Respiratory flow sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a respiratory flow sensor (11) comprising a flow tube (12) which has a flow channel (13) and tube connections for tubes at the free ends (15, 17) of the flow tube, a cover flap (32) which is arranged in the flow channel (13) and divides the flow channel (13) into a first flow channel section (18) and a second flow channel section (19), and comprising connections (22, 23) which open into the flow channel (13) on both sides of the cover flap (32) and which are used to decrease the pressure difference generated by the cover flap (32). A drainage device (41) which comprises drain grooves (42, 43) is provided in the flow channel (13), and the cover flap (32) has a hinge region which is formed by a first slot and a second H-shaped slot.

Claims

1. A respiratory flow sensor, comprising: a flow pipe including a flow channel and first and second ends of the flow pipe; a cover flap, arranged in the flow channel, which divides the flow channel into a first flow channel section and a second flow channel section; first and second connections connected to the flow pipe, said first connection leading into said first flow channel section and said second connection leading into said second flow channel section, said first and second connections configured to reduce a pressure differential created by the cover flap during operation of the respiratory flow sensor; and a water drainage device in the flow channel, said water drainage device including at least one drainage groove.

2. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, said water drainage device including a plurality of drainage grooves arranged, and spaced apart from one another, along a region of an inner circumference of the flow channel.

3. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 2, wherein said region has a maximum extent no greater than half of the inner circumference of the flow channel.

4. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of drainage grooves includes at least first, second, and third drainage grooves, and an angular distance, , between said first and second drainage grooves is different from an angular distance, , between said second and third drainage grooves.

5. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drainage groove extends from said cover flap toward one of said ends of said flow pipe along a curved line.

6. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drainage groove extends from said cover flap toward one of said ends of said flow pipe along an inclined surface arranged at an angle to a flow-through axis of the flow channel.

7. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second flow channel sections runs in a curved manner in a region adjacent to said water drainage device.

8. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of at least one of said first and second flow channel sections increases in a direction extending from said cover flap and toward a corresponding end of the flow pipe, in a region adjacent to said water drainage device.

9. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 8, wherein said cross section is embodied conically.

10. The respiratory flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein said at least one drainage groove extends in a flow-through direction of said flow channel.

11. A respiratory flow sensor, comprising: a flow pipe including a flow channel and first and second ends of the flow pipe; a cover flap, arranged in the flow channel, which divides the flow channel into a first flow channel section and a second flow channel section, said cover flap including a hinge region that includes a first slot and at least one second slot, having an H-shape, and at least one lateral slot adjacent to the at least one second slot; and first and second connections connected to the flow pipe, said first connection leading into said first flow channel section and said second connection leading into said second flow channel section, said first and second connections configured to reduce a pressure differential created by the cover flap during operation of the respiratory flow sensor.

12. The respiratory flow sensor of claim 11, wherein the ends of the at least one second slot have inclined surfaces or radii.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The list of reference numerals as well as the technical content of the patent claims and figures is part of the disclosure. The figures are described cohesively and comprehensively. Identical reference numerals mean identical components, reference numerals with different indices specify functionally identical or similar components.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a respiratory flow sensor according to the invention in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the respiratory flow sensor according to FIG. 1 in an exploded illustration,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a respiratory flow sensor according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4A-D in each case shows the respiratory flow sensor according to FIG. 3 in cross section,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic longitudinal section though an alternative according to the invention of the respiratory flow sensor according to FIG. 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a further alternative according to the invention of the respiratory flow sensor according to FIG. 3,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a respiratory flow sensor in a detailed section,

(9) FIG. 8 shows the cover flap of a respiratory flow sensor according to the invention according to FIG. 1 in a view, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows the hinge of the cover flap according to FIG. 8 in a detailed view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(11) The respiratory flow sensor 11 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a flow pipe 12, a cover flap 32 and connections 22 and 23. The cylindrical flow pipe 12 has a flow channel 13 and, on the free ends 15 or 17 thereof, respectively, hose connections for hoses.

(12) The flow pipe 12 is embodied in two parts (flow pipe section 14 and flow pipe section 16), wherein the cover flap 32 is arranged in the flow channel 13 between the flow pipe sections 14 and 16. The cover flap 32 divides the flow channel 13 into a first flow channel section 18 and into a second flow channel section 19. In the region, in which the cover flap 32 comes to rest in the joined state of the flow pipe sections 14 and 16, the flow pipe sections 14 and 16 in each case have a larger flow-through cross section.

(13) The connection 22 leads into the flow channel 13 in the first flow channel section 18 and the connection 23 leads into the flow channel 13 in the second flow channel section 19. The connections 22 and 23 thus lead into the flow channel 13 on both sides of the cover flap 32 and serve for the reduction of the differential pressure created by the cover flap 32.

(14) A water drainage device 41 is provided in the flow channel 13.

(15) In the illustration, which is simplified schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4D, the water drainage device 41 comprises a plurality of drainage grooves 42 or 43, respectively, which are arranged circumferentially spaced apart from one another. The liquid 46, which accumulates in the respiratory flow sensor 11, is collected in the drainage grooves 42 and 43 and is drained into it, if applicable. The drainage grooves 42 and 43 are embodied in such a way that the movement of the cover flap 32 is not impacted by them.

(16) The drainage grooves 42 and 43 are arranged along a region of the inner circumference of the flow channel 13, which extends across half of the entire inner circumference of the flow channel 13 (see FIG. 4A; 2+). The distance (angular dimension ) of the drainage grooves 42 to the drainage grooves 43 is larger than the distance (angular dimension ) of the drainage grooves 43 to one another. Such an arrangement of the drainage grooves 42 and 43 ensures that a sufficient measurement accuracy with the respiratory flow sensor 11 is also ensured by means of the water drainage device 41, when said respiratory flow sensor is rotated about its flow-through axis 20 area by area (see FIGS. 4A to 4D). The flow-through axis 20 corresponds to the center axis of the flow channel 13.

(17) Starting at the cover flap 32, individual or all drainage grooves 42 and/or 43 can run along a curved line in a direction of the corresponding free end 15 or 17, respectively, of the flow pipe 12. Starting at the cover flap 32, individual or all drainage grooves 42 and/or 43 can, in the alternative, run in a direction of the corresponding free end 15 or 17, respectively, of the flow pipe 12 along an inclined surface, which is arranged at an angle to the flow-through axis 20 of the flow channel 13.

(18) In the case of the exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in a schematically simplified manner in FIG. 5, the flow channel sections 62 and 63 in each case run in a curved manner in the region of the water drainage device 61 of the respiratory flow sensor 51. In the case of this exemplary embodiment, the flow channel 53 also runs in a curved manner.

(19) In the exemplary embodiment, which is illustrated in a schematically simplified manner in FIG. 6, the cross sections of the flow channel sections 82 and 83 increase in the region of the water drainage device 81 of the respiratory low sensor 71, starting at the cover flap 92 in a direction of the corresponding free end 75 or 77, respectively, of the flow pipe 72. The flow channel sections 82 or 83, respectively, are in each case embodied conically. In the alternative, at least one of the flow channel sections 82 or 83 could also be embodied in a trumpet-shaped manner.

(20) In the flow pipe section 104, the respiratory flow sensor 101 shown only in sections in FIG. 7 has a stop section 108 and, in the flow pipe section 106 a stop section 110, against which the free end region 113 of the cover flap 112 can come to rest. The stop sections 108 and 110 in the flow channel 103, which are located opposite one another, define the maximum deflection of the cover flap 112 in both directions. The suitability for use of the respiratory flow sensor is thus improved additionally, because the cover flap can pivot only across the region, which is defined by the distance of the stop sections relative to one another.

(21) Provision is made between the stop sections 108 and 110 for a water drainage device 121, which is embodied in a trough-shaped manner to accommodate liquid. At least one such stop section can also be provided in the respiratory flow sensor 11, 51 or 71, wherein the drainage of the accumulating liquid is advantageously ensured for example by means of the arrangement of corresponding recesses or slots in the stop section.

(22) Here, the cover flap 32 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 has a circular and disk-shaped base body comprising a section 38, which is fixed in the installed state, and a movable flap section 39. The flap section 39 is connected to the fixed section 38 via a hinge region 33 and is separated therefrom by means of a first slot 34. The flap section 39 has a free end region 40, which is located opposite the hinge region 33. The hinge region 33 is formed by the first slot 34 and a second slot 36. The second slot 36 is embodied in an H-shaped manner, wherein provision is in each case also made spaced apart in parallel to the flanges 37 of the second slot 36 for a lateral slot 35, into which the first slot 34 leads on both sides. All ends of the second slot 36 and of the lateral slots 35 have radii (see FIG. 9). In the alternative, these ends can also have inclined surfaces

(23) TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 11 respiratory flow sensor 12 flow pipe 13 flow channel 14 flow pipe section 15 free end of 14 16 flow pipe section 17 free end of 16 18 1. flow channel section 19 2. flow channel section 20 flow-through axis 22 connection 23 connection 32 cover flap 33 hinge region 34 1. slot 35 lateral slot 36 2. slot 37 flange of 36 38 fixed section of 32 39 flap section of 32 40 free end region of 39 41 water drainage device 42 drainage groove 43 drainage groove angle between 42 and 43 angle between 43 and 43 51 respiratory flow sensor 53 flow channel 61 water drainage device 62 flow channel section 63 flow channel section 71 respiratory flow sensor 72 flow pipe 75 free end 77 free end 81 water drainage device 82 flow channel section 83 flow channel section 92 cover flap 101 respiratory flow sensor 103 flow channel 104 flow pipe section 106 flow pipe section 108 stop section 110 stop section 112 cover flap 113 free end region of 112 121 water drainage device