the annular surface 68.
• a mask fitted with the regulator shown in Figure 5 will usually be stored, when not in use, in a box allowing the regulator to protrude to allow it to be grasped.
• the box has doors that open when the mask is pulled.
• the box will be fitted with a tap, the opening of which is caused by the opening of the doors.
• this tap is not essential. Even if the member 38 is in the "emergency" position, the regulator does not supply. In fact, the main valve is not supplied because the valve 62 is closed by the spring 66.
• the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 comprises a regulator proper which differs from that shown in FIG. 5 only by the absence of the throttled communication 20.
• the regulator comprises means with depression control which isolate the regulator proper from the intake, as in the case of FIG. 5, until the appearance of a depression with respect to the atmosphere in the pipe 14, depression caused by a first inspiration.
• This first inspiration causes a reduction in pressure in the tubing and opens the pilot valve 22.
• the intake pressure then tends to be established in the chamber 28 and to keep the pilot valve 22 open.
• This pressure is established, from the inlet 12, by a throttle 84 and the connections via the control chamber 18.
• Additional means are provided in the case of Figure 6 to slow the opening of the main valve 16. It includes a piston 80 which slides in a bore of the housing and which is pushed by a spring 82 to a position where it closes a valve stop 62 preventing the arrival of respiratory gas at the main valve.
• the timing elements also include a plunger 88 which slides in a bore 86 and has a constitution comparable to that of the plunger 70 of FIG. 5.
• One of the end faces of the plunger is subjected to the pressure which prevails in a compartment connected to the inlet by a throttle 90.
• L the other face of the plunger is subjected to atmospheric pressure when the plunger is in the rest position shown in FIG. 6. This pressure is communicated upstream of the valve 62 by a passage 94.
• the plunger 88 remains in the position shown in FIG. 6.
• this pressure for example due to the opening of a valve controlled by the doors of a storage box, the pressure exerted on the end face of the piston gradually increases, at a speed fixed by the throttle 90.
• the plunger 88 is gradually pushed back to a position where it separates the passage 94 from the atmosphere and puts it in communication with the admission.
• the valve 62 can then supply the main valve.
• a pusher 96 can be provided to return it to its rest position by acting in the direction of the arrow FI. All the embodiments described so far operate purely pneumatically.
• the invention can also be used in the case of a regulator using sensors, solenoid valves and / or piezoelectric actuators, such as for example that described in the document US-A-4,336,590 (French patent No 79 11072) to which can refer.
• the means for prohibiting operation with supply of the mask with gas under pressure as long as the mask is in a storage position can have very diverse constitutions.
• the means can be controlled by inflating the harness, deflating the harness after inflation, measuring the forces on the harness, measuring the forces applying the mask to the face , face presence detection.
• the means may be sensitive to a first inspiration creating a depression in the mask after it has been put on the face.
• the means can also prohibit the storage of a mask provided with a regulator in a box while it is in the "emergency" position. When the regulator is separated from the mask, a link can be provided between the mask and the regulator to transmit reliable information to the regulator.
• a provision of the kind shown in Figure 6 can be used.
• the operating ban can be caused by cutting the supply upstream of the regulator, cutting the flow through the regulator or cutting the overpressure, the various solutions can be combined.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9528987

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (16)

Family Cites Families (27)

• 1998
  • 1998-07-24 FR FR9809493A patent/FR2781381B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-07-22 AU AU49153/99A patent/AU749421B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-07-22 EP EP99932948A patent/EP1100590B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-07-22 WO PCT/FR1999/001803 patent/WO2000004956A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-07-22 US US09/744,303 patent/US6994086B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-07-22 DE DE69942768T patent/DE69942768D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-07-22 CA CA002338178A patent/CA2338178C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-07-22 JP JP2000560947A patent/JP2002521101A/ja active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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