Diving regulator with valved mouthpiece

摘要

A second stage diving regulator of the type used by scuba divers is provided. The regulator comprises a regulator housing and a mouthpiece. The regulator housing includes an inhalation chamber having a port, and a demand valve that releases air to the port in response to inhalation through the port. The mouthpiece comprises a unitary housing attachable to the regulator housing and includes a one-way exhalation pathway, thus obviating the need for an exhalation pathway in the regulator housing itself. Inhalation no-return valves can be additionally incorporated into the fluid pathway from the regulator housing to the diver to prevent fluids from flowing into the regulator housing through the mouthpiece. Saliva and exhaled air with its attendant moistures and pathogenic entities can thus be prevented from entering the regulator housing. The mouthpiece can be made easily detachable and can be sanitized between uses, making it particularly well suited for rental and instructional purposes. The disclosed invention keeps the interior spaces of the regulator clean and dry even when the regulator is not in place in the diver's mouth, thus extending regulator life and preventing a dangerous and irritating free-flow condition from occurring due to icing when used in cold water. The mouthpiece can be variously constructed to differentiate common-use mouthpieces from those owned individually.