Diaphragm and exhaust valve for second stage regulator

Claim 1

In a second stage regulator for a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus of the type including a housing having an inlet adapted to be connected to a source of gas and a mouthpiece outlet adapted to be connected to a mouthpiece, and valve means mounted in said housing valve for controlling the flow of breathable gas from said inlet to said mouthpiece outlet, the improvement comprising: a wall mounted in and separating the interior of said housing into an interior chamber containing said valve means and communicating to said mouthpiece outlet and a region communicating to the exterior of said regulator, said wall having two adjacent, closely spaced openings therewithin; a unitary diaphragm member adapted to overlay said separating wall, said diaphragm member having: a generally conical diaphragm section overlying a first of said spaced openings, and an exhaust valve flap portion overlying the second of said openings and being flexible away from said interior chamber to uncover said second opening, thereby to permit the exhaust of exhaled gases from said interior chamber via said region to the exterior of said regulator, linkage means connected between said valve means and said diaphragm section whereby a decrease in pressure in said interior chamber caused by inhalation moves said diaphragm section and linkage means and actuates said valve in response thereto, a rigid, generally convex diaphragm wall member situated within said region and having a first divergent end portion mounted to clamp said unitary diaphragm member to said separating wall about the periphery of said conical diaphragm section and an opposite convergent end portion, said convex wall member permitting movement of said diaphragm in response to inhalation pressure, and an outer wall member connected between said convex wall member adjacent the convergent end portion thereof and said housing, said convex wall member and said outer wall member separating said region into two chambers, each wall member having openings communicating each chamber separately to the exterior of said regulator, exhaust gases flowing through one of said chambers, said diaphragm being exposed to the external ambient environment via the other of said chambers.