Humidification chamber for a respiratory assistance apparatus

• US 10,112,028 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• 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:
  US15/381,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20170095636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• 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 for humidifying gases, comprising:

a water tub that is configured to receive a volume of water;

a lid hingedly coupled to the water tub for enclosing the water tub to define the interior volume of the humidification chamber and which is movable between a closed position in which the water tub is closed by the lid and an open position in which the water tub is open,

wherein a seal is located between the lid and the water tub, the seal engaging a perimeter of the water tub;

wherein the lid is formed from plastic, and

wherein the water tub comprises a base, a perimeter wall that extends upwardly from the base, and a metallic heater plate, an underside of the base comprising a rigid plastic portion and an exposed metallic portion of the metallic heater plate;

one or more clips for securing the lid in the closed position;

a lateral gases inlet for receiving a flow of gases into the interior volume of the humidification chamber, wherein the gases inlet is formed in the lid, the gases inlet having an associated inlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber; and

a lateral gases outlet through which a humidified flow of gases may exit the interior volume of the humidification chamber, wherein the gases outlet is formed in the lid, the gases outlet having an associated outlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber.

2. A humidification chamber according to claim 1 wherein the inlet conduit extends between an inlet end at the gases inlet and an outlet end located at or toward an upper central region of the interior volume of the humidification chamber such that the incoming gases flow enters the interior volume of the humidification chamber at that upper central region.

3. A humidification chamber according to claim 2 wherein a flow director formation is located at the outlet end of the inlet conduit for directing the flow of gases exiting the inlet conduit.

4. A humidification chamber according to claim 1 wherein the humidification chamber has an overall shape defined by front and end walls between which side walls extend, and the walls extending between an upper surface of the lid and base surface of the water tub, and wherein the lid is hingedly coupled to the water tub at a rear end of the humidification chamber, and at least one clip is provided at a front end of the humidification chamber.

5. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the outlet conduit extends between an inlet end located at or toward an upper central region of the interior volume of the humidification chamber and an outlet end at the gases outlet.

6. A humidification chamber according to claim 1 further comprising a vertical flow panel at or toward the outlet end of the inlet conduit that is configured to minimise gases exiting the inlet conduit from flowing directly toward the outlet conduit of the gases outlet.

7. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the lid and water tub are hingedly coupled by one or more hinges.

8. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the at least one clip comprises an engagement aperture 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.

9. A humidification chamber according to claim 8, wherein the catch 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 its complementary catch.

10. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the base of the water tub overlaps a portion of the metallic heater plate such that a portion of an underside of the base is thermally insulated from the heater plate.

11. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the heater plate is exposed through an aperture in the base of the water tub.

12. A humidification chamber according to claim 11, wherein the heater plate comprises a contact surface that is aligned with the aperture in the base of the water tub and which is configured to extend or protrude from an underside of the base surface of the water tub.

13. A humidification chamber according to claim 12, wherein the heater plate further comprises a substantially vertical wall portion that extends around the periphery of the contact surface and a substantially horizontal portion that extends outwardly from the top of the vertical wall portion.

14. A humidification chamber according to claim 1, wherein the water tub further comprises extending from the upper edge of the perimeter wall.

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

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

a blower configured to generate a pressurised gases stream from the supply of gases;

a humidifier configured to heat and humidify the pressurised gases stream;

a device gases outlet for the heated and humidified gases stream; and

a flow path for the gases stream through the respiratory device from the device gases inlet through the blower unit and humidification unit to the device gases outlet,

and wherein the humidifier is configured to receive and retain a removable humidification chamber according to claim 1.

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

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

a blower configured to generate a pressurised gases stream from the supply of gases;

a humidifier configured to heat and humidify the pressurised gases stream;

a device gases outlet for the heated and humidified gases stream; and

a flow path for the gases stream through the respiratory device from the device gases inlet through the blower unit and humidification unit to the device gases outlet,

and wherein the humidifier is configured to receive and retain a removable humidification chamber, comprising;

a water tub that is configured to receive a volume of water;

a lid hingedly coupled to the water tub for enclosing the water tub to define the interior volume of the humidification chamber and which is movable between a closed position in which the water tub is closed by the lid and an open position in which the water tub is open,

wherein a seal is located between the lid and the water tub, the seal engaging a perimeter of the water tub;

one or more clips for securing the lid in the closed position;

a lateral gases inlet for receiving a flow of gases into the interior volume of the humidification chamber, wherein the gases inlet is formed in the lid, the gases inlet having an associated inlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber; and

a lateral gases outlet through which a humidified flow of gases may exit the interior volume of the humidification chamber, wherein the gases outlet is formed in the lid, the gases outlet having an associated outlet conduit extending into the interior volume of the humidification chamber.