Importance

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Abstract

An airway valve for re-breathing, a ventilator circuit including same and a method of operating the airway valve. The airway valve includes a housing having first and second primary passages extending through the wall thereof and mutually directly communicating within the housing through a spring-biased valve assembly in the form of first and second diaphragms respectively and simultaneously movable in tandem within the housing into and out of contact with first and second valve seats on a valve body with which the first primary passage communicates. The valve assembly also controls diversion of air flow between the first primary passage and the second primary passage into and through an enlarged volume defined by a re-breathing loop external to the housing via first and second diversion passages, which also extend through the wall of the housing. In a normal operating mode of the airway valve, a first diaphragm engages the first valve seat to preclude communication between the first primary passage and the first diversion passage, while the second diaphragm remains out of contact with the second valve seat to permit communication within the housing between the first and second primary passages and directing air flow therethrough. In a re-breathing mode of the airway valve, the second diaphragm contacts the second valve seat to preclude direct communication between the first and second primary passages, while withdrawal of the first diaphragm from the first valve seat opens communication between the first primary passage and the first diversion passage routing air flow through the re-breathing loop and back to the interior of the housing via the second diversion passage, which is in communication with the second primary passage. The diaphragms are spring-biased to the normal operating mode of the valve, and moved to the re-breathing mode by application of a differential air pressure to one of the diaphragms to overcome the spring force.

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First Claim