Spill Resistant Humidifier For Use In A Breathing Assistance System

• US 20100071692A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Porges, Charles E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.160
• 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 2205/21 insensitive to tilting or inclination, e.g. spill-over prevention

Abstract

An apparatus for providing humidification in a breathing assistance system may include a first container at least partially defining a first volume for housing an absorbent material, a second container at least partially defining a second volume for holding a liquid, and one or more fluid passageways for communicating the liquid from the second volume to the absorbent material in the first volume.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing humidification in a breathing assistance system, the apparatus comprising:

a first container at least partially defining a first volume for housing an absorbent material;

a second container at least partially defining a second volume for holding a liquid; and

one or more fluid passageways for communicating the liquid from the second volume to the absorbent material in the first volume.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second containers are configured to substantially prevent leakage of the liquid from the apparatus regardless of the orientation of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid passageways comprise openings formed in a bottom portion of the first container.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first container is positioned at least partially within the second container.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second container is positioned at least partially within the first container.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein;

the first container has a first wall;

the second container has a second wall; and

the second volume is at least partially defined by the first and second walls.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first container includes an opening communicatively coupled to a gas delivery conduit, the opening of the first container configured for communicating evaporated liquid from the absorbent material to gas delivery conduit.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including a conduit communicatively coupling the first volume with the second volume, the conduit configured to regulate the communication of liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conduit extends from a location proximate a top portion of the first container to a location proximate a bottom portion of the first container.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a first end of the conduit is located in the absorbent material.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

when a first end of the conduit is not sealed by liquid in the first volume, the conduit is operable to communicate gas from the first volume to the second volume to facilitate communication of liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways; and

when the first end of the conduit is sealed by liquid in the first volume, the conduit is not operable to communicate gas from the first volume to the second volume to facilitate communication of liquid from the second volume to the first volume.

12. An apparatus for providing humidification in a breathing assistance system, the apparatus comprising:

one or more first walls defining a first volume configured to hold a liquid;

one or more second walls defining a second volume configured to hold the liquid;

one or more fluid passageways communicatively coupling the first volume with the second volume; and

a conduit communicatively coupling the first volume with the second volume, the conduit configured to automatically regulate the communication of the liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the conduit extends from a location proximate a top portion of the second volume to a location proximate a bottom portion of the first volume.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the first volume is configured to hold an absorbent material; and

a first end of the conduit is located in the absorbent material.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

when a first end of the conduit is not sealed by liquid in the first volume, the conduit is operable to communicate gas from the first volume to the second volume to facilitate communication of liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways; and

when the first end of the conduit is sealed by fluid in the first volume, the conduit is not operable to communicate gas from the first volume to the second volume to facilitate communication of liquid from the second volume to the first volume.

16. A regulation system for a humidifier for a breathing assistance system, the regulation system comprising:

an absorbent material configured to store liquid to be evaporated for delivery toward a patient; and

wherein the absorbent material configured to be positioned in a first volume defined by a first container, and to receive liquid from a second volume via one or more fluid passageways communicatively coupling the first volume with the second volume.

17. A regulation system according to claim 16, wherein the absorbent material is removable from the regulation system.

18. A regulation system according to claim 16, wherein the absorbent material is configured to receive heat causing liquid in the absorbent material to evaporate for mixing with gas being delivered to the patient.

19. A regulation system according to claim 16, wherein the absorbent material is configured to receive at least a portion of a conduit configured to regulate the communication of the liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways.

20. A regulation system according to claim 16, wherein the absorbent material is configured to receive an end of a conduit such that the conduit may be sealed by liquid in the absorbent material.

21. A method for providing humidification for a breathing assistance system, the method comprising:

at least partially filling a first volume with a liquid, the first volume communicatively coupled to a second volume housing an absorbent material such that a portion of the liquid flows from the first volume to the second volume and is absorbed by the absorbent material; and

applying heat to the second volume such that liquid in the absorbent material evaporates for delivery toward a patient, wherein additional liquid flow from the first volume to the second volume for absorption by the absorbent material results at least in part due to the evaporation of the liquid from the absorbent material.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein evaporation of liquid from the absorbent material causes a conduit to become unsealed and to communicate gas from the first volume to the second volume, which facilitates the additional liquid flow from the first volume to the second volume for absorption by the absorbent material.

23. An apparatus for providing humidification in a breathing assistance system, the apparatus comprising:

first housing means defining a first volume for holding a liquid;

second housing means defining a second volume for holding the liquid;

fluid conducting means for communicating liquid from the second volume to the first volume; and

liquid regulation means for automatically regulating the communication of the liquid from the second volume to the first volume via the one or more fluid passageways, the liquid regulation means including a conduit communicatively coupling the first volume with the second volume.