Float-controlled valve device with redundantly acting floats

Abstract

The present invention relates to a float-controlled valve device (42) including a valve assembly (43) having a conduit (40), a valve seat structure (48) through which the conduit passes, and a valve body structure (50), the valve body structure (50) being displaceable between a closed position in which the conduit (40) is closed and a pass-through position in which the conduit (40) can be flowed through, the valve device (42) further including first and second floating bodies (52, 54) having first and second floating volumes (52a, 54a), the first and second floating bodies (52, 54 ... 2, 54) are pivotally connected to a first or second joint (56, 58) so that each float (52, 54) is movable along a floatation axis (A) between a lowered position and a floated position in normal operation, and each of the first float (52) and second float (54) is connected to the valve body structure (50) such that the valve body structure (50) is in a closed position when at least one of the floats (52, 54) is in the floated position, and is in a passing position when both floats (52, 54) are in the lowered position. According to the present invention, in each lowered position, the floating volume portions (52a, 54a) of both floating bodies (52, 54) are arranged at a distance (a) from each other perpendicular to the floating axis (A), and at least one of the joints (56, 58) is located in the floating body spacing region (67) between both floating volume portions (52a, 54a).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a float-controlled valve arrangement, in particular a valve arrangement for use in a humidification device of a ventilator for providing artificial ventilation to humans or animals. The present invention further relates to a humidification device comprising such a valve arrangement. [Background technology]

[0002] The float-controlled valve device includes a valve assembly having a conduit, a valve seat structure through which the conduit passes, and a valve body structure, the valve body structure being displaceable relative to the valve seat structure between a closed position in which the valve body structure physically contacts the valve seat structure to close the conduit, and a pass position in which the valve body structure is spaced apart from the valve seat structure to allow flow through the conduit. The valve device further includes a first float body having a first buoyant volume and a second float body having a second buoyant volume. The first float body is pivotally connected to the first joint, and the second float body is pivotally connected to the second joint. Thus, during normal operation of the valve device, each float body is movable between a lowered position and a raised position along a buoyant axis parallel to the direction of gravity. In this case, the first floating body and the second floating body are each connected to the valve body structure such that the valve body structure is in a closed position when at least one of the floating bodies is in a floating position, and in a passing position when both floating bodies are in a lowered position.

[0003] Such a float-controlled valve device and a humidifying device comprising such a valve device are known from Patent Document 1. The first float of this known valve device is used as a primary float and is responsible for determining the position of the valve body structure relative to the valve seat structure. The second float is used as a backup float and is responsible for taking over the function of the first float in case of failure of the first float. The filling levels and volumes of the first and second floats when they reach their floating positions and thereby close the conduit, respectively, are significantly different. The floating volume of each float, which, in cooperation with the liquid volume, provides or is responsible for providing the buoyancy force required to displace the associated float into the floating position, is rigidly connected to a web. Each web is connected via a coupling to an insert in the filling volume of a container comprising the known valve device of the humidifying device. Due to the swivelability of the float, the trajectory of its floating volume between the lowered position and the floating position includes not only a movement component along the floating axis but also, to a lesser extent, a movement component perpendicular to the floating axis. Both floats are arranged one above the other along the axis of flotation and may be of different or the same size, or both floats are arranged side by side perpendicular to the axis of flotation and must be of different sizes so that one acts as the primary float and the other as the backup float.

[0004] A further valve arrangement with a main float and a backup float is known from US Pat. No. 5,623,999. Unlike the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 5,623,999, the first and second floats are each translationally movable only along the flotation axis between a lowered position and a flotation position. The translational movability allows both floats to be arranged concentrically with respect to the flotation axis. The outer backup float is guided on the housing of the humidification device to move between its operating positions. The inner main float is guided on the backup float. Thus, tilting of only one float can block movement of the entire float arrangement. The significantly different values ​​of the filling level and filling volume in the humidification device, which result in the movement of the main and backup floats with the valve device to the flotation position, also apply to the valve arrangement known from US Pat. No. 5,623,999.

[0005] The conduit of the valve device is generally a conduit through which liquid flows into the filled volume in which the float is located. In the prior art, when a filling level determined by the structure and arrangement of the primary float is reached, the float moves to a floating position, whereby the valve body structure closes the conduit. If the filling level in the region of the float decreases, for example due to evaporation and the release of water vapor, the float is displaced by gravity from its floating position back towards its lowered position, whereby the valve body structure rises from the valve seat structure and liquid can flow again through the conduit into the region of the float. Thus, as long as the primary float is functioning correctly, the valve device allows the filling amount of liquid in the region of the float to be regulated and limited to a maximum filling amount.

[0006] This limitation of the maximum filling volume is particularly important in humidifiers for artificially ventilated ventilators, which must humidify the respiratory gas of a patient undergoing artificial ventilation so that the respiratory gas does not burden the patient's body even during relatively long periods of ventilation and so that the respiratory gas does not dry out the physical respiratory organs. However, in this case, it is necessary to prevent liquid from being carried along with the respiratory gas and reaching the patient's lungs.

[0007] In this regard, it is not only an excessively high filling level that can be a source of potential danger for undesired liquid transport. Even a correct filling level can cause a liquid transport hazard if the correct amount of liquid accumulates in the wrong place inside the humidifier. This can occur, for example, when the humidifier and, with it, the valve device, tilt. On the one hand, this can cause liquid to approach the discharge opening, facilitating the discharge of liquid from the humidifier. On the other hand, tilting the valve device causes the buoyancy axis to tilt away from the direction of gravity, which is an important trajectory element for the movement of the buoyant bodies between the lowered and buoyant positions. As a result, at least one of the buoyant bodies that was previously in the correct buoyant position can move away from the buoyant position, which can cause further liquid to flow into the filling volume, despite the correct maximum amount of liquid already being present in the humidifier. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 5,445,143 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 2119466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to improve the valve device of the aforementioned design in such a way that the overflow of the liquid passing through the conduit from the filling volume reserved by the valve device can be prevented even when the valve device deviates from a defined target operating position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention solves the problem related to the valve device mentioned at the beginning by providing that, when both floats are viewed in their respective lowered positions as a reference state, the respective buoyant volumes of both floats are arranged at intervals perpendicular to the buoyancy axis, and at least one joint is located in the float spacing area between both buoyant volumes, and / or at least one buoyant volume is located in the joint spacing area between both joints.

[0011] Unless otherwise expressly stated, the operating state of the valve arrangement with both floating bodies in their respective lowered positions shall be the reference state when describing the valve arrangement according to the invention, the lowered position being the position that the floating bodies occupy in the container when there is no liquid in the container.

[0012] The buoyancy axis is a straight axis along which buoyancy acts when the vessel supporting the valve device is, in its ready-for-normal-operation state, supported on a flat, horizontal ground surface, i.e., perpendicular to the direction of gravity. In its ready-for-normal-operation state, the buoyancy axis extends parallel to the direction of gravity. However, if the vessel with the valve device, in its ready-for-normal-operation state, is tilted about a tilt axis perpendicular to the direction of gravity by a tilt angle, the buoyancy axis is tilted with respect to the direction of gravity by the tilt angle.

[0013] The reference state described above is always a state in which the levitation axis is parallel to the direction of gravity, and the robot is ready for normal operation.

[0014] Otherwise, when it is said that the valve body structure is disengaged from the valve seat when the float is in the lowered position, this should not exclude that the valve body structure is also disengaged from the valve seat when the float is in a position between the lowered and the raised position. In fact, in most cases the valve body structure is disengaged from the valve seat when the float is not in the raised position.

[0015] In a general aspect of the invention, both buoyant volumes can be arranged in different adjacent spatial and planar areas of the filling volume of the container receiving the valve device, perpendicular to the buoyancy axis, by forming a spaced apart area in which their extension along the buoyancy axis should not be restricted. As a result of this mutually spaced arrangement, the floating body acting as a kind of sensor for detecting the filling level can detect the filling level of the liquid filling the filling volume in different areas of the filling volume that are spaced apart perpendicular to the buoyancy axis. If at least one of the buoyant volumes can be arranged eccentrically with respect to the filling volume, it can detect a filling level above the bottom of the filling volume when ready for normal operation and can be displaced by accumulation into a buoyant position and close the conduit for the passage of liquid even when the container is tilted.

[0016] The floats of the valve device according to the invention are not arranged hierarchically as primary and secondary floats as in the prior art, but as equal floats, which is advantageous because the floating volumes are spaced apart from one another as described above, since when sufficient liquid has accumulated in the area in which they are arranged, each float will rise to its floating position and close the conduit.

[0017] In this context, "equivalent" means that when ready for normal operation, the volume of liquid when the first float body is displaced to the floating position and the volume of liquid when the second float body is displaced to the floating position do not differ by more than 10%, preferably by more than 7.5%, of the larger of the two volumes of liquid. Obviously, both volumes of liquid are the same volume of liquid.

[0018] To characterize a portion of a buoyant body as being attached to the buoyant body, the portion is referred to in this application by the same ordinal number as the buoyant body of which it forms part, thus a first buoyant volume is, for example, a buoyant volume of a first buoyant body, etc.

[0019] Basically, it may be sufficient if the joints and the floating volumes are arranged alternately and consecutively along a direction that is preferably perpendicular to the flotation axis. This arrangement allows, for example, a floating volume to detect the liquid level in a central region close to the center of the filled volume, and a further floating volume to detect the liquid level in a peripheral region close to the edge of the filled volume. Tilting the valve device around the tilt axis in either of two opposite tilt directions can advantageously lead to the desired closure of the conduit if, in the reference state, both joints are located within the floating body spacing region. This allows the floating volumes of the floating bodies to be arranged at a spacing of the same value. Either both floating volumes are located on different sides of the joint, or the joint is located between the floating volumes.

[0020] In the ready-for-normal-operation state, for the purpose of detecting the fill level and closing the conduit when the boundary fill level is exceeded, the spatial orientation of the buoyant volume perpendicular to the direction of gravity plays at most a secondary role compared to its spatial orientation along the direction of gravity, since in the ready-for-normal-operation state, the liquid level filling the fill volume of the container containing the valve device extends perpendicular to the buoyancy axis, and therefore, displacement of the buoyant volume perpendicular to the buoyancy axis does not alter the buoyancy provided by the buoyant volume.

[0021] The tilt axis of the tilt that must be detected particularly reliably by the floating body extends at an angle, preferably perpendicular, to the flotation axis through the spacing region, which is preferably the floating body spacing region.

[0022] Advantageously, at least one of the floating volumes is pivotably arranged so that the trajectory of its displacement between the lowered position and the floating position, and in the case of uncertainty, the trajectory of its center of gravity, has a movement component extending exclusively parallel to the flotation axis and a secondary movement component perpendicular to only one of the flotation axes, which may be realized in that at least one of the joints located in the floating body spacing region is arranged in a heightwise extension region extending along the flotation axis, and in which at least one, and preferably both, of the flotation volumes extend in the reference state.

[0023] Preferably, the buoyant volumes of both bodies, when filled with liquid in the normal, ready-to-operate state, extend for at least 60% of their volume within a common heightwise extension along the axis of buoyancy, preferably completely within the common heightwise extension, in order to obtain as uniform a buoyancy as possible. For the same reason, preferably, the heightwise dimensions of both buoyant volumes, in the reference state, do not differ by more than 10%, preferably by more than 7.5%, with respect to the larger heightwise dimension; particularly preferably, the heightwise dimensions of both buoyant volumes are identical in the reference state.

[0024] Basically, both virtual pivot axes around which the first and second floating bodies are pivotally connected to their respective joints may be spaced apart from one another along the flotation axis. Advantageously, nearly identical kinematics during displacements along the flotation axis on the one hand and perpendicular to the flotation axis on the other hand between the lowered position and the flotation position at nearly identical rates of movement are obtained in that the first virtual pivot axis around which the first floating body is pivotally connected to the first joint and the second virtual pivot axis around which the second floating body is pivotally connected to the second joint lie in a common virtual extension plane, which preferably intersects at least one of the flotation volumes in the reference state. Both virtual pivot axes are preferably parallel to one another. The virtual pivot axes are particularly preferably arranged adjacent to each other along the levitation axis in comparison with the distance to each levitation volume portion, so that the plane formed by both pivot axes intersects both levitation volume portions in the reference state.

[0025] Both floating bodies advantageously undergo similar or identical movements between their lowered position and their floating position when the imaginary extension plane is oriented perpendicular to the axis of flotation, which in normal operating conditions extends parallel to the direction of gravity, so that in said operating conditions the liquid level of the liquid contained in the filling volume of the vessel supporting the valve device is likewise perpendicular to the axis of flotation.

[0026] In a preferably compact structure, the valve assembly may include a valve housing in which a conduit is formed. The conduit formed in the valve housing may be part of a longer line that can reach the liquid stock. Each joint includes a joint part located on or formed on the floating body and a bearing part located on or formed in a swivel bearing that interacts with the joint part located on or formed on the floating body. The bearing part may be configured in any part of the vessel that supports the valve device. To facilitate placement of the valve assembly on or in the vessel as a pre-assembled assembly, the bearing part of at least one joint, preferably both joints, is preferably formed on the valve housing.

[0027] In principle, the valve housing may consist of several separately manufactured parts. Preferably, the valve housing is constructed as one piece or from two pieces, such as two half or partial shells, for ease of manufacturing and assembly. This is also possible, for example, when the injection-molded valve housing has a relatively complex part shape.

[0028] Since the conduit to be closed by the valve device or to be opened for flow therethrough typically has a very small diameter compared to the fill volume of the vessel receiving the valve device, both floating bodies often have to act on the valve body structure in a spatially very close adjacent region, which can be facilitated by the first floating volume being located closer to the second pivot axis than to the first pivot axis and / or the second floating volume being located closer to the first pivot axis than to the second pivot axis.

[0029] Preferably, at least one of the floating bodies has a floating volume, a floating body joint and a connection part connecting the floating volume with the floating body joint, because preferably the floating volumes of at least one of the floating bodies, and preferably both of the floating bodies, are spaced apart from the pivot axis of the same floating body, so that the floating bodies provide a movement path sufficient for displacement of the valve body structure between the lowered position and the floating position.

[0030] Such a connecting portion may be a web structure. Therefore, the floating volumes may be located within the filling volume, for example in its peripheral region, even at a distance from the joint of the floating body. Therefore, more preferably, both floating bodies are configured as described above. Therefore, as indicated above, both floating bodies may be arranged crosswise so that their floating volumes are advantageously located on different sides of a pivot axis extending between them in the reference state, and preferably also when the floating bodies are in the floating position. Each floating volume is connected to its joint through a connecting portion, and the pivot axis of each other floating volume is located closer to the floating volume than its own pivot axis. Therefore, between the pivot axes, the connecting portions of both floating bodies overlap.

[0031] Essentially, the floating body may be connected to the valve body structure through any structure using gears and / or drifts and / or rods, whereby movement of the floating body to a floating position results in movement of the valve body structure to a closed position.

[0032] A particularly easy yet effective connection between each floating body and the valve body structure, which allows direct transmission of motion from the floating body, in particular its connecting part, to the valve body structure, may be realized in a connection area located between both pivot axes. It is therefore preferably provided that the connection between the first floating body and the valve body structure is located in the connection area between the first and second pivot axes, or / and that the connection between the second floating body and the valve body structure is located in the connection area between the first and second pivot axes. The above-mentioned connection areas, in case of uncertainty, extend parallel to the floating axis and are bounded by two planes parallel to the floating axis, each of the two planes including exactly one pivot axis.

[0033] Although the connection between the floating body and the valve body structure can basically be configured as a connection between the floating volume and the valve body structure, a connection between the connecting part of the floating body and the valve body structure is preferred, since the connecting part can be designed almost freely with respect to its shape.

[0034] Advantageously, for manufacturing reasons, the first and second floating bodies may have the same configuration. In this case, it is sufficient to manufacture only one floating body, the first or second floating body, simply by arranging it in the valve device. Preferably, the first and second floating bodies are arranged rotated about a translation axis parallel to the flotation axis, thereby ensuring that their respective flotation volumes are arranged in the other spatial region of the filling volume of the vessel supporting the valve device. Thus, by rotation about the translation axis, and possibly by additional displacement, one floating body can virtually translate into the other floating body. Alternatively, the floating body can include or consist of a flotation volume and a separate connecting part, which can be fixed to or connectable to the flotation volume. Thus, the floating body can be formed from at least one connecting part and a flotation volume. This has the advantage that the connecting part can always be produced in the same shape and can be rotated 180° around the axis for application to the second hollow body.

[0035] In a first possible embodiment, the valve seat structure can have exactly one valve seat, and the valve body structure can have exactly one valve body, with exactly one valve body being brought into the closed position by each floating body. Such a valve assembly is known, for example, from the aforementioned Patent Document 2. In a second possible embodiment, the valve seat structure can include a first valve seat and a second valve seat spaced apart from the first valve seat, both valve seats being penetrated by a conduit. Thus, in the second embodiment, the valve body structure includes a first valve body and a second valve body movable relative to the first valve body. In this case, the first valve body is coupled to the first floating body so as to move together and is in physical contact with the first valve seat. Similarly, the second valve body is coupled to the second floating body so as to move together and is in physical contact with the second valve seat. A valve assembly configured in this way is known from the aforementioned Patent Document 1. The first embodiment has the advantage of the same closing force for both floating bodies. The second embodiment has the advantage that each floating body may be permanently connected with a valve body arranged on the floating body.

[0036] The present invention also relates to a humidification apparatus for a ventilator, comprising a container having a fill volume, the container having an inlet port through which breathing gas can be introduced into the fill volume, and an outlet port through which breathing gas can be discharged from the fill volume, the humidification apparatus comprising a valve arrangement as described above, wherein the conduit of the valve arrangement is a supply conduit for introducing liquid into the container.

[0037] The filling volume is thus traversed by the respiratory gas, which in turn directs the evaporated or vaporized liquid toward the patient, increasing its humidity. To improve the regulation of humidification of the respiratory gas in the filling volume, at least one wall portion of the container, preferably the bottom, is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the rest of the container. Preferably, the majority of the container wall is made of plastic. The wall portion with the higher thermal conductivity is preferably made of metal. The wall portion with the higher thermal conductivity is in heat-conducting contact with a heat source, preferably a heat source whose output can be controlled, so that the heat source can apply heat to the liquid in the filling volume by means of the wall portion with the higher thermal conductivity, thereby changing the value of the temporal evaporation rate of the liquid.

[0038] The container has a container bottom and a sidewall protruding from the container bottom. For desirable closure of the conduit in the event of undesired tilting of the container, it is advantageous if at least one of the buoyant volumes is located closer to the sidewall than in a central region of the container's filled volume, since when the container tilts, liquid contained in the filled volume will generally accumulate in a peripheral region near the sidewall. Therefore, it is advantageous for at least one, and preferably both, of the floating bodies to have a shorter distance between the buoyant volume of one of the floating bodies and the portion of the sidewall closest to the buoyant volume than between the buoyant volume of the other floating body.

[0039] Preferably, most of the filling volume of the container can be used for the flow of breathing gas through it and for mixing of the flowing breathing gas with the evaporated or vaporized liquid, so that the volume occupied by both floating bodies is preferably no more than 20%, preferably no more than 15% of the filling volume of the container.

[0040] As mentioned above, the functionality of both floats is preferably equivalent, which is evidenced by the fact that in the humidification device, when used normally with the flotation axis oriented parallel to the direction of gravity, the first and second floats are constructed and arranged so that, when demineralized water at a temperature of 20°C is used as the reference liquid for filling the container, the filling volume required for the first float to reach its flotation position and the filling volume required for the second float to reach its flotation position do not differ by more than 10%, preferably not more than 5%, with respect to the larger of the two filling volumes.

[0041] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a ventilator having a humidifier in an embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the humidifier according to FIG. 1; [Figure 3] 3 is a view of the humidifier device according to FIG. 2, partly in section from the side, and partly in section of the valve assembly; [Figure 4] 4A and 4B show how an embodiment of the valve device of the present application may be used in the humidification device according to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, with the float in a floating position; [Figure 5] 5 shows the valve arrangement according to FIG. 4 in a lowered position as a reference state. [Figure 6] 4 shows the humidifier device according to FIGS. 2 and 3, viewed from below with the bottom part of the device removed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] In Figure 1, the ventilator is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The ventilator 10 has a touchscreen 12 as an input / output device, which is connected to a control unit located within the housing of the ventilator 10 in order to communicate data with the control unit. The ventilator 10 has a blower within its housing, by means of which ambient air is drawn in as breathing gas through a rear intake port 14. However, the breathing gas may alternatively be a mixture of various gases connected by means of connections to the ventilator.

[0044] Located in the lower front half of the ventilator 10 is a humidifier 16 which is used to humidify the breathing gas before it is delivered to the patient through a ventilation hose 18.

[0045] The humidification device 16 includes a container 20, which can be filled with a liquid, typically water. The liquid in the container 20 evaporates or vaporizes within the container, and the breathing gas flowing through the container 20 mixes with the evaporated liquid. This causes the breathing gas to leave the container 20 through the ventilation hose 18 with a higher absolute humidity than when it was transported within the container 20. The ventilation hose 18 is shown in FIG. 1 for brevity, with only both longitudinal ends shown. The central portion of the ventilation hose 18 is not shown.

[0046] In FIG. 1, the ventilator 10 and, together with the humidifier 16, are in a normal operating state, in which the flat, ground-contact surface of the ventilator 10 is oriented perpendicular to the direction of gravity g.

[0047] A marking 22 on the front side of the container 20 indicates a maximum fill level, which the liquid should not exceed in the fill volume 24 of the container 20 (see FIG. 3).

[0048] In the filling volume 24 of the container 20, liquid can be introduced from a stock not shown in Fig. 1 through a supply line 26, which is shown in Fig. 1 as, for example, an inactive hose roll. At its longitudinal end remote from the container 20, the supply line 26 has a connection structure 28, for example a perforated coupling 28, by means of which the inner diameter of the supply line 26 can be connected to a stock of liquid. The connection structure 28 makes it possible to add additives, for example drugs, to the liquid flowing in the supply line 26 in a known manner.

[0049] At its longitudinal end closest to the container 20, the supply line 26 is connected to a passage opening 30 in the container wall 32, so that liquid passing through the supply line 26 from the liquid stock, generally under the action of gravity, can reach the filling volume 24 of the container 20.

[0050] A recessed grip 34 on the front of the container 20 allows the container 20 to be removed from and re-inserted into a recess 36 in the ventilator 10 .

[0051] As shown in Fig. 3, a conduit unit 38 is connected to the through opening 30 on the inner surface of the container wall 32, and a conduit 40 is formed in the conduit unit 38. The conduit 40 transports the liquid supplied by the supply line 26 to the valve device 42 and, depending on the operating state of the valve device 42, through the valve device 42. In Fig. 3, the conduit unit 38 is shown cut along a cutting plane parallel to the buoyancy axis A and perpendicular to the pivot axes S1 and S2 mentioned below in order to show the conduit 40. In the central region of the conduit unit 38, a portion is cut away from the central region because the conduit unit 38 is curved around a curved axis parallel to the buoyancy axis A.

[0052] 2 and 3 also show an outlet 44, through which the breathing gas flowing through the filling volume 24 leaves the container 20. FIG. 3 shows an inlet 46, through which the breathing gas enters the filling volume 24.

[0053] The container wall 32 includes a side wall 32a and a generally flat bottom 32b. The side wall 32a is preferably manufactured from a thermoplastic in an injection molding process using a mold. The bottom 32b is made of metal and has a higher thermal conductivity than the side wall 32a. The recess 36 of the ventilator 10 has a heating device on its underside that is in heat-conducting contact with the bottom 32b, preferably the metal bottom 32b, when the humidifier 16 is inserted into the recess 36, thereby transferring heat to the liquid stored in the bottom 32b in a ready-to-operate reference state with as little time delay and loss as possible. In the reference state in which the humidification device 16 is ready for operation, the bottom 32b of the container 20 is oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of gravity g, so that the liquid level of the liquid filling the filling volume 24 is oriented generally parallel to the bottom 32b.

[0054] The valve device 42 includes a valve assembly 43 having a valve seat structure 48 penetrated by the conduit 40 and a valve body structure 50 movable relative to the valve seat structure 48, the valve body structure 50 cooperating with the valve seat structure 48 to selectively close or open the conduit passing therethrough.

[0055] In normal operating conditions, the conduit 40 passes through the valve seat structure 48 parallel to the direction of gravity g, and the valve body structure 50 is therefore preferably movable relative to the valve seat structure 48, also parallel to the direction of gravity g. Essentially, the valve body structure 50 is preferably movable relative to the valve seat structure 48 parallel to the direction in which the conduit 40 passes through the valve seat structure 48.

[0056] The valve device 42 has a first floating body 52 and a second floating body 54 as actuators of a valve body structure 50. Both floating bodies 52 and 54 have the same structure and are arranged in the filled volume 24, differing only in their orientation. Both floating bodies can virtually translate relative to each other by rotating through 180° about a translation axis Ub (see FIG. 6) perpendicular to the bottom 32b.

[0057] The first floating body 52 is articulated around a first pivot axis S1 at a first joint 56. The first floating body 52 has a buoyant volume 52a at a distance from the first pivot axis S1, which is connected to the joint 56 through a connecting portion 52b. The connecting portion 52b is formed as a lattice-like web portion. The buoyant volume 52a occupies the majority of the volume of the first floating body 52 and, in interaction with the liquid received in the fill volume 24, provides the majority of the buoyancy provided by the first floating body 52. ​​When the valve device 42 is ready for normal operation, the buoyant volume 52a moves along a buoyant axis A extending parallel to the direction of gravity g between a floating position (FIG. 4) and a lowered position (FIG. 5), which are operating positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Since the levitation volume 52a is in fact forced to perform a circular orbit around the first pivot axis S1, the orbit of the levitation volume 52a also has a movement component perpendicular to the levitation axis A between its operating positions, which, firstly, does not contribute to the displacement of the valve body structure and, secondly, is negligibly small in value compared to the movement component along the levitation axis A.

[0058] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 3 , the first buoyant volume 52a is located closer to the portion of the sidewall 32a adjacent to the first buoyant volume 52a. The first buoyant volume 52a is located closer to the portion of the sidewall 32a adjacent to the first buoyant volume 52a than a perpendicular bisector that passes through the bottom 32b at its center of gravity, is perpendicular to the bottom 32b, and extends parallel to the buoyant axis A. In FIG. 3 , the perpendicular bisector extends in a plane parallel to the buoyant axis A, and this plane is located in the center of the distance between the first pivot axis S1 and the second pivot axis S2. Furthermore, each of the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a is located closer to the portion of the sidewall 32a adjacent to the first buoyant volume 52a than the other buoyant volume 52a or 54a, respectively.

[0059] The second floating body 54 can pivot about the second pivot axis S2 in the same way as the first floating body 52, which pivots about the first pivot axis S1. Due to the same structure, the second floating body 54 has a buoyant volume 54a, which is connected to the second joint 58 by a connecting part 54b configured as a lattice-like web structure. In this context, "lattice-like" means that the web structure has longitudinal and transverse struts connected to one another, whereby the longitudinal and transverse struts form a triangular or quadrangular lattice structure in order to obtain a statically stable web structure.

[0060] The structure of the valve assembly 43 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 4. The valve seat structure 48 has a first valve seat 48a and a second valve seat 48b formed at a distance from the first valve seat 48a along the levitation axis A. Both valve seats 48a and 48b are formed in the conduit unit 38, which also forms the valve housing 60. The first valve seat 48a has, for example, a negative conical contact surface, and the second valve seat 48b has, for example, a positive conical contact surface. Both valve seats 48a and 48b are penetrated by the conduit 40.

[0061] The valve body structure 50 includes a first valve body 50a, which in the illustrated example is formed in the shape of a pin, and a second valve body 50b, which in the illustrated example is formed in a tubular shape and is movable relative to the first valve body 50a. The first valve body 50a has a positive conical contact surface for interaction with the negative conical contact surface of the first valve seat 48a. The second valve body 50b has a negative conical contact surface for interaction with the positive conical contact surface of the second valve seat 48b. The valve body structure 50 further includes a soft elastic membrane 62 that spans both valve bodies 50a and 50b to increase the compactness of the valve assembly 43 in the closed position shown in FIG. 4. Both valve bodies 50a and 50b are displaceable solely along the levitation axis A.

[0062] The first valve body 50a is articulated with the first floating body 52 and, in the illustrated example, with its connecting part 52b, whereby movement of the first connecting part 52b along the buoyancy axis A results in displacement of the first valve body 50a between the closed position shown in Figure 4 and the passing position shown in Figure 5.

[0063] Likewise, the second valve body 50b is articulated with the second floating body 54 and, in the example shown, with its connecting part 54b, so that a movement of the second connecting part 54b along the buoyancy axis A leads to a displacement of the second valve body 50b between the closed position shown in Figure 4 and the pass-through position shown in Figure 5. In this case, to close the conduit 40 for the through-flow of liquid, it is sufficient for one of the two valve bodies 50a or 50b to be displaced into its closed position.

[0064] The valve device 42 is configured such that the coupling axes 64 and 66 (see FIG. 6) of the first valve body 50a and the first connecting portion 52b or the second valve body 50b and the second connecting portion 54b extend coaxially when the floating bodies 52 and 54 are in at least one of the same final positions, the lowered position and the raised position. The coaxial coupling axes 64 and 66 are disposed equidistantly with respect to the pivot axes S1 and S2.

[0065] Furthermore, the valve device 42 is configured such that the floats 52 and 54 are generally radially disposed relative to a parallel axis of buoyancy (A). In other words, if the coupling axes 64 and 66 define an imaginary reference plane parallel to the axis of buoyancy (A), one float is on one side of the imaginary reference plane and the other float is on the other side of the imaginary reference plane.

[0066] Of the floating volumes 52a and 54a arranged with a distance a (see FIG. 5), the first floating volume 52a is located near the second pivot axis S2, and the second floating volume 54a is located near the first pivot axis S1. The connection positions between both valve bodies 50a and 50b and the floating bodies 52 and 54 are located in the extension regions of both connection portions 52b and 54b located between both pivot axes S1 and S2.

[0067] The joints 56 and 58 are formed between each floating body 52 or 54 and the valve housing 60. In the illustrated example, each floating body 52 or 54 has a stub shaft formed as an injection molded member as a floating body-side joint part (see stub shaft 56a in FIG. 3 and stub shafts 56a and 58a in FIG. 6). Recesses for receiving the stub shafts are formed in the valve housing 60 as bearing-side joint parts.

[0068] 5 shows the valve device 42 in its lowered position, and therefore in the reference state used for its description in the introduction. The buoyant volumes 52a and 54a have small protrusions on their bottom outer surfaces, by which the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a rest on the preferably flat bottom 32b of the container 20. These protrusions serve to allow the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a to be flushed with the liquid in the fill volume 24, even in their lowered position, so that even a minimal amount of liquid creates buoyancy in the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a.

[0069] Between the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a there is a buoyant spacing region 67, in which, in the illustrated embodiment, both joints 56 and 58 are located. The buoyant spacing region 67 extends across the spacing a between the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a, perpendicular to the buoyancy axis A. By spacing the buoyant volumes 52a and 54a apart by the spacing a, each buoyant volume 52a and 54a can be located in the peripheral region of the fill volume 24, i.e., near a portion of the side wall 32a, which advantageously significantly increases the sensitivity of the valve arrangement 42 to tilting of the humidification apparatus 16 about a tilt axis perpendicular to both the buoyancy axis A and the direction of the spacing a.

[0070] When both bodies are in the lowered position, joints 56 and 58 and the pivot axes S1 and S2 determined by them lie within a common height extension 68 of buoyant volumes 52a and 54a, bounded downwards by plane 68a and upwards by plane 68b. Both planes 68a and 68b are contact planes perpendicular to the axis of buoyancy A at the lower or upper surface of buoyant volumes 52a and 54a. The positional relationship of joints 56 and 58 to buoyant volumes 52a and 54a, which are forcibly guided by said joints, results in advantageous kinematics of buoyant volumes 52a and 54a having a much larger component of movement along axis A than perpendicular to axis A. For the same reason, to obtain advantageous kinematics of the levitation volumes 52a and 54a, the pivot axes S1 and S2 are arranged in a common imaginary plane 70, which intersects the levitation volumes 52a and 54a at least when they are in the lowered position. However, as Figure 4 shows, this is also the case when the levitation volumes 52a and 54a are in the levitation position. The imaginary extension plane 70 is oriented perpendicular to the levitation axis A and therefore perpendicular to the projection plane of Figures 4 and 5.

[0071] Since the individual height extension areas of both buoyant volumes 52a and 54a are the same in terms of size and position, just two planes, the upper plane and the lower plane, are sufficient to determine a common height extension area 68 that is the same as the individual height extension areas. If the individual height extension areas of both buoyant volumes 52a and 54a are different in terms of size and / or position, the individual height extension areas of each buoyant volume 52a and 54a should be determined in the same way. The common height extension area 68 is the intersection of the individual height extension areas.

[0072] When the humidifier 16, and thus the valve device 42, is tilted about a tilt axis parallel to the pivot axes S1 and S2 in any tilting direction, the tilting movement displaces liquid toward the descending sidewall, causing it to accumulate in the area where one of the two floating volumes 52a and 54a is located, and displacing that floating volume, and with it the entire floating body, into a floating position. This prevents liquid from flowing into the filling volume of the humidifier 16 when the humidifier 16 is in an undesirable tilted position. This also applies to tilting movements about a tilt axis that is not perfectly parallel to one of the pivot axes, if the extent of the tilt axis along one of the pivot axes is greater than the extent of the tilt axis perpendicular to one of the pivot axes.

[0073] Contrary to the depiction in the example, the pivot axes S1 and S2 do not have to be parallel to each other, but still preferably lie in a common plane. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Respirator 12 Touchscreen 14 Air intake 16 Humidifier 18 Ventilation hose 20 containers 22 marks 24 Filling volume 26 Supply Line 28 Connection structure 30 Passage opening 32 Container wall 32a side wall 32b bottom 34 Recessed Grip 36 Recess 38 Conduit Unit 40 Conduit 42 Valve device 43 Valve Assembly 44 Exhaust port 46 Air intake 48 Valve seat structure 48a First valve seat 48b Second valve seat 50 Valve body structure 50a First valve body 50b Second valve body 52 First Floating Body 52a First levitation volume 52b First connecting part 54 Second Floating Body 54a Second levitation volume 54b Second connecting part 56 First joint 56a Floating body side joint 58 Second Joint 58a Floating body side joint 60 Valve housing 62 Soft elastic membrane 64, 66 Coupling shaft 67 Floating body spacing area 68 Common height extension area 68a, 68b plane 70 Virtual extended plane a interval A. Floating axis g Direction of gravity S1 First pivot axis S2 Second pivot axis Ub transition axis

Claims

1. A float-controlled valve device (42) including a valve assembly (43) having a conduit (40), a valve seat structure (48) through which the conduit passes, and a valve body structure (50), the valve body structure (50) being displaceable relative to the valve seat structure (48) between a closed position in which the conduit (40) is closed by the valve body structure (50) physically contacting the valve seat structure (48) and a through position in which the valve body structure (50) is spaced apart from the valve seat structure (48) to allow flow through the conduit (40), the valve device (42) further including a first float body (52) having a first buoyant volume (52a) and a second buoyant volume (54a). and a second floating body (54) pivotally connected to a first joint (56) and a second floating body (54) pivotally connected to a second joint (58) so that each of the floating bodies (52, 54) is movable between a lowered position and a floating position along a floating axis (A) parallel to a direction of gravity (g) in normal operation, and each of the first floating body (52) and the second floating body (54) is connected to the valve body structure (50) such that the valve body structure (50) is in a closed position when at least one of the floating bodies (52, 54) is in the floating position and in a passing position when both of the floating bodies (52, 54) are in the lowered position. In a reference state, when both the floating bodies (52, 54) are viewed in their respective lowered positions, the floating volumes (52a, 54a) of both the floating bodies (52, 54) are arranged at an interval (a) perpendicular to the buoyancy axis (A), and at least one of the joints (56, 58) is located in a float space area (67) between both the floating volumes (52a, 54a), and / or at least one of the floating volumes (52a, 54a) is located in a joint space area between both the joints (56, 58); the valve seat structure (48) includes a first valve seat (48a) and a second valve seat (48b) spaced apart from the first valve seat, both of the valve seats (48a, 48b) being penetrated by the conduit (40); the valve body structure (50) includes a first valve body (50a) and a second valve body (50b) movable relative to the first valve body, the first valve body (50a) coupled to the first floating body (52) for movement therewith and capable of physical contact with the first valve seat (48a), and the second valve body (50b) coupled to the second floating body (54) for movement therewith and capable of physical contact with the second valve seat (48b); The first valve body (50a) is formed in the shape of a pin, and the second valve body (50b) is formed in the shape of a tube that is movable relative to the first valve body (50a). Valve device (42).

2. 2. The valve device (42) according to claim 1, wherein in the reference state, both of the joints (56, 58) are located in the floating body spacing region (67).

3. 3. The valve device (42) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the joints (56, 58) located in the floating body spacing region (67) is arranged in a heightwise extension region (68) extending along the floating axis (A), and in the heightwise extension region (68) both of the floating volume portions (52a, 54a) also extend in the reference state.

4. 4. The valve device (42) according to claim 1, wherein a first imaginary pivot axis (S1), around which the first floating body (52) is pivotally connected to the first joint (56), and a second imaginary pivot axis (S2), around which the second floating body (54) is pivotally connected to the second joint (58), lie in a common imaginary extension plane (70).

5. 5. The valve device (42) according to claim 4, wherein the imaginary extension plane (70) intersects the buoyant volume portions (52a, 54a) of the first floating body (52) and the second floating body (54) in the reference state.

6. 6. A valve device (42) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said imaginary plane of extension (70) is oriented perpendicular to said levitation axis (A).

7. 7. The valve device (42) according to claim 1, wherein the valve assembly (43) includes a valve housing (60) in which the conduit (40) is formed, and each of the joints (56, 58) includes a floating body-side joint portion (56 a, 58 a) and a bearing-side joint portion that interacts with the floating body-side joint portion (56 a, 58 a), and the bearing-side joint portion of at least one of the joints (56, 58) is formed on the valve housing (60).

8. 8. The valve device (42) according to claim 7, characterized in that the bearing-side joint portions of both of the joints (56, 58) are formed on the valve housing (60).

9. 9. The valve device (42) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the valve housing (60) is constructed in one piece or in two pieces.

10. 10. A valve device (42) according to claim 4 or any one of claims 5 to 9 when claim 4 is taken into account, characterized in that the first buoyant volume (52a) is located closer to the second pivot axis (S2) than to the first pivot axis (S1) and / or the second buoyant volume (54a) is located closer to the first pivot axis (S1) than to the second pivot axis (S2).

11. 11. The valve device (42) according to claim 10, characterized in that the connection between the first floating body (52) and the valve body structure (50) is located in the area between the first pivot axis (S1) and the second pivot axis (S2) and / or the connection between the second floating body (54) and the valve body structure (50) is located in the area between the first pivot axis (S1) and the second pivot axis (S2).

12. The valve device (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first floating body (52) and the second floating body (54) have the same structure.

13. 13. The valve device (42) according to claim 12, characterized in that the first floating body (52) and the second floating body (54) are arranged in rotation relative to each other about a transition axis (Ub) parallel to the buoyancy axis (A).

14. A humidification apparatus (16) for a ventilator (10) including a container (20) having a charging volume (24), the container (20) having an inlet (46) through which breathing gas can be introduced into the charging volume (24) and an outlet (44) through which breathing gas can be exhausted from the charging volume (24), the humidification apparatus (16) having a float-controlled valve arrangement (42); The valve device (42) comprises a valve assembly (43); The valve assembly (43) a conduit (40); a valve seat structure (48) through which the conduit passes; a valve body structure (50); The valve body structure (50) is displaceable relative to the valve seat structure (48) between a closed position in which the conduit (40) is closed by the valve body structure (50) physically contacting the valve seat structure (48) and a pass-through position in which the valve body structure (50) is spaced apart from the valve seat structure (48) to allow flow through the conduit (40), and the valve device (42) further includes a first floating body (52) having a first floating volume (52a) and a second floating body (54) having a second floating volume (54a), the first floating body (52) pivotally attached to a first coupling (56). a valve device in which the first and second floating bodies (52, 54) are pivotally connected to a second joint (58) so that each of the floating bodies (52, 54) is movable between a lowered position and a floating position along a floating axis (A) parallel to a direction of gravity (g) in normal operation, and the first and second floating bodies (52, 54) are each connected to the valve body structure (50) such that the valve body structure (50) is in a closed position when at least one of the floating bodies (52, 54) is in the floating position, and in a passing position when both of the floating bodies (52, 54) are in the lowered position, In a reference state, when both the floating bodies (52, 54) are viewed in their respective lowered positions, the floating volumes (52a, 54a) of both the floating bodies (52, 54) are arranged at an interval (a) perpendicular to the buoyancy axis (A), and at least one of the joints (56, 58) is located in a float space area (67) between both the floating volumes (52a, 54a), and / or at least one of the floating volumes (52a, 54a) is located in a joint space area between both the joints (56, 58); The conduit (40) of the valve device (42) is a supply conduit for introducing liquid into the container (20). Humidifier (16).

15. 15. The humidification device (16) of claim 14, wherein the container (20) has a container bottom (32b) and a side wall (32a) protruding from the container bottom (32b), and wherein, for at least one of the floating bodies (52, 54), the distance between the floating volume (52a, 54a) of the floating body and the portion of the side wall (32a) closest to the floating volume is shorter than the distance (a) between the floating volume (52a, 54a) of the other floating body (52, 54), respectively.

16. 16. The humidification device (16) of claim 15, wherein for both floating bodies (52, 54), the distance between the floating volume (52a, 54a) of one floating body and the portion of the side wall (32a) closest to the floating volume is shorter than the distance (a) between the floating volume (52a, 54a) of the respective other floating body (52, 54).

17. 17. The humidification device (16) according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the volume occupied by both floating bodies (52, 54) is less than or equal to 20% of the filling volume (24) of the container (20).

18. 18. The humidification device (16) according to claim 17, characterized in that the volume occupied by both floating bodies (52, 54) is less than or equal to 15% of the filling volume (24) of the container (20).

19. 19. The humidification device (16) according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that, in normal use with the flotation axis (A) oriented parallel to the direction of gravity (g), the first float (52) and the second float (54) are constructed and arranged such that, when demineralized water at a temperature of 20°C is used as the reference liquid for filling the container (20), the filling volume required for the first float (52) to reach its flotation position and the filling volume required for the second float (54) to reach its flotation position do not differ by more than 10% with respect to the larger of the two filling volumes.

20. 20. The humidification device (16) according to claim 19, characterized in that, in normal use with the flotation axis (A) oriented parallel to the direction of gravity (g), the first float (52) and the second float (54) are constructed and arranged such that, when demineralized water at a temperature of 20°C is used as the reference liquid for filling the container (20), the filling volume required for the first float (52) to reach its flotation position and the filling volume required for the second float (54) to reach its flotation position do not differ by more than 5% with respect to the larger of the two filling volumes.

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