Breath controlled air inlet for blower
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a breath controlled air inlet valve for controlling a flow of air supplied to a wearer of a facemask, the valve permitting the flow of air when a wearer breathes in and restricting the flow of air when the wearer breathes out. The valve includes an inlet, an outlet, one or more pivotable shutters, and a shutter articulating mechanism for articulating the one or more shutters between an open state and a closed state. The shutter articulation mechanism actuates in response to the respiration of the wearer. The valve also enables a positive pressure to be maintained within the facemask by permitting an amount of air to flow around the one or more shutters when the one or more shutters are in the closed state.
1. A valve for a power air supply system comprising:
a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a diaphragm housing partitioned into a first interior portion and a second interior portion by a diaphragm deflectable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first interior portion communicates with the outlet of the valve body, and wherein the second interior portion communicates with the exterior of the valve body;
a spring disposed within the diaphragm housing between a surface of the diaphragm and an interior wall of the diaphragm housing for biasing the diaphragm toward the first position when the pressure inside the outlet is above a predetermined pressure; and
a diaphragm ring secured to the diaphragm, the diaphragm ring including a groove and at least one connecting rod, wherein a first end of the spring engages the groove of the diaphragm ring and a second end of the spring abuts an interior wall of the diaphragm housing, and wherein the deflection of the diaphragm promotes the at least one connecting rod, that extends between the diaphragm and at least one shutter disposed in the valve body between the inlet and the outlet, to articulate the at least one shutter between a closed state and an open state in response to a change in pressure within the outlet.
2. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein at least one gap is defined between the at least one shutter and an interior surface of the valve body to provide communication between the inlet and the outlet when the at least one shutter is in the closed state.
3. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shutter is a plurality of interconnected shutters that articulate in unison.
4. The valve according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of interconnected shutters include at least one link pivotably attached to the plurality of interconnected shutters.
5. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the shutter articulating mechanism further comprises a spring for biasing the diaphragm in the first position when the pressure inside the outlet is above the predetermined pressure.
6. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is disposed in the first interior portion of the diaphragm housing.
7. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm housing encircles a portion of the valve body forming the outlet.
8. A valve for a power air supply system comprising:
a valve body having an inlet and an outlet;
a shutter assembly disposed in the valve body between the inlet and the outlet, the shutter assembly including at least one link pivotably attached to a plurality of shutters pivotable in a frame member, wherein at least one gap is defined between the plurality of shutters and the frame member and provides communication between the inlet and the outlet when the shutter assembly is in a closed state; and
a shutter articulating mechanism for articulating the shutter assembly between a the closed state and an open state in response to a change in pressure within the outlet.
9. The valve according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one link includes a plurality of metal bearings, and wherein the plurality of shutters is pivotable within an inner race of the plurality of bearings.
10. The valve according to claim 8 , wherein the shutter articulating mechanism comprises a diaphragm deflectable between a first position and a second position for articulating the shutter assembly between the closed state and the open state.
11. The valve according to claim 10 , wherein the shutter articulating mechanism further comprises a spring for biasing the diaphragm in the first position when the pressure inside the outlet is above a predetermined pressure.
12. The valve according to claim 10 , further comprising a diaphragm housing partitioned into a first interior portion and a second interior portion by the diaphragm, wherein the first interior portion communicates with the outlet of the valve and wherein the second interior portion communicates with the exterior of the valve.
13. The valve according to claim 12 , wherein a spring is disposed within the diaphragm housing between a surface of the diaphragm and an interior wall of the diaphragm housing for biasing the diaphragm in the first position when the pressure inside the outlet is above a predetermined pressure.
14. The valve according to claim 13 , wherein the spring is disposed in the first interior portion of the diaphragm housing.
15. The valve according to claim 13 , further comprising a diaphragm ring secured to a surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm ring comprising
a groove; and
at least one connecting rod,
wherein a first end of the spring engages the groove of the diaphragm ring and a second end of the spring abuts an interior wall of the diaphragm housing, and wherein the at least one connecting rod extends between the diaphragm and the shutter assembly for articulating the shutter assembly between the closed state and the open state.
16. The valve according to claim 12 , wherein the diaphragm housing encircles a portion of the valve body forming the outlet.
17. A valve for a power air supply system comprising:
a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a diaphragm housing partitioned into a first interior portion and a second interior portion by a diaphragm deflectable between a first position and a second position in response to a change in pressure within the outlet, wherein the first interior portion communicates with the outlet of the valve body, and wherein the second interior portion communicates with the exterior of the valve body;
a shutter assembly disposed in the valve body between the inlet and the outlet;
a spring disposed within the diaphragm housing between a surface of the diaphragm and an interior wall of the diaphragm housing for biasing the diaphragm toward the first position when the pressure inside the outlet is above the predetermined pressure; and
a diaphragm ring secured to the diaphragm, the diaphragm ring including a groove and at least one connecting rod extending between the diaphragm and said shutter assembly, wherein a first end of the spring engages the groove of the diaphragm ring and a second end of the spring abuts an interior wall of the diaphragm housing, and wherein the deflection of the diaphragm promotes the at least one connecting rod to articulate the shutter assembly between a closed state and an open state.
18. The valve according to claim 17 , wherein at least one gap is defined between the shutter assembly and an interior surface of the valve body to provide communication between the inlet and the outlet when the shutter assembly is in the closed state.
19. The valve according to claim 17 , wherein the shutter assembly comprises a plurality of interconnected shutters that articulate in unison.
20. The valve according to claim 19 , wherein the plurality of interconnected shutters include at least one link pivotably attached to the plurality of interconnected shutters.
21. The valve according to claim 17 , wherein the diaphragm housing encircles a portion of the valve body forming the outlet.