CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of German Application 10 2018 001 281.7, filed Feb. 19, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention pertains to a high-pressure connector as a high-pressure connection element (high pressure connector) for a fluid-communicating connection of a breathing gas source (a high pressure gas source) of a respirator to a pressure reducer, to a pressure-reducing device with such a pressure reducer as well as with a corresponding high-pressure connector and to a process for changing a filter device in such a pressure-reducing device.

BACKGROUND

The high-pressure connection element described in the present invention may be termed a fitting connector, a high-pressure fitting connector. The term high pressure as used herein relates e.g., to pressure ranges normally used with O2high pressure bottles that contain compressed oxygen with a pressure of 200-300 bar. The term high-pressure connector will therefore also be used in the context of the present invention.

It is known that respirators are used to make it possible to ensure the ability to survive or the operation of persons in hazardous areas. Such respirators may be configured as compressed-air respirators or closed-circuit systems. Such closed-circuit systems circulate a breathing gas and are also called closed-circuit respirators. The respirators are equipped with a breathing gas source in both cases. The content of the breathing gas can be adapted to the particular intended purpose. The breathing gas source is usually a compressed air cylinder or a high-pressure breathing gas cylinder, in which the breathing gas is accommodated with a high pressure in a compact form in a corresponding pressure-proof cylinder. To make it possible to guarantee the use of the breathing gas in the respirator, a pressure reducer, via which the high pressure is reduced to a medium pressure and then to a normal ambient pressure for the use of the breathing gas by the user, must be connected to the breathing gas source.

The drawback of the prior-art solutions is that cleaning of the high-pressure connector is necessary and it is relatively complicated. This is due especially to the fact that the breathing gas sources are usually separated from the pressure reducer when stowing and are filled again separately with new breathing gas. There is a risk in this connection that solid particles may enter the port of the breathing gas source in the form of dust, grease or other contaminants. If the breathing gas source is subsequently connected again to the pressure reducer, there is, furthermore, a risk that these penetrated contamination particles reach the pressure reducer or the circuit of the respirator. To avoid this, prior-art high-pressure connectors use suitable filter devices, which prevent the entry of such solid particles or contaminants. It is, however, necessary to change these filter devices at intervals of about one to two years or depending on the intensity of use.

The drawback of the prior-art solutions is that the changing of the filter device must be carried out in a very complicated manner. Thus, the entire high-pressure connector must be detached from the breathing gas source, on the one hand, and from the pressure reducer, on the other hand, in order for the filter device to be subsequently able to be removed from an inner high-pressure duct of the high-pressure connector. This leads to a great effort needed for removal and mounting, on the one hand. Moreover, there is a risk that damage may possibly also develop in the connection between these components in the course of the repeated mounting of the high-pressure connector on the pressure reducer, so that wear is markedly increased here. Last but not least, the desired sealing functionality is often made available between the high-pressure connector and the pressure reducer by means of a plastic deformation. Due to the multiple detachments and reattachments, such a plastic sealing functionality can be reversibly restored only conditionally. Thus, the high-pressure connector will likewise have a high wear after a small number of filter changes and must then accordingly be replaced completely.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to at least partially eliminate the above-described drawbacks. The object of the present invention is, in particular, to make it possible to change the filter device in the high-pressure connector in a cost-effective and simple manner.

A high-pressure connector is provided according to the present invention as a connection device for the fluid-communicating connection of a breathing gas source of a respirator to a pressure reducer. The high-pressure connector has for this purpose a connector upper part with a connector upper part duct with an inlet opening for the inflow of breathing gas from the breathing gas source. Moreover, the high-pressure connector is equipped with a connector lower part with a connector lower part duct with an outlet opening for the outflow of breathing gas into the pressure reducer. The connector upper part has here a fastening interface, which is reversibly fastened to a counter-fastening interface of the connector lower part. The connector upper part duct and the connector lower part duct are thus in a fluid-communicating connection. A filter device is arranged in the connector upper part duct in at least some sections for filtering solid particles out of the breathing gas.

A high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention is based on the prior-art solutions of such high-pressure connectors. The basic idea is that a filter device shall be arranged in the high-pressure connector in this case as well, which is used to filter solid particles out of the breathing gas. However, facilitated removal or replacement and removal of the filter device was now made possible by a multipart configuration on the basis of the prior-art solutions, which disclose a one-part high-pressure connector. The high-pressure connector is divided for this purpose into at least two basic components. These are the connector upper part and the connector lower part. The combination, i.e., when the connector lower part with the counter-fastening interface is reversibly fastened to the fastening interface of the connector upper part, implies again a uniform component of the high-pressure connector, which is composed of the two partial components of the connector upper part and the connector lower part. Concerning the use of the high-pressure connector, i.e., in terms of the operation, especially when this is already mounted on the pressure reducer and a breathing gas source shall now be connected, the high-pressure connector according to the present invention does not differ from the prior-art solutions in any way. Concerning the interfaces, in particular, the interfaces are adapted to the prior-art solutions, so that a high-pressure connector according to the present invention can be used or retrofitted even in case of existing breathing gas sources, in case of existing pressure reducers as well as in case of existing respirators.

The main advantage of a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention can be recognized when the replacement of the filter device is considered. While the entire high-pressure connector had to be removed from the pressure reducer in the case of the prior-art solutions, the connector lower part remains on the pressure reducer even during the changing of the filter device. It rather suffices to in this case remove the connector upper part from the connector lower part by detaching the fastening interface from the counter-fastening interface. Due to the fact that the filter device is arranged, in at least some sections, in the connector upper part duct, this filter device is removed together with the connector upper part from the connector lower part. The separate handling of the part of the high-pressure connector in which the filter device is arranged makes it possible to pull the filter device out of the connector upper part duct in a simple, cost-effective and reliable manner and rapidly. It should also be noted that the filter device may, of course, also protrude at least partially into the connector lower part duct in the mounted, i.e., fastened position of the connector upper part. However, the filter device is preferably fastened to a duct wall or to another component of the connector upper part, so that the filter device is removed together with the basic body of the connector upper part from the fastened position during the removal of the connector upper part from the connector lower part.

In addition to the facilitated access to the interior of the connector upper part and hence to the filter device, additional advantages are achieved due to the two-part configuration of the high-pressure connector in the manner according to the present invention. In particular, a reversible connectability can be eliminated in case of contacting between the pressure reducer and the connector lower part. A plastic sealing section, as it will be explained later, can thus be used in a simple and cost-effective manner, because this sealing section does not have to be removed from the pressure reducer any more when changing the filter device.

The individual fastenings, especially the fastening interface and the counter-fastening interface, preferably have a gas-tight configuration or correspond to sealants arranged there in order to make it possible to prevent the escape of the breathing gas on the way from the breathing gas source to the pressure reducer.

It may be advantageous if the filter device is arranged completely or essentially completely in the connector upper part duct, especially replaceably, in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention. The arrangement is preferably present in a fastened form or, as will be explained later, even in a secured form in order to make it possible to always move the filter device and to remove it from the connector lower part together with the connector upper part. The arrangement completely or essentially completely within the connector upper part duct guarantees an additional amount of protection for the filter device especially during the mounting on the connector lower part. The replaceability may be possible directly or else only after detachment of a securing device or of another geometric or frictionally engaged interlock.

It may be advantageous in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the above paragraph if the filter device is secured with a securing device, especially by means of a screw-in securing device, in the connector upper part duct. This also makes it possible to prevent the filter device from falling out when removing the connector upper part. Especially before the reassembly with a new filter device, the latter can be arranged in a secured manner in the connector upper part duct, so that freer and more secure handling of the connector upper part is made possible. An undesired tilting, slipping out or jamming of the filter device during the mounting or during the fastening on the connector lower part is effectively prevented from occurring in this manner. Such a screw-in securing device may have a corresponding handling interface in order to make it possible, for example, to insert a screwdriver as a tool for easier handling.

It is likewise advantageous if the connector lower part in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention has a connection interface, especially around the outlet opening, for a fastening connection to the pressure reducer. Such a connection interface may also provide, in particular, a possibility of sealing for a fluid-communicating sealing with the pressure reducer. Such a connection interface is made available especially for inserting the outlet opening or a corresponding connector projection into the pressure reducer. A possibility of fastening with, for example, a thread of the connection interface is also an option in the sense of the present embodiment.

It is likewise advantageous if the connection interface in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention has a plastic sealing section for a plastic deformation during fastening at a counter-fastening interface of the pressure reducer. Consequently, if the connection interface is, for example, now screwed into the counter-fastening interface, a sealing section can be plastically deformed. A highly effective sealing bond is thus established by the plastic deformation between the two components of the connector lower part and the pressure reducer. Due to the fact that only the connector upper part is separated from the connector lower part for the replacement of the filter device and the connector lower part thus remains in the sealed position at the pressure reducer, this plastic sealing with this sealing section can be formed irreversibly, and it is not necessary here any longer to take into consideration the possibility of removal and reattachment.

Further, it is advantageous if the connector upper part and/or the connector lower part have a contact section in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention for contacting a counter-contact section of a handwheel for the fastening to the breathing gas source. This makes it possible to separate the fastening from the fluid-communicating connection for the high-pressure connector. A handwheel can be pushed over the high-pressure connector and especially over the connector upper part and subsequently screwed, for example, with a screw connection on the breathing gas source. The connector upper part and the connector lower part are thus brought into the fluid-communicating contacting position with the breathing gas source by means of the motion of the handwheel and via the contact section in correlation with the counter-contact section. In a reverse manner, the fluid-communicating connection to the breathing gas source can also be severed by means of the handwheel. In particular, the contact section is rotationally symmetrical, i.e., it is configured, for example, as a circular contact stop.

It may be advantageous if the contact section has a force introduction area on the connector lower part in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the above paragraph for passing on a fastening force from the handwheel to an intermediate sealing section between the connector upper part and the connector lower part. This force introduction area makes it possible to guarantee the force path between the handwheel via the counter-contact section and the contact section into the high-pressure connector and there into the connector lower part to the pressure reducer. Due to this embodiment, this force path can be led past the intermediate sealing section, so that sealants arranged there will remain uncompromised by this force path. Moreover, the connector lower part remains with this contact section at the pressure reducer when the connector upper part is being removed, so that it is also guaranteed that the handwheel is secured against loss due to this geometric correlation.

Another advantage can be achieved if the connector upper part and/or the connector lower part in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention have at least one handling section for carrying out mounting steps and/or removal steps. This means that it is possible to work with hands or tools on these handling sections for the mounting after the filter change or for the removal prior to the filter change. The handling sections can be used, in particular, for inserting a tool for introducing a sealing mounting force, for example, a sealing mounting torque, in a defined manner.

Moreover, it may be advantageous if the connector upper part and the connector lower part form together an intermediate sealing section for sealing the fluid-communicating connection between the connector upper part duct and the connector lower part duct in a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention. Such an intermediate sealing section may comprise individual sealing surfaces, which correlate with one another or have additional sealants. In particular, this intermediate sealing section is provided for the reversible separation and formation of a seal between the connector upper part and the connector lower part.

Another subject of the present invention is a pressure-reducing device for the fluid-communicating connection to a breathing gas source of a respirator. Such a pressure-reducing device has a pressure reducer with a high-pressure inlet, which is connected to the outlet opening of a high-pressure connector as a connection device according to the present invention in a fluid-communicating manner. A pressure-reducing device thus implies the same advantages that were explained in detail with reference to a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention.

A process for changing a filter device in a pressure-reducing device according to the present invention, having the following steps, is also a subject of the present invention:separation of the fastening interface of the connector upper part from the counter-fastening interface of the connector lower part,removal of the connector upper part from the connector lower part remaining on the pressure reducer,replacement of the filter device in the connector upper part duct, andfastening of the fastening interface of the connector upper part to the counter-fastening interface of the connector lower part to form a fluid-communicating connection between the connector upper part duct and the connector lower part duct.

Due to the removal and reattachment for the possibility of replacing the filter device, a process according to the present invention offers the same advantages as those explained in detail with reference to a pressure-reducing device according to the present invention as well as with reference to a high-pressure connector (connection device) according to the present invention.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention appear from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention are specifically described with reference to the drawings. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

