Resmed Limited

Resmed (r&d) Limited

Denis Leslie Bullock

Patrick John McAuliffe

Ian Malcolm Smith

Peter John Deacon Wickham

Patrick J Mcauliffe

A flow diverter valve is used in controlling the pressure and/or flow rate of a breathable gas supplied to the airways of a patient by a breathable gas flow generator supply apparatus during, for example, ventilatory assistance treatments such as non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The flow diverter valve includes a vane and a housing. The housing has an inlet port, an outlet port, and an exhaust port. The exhaust port opens to atmosphere, and the inlet port is in fluid communication with the flow generator. The outlet port is in fluid communication with a patient mask via a conduit. The vane is configured with respect to the housing such that a blower associated with the CPAP apparatus remains substantially unchoked, regardless of whether the vane is in the open or closed position.

Flow diverter for controlling the pressure and flow rate in CPAP device

Flow diverter for controlling the pressure and flow rate in a CPAP device

The present invention has been developed primarily for a flow diverting valve used in controlling the pressure and flow rate, and measuring the flow rate, of a breathable gas supplied to the airways of a patient by a breathable gas supply apparatus during, for example, nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and ventilatory assistance treatments such as non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV).

Control member for a valve and method for determining fluid flow rate through a valve

A control member is rotatable to alter a control flow area of a primary flow path of a valve, with the control flow area being of a rectangular shape having a side defined by a wall of a valve interior, a side defined by a wall of a control member exterior, a bottom defined by a floor of the valve interior and a top defined by a roof of the valve interior. The control member exterior is so configured that rotation of the control member alters a distance between the control member exterior and the wall of the valve interior to alter the control flow area of the primary flow path, with the amount of rotation of the control member between two predetermined end positions and the alteration in the control flow area of the primary flow path being substantially linearly proportional.

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Milton, Australia

Denis Leslie Bullock