Pressure relief in a respiratory assistance system
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 said predetermined pressure.
1. A pressure relief device comprising:
a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;
a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and
a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;
wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.
2. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lid, wherein said sound dampener is disposed between said lid and said valve.
3. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein said valve is an umbrella valve.
4. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein said sound dampener is a disk shape.
5. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein said sound dampener is a ring shape.
6. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein said sound dampener is a clover-like shape.
7. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein said sound dampener is a pinwheel-like shape.
8. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sound dampener centering feature configured to facilitate in centering said sound dampener within said pressure relief device.
9. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein the first tube and the second tube are collinear.
10. The pressure relief device of claim 1 , wherein the first tube and the second tube are fluidly coupled when the valve is not deformed.
11. A respiratory assistance system comprising:
a gas source;
a patient interface; and
a pressure relief device comprising:
a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;
a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and
a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;
wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.
12. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11 , where said respiratory assistance system is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system.
13. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11 , where said respiratory assistance system is a nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) system.
14. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11 , wherein said patient interface comprises:
a CPAP generator.
15. The respiratory assistance system of claim 11 , wherein said patient interface comprises:
an nCPAP generator.
16. A variable-flow continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system comprising:
a flow driver;
a CPAP generator; and
a pressure relief device configured to ensure a pressure in said variable-flow CPAP system does not exceed a predetermined pressure, the pressure relief device comprising:
a housing having a vent, a first tube, and a second tube fluidly coupled to the housing, the vent defining a passage from within to outside of the housing;
a valve between the vent, the first tube, and the second tube, the valve configured to resiliently deform in response to a predetermined pressure; and
a sound dampener configured to dampen a sound generated by said valve when said valve resiliently deforms and contacts the sound dampener in response to said predetermined pressure;
wherein when the valve is resiliently deformed, the vent, the first tube, and the second tube are fluidly coupled.
17. The variable-flow CPAP system 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.
18. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16 , wherein said valve is an umbrella vale.
19. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16 , wherein said variable-flow CPAP system is a variable-flow nasal CPAP system.
20. The variable-flow CPAP system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a sound dampener centering feature configured to facilitate in centering said sound dampener within said pressure relief device.