PREFLUSHING UNIT FOR CARRYING OUT A PREFLUSHING OPERATION IN A BREATHING GAS CIRCUIT OF A CLOSED-CIRCUIT RESPIRATOR

Abstract

A preflushing unit (10) preflushes a breathing gas circuit (210) of a closed-circuit respirator (200). A basic body (20) has an inlet port (22), feeding breathing gas from a breathing gas supply (220), an outlet port (24) discharging breathing gas into the breathing circuit, and a flow section (32) fluid connecting a valve chamber (30). A valve body (40) with a sealing surface (42) is arranged in the valve chamber (30). An elastomer body (50) with a counter-sealing surface (52) in the valve chamber, fluid tight separates the flow section from a control section (34). The counter-sealing surface acts with a sealing force against the valve body for sealing the flow section. A control port (26) of the basic body provides a controlled feed of breathing gas from the breathing gas supply into the control section for pressure equalization between the flow section and the control section.

Claims

1. A preflushing unit for carrying out a preflushing operation in a breathing gas circuit of a closed-circuit respirator, the preflusing unit comprising: a basic body with an inlet port for a feed of breathing gas from a breathing gas supply and with an outlet port for a discharge of breathing gas into the breathing gas circuit, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are fluid connected to a valve chamber in the basic body via a flow section; a valve body with a sealing surface arranged in the valve chamber; and an elastomer body with a counter-sealing surface in the valve chamber, wherein the counter-sealing surface further fluid tight separates the flow section from a control section and is formed of an elastic material, which acts on the counter-sealing surface with a sealing force against the sealing surface of the valve body for sealing the flow section, wherein the basic body further has a control port for a controlled feed of breathing gas from the breathing gas supply into the control section for pressure equalization between the valve chamber and the control section.

2. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port have an identical or essentially identical flow cross section.

3. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elastomer body has a rotationally symmetrical counter-scaling surface configuration.

4. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the valve body has a rotationally symmetrical scaling surface configuration.

5. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the valve body is arranged centrally or essentially centrally in the flow section.

6. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sealing surface is arranged at a widening scaling section of the valve body.

7. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the basic body has an auxiliary port in fluid-communicating connection with the control section for a fluid-communicating connection to an auxiliary control volume.

8. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a dispensing unit arranged in the control port with a dispensing opening for passage of breathing gas from the breathing gas supply into the control section.

9. A preflushing unit in accordance with claim 1, further comprising fastening devices arranged at the inlet port, at the outlet port and/or at the control port for a fluid-tight fastening of breathing gas tubes.

10. A gas-carrying device for a closed-circuit respirator, the gas-carrying device comprising: a mounting poll for a breathing gas supply a refill port in a breathing gas circuit of the closed-circuit respirator, wherein the mounting port is fluid connected to the inlet port manner via a preflushing outlet and to a control port of a preflushing unit via a control outlet, an outlet port of the preflushing unit being further fluid connected to the refill port, the preflushing unit comprising: a basic body with the inlet port for a feed of breathing gas from a breathing gas supply and with an outlet port for a discharge of breathing gas into the breathing gas circuit, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are fluid connected to a valve chamber in the basic body via a flow section; a valve body with a scaling surface arranged in the valve chamber; and an elastomer body with a counter-scaling surface in the valve chamber, wherein the counter-sealing surface further fluid tight separates the flow section from a control section and is formed of an elastic material, which acts on the counter-sealing surface with a scaling force against the sealing surface of the valve body for sealing the flow section, wherein the basic body further has the control port for a controlled feed of breathing gas from the breathing gas supply into the control section for pressure equalization between the valve chamber and the control section.

11. A gas-carrying device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the mounting port has a pressure reducer for the reduction of the high pressure in the breathing gas supply to a medium pressure.

12. A process for a preflushing operation in a gas-carrying device comprising: a mounting port for a breathing gas supply a refill port in a breathing gas circuit of a closed-circuit respirator, wherein the mounting port is fluid connected to an inlet port via a preflushing outlet and to z control port of a preflushing unit via a control outlet, an outlet port of the preflushing unit being further fluid connected to the refill port, the preflushing unit comprising: a basic body with the inlet port for a feed of breathing gas from a breathing gas supply and with an outlet port for a discharge of breathing gas into the breathing gas circuit, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are fluid connected to a valve chamber in the basic body via a flow section; a valve body with a sealing surface arranged in the valve chamber; and an elastomer body with a counter-scaling surface in the valve chamber, wherein the counter-sealing surface further fluid tight separates the flow section from a control section and is formed of an elastic material, which acts on the counter-sealing surface with a scaling force against the scaling surface of the valve body for scaling the flow section, wherein the basic body farther has the control port for a controlled feed of breathing gas from the breathing gas supply into the control section for pressure equalization between the valve chamber and the control section, the process comprising the steps of: connecting the breathing gas supply to the mounting port; providing an outflow of breathing gas via the preflushing outlet through the inlet port of the preflushing unit, through the flow section into the breathing gas circuit via the outlet port; and providing an inflow of breathing gas via the control outlet and via the control port of the preflushing unit into the control section until pressure equalization is obtained with the flow section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective cross sectional view showing a first embodiment of a preflushing unit according to the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the embodiment from FIG. 1; and

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a gas-carrying device according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically show how a preflushing unit 10 can be configured. Based on these two views, it is again briefly explained how the preflushing operation takes place. As soon as the pressure, which is reduced, for example, to a medium pressure via a pressure reducer for the breathing gas, is applied, the breathing gas can flow into the inlet port 22 in the basic body 20 via the fastening device 70. As soon as this medium pressure and thus the breathing gas have reached the valve chamber 30, the elastic prestressing force of the elastomer body 50 is cancelled out due to the high internal pressure, so that the counter-sealing surface 52 is removed from the sealing surface 42 of the valve body and the flow section 32 is released. The breathing gas thus propagates further and flows further into the breathing gas circuit 210 via the outlet port 24 and the corresponding fastening device 70, as it is shown, for example, in FIG. 3.

[0035] The breathing gas and thus also the medium pressure are simultaneously in contact with the control port 26 of the basic body 20 also via the fastening device 70. As a result, a flow of the breathing gas will now flow into the control section 34 through the dispensing unit 60 and through a central and small dispensing opening 62 there. As soon as the medium pressure now continues to further propagate into the control section 34 and the corresponding internal pressure there rises, the elastomer body 50 is moved back into its position, as it is shown in FIG. 1. As soon as a pressure equalization has taken place between the control section 34 and the flow section 32, the elastomer body 50 again assumes the sealing position, as it is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As soon as this sealing has ended, the flow passage through the valve chamber 30 and there through the flow section 32 is blocked again, so that the preflushing operation is recognized as ended.

[0036] FIG. 3 schematically shows how such a preflushing unit 10 can be integrated into a closed-circuit respirator 200. A gas-carrying device 100, which can be connected to a high-pressure component in the form of a breathing gas supply 220 by means of a mounting port 110, is provided here. Between them, a pressure reducer is preferably connected. The lowered pressure of the breathing gas can now propagate into the breathing gas circuit 210 in the regular state via the refill port 120, for example, in a need-based control via a refill valve 122. The preflushing unit 10 is now intended, for example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 to be able to predefine the desired preflushing function at the beginning Starting from the mounting port 110, the breathing gas may now be applied to the inlet port 22 of the preflushing unit 10 via the preflushing outlet 112. The breathing gas and thus the medium pressure are also applied parallel in time and simultaneously to the control port 26 via the control outlet 114 of the gas-carrying device 100. The functionality within the preflushing unit 10 is in this case identical to the preflushing unit 10 described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0037] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively within the scope of examples. Individual features of the embodiments, if they are technically meaningful, may, of course, be freely combined with one another, without going beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0038] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.