Carbon dioxide absorber for a rebreathing system

Abstract

A carbon dioxide absorber for a rebreathing system can be connected to a connection head of the rebreathing system in a simple manner. A centering device ( 43, 44, 45, 46 ), provided in the area of a guide plate ( 40 ) of the absorber ( 4 ), can be caused to mesh with centering pins pointing in the direction of the absorber from the connection head.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A carbon dioxide absorber for a rebreathing system, the carbon dioxide absorber comprising:
 a connection head at the rebreathing system, said connection head including a pivotable mount;   an absorber housing;   a guide plate on a front side of said absorber housing, said guide plate being pushed into said pivotable mount of said connection head;   guide plate gas ducts arranged concentrically at said guide plate;   connection head gas ducts provided in said connection head and with a design corresponding to said guide plate gas ducts, said guide plate gas ducts for connection to said connection head gas ducts;   guide grooves between said guide plate and said absorber housing for connecting said guide plate to said mount;   centering pins pointing in a direction of said absorber housing from said connection head; and   centering means in one or more of said guide plate and said absorber housing, said centering means for meshing with said centering pins from said connection head;   said pivotable mount being pivotable between a first position and a second position, said first position arranging said pivotable mount adjacent said connection head, said second position arranging said pivotable mount spaced from said connection head and said centering pins.   
     
     
       2. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said centering means comprises upper positioning grooves arranged opposite each other with corresponding said centering pins in an area of said guide grooves. 
     
     
       3. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said centering means further comprises lower positioning grooves at said absorber housing, said lower positioning grooves extending flush with said upper positioning grooves and for meshing with free ends of said centering pins. 
     
     
       4. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said centering pins taper towards a free end thereof in a wedge-shaped pattern. 
     
     
       5. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein:
 said centering means comprises upper positioning grooves arranged opposite each other with corresponding said centering pins in an area of said guide grooves; and   an outer contour of said centering pins corresponds to an inner contour of said upper positioning grooves.   
     
     
       6. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein:
 said centering means comprises lower positioning grooves at said absorber housing, said lower positioning grooves for meshing with free ends of said centering pins; and   an outer contour of said centering pins corresponds to an inner contour of said lower positioning grooves.   
     
     
       7. A carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 said pivotable mount defines an opening;   said centering means defines positioning grooves as part of said centering means, said centering pins passing through said opening of said pivotable mount, and into said positioning grooves of said centering means when said pivotable mount moves from said first position into said second position.   
     
     
       8. A rebreathing system with carbon dioxide absorber comprising:
 a rebreathing system connection head including a pivotable mount, said connection head having connection head gas ducts provided in said connection head, said connection head having centering pins pointing outwardly from said connection head;   an absorber housing with a guide plate on a front side of said absorber housing, said guide plate for being pushed into said pivotable mount of said connection head, said guide plate including guide plate gas ducts arranged concentrically at said guide plate with a design corresponding to said connection head gas ducts, said connection head gas ducts for connection to said guide plate gas ducts, guide grooves being provided between said guide plate and said absorber housing for connecting said guide plate to said mount; and   centering means in one or more of said guide plate and said absorber housing, said centering means for meshing with said centering pins from said connection head, said centering means defining upper positioning grooves arranged opposite each other with corresponding said centering pins in an area of said guide grooves, said centering means further defining lower positioning grooves at said absorber housing, said lower positioning grooves extending flush with said upper positioning grooves and for meshing with free ends of said centering pins.   
     
     
       9. A rebreathing system with carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said centering pins taper towards a free end thereof in a wedge-shaped pattern. 
     
     
       10. A rebreathing system with carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 an outer contour of said centering pins corresponds to an inner contour of said upper positioning grooves.   
     
     
       11. A rebreathing system with carbon dioxide absorber in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein:
 an outer contour of said centering pins corresponds to an inner contour of said lower positioning grooves.   
     
     
       12. A carbon dioxide absorber arrangement in a rebreathing system, the absorber arrangement comprising:
 an absorber housing for holding a carbon dioxide absorber material, said absorber housing defining ducts for bringing breathing gas in contact with the carbon dioxide absorber material;   a guide plate mounted on one side of said absorber housing, one of said guide plate and said absorber housing defining a positioning groove;   a pivotable mount adapted to connect to said guide plate, said pivotable mount and said guide plate being shaped to have said guide plate slide into said pivotable mount in a direction along said one side of said absorber housing;   a connection head adapted to connect to the rebreathing system and defining connection head ducts in communication with the rebreathing system, said pivotable mount being pivotally connected to said connection head to bring said ducts of said absorber housing into communication with said ducts of said connection head;   a centering pin extending from said connection head in a direction of said absorber housing, said centering pin cooperating with said positioning groove to align said ducts of said absorber housing with said ducts of said connection head;   said pivotable mount being pivotable between a first position and a second position, said first position arranging said ducts of said absorber housing in communication with said ducts of said connection head, said second position arranging said pivotable mount spaced from said connection head and said centering pin.   
     
     
       13. An absorber arrangement in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein:
 said pivotable mount defines an opening, said centering pin passing through said opening, and into said positioning groove when said pivotable mount moves from said first position into said second position.   
     
     
       14. A carbon dioxide absorber cartridge for a rebreathing system, the carbon dioxide absorber cartridge comprising:
 an absorber housing comprising a top side and a bottom side;   a guide plate, attached to, and extending upwardly from, the top side of the absorber housing, the guide plate comprising an outer edge, a top side, a bottom side, and first and second overhang portions arranged opposite each other on lateral sides of the guide plate;   a first guide groove defined by a bottom side of the first overhang portion and a first upright wall which extends downwardly from the bottom side of the first overhang portion;   a second guide groove defined by a bottom side of the second overhang portion and a second upright wall which extends downwardly from the bottom side of the second overhang portion;   a first upper positioning groove formed in the first overhang portion, extending through the outer edge of the guide plate and located along the first guide groove;   a second upper positioning groove formed in the second overhang portion, extending through the outer edge of the guide plate and located along the second guide groove; and   an outer gas duct and an inner gas duct arranged concentrically in, and extending through, the guide plate, the outer gas duct being in flow communication with the inner gas duct;   wherein the first upright wall is substantially parallel to the second upright wall.   
     
     
       15. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first sidewall is substantially planar and the second sidewall is substantially planar. 
     
     
       16. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first and second upper positioning grooves are located so that a positioning groove axis that bisects the inner gas duct also passes through the first and second upper positioning grooves. 
     
     
       17. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first upper positioning groove extends from the outer edge of the guide plate to the first upright wall and the second upper positioning groove extends from the outer edge of the guide plate to the second upright wall. 
     
     
       18. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first upper positioning groove has side walls that slant inwardly toward each other in a direction from top to bottom and the second upper positioning groove has side walls that slant inwardly toward each other in a direction from top to bottom. 
     
     
       19. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first guide groove is further defined by a first lower wall which is parallel to the bottom side of the first overhang portion and the second guide groove is further defined by a second lower wall which is parallel to the bottom side of the second overhang portion, the first side wall extending from the first overhang portion to the first lower wall, the second side wall extending from the second overhang portion to the second lower wall, the first lower wall including a first lower positioning groove formed therein, the second lower wall including a second lower positioning groove formed therein. 
     
     
       20. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 19, wherein the first lower positioning groove vertically aligns with the first upper positioning groove and the second lower positioning groove vertically aligns with the second upper positioning groove. 
     
     
       21. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 19, wherein the inner gas duct defines a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the first lower positioning groove is longitudinally aligned with the first upper positioning groove, and at least a portion of the second lower positioning groove is longitudinally aligned with the second upper positioning groove. 
     
     
       22. The carbon dioxide absorber cartridge of claim 14, wherein the inner gas duct extends upwardly from the top side of the guide plate. 
     
     
       23. A carbon dioxide absorber cartridge for a rebreathing system, the carbon dioxide absorber cartridge comprising:
 an absorber housing;   a guide plate provided as a top side of the absorber housing;   gas ducts arranged concentrically at the guide plate;   guide grooves defined by at least one of the guide plate and a portion of the absorber housing, the guide grooves arranged opposite each other on lateral sides of the guide plate, the guide grooves being parallel to each other;   upper positioning grooves arranged opposite each other on lateral sides of the guide plate and in an area of the guide grooves, and the upper positioning grooves being located substantially along a line bisecting the concentrically arranged gas ducts.