A prior art demand valve has been modified to make it more responsive to persons with impaired oxygen delivery by replacing its sensing diaphragm and associated mechanically actuated valve actuator with a solenoid activated proportional control valve coupled to an analog pressure transducer via a pulse width modulated current driver circuit. The pressure transducer responds to detected pressure changes in a patient's breathing tube.

A turbulator adapted to be mounted to or inserted in an inlet portion of a flow meter for a ventilator is disclosed. The turbulator is adapted to create a turbulent gas flow in the inlet portion downstream of the turbulator upon passage of a gas flow therethrough. A flow meter for a ventilator is provided. The flow meter may comprise such turbulator. The turbulator may be arranged in the inlet portion of the flow meter. A membrane for a ventilator flow meter is provided, as well as a flow meter comprising the membrane. A flow meter comprising a turbulator and a membrane is disclosed.

A breathing circuit for use with a first gas set (FGS) and a second gas set (SGS), said circuit comprising means for keeping separate the FGS and SGS, and a means for sequentially delivering to a patient, first the FGS, and, on inspiration, when the patient inspires so as to deplete the supply of FGS into the circuit, subsequently delivers substantially SGS for the balance of inspiration.

Systems and methods for non-invasive ventilation are provided. The systems may include a gas source that provides breathing gases to a patient through one or more of a primary flow path (PFP) and a flushing flow path (FFP). The system may include a control assembly configured to open and restrict gas flow through the PFP. When the PFP is open, a significant portion of the gas flows through the PFP while the remaining gas flows through the FFP. When the PFP is restricted, a significant portion of the gas flows through the FFP. Increased flow through the FFP may have a high velocity (especially relative to the flow through the PFP). Gas delivered through the FFP may be used to flush dead space. One or both flow paths may contribute to inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP), expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP), and/or positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP).

A fluid passage/stop body, component, housing and apparatus, a ventilation treatment device, and an oxygen supply control method. The fluid passage/stop body comprises a sliding plate and a flexible connecting member; the flexible connecting member is connected to the sliding plate; the flexible connecting member is used for connecting to a first channel wall of a first fluid channel of a fluid passage/stop apparatus; and the sliding plate is used for moving, driven by the pressure of a fluid in the first fluid channel, to drive the flexible connecting member to flexibly deform. The fluid passage/stop body is simple in structure, can drive, in actual use, a passage/stop member to safely and reliably achieve the passage/stop of a fluid, and can significantly improve, in a ventilation treatment device, the safety of oxygen supply of the ventilation treatment device.

Methods and apparatus provide automated circuit disconnection monitoring such as for a respiratory apparatus or system. Disconnection of a patient circuit, including a patient interface and air delivery circuit, may be detected and a message or alarm activated. In some versions, detecting occurrences of circuit disconnection event(s), such as by a processor, may be based on an instantaneous disconnection parameter as a function of a disconnection setting. The disconnection setting may be determined based on patient circuit type. The instantaneous disconnection parameter may be determined from detected pressure and flow rate, and may be, for example, a conductance value or an impedance value. Disconnection events may be qualified by one or more detected respiratory indicators. In some cases, instantaneous impedance or conductance may be used to assess re-connection of a patient circuit, detection of flow starvation, determine breath shape for triggering and cycling and to detect patient or circuit obstructions.

An exchanger conduit permits temperature and/or humidity conditioning of a gas for a patient respiratory interface. In an example embodiment, a conduit has a first channel and a second channel where the first channel is configured to conduct an inspiratory gas and the second channel configured to conduct an expiratory gas. An exchanger is positioned along the first channel and the second channel to separate the first channel and the second channel. The exchanger is configured to transfer a component (e.g., temperature or humidity) of the gas of the second channel to the gas of the first channel. In some embodiments, an optional flow resistor may be implemented to permit venting at pressures above atmospheric pressure so as to allow pressure stenting of a patient respiratory system without a substantial direct flow from a flow generator of respiratory treatment apparatus to the patient during patient expiration.

Exhalation valve including a diaphragm for opening and closing an outlet of an exhalation flow path for guiding exhaled air to the outside air, a back chamber provided opposite the exhalation flow path in the diaphragm and forming a space together with the diaphragm, and a pump unit fixed to the circumference of the back chamber for adjusting the air pressure inside the back chamber by feeding and discharging of air to and from the back chamber. The diaphragm closes the outlet of the exhalation flow path when the air pressure inside the exhalation flow path is lower than the air pressure inside the back chamber, and opens the outlet of the exhalation flow path when the air pressure inside the exhalation flow path is higher than the air pressure inside the back chamber.

Cleaning systems and devices are provided for cleaning body-inserted tubes (e.g., endotracheal tubes, chest cleaning tubes). In one embodiment, a closed suction system includes a suction catheter having at least one deployable (e.g., inflatable) cleaning member at a distal portion of the suction catheter and at least one suction opening distal to the cleaning member. The closed suction system module may include a control unit at its proximal end adapted to facilitate operation in one of the following three operational states: i) a first operational state in which only the cleaning member is functional, ii) a second operational state in which only suction is functional, or iii) a third operational state in which neither suction nor the cleaning member is functional.

A turbulator adapted to be mounted to or inserted in an inlet portion of a flow meter for a ventilator is disclosed. The turbulator is adapted to create a turbulent gas flow in the inlet portion downstream of the turbulator upon passage of a gas flow therethrough. A flow meter for a ventilator is provided. The flow meter may comprise such turbulator. The turbulator may be arranged in the inlet portion of the flow meter. A membrane for a ventilator flow meter is provided, as well as a flow meter comprising the membrane. A flow meter comprising a turbulator and a membrane is disclosed.