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4,182,323
4,227,521
4,284,169
4,467,797
A
A
A
A
4,527,658 A
(Us)
4,616,645 A
4,784,129 A
5,035,238 A
OK (Us)
5,829,432 A
6,053,967 A
( * ) Notice:
7/1985 Payne
7/1991 ChristiaIlSOIl
11/1998 Semeia
4/2000 Heilmann et a1.
6,644,307 B2
6,666,210 B2
12/2003 Semeia
(21)
(22)
Flledi
6,983,746 B2
7,266,958 B2
May 17 2010
Related US. Application Data
_
19, 2009.
(51)
Pedersen
Hart 9131
Tullock
Franke
Q1
6,681,766 B1
1/ 1980
10/1980
8/1981
8/1984
(60)
US 8,418,689 B1
2; 3i:
1/2004 Matsuoka
1/2006 Morgan et al.
2004/0003811 A1
1/2004
2004/0035415 A1
2/2004 Faligant
Boclner
2005/0235989 A1
2006/0118109 A1
2006/0272637
12/2006
A1
2007/0062524 A1
Johnson
* cited by examiner
Int. Cl.
B63C 11/02
A62B 7/10
(200601)
(200601)
A62B 19/00
(2006.01)
A62B 23/02
(52) us. Cl.
(2006.01)
(57)
. . . . . . . . . . . ..
(58)
Apparatus
ABSTRACT
for use
Open
System
to
Support
(56)
References Cited
3,415,245 A
3,474,782 A
3,568,672 A
10/1969 Cupp
3/1971 Cupp
3,656,276 A *
4/1972
3,721,235 A
3,867,115 A
4,010,746 A
rounding Water.
22 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
US. Patent
Sheet 1 0f 16
FIG. 1
US 8,418,689 B1
US. Patent
Sheet 2 0f 16
K112
US 8,418,689 B1
K110
AIR
TANK
116
120
/
STAGE-1
r118
STAGE-2
REGULATOR
WATER/AIR
' REGULATOR
BUBBLE
SEPARATOR
DIFFUSER
K114
126
122
EXHAUST
CHAMBER
SURROUNDING
116
134
WATER
1-0-2-
/13o
136
124
138
NR
CHAMBER
AIR
4-
FROM
TANK
128
MOUTHPIECE
FIG. 3
US. Patent
Sheet 3 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
EXHAUST
AIR
AIR
ENTRAPMENT
r118
REGION
147
142
145
jv /
\\
146
SEPARATION
144
CHAMBER
149
SURROUNDING
WATER
148
m
140
149
126
122
EXHAUST
CHAMBER
116
-134
136
[130
138
124
NR
CHAMBER
AIR
4-
FRQM
TANK
128
MOUTHPIECE
FIG. 4
US. Patent
Sheet 4 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
EXHAUST
AIR
[156
TANK
15
FIG. 5-1
0o
O O
00
EXHAUST
AIR
150
154
FIG. 5-2
- m
o ()0
OQ
/120
US. Patent
112
114\/
120-\\
..
.-
..
US 8,418,689 B1
Sheet 5 0f 16
114\/
K464
h.
162
160
152
120
164
FIG. 5A
FIG. 5B
112
US. Patent
Sheet 7 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
FIG. 6
US. Patent
Sheet 8 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
US. Patent
Sheet 9 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
FIG. 8
US. Patent
Sheet 10 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
220
22
23O
140
FIG. 9
240
US. Patent
Sheet 11 0f 16
FIG. 10
US 8,418,689 B1
US. Patent
Sheet 12 0f 16
FIG. 11
US 8,418,689 B1
US. Patent
FIG. v11A
FIGTHB
Sheet 13 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
US. Patent
Sheet 14 0f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
A.
Q
FIG. 12
US. Patent
Sheet 16 6f 16
US 8,418,689 B1
FIG. 14
US 8,418,689 B1
1
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
20
30
35
45
50
55
60
in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a stage-2 regulator
of the breathing system in accordance With some embodi
ments.
accompanying draWings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
of?ce building.
Noise vibrations can be generated When bubbles are
formed, When a group of smaller bubbles coalesce into a
greater detail.
FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative con?guration for the
65
US 8,418,689 B1
3
AWS.
FIGS. 11A-11D shoW the AWS of FIG. 11 under different
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
and the exhaust chamber 126. The valve 134 can take the form
valve. As With the valve 132, the valve 134 opens in a single
direction When the diver breathes out so that the exhaust air
passes through the air chamber 124 to the exhaust chamber
25
30
surrounding Water, the valve 134 closes and the valve 132
exhaust ports may pass directly adjacent the divers mask and
40
45
50
cycle.
dividing Wall.
60
his lungs.
In the prior art, the spent exhaust air often exits various
elements 118 and 120. Those skilled in the art Will appreciate
that the regulator generally includes a series of valves Which
respond to changes in the pressure of the ambient Water in
relation to the depth of the diver, the pressure exerted by the
diver in breathing in fresh air from the tank, and the pres sure
exerted by the diver in breathing out the spent exhaust air from
and hence the exhaust mixture of Water and air ?oWing out the
ears.
mouth to receive air from the air tank 112 and stage-l regu
lator 114.
Because the exhaust chamber 126 and the port(s) 136 are
open to the surrounding Water, these elements are typically
full of Water except When injected With the exhaust air from
the divers lungs When the diver breathes out. When the
pressure of the exhaled air falls beloW the pressure of the
opens as the diver takes his next breath. It can be seen from
126, and out an exhaust port (or ports) 136 directly into the
surrounding Water.
65
US 8,418,689 B1
5
Will pass directly through the respective valves 132, 134 and
tions, even When upside doWn, as the exhaust air can readily
?oW out the port(s) 148 in this latter condition. HoWever, it is
25
30
from the adapter 140 and injects the same into the chamber
144. Although not shoWn in FIG. 4, the chamber 144 can be
144, as Well as With the adapter 140 and the exhaust chamber
35
40
144 to How out into the surrounding Water, and Water may
?oW back into the chamber 144 at the conclusion of each
tion.
A variety of air/Water separator con?gurations can be
nominally aligned With the bottom of the air outlet port 146,
Which extends into the interior chamber 144 a selected dis
tance as shoWn. This provides an air entrapment region 147
that surrounds the outlet port 146 and retains a volume of
pressurized exhaust air. The entrapped air may cause the level
of Water Within the chamber 144 to normally reach a steady
state level betWeen exhale cycles that is substantially level
With the port 146, as shoWn.
In this Way, as the diver exhales a breath, the force required
60
146, thereby alloWing the exhaust air to How freely from port
145 to port 146 and out of the air/Water separator 118. A
65