BACKGROUND

This specification relates to fluid flow systems and in particular CPAP devices.

A somewhat common medical disorder, sleep apnea, involves a reduction or pause in breathing (airflow) during sleep. Sleep apnea is common among adults but rare among children. Treatments for sleep apnea can include surgical procedures or nonsurgical treatments that can involve behavioral changes dental appliances and mouthpieces. One nonsurgical treatment involves CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) devices.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a non-surgical treatment that uses a machine to supply air pressure to hold a user's airway open so that it does not collapse during sleep. A machine delivers air through a nasal or face-mask under pressure. The machine blows heated, humidified air through a tube to a mask that is worn snugly to prevent the leakage of air. Masks come in several forms including nasal pillows, nasal masks, and full-face masks. Various CPAP machines are in use. Typically, the CPAP machine is a little larger than a toaster, it is generally portable so that it can be taken on trips. However, existing CPAP treatments are not easy to use, as it is not easy to sleep with a mask that blows air into the nose also such CPAP machines/masks are generally required to be cleaned periodically so as to avoid build-up of bacterial, viruses, etc.

One example of a miniature CPAP device that is based on a micro pump (or micro blower) is disclosed in US-2015-0267695-A1 and another is disclosed in US-2016-0131126-A1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY

Disclosed here in a bi-directional valve. By bi-directional is meant that airflow into and out of the valve occurs on a bidirectional port side with relative ease such that outflow of air does not encounter significant resistance from a continuous inflow of air in the bi-directional valve.

While such a valve would be useful in many applications, it is especially useful in a miniature CPAP device as disclosed in US-2015-0267695-A1 and US-2016-0131126-A1. Such CPAP devices are configured to be very small, in comparison to the more conventional CPAP devices. Such a valve could also be useful with the more conventional CPAP devices and especially in masks used with these more conventional CPAP devices.

According to an aspect, a valve includes a valve body having a center chamber, a plurality of side chambers, and an elongated compartment and a plurality of bidirectional ports coupled to the center chamber via a set of passages to provide fluid ingress into the bi-directional valve in a first mode of operation or fluid egress from the bi-directional valve in a second mode of operation, and a plurality of unidirectional ports coupled to the plurality of bidirectional ports to provide providing fluid egress from the valve in the second mode of operation, and a single unidirectional port to provide fluid ingress into the bi-directional valve in the first mode of operation, a mechanism including a center paddle and a plurality of side paddles, and a shaft supporting the center paddle and the plurality of side paddles along the length of the shaft, the shaft disposed in the elongated compartment of the valve body and allowed to pivot to cause the center paddle and the plurality of side paddles to open and close the input and output ports according the first and second modes.

According to an additional aspect, an airway pressure breathing device includes an airway pressure breathing device body having at least one air passage to receive air and at least one passage to expel air, and a bi-directional exhalation valve. The bi-directional valve is coupled to the at least one air passage to receive air and the at least one air passage to expel air, and includes a valve body having a center chamber, a plurality of side chambers, and an elongated compartment and a plurality of bidirectional ports coupled to the center chamber via a set of passages to provide fluid ingress into the bi-directional valve in a first mode of operation or fluid egress from the bi-directional valve in a second mode of operation, and a plurality of unidirectional ports coupled to the plurality of bidirectional ports to provide providing fluid egress from the valve in the second mode of operation, and a single unidirectional port to provide fluid ingress into the bi-directional valve in the first mode of operation, and a mechanism including a center paddle and a plurality of side paddles, and a shaft supporting the center paddle and the plurality of side paddles along the length of the shaft, the shaft disposed in the elongated compartment of the valve body and allowed to pivot to cause the center paddle and the plurality of side paddles to open and close the input and output ports according the first and second modes.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

