Rubberband_valve

thingiverse

Human: Coronavirus is terrifying. I decided to find a way to create a simple one-way valve, something that can be made at home under isolation. I imagined these types of valves are crucial for ventilators, which are in short supply worldwide for people to use in hospitals. Moreover, the cost of these devices is exorbitant! This alongside a pump or collapsible container can be used to make a DIY ventilator, and I hope it will save lives. I discovered the humble rubber band, one of the flat ones you can find easily. The one I found is about 4-5 mm wide; look for something similar if you decide to build this. I came up with this design that has two one-way valves pointing in opposite directions and can be completed with a single rubber band. There are also two covers that the center bit can be enclosed in, one which has one shared output and another with two separate outputs. Note: Using the rubber band as intended results in a side effect - it makes a sound when you blow through it. You might consider creating something else from this like an instrument; go ahead but please link back to here if you copy a lot of the design. The files are not oriented correctly! Fusion 360 normally exports them sideways. For the center block, lie it on your print bed so the smallest dimension (30mm) is on the Z-axis. For the two ends, you can print them with the circular sections on the bed. I used a raft for both of these bits as I don't have a heated bed and it was lifting in one of the corners. Version 2 of the box has a wider gap for the rubber band. Please leave a comment for ideas, improvements, or alternatives.