Pressure relief in a respiratory assistance system
View Patent ↗A pressure relief device comprising a valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by the valve when the valve resiliently deforms in response to the predetermined pressure.
1. A method of controlling fluid pressure through a pressure relief device, the method comprising:
connecting the pressure relief device to a respiratory assistance system, the pressure relief device comprising a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled within the housing, the vent defining a passage from within the housing to an ambient environment;
retaining a valve within the housing to obstruct the vent, the valve being retained between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube; and
resiliently deforming said valve, in response to a predetermined pressure in the respiratory assistance system, to (i) fluidly couple the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, and (ii) contact a sound dampener to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the pressure relief device between a gas source and a patient interface.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sealing the valve with the housing at a first pressure so that a flow passes through the first tube and the second tube.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said valve is an umbrella valve.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pressure is greater than the first pressure.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a lid coupled to the housing, wherein said sound dampener is disposed between said lid and said valve.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising centering said sound dampener within said housing with a centering feature of said sound dampener.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising centering said sound dampener with a corresponding centering feature of a lid coupled to the housing.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of said sound dampener is selected from a group consisting of: a disk shape, a ring shape, a clover-like shape, and a pinwheel-like shape.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said respiratory assistance system is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said respiratory assistance system is a nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) system.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient interface comprises a CPAP generator.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient interface comprises an nCPAP generator.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first tube and said second tube are collinear.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first tube and said second tube are fluidly coupled when said valve is not deformed.
16. A method of controlling fluid pressure in a variable-flow continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system, the method comprising:
connecting a pressure relief device between a flow driver and a CPAP generator, the pressure relief device comprising a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled within the housing, the vent defining a passage from within the housing to an ambient environment;
retaining a valve within the housing to obstruct the vent, the valve being retained between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube; and
resiliently deforming said valve, in response to a predetermined pressure in the variable-flow CPAP system, to (i) fluidly couple the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, and (ii) contact a sound dampener to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sealing the valve with the housing at a first pressure so that a flow passes through the first tube and the second tube.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said valve is an umbrella valve.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined pressure is greater than the first pressure.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein a shape of said sound dampener is selected from a group consisting of: a disk shape, a ring shape, a clover-like shape, and a pinwheel-like shape.