HUMIDIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20120125334A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SunMed Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 2200 Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Korneff, Neil Alex, Dixon, Paul David, Varga, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,314,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1085 after being humidified or mixed with a beneficial agent
• 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 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/162 Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing condensed humidifying agent in a humidification system by pulsing a delivery of humidifying agent into a respiratory circuit. During a non-pulsed interval, gas flowing through the respiratory circuit will evaporate the condensed humidifying agent present in the respiratory circuit. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for delivering humidified gas to a patient, wherein the delivery avoids the problems associated with a stationary water humidifier. In the method, the delivery of humidifying agent is precisely controlled to deliver a flow of humidifying agent to a volume of gas.

Claims

1. A method of reducing condensed humidifying agent in a humidification system, the method comprising:

providing a humidification system comprising a respiratory circuit for delivering a volume of gas to a patient and a humidifier portion for delivering a humidifying agent to the volume of gas;

pulsing a delivery of humidifying agent to the volume of gas at a pulsed interval via the humidifier portion;

heating the volume of gas; and

vaporizing, during a non-pulsed interval, condensed humidifying agent present in the respiratory circuit to reduce the condensed humidifying agent present in the humidification system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-pulsed interval commences immediately after patient inhalation or during patient exhalation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsed interval commences immediately after patient exhalation or during patient inhalation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the humidifying agent comprises water.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step comprises actuating a diverter to at least partially direct the volume of gas toward the humidifier portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporizing step comprises actuating a diverter to at least partially direct the volume of gas away from the humidifier portion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step comprises actuating a diverter to direct all of the volume of gas toward the humidifier portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporizing step comprises actuating a diverter to direct all of the volume of gas away from the humidifier portion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step further comprises increasing an amount of the humidifying agent delivered to the volume of gas relative to an amount of humidifying agent delivered to the volume of gas during the non-pulsed interval.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step further comprises providing a greater flow of humidifying agent to the humidifier portion than a flow of humidifying agent provided to the humidifier portion during the non-pulsed interval.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein no amount of humidifying agent is delivered to the humidifier portion during the non-pulse interval.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step further comprises placing a heated element in contact with a flow of humidifying agent.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the heated element comprises a porous thermally conductive material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsing step further comprises producing humidifying agent droplets via an ultrasonic droplet generator and vaporizing the humidifying agent droplets via a heated element.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporizing step further comprises placing the heated volume of gas in contact with the condensed humidifying agent.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a fiber wool or sintered particulate mass.

17. A method of delivering a humidified volume of gas to a patient, the method comprising:

providing a humidification system comprising a respiratory circuit for delivering volume of gas to a patient and a humidifier portion for delivering humidifying agent to the volume of gas;

flowing humidifying agent at a controlled flow rate to the humidifier portion via a humidifying agent input line;

vaporizing the humidifying agent via a heated element;

delivering the humidifying agent to the volume of gas, and humidifying the volume of gas;

heating the volume of gas; and

delivering the humidified volume of gas to the patient via the respiratory circuit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the vaporizing step further comprises placing the heated element in contact with the humidifying agent.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the heated element comprises a porous thermally conductive material.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising, prior to the vaporizing step, forming humidifying agent droplets via an ultrasonic droplet generator.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the humidification system further comprises at least one sensor for determining at least one of a volume of gas temperature, a heated element temperature, a volume of gas flow rate, a volume of gas humidity, and a humidifying agent flow rate.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a fiber wool or sintered particulate mass.

21. The method of 18, wherein the heated element is disposed within the respiratory circuit.

23. The method of 22, further comprising controlling at least one of the volume of gas flow rate, the volume of gas temperature, the humidifying agent flow rate, and the heated element temperature based on at least one of the determined gas flow temperature, gas flow rate, and gas humidity.