Humidification chamber for a respiratory assistance apparatus

• US 10,058,673 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2018
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Inventors: Kat, Arjen David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boecker, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US15/954,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20180228996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 134 Days
• Field of Search: 12820317, 12820327
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws

Abstract

A respiratory assistance apparatus includes a flow generator and a humidifier. The humidifier includes a humidification chamber. The humidification chamber comprises a water tub that is configured to receive a volume of water. A lid is hingedly coupled to the water tub for enclosing a volume contained within the water tub.

Claims

1. A humidification chamber configured to be received in a compartment of a respiratory assistance device, the humidification chamber configured to humidify a pressurized gases stream generated by a blower of the respiratory assistance device, the humidification chamber comprising:

a water tub configured to receive a volume of water, the water tub comprising a base surface, a perimeter wall that extends upwardly from the base surface and a perimeter rim extending from an upper perimeter wall portion of the perimeter wall;

a lid, the lid being operable between a closed configuration in which the lid is secured to the water tub to create an enclosed chamber and an open configuration in which the lid is displaced away from the water tub to open the chamber for access;

the lid comprising an upper perimeter wall, a ledge extending from the upper perimeter wall, and a lower perimeter wall portion extending downward from the ledge when the lid is positioned over the water tub in a level configuration, the lower perimeter wall portion including clearance from an adjacent surface of the upper perimeter wall portion of the water tub below the water tub perimeter rim when the lid is positioned in the closed configuration with respect to the water tub;

the lid further comprising a gases inlet configured to be sealingly connected to a gases inlet of the compartment of the respiratory assistance device, wherein the gases inlet of the lid is provided with an associated inlet conduit that extends into the interior volume of the humidification chamber; and

the lid further comprising a gases outlet configured to be sealingly connected to a gases outlet of the compartment, wherein the gases outlet of the lid is provided with an outlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber;

a flexible seal provided about a perimeter of the humidification chamber between the lid and the water tub, the seal sealingly engaging the perimeter rim of the water tub and the ledge of the lid when the humidification chamber is in the closed configuration to seal the chamber.

2. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the lid and water tub are pivotally connected such that the lid pivots away from the water tub when in the open configuration.

3. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the inlet conduit directs the inlet gases flow stream into a central zone or region of the lid.

4. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the inlet conduit comprises one or more bends or turns.

5. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the outlet conduit extends into a central zone or region of the lid.

6. The humidification chamber of claim 4, wherein a flow directing formation is provided at the exit of the inlet conduit to direct the gases stream exiting the inlet conduit.

7. The humidification chamber of claim 6, wherein the flow direction formation comprises a vertical flow panel which extends downwardly from the lid.

8. The humidification chamber of claim 1, further comprising one or more clips configured to engage with a complementary catch for securing the lid in the closed position;

wherein the one or more clips comprises an engagement aperture on the lid and its complementary catch is a protrusion or formation that is aligned with the clip such that it engages into the engagement aperture of the clip when the clip is in an engaged position to secure the lid in the closed position, wherein the protrusion or formation comprises a camming surface that is configured to cause its respective clip to pivot or flex outwardly before snapping into the fully engaged position with the complementary catch, when the lid is moved into the closed position without the user needing to operate the clip in order to engage it with the complementary catch.

9. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the water tub is provided with a heat transfer contact surface that protrudes from an underside of the water tub base surface.

10. The humidification chamber of claim 9, wherein the heat transfer contact surface is configured to rest on a heater base within the compartment of the respiratory assistance device when the chamber is received within the compartment.

11. The humidification chamber of claim 9, wherein the heat transfer contact surface is of a depth relative to a remainder of the base surface of the water tub that it enables it to extend through an aperture and protrude below the underside of the water tub base surface.

12. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the rim of the water tub extends from an upper edge of the perimeter wall of the water tub.

13. The humidification chamber of claim 12, wherein the rim of the water tub is continuous.

14. The humidification chamber of claim 12, wherein the rim of the water tub extends outwardly from the perimeter wall of the water tub.

15. The humidification chamber of claim 1, wherein the ledge of the lid is provided about the entire perimeter wall of the lid.

16. The humidification chamber of claim 15, wherein the ledge of the lid extends outwardly from the perimeter wall of the lid.

17. The humidification chamber of claim 16, comprising a hinge between the lid and water tub, the hinge being configured such that the lid can be displaced away from the water tub.

18. A respiratory assistance device configured to provide a heated and humidified gases stream, comprising:

a gases inlet configured to receive a supply of therapeutic gases;

a blower configured to generate a pressurized gases stream from the supply of gases at an outlet of the blower;

a humidification compartment comprising a heater base;

a humidification chamber configured to be received by the humidification compartment, the humidification chamber comprising;

a water tub configured to receive a volume of water, the water tub comprising a base surface, a perimeter wall that extends upwardly from the base surface and a perimeter rim extending from an upper perimeter wall portion of the perimeter wall;

a lid being operable between a closed configuration in which the lid is secured to the water tub to create an enclosed chamber and an open configuration in which the lid is displaced away from the water tub to open the chamber for access;

the lid comprising an upper perimeter wall, a ledge extending from the upper perimeter wall, and a lower perimeter wall portion extending downward from the ledge when the lid is positioned over the water tub in a level configuration, the lower perimeter wall portion including clearance from an adjacent surface of the upper perimeter wall portion of the water tub below the water tub perimeter rim when the lid is positioned in the closed configuration with respect to the water tub;

the lid further comprising a gases inlet configured to be sealingly connected to a gases inlet of the humidification compartment, wherein the gases inlet of the lid is provided with an associated inlet conduit that extends into the interior volume of the humidification chamber;

the lid further comprising a gases outlet configured to be sealingly connected to a gases outlet of the humidification compartment, wherein the gases outlet of the lid has an associated outlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber; and

a flexible seal provided about a perimeter of the humidification chamber between the lid and the water tub, the seal sealingly engaging the perimeter rim of the water tub and the ledge of the lid when the chamber is closed to seal the chamber;

wherein the humidification chamber is configured to be received in the humidification compartment of the respiratory assistance device such that the water tub rests upon the heater base within the compartment.

19. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the lid and water chamber are pivotably connected such that the lid pivots away from the water tub when in the open configuration.

20. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the inlet conduit directs the inlet gases flow stream into a central zone or region of the lid.

21. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the inlet conduit comprises one or more bends or turns.

22. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the outlet conduit extends into a central zone or region of the lid.

23. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein a flow directing formation is provided at the exit of the inlet conduit to direct the gases stream exiting the inlet conduit.

24. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, further comprising one or more clips configured to engage with a complementary catch for securing the lid in the closed position;

wherein the one or more clips comprises an engagement aperture on the lid and its complementary catch is a protrusion or formation that is aligned with the clip such that it engages into the engagement aperture of the clip when the clip is in an engaged position to secure the lid in the closed position, wherein the protrusion or formation comprises a camming surface that is configured to cause its respective clip to pivot or flex outwardly before snapping into the fully engaged position with the complementary catch, when the lid is moved into the closed position without the user needing to operate the clip in order to engage it with the complementary catch.

25. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the water tub is provided with a heat transfer contact surface that protrudes from an underside of the water tub base surface.

26. The respiratory assistance device of claim 25, wherein the heat transfer contact surface is of a depth relative to a remainder of the base surface of the water tub that it enables it to extend through an aperture and protrude below the underside of the water tub base surface.

27. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the chamber is provided with a protrusion that extends from the surface of the perimeter wall, the protrusion being configured to engage with aligned rails on the humidification compartment.

28. The respiratory assistance device of claim 27, wherein the rim of the water tub is continuous.

29. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the ledge of the lid is provided about the entire perimeter wall of the lid.

30. The respiratory assistance device of claim 18, wherein the humidification compartment is an open or exposed compartment.