Device and process for extending a ventilator circuit

1 . A device for enclosing a positive end valve (PEEP valve) and converting the PEEP valve to an inline valve for use in a differential multi-ventilation system, the device comprising:

a housing configured to enclose the PEEP valve, the housing including a ventilator-side arm, a pass-through arm and a patient-side arm,

wherein the device is configured such that, when the PEEP valve is installed:

gas flow is permitted between the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm;

the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm are isolated from the patient-side arm by the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is closed;

gas flow between the patient-side arm and the ventilator-side arm is permitted when the PEEP valve is open; and

the pass-through arm is configured to permit extension of the multi-ventilation system to add one or more patient circuits to the system.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm are dimensioned for direct connection to each other such that the pass-through arm of a first device as recited in claim 1 is connectable to the ventilator-side arm of a second device, wherein the second device has the same features as the first device.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for use as an inspiratory inline valve, wherein the ventilator-side arm together with the pass-through arm are co-axial with a first conduit through the housing, the first conduit contiguous with a substantially perpendicular second conduit substantially centralized within the housing, the second conduit configured to connect to a valve port of the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is installed in the device.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the second conduit is isolated from the patient-side arm when the PEEP valve is installed in the device and the PEEP valve is closed, and wherein the second conduit permits gas flow to the patient-side arm when the PEEP valve is installed in the device and the PEEP valve is open.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for use as an expiratory inline valve, wherein the patient-side arm is contiguous with a substantially perpendicular second conduit substantially centralized within the housing, the second conduit configured to connect to a main sleeve of the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is installed in the device.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the second conduit is isolated from the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm when the PEEP valve is installed in the device and the PEEP valve is closed, and wherein the second conduit permits gas flow to the ventilator-side arm when the PEEP valve is installed in the device and the PEEP valve is open.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprising a main opening and a cap is coupled to the body over the main opening, the cap having an inner structure configured to connect to a pressure adjustment head of the PEEP valve, thereby permitting the cap to control the pressure adjustment head of the PEEP valve.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the inner structure of the cap is a sleeve dimensioned to couple to the pressure adjustment head of the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is installed in the device.

9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the cap is coupled to the housing by threading, wherein the threading permits adjustment of the pressure adjustment head of the PEEP valve.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein an outer sidewall of the housing includes markings indicating valve pressure, wherein positioning of an edge of the cap with respect to the markings indicates the valve pressure according to a position relative to the threading.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein an inner sidewall of the housing includes a PEEP-valve retaining element.

12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the PEEP valve is a check valve.

13 . A set of devices for assembling and connecting inspiratory and expiratory inline valves to each other, the set for use in a differential multi-ventilation system, the set comprising:

an inspiratory device comprising:

a housing configured to enclose a positive end valve (PEEP valve), the housing including a ventilator-side arm, a pass-through arm and a patient-side arm, wherein the inspiratory device is configured such that, when the PEEP valve is installed:

gas flow is permitted between the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm in either direction,

the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm are isolated from the patient-side arm by the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is closed,

gas flow from the ventilator-side arm to the patient side arm is permitted when the PEEP valve is open, and

the pass-through arm is configured to permit extension of the multi-ventilation system to add one or more patient circuits to the system, and

further including: a first connector on the housing of the inspiratory device; and

an expiratory device comprising:

a housing configured to enclose a PEEP valve, the housing including a ventilator-side arm, a pass-through arm and a patient-side arm, wherein the expiratory device is configured such that, when the PEEP valve is installed;

gas flow is permitted to flow between the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm in either direction,

the ventilator-side arm and the pass-through arm are isolated from the patient-side arm by the PEEP valve when the PEEP valve is closed,

gas flow from the patient side arm to the ventilator-side arm is permitted when the PEEP valve is open, and

the pass-through arm is configured to permit extension of the multi-ventilation system to add one or more patient circuits to the system, and

further including: a second connector on the housing of the expiratory device,

wherein the first connector and the second connector are configured to connect to each other.

14 . The set of devices of claim 13 , wherein the housing of the inspiratory device includes a first visual indicator to indicate inspiration and the housing of the expiratory device includes a second visual indicator to indicate expiration.

15 . A kit comprising the set of devices of claim 13 , the kit further comprising instructions for assembling a differential multi-ventilator system using the set of devices.

16 . The kit of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of PEEP valves.

17 . A ventilator system comprising:

a ventilator and a set of inline valves formed from devices as recited in claim 13 having PEEP valves installed therein, wherein the ventilator-side arms of both the inspiratory device and the expiratory device are connected to the ventilator, the patient-side arms of both the inspiratory device and the expiratory device are connected to a first patient circuit, and a bypass conduit is connected between the pass-through arms of the inspiratory device and the expiratory device.

18 . A differential multi-ventilator system comprising:

a ventilator and a first set of inline valves formed from devices as recited in claim 13 having PEEP valves installed therein, wherein the ventilator-side arms of both the inspiratory device and the expiratory device of the first set of inline valves are connected to the ventilator, and the patient-side arms of both the inspiratory device and the expiratory device of the first set of inline valves are connected to a first patient circuit;

a second set of inline valves formed from devices as recited in claim 13 having PEEP valves installed therein, the second set of inline valves connected to the first set of inline valves, wherein the pass-through arms of the inspiratory device and the expiratory device of the first set of inline valves are connected to the ventilator-side arms of the inspiratory device and the expiratory device of the second set of inline valves and the patient-side arms of both the inspiratory device and the expiratory device of the second set of inline valves are connected to at least a second patient; and

a bypass conduit is connected between the pass-through arms of the second set of inline valves or connected between the pass-through arms of a final set of inline valves connected after the second set of devices.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the ventilator is retained in continuous operation and the first patient circuit continues to operate during the step of connecting at least a second set of inline valves.

20 . A method for assembling a differential multi-ventilator system, the method comprising:

constructing a plurality of sets of inline valves by installing PEEP valves in a plurality of inspiratory devices and expiratory devices as recited in claim 13 ;

connecting a first set of inline valves of the plurality of inline valves to a ventilator via the ventilator-side arm of the inspiratory device and the ventilator-side arm of the expiratory device of the first set of devices and connecting a first patient circuit to the patient-side arms of the first set of inline valves;

connecting at least a second set of inline valves to the first set of inline valves by connecting the pass-through arm of the inspiratory device of the first set of inline valves to the ventilator-side arm of the second set of inline valves and connecting at least a second patient circuit to the patient-side arms of the second set of inline valves; thereby providing an extended set of inline valves; and

connecting a bypass conduit between the pass-through arms of a final set of inline valves in the extended set of inline valves.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the extended set of inline valves comprises at least one of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 sets of inline valves.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein for each set of inline valves of the extended set of inline valves, the inspiratory device is connected to the expiratory device by making a connection between the first connector and the second connector.

23 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising removing the bypass conduit from the final set of inline valves, connecting an additional set of inline valves to the final set of inline valves and connecting the bypass conduit between the pass-through arms of the additional set of inline valves, thereby adding the additional set of inline valves to the extended set of inline valves.