Claims
- 1. A device for providing positive end-expiratory pressure to the respiratory passages of a user of underwater breathing equipment, said device comprising a chamber into which air is exhaled by the user and a means for releasing the exhaled air from the chamber when exhalation pressure within the chamber exceeds a threshold pressure; wherein the device provides said positive end-expiratory pressure during exhalation.
- 2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the threshold pressure comprises a counter pressure exerted on the exhalation pressure.
- 3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the means for releasing the exhaled air comprises a valve adapted to open when the exhalation pressure exceeds the counter pressure.
- 4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein the valve includes a pressure member against which the counter pressure acts; and wherein exhaled air is released from the chamber when the exhalation pressure acting against the pressure member exceeds the counter pressure.
- 5. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein the counter pressure comprises ambient water pressure.
- 6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein the counter pressure further comprises mechanical pressure.
- 7. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said mechanical pressure is generated by a spring.
- 8. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein the pressure member moves in response to a difference in pressure between the exhalation pressure in the chamber and the counter pressure.
- 9. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein the valve also includes a sealing member that opens and closes in response to the movement of the pressure member; and wherein exhaled air is released from the chamber when the sealing member is opened.
- 10. A device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said sealing member is dome shaped.
- 11. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said device is adapted to be used with a scuba regulator.
- 12. A device in accordance with claim 11 wherein the means for releasing the exhaled air comprises a valve adapted to open when the exhalation pressure exceeds the threshold pressure.
- 13. A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein the threshold pressure comprises a counter pressure exerted on the exhalation pressure; and wherein the valve includes a pressure member against which the counter pressure acts; and wherein exhaled air is released from the chamber when the exhalation pressure acting against the pressure member exceeds the counter pressure.
- 14. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said device is adapted to be used with snuba equipment; and wherein the means for releasing the exhaled air comprises a valve adapted to open when the exhalation pressure exceeds the threshold pressure.
- 15. A device in accordance with claim 14 wherein the threshold pressure comprises a counter pressure exerted on the exhalation pressure; and wherein the valve includes a pressure member against which the counter pressure acts; and wherein exhaled air is released from the chamber when the exhalation pressure acting against the pressure member exceeds the counter pressure.
- 16. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for releasing the exhaled air comprises a valve adapted to prevent the release of exhaled air from the chamber until the exhalation pressure exceeds the threshold pressure.
- 17. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for releasing the exhaled air comprises a valve adapted to inhibit the release of exhaled air from the chamber until the exhalation pressure exceeds the threshold pressure.
- 18. A device comprising a means for inhaling air, a means for exhaling air, and a means for providing positive end-expiratory pressure to respiratory passages of a user of underwater breathing equipment.
- 19. A device in accordance with claim 18 adapted to use ambient water pressure to regulate release of exhaled air.
- 20. A snorkel comprising (a) an inhalation conduit adapted to receive inhaled air upon inhalation by a user of the snorkel, and (b) an exhalation conduit adapted to receive exhaled air from the user and to direct the exhaled air under additional pressure out of the snorkel, and (c) a pressure system to apply the additional pressure.
- 21. A snorkel in accordance with claim 20 wherein the inhalation conduit has an inhalation valve; wherein the inhalation valve is adapted to open to allow inhalation of air, but at other times is closed to maintain pressure within the snorkel.
- 22. A snorkel in accordance with claim 20 further comprising an exhalation valve which is adapted to be acted upon by a counter pressure to regulate the receipt of exhaled air by the exhalation conduit.
- 23. A snorkel in accordance with claim 22 wherein the exhalation valve is adapted to provide exhaled air into the exhalation conduit when the pressure of the exhaled air exceeds the counter pressure.
- 24. A snorkel in accordance with claim 23 wherein the counter pressure comprises ambient water pressure.
- 25. A snorkel in accordance with claim 20 wherein the pressure system includes a pressure member against which a counter pressure acts to provide the additional pressure.
- 26. A snorkel in accordance with claim 25 further comprising a sealing member; wherein the exhalation conduit has an entrance and an exit; wherein the sealing member is adapted to close the entrance of the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure does not exceed the counter pressure; and wherein the sealing member is adapted to open the entrance of the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure exceeds the counter pressure thereby allowing exhaled air to be released into the exhalation conduit.
- 27. A snorkel in accordance with claim 26 wherein the sealing member is dome shaped.
- 28. A snorkel in accordance with claim 20 wherein the exhalation conduit is within the inhalation conduit.
- 29. A snorkel in accordance with claim 20 wherein the exhalation conduit is external to the inhalation conduit.
- 30. A snorkel comprising (a) an inhalation conduit adapted to receive inhaled air in response to inhalation by a user of the snorkel, (b) a chamber adapted to receive exhaled air from the user and further adapted to release exhaled air from the chamber when exhalation pressure in the chamber exceeds a counter pressure, (c) an exhalation conduit adapted to receive the released exhaled air from the chamber and further adapted to direct the exhaled air out of the snorkel, and (d) a pressure system adapted to apply the counter pressure to the exhalation pressure in the chamber.
- 31. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 further comprising a valve adapted to control the release of exhaled air from the chamber into the exhalation conduit in response to a difference in pressure between the exhalation pressure and the counter pressure; wherein the valve is adapted to allow the exhaled air to enter the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure exceeds the counter pressure; and wherein the valve is adapted to substantially prevent the exhaled air from entering the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure does not exceed the counter pressure.
- 32. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 wherein the pressure system includes a pressure member against which the counter pressure acts to provide the counter pressure to the exhalation pressure in the chamber.
- 33. A snorkel in accordance with claim 32 further comprising a sealing member; wherein the exhalation conduit has an entrance and an exit; wherein the sealing member is adapted to close the entrance of the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure does not exceed the counter pressure; and wherein the sealing member is adapted to open the entrance of the exhalation conduit when the exhalation pressure exceeds the counter pressure thereby allowing exhaled air to be released into the exhalation conduit.
- 34. A snorkel in accordance with claim 33 wherein the pressure member is movable in response to a pressure difference between the exhalation pressure and the counter pressure; and wherein the sealing member is movable in response to movement of the pressure member.
- 35. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 wherein the counter pressure comprises ambient water pressure.
- 36. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 wherein the snorkel further comprises an exit port adapted to allow exhaled air received by the exhalation conduit to exit from the exhalation conduit and the snorkel.
- 37. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 wherein the pressure system comprises an exhalation valve adapted to exert the counter pressure against the exhalation pressure and to regulate entry of exhaled air into the exhalation conduit.
- 38. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 further comprising a purge valve for purging water from the snorkel when exhalation pressure exceeds a purge pressure; wherein normal exhalation pressure is sufficient to exceed the counter pressure, but is insufficient to exceed the purge pressure; and wherein an excessive exhalation pressure is greater than normal exhalation pressure and is sufficient to exceed the purge pressure and to cause the purge of water from the snorkel.
- 39. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 further comprising a purge valve for purging water from the snorkel when exhalation pressure exceeds a purge pressure; wherein the purge pressure is greater than the counter pressure such that the exhalation pressure required to purge water from the snorkel is greater than the exhalation pressure required to exceed the counter pressure for a release of exhaled air from the chamber into the exhalation conduit.
- 40 A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 further comprising an exhalation conduit mount; wherein the mount is connected to the chamber and the exhalation conduit is connected to the mount.
- 41. A snorkel in accordance with claim 40 further comprising a sealing member; wherein the sealing member is adapted to close the exhalation conduit by closing the entrance of the mount when the exhalation pressure does not exceed the counter pressure; and wherein the sealing member is adapted to open the exhalation conduit by opening the entrance of the mount when the exhalation pressure exceeds the counter pressure thereby allowing exhaled air to be released into the exhalation conduit.
- 42. A snorkel in accordance with claim 30 wherein the pressure system includes a pressure member comprised of a rigid support disk and a flexible support membrance, wherein the pressure member is adapted, when acted upon by the counter pressure, to provide the counter pressure to the exhalation pressure in the chamber.
- 43. A snorkel in accordance with claim 42 wherein the rigid support disk has purge channels to allow for purging of water from the snorkel; wherein a purge pressure is required for purging of water through the purge channels; and wherein the purge pressure is greater than the counter pressure.
- 44. A method for using underwater breathing equipment, said method comprising inhaling air, and then exhaling air against a counter pressure to create positive end-expiratory pressure in respiratory passages.
- 45. A method in accordance with claim 44 wherein the counter pressure comprises ambient water pressure.
- 46. A method in accordance with claim 45 wherein the counter pressure comprises mechanical pressure.
- 47. A method in accordance with claim 44 wherein the underwater breathing equipment comprises a snorkel, and wherein the method includes inhaling through an inhalation conduit and exhaling through an exhalation conduit; wherein exhalation through the exhalation conduit requires an exhalation that overcomes the counter pressure.
- 48. A method in accordance with claim 47 wherein the method is practiced by a snorkeler while immersed in water, thereby exposing the inhalation conduit to ambient air pressure and the chest and lungs of the snorkeler to ambient water pressure; and wherein the counter pressure is caused by said ambient water pressure.
- 49. A method in accordance with claim 44 further comprising purging water from the snorkel by an excessive exhalation pressure; wherein normal exhalation is sufficient to overcome the counter pressure but insufficient for the purge; and wherein the excessive exhalation pressure is greater than normal exhalation pressure and is sufficient for the purge.
- 50. A method in accordance with claim 44 wherein the underwater breathing equipment comprises a scuba regulator, and wherein the method includes inhaling air from the scuba regulator; and wherein exhalation requires an exhalation that overcomes the counter pressure.
- 51. A method in accordance with claim 44 wherein the underwater breathing equipment comprises a snuba tube as a source of inhaled air, wherein the method includes inhaling air from the snuba tube; and wherein exhalation requires an exhalation that overcomes the counter pressure.
- 52. A method in accordance with claim 44 wherein the exhaled air is exhaled into a chamber and then released from the chamber when exhalation pressure in the chamber exceeds the counter pressure.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the following provisional patent application: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/385,327, filed Jun. 3, 2002. This provisional patent application and its disclosures and drawings are incorporated by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60385327 |
Jun 2002 |
US |