Patent ID: 8439037

Claim:
An exhalation valve assembly for controlling pressure in a ventilation system comprising: a valve module including a valve body and attached seal element, the valve body defining an inlet port providing access to a valve chamber and an exhaust port allowing gas to exit the valve chamber, the inlet port and exhaust port being the only routes for gas to enter the valve chamber, the valve body having a valve seat opposite the attached seal element wherein displacement of the seal element relative to the valve seat controls gas pressure within the inlet port; an actuator module removably connectable to the valve module that, when attached to the valve module, is operable to move a diaphragm relative to the valve seat to control the pressure of gas in the inlet port and the release of gas via the exhaust port; a filter module comprising a filter body containing filter media and wherein the filter module is removably and directly connectable to the valve module, wherein the filter module, when attached to the valve module, filters gas delivered to the exhalation valve assembly prior to the gas entering the inlet port of the valve module; a condensate trap including a trap body attached to the filter body, the condensate trap receiving the gas delivered to the exhalation valve assembly prior to delivery of the gas to the filter body, wherein the condensate trap holds the gas received in a condensate chamber for a first residence time based on the condensate chamber's volume and gas flow therethrough and collects moisture that condenses from the gas during the first residence time; and a flow sensor contained within the valve body monitoring the flow of gas between the inlet port and the valve seat.