APPARATUS FOR HUMIDIFYING A RESPIRATORY GAS

• US 20150306338A1
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Humidification Technologies GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ResMed R&D Germany GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: MAYER, Wolfgang, GENGER, Harald, MADAUS, Stefan, KLOPP, Andreas, SCHATZL, Stefan, VGELE, HARALD Wolfgang, LANG, Bernd Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 9,272,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/105 Filters A61M16/047, A61M16/22 take precedence; water traps A61M16/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• 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 16/162 Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/08 Supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/003 Means for influencing the temperature or humidity of the breathing gas

Abstract

A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus includes a liquid storage container configured to hold a body of liquid. The liquid storage container includes a humidifying region above a metallic heat conducting material, the humidifying region being a region inside the liquid storage container in which the liquid is evaporated into pressurized respiratory gas generated in the CPAP apparatus. The CPAP apparatus also includes a base unit configured to a) receive the liquid storage container and b) securely and releasably connect to a CPAP unit of the CPAP apparatus, the base unit having a bottom portion to support the liquid storage container thereon, the bottom portion including a heating element configured to contact the heat conducting material of the liquid storage container when the liquid storage container is supported on the base unit. When the liquid storage container is received by the base unit, the liquid storage container and the base unit together define an airflow path through the humidifier assembly, an inlet of the airflow path being upstream of the liquid storage container and an outlet of the airflow path being downstream of the liquid storage container.

Claims

1. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:

a liquid storage container configured to hold a body of liquid, the liquid storage container comprising a humidifying region above a metallic heat conducting material, the humidifying region being a region inside the liquid storage container in which the liquid is evaporated into pressurized respiratory gas generated in the CPAP apparatus; and

a base unit configured to a) receive the liquid storage container and b) securely and releasably connect to a CPAP unit of the CPAP apparatus, the base unit having a bottom portion to support the liquid storage container thereon, the bottom portion including a heating element configured to contact the heat conducting material of the liquid storage container when the liquid storage container is supported on the base unit,

wherein when the liquid storage container is received by the base unit, the liquid storage container and the base unit together define an airflow path through the humidifier assembly, an inlet of the airflow path being upstream of the liquid storage container and an outlet of the airflow path being downstream of the liquid storage container.

2. The humidifier assembly of claim 1, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to be removed from the base unit without moving the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path.

3. The humidifier assembly of claim 1, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are separate from the liquid storage container, and the outlet includes a connector to connect to an air delivery tube.

4. The humidifier assembly of claim 1, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are defined by the base unit.

5. The humidifier assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the inlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

6. The humidifier assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the outlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

7. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to be removed from the base unit without moving the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path,

the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are separate from the liquid storage container,

the outlet includes a connector to connect with an air delivery tube,

the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are defined by the base unit,

a first portion of the base unit intervenes between the inlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container, and

a second portion of the base unit intervenes between the outlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

8. A CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize gas;

the humidifier assembly according to claim 1; and

an air delivery tube configured to connect to the humidifier assembly.

9. The CPAP apparatus of claim 8, wherein the humidifier assembly is configured to a) directly dock with the CPAP unit and b) humidify the pressurized gas.

10. The CPAP apparatus of claim 9, wherein the outlet of the humidifier assembly airflow path is configured to connect to the air delivery tube, and the humidifier assembly is configured so that the outlet remains connected to the air delivery tube when the liquid storage container is removed from the humidifier assembly.

11. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:

a liquid storage container configured to hold a body of liquid, the liquid storage container comprising a humidifying region above a metallic heat conducting material, the humidifying region being a region inside the liquid storage container in which the liquid is evaporated into pressurized respiratory gas generated in the CPAP apparatus;

a base unit configured to a) receive the liquid storage container and b) connect to a CPAP unit of the CPAP apparatus, the base unit having a bottom portion to support the liquid storage container thereon, the bottom portion including a heating element configured to contact the heat conducting material of the liquid storage container when the liquid storage container is supported on the base unit; and

an airflow path defined by the liquid storage container and the base unit, the airflow path having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet being configured to remain with the base unit when the liquid storage container is removed from the base unit.

12. The humidifier assembly of claim 11, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are separate from the liquid storage container and the outlet includes a connector to connect to an air delivery tube.

13. The humidifier assembly of claim 11, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are defined by the base unit.

14. The humidifier assembly of claim 11, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the inlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

15. The humidifier assembly of claim 11, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the outlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

16. The humidifier of claim 11, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to be removed from the base unit without moving the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path,

the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are separate from the liquid storage container,

the outlet includes a connector to connect with an air delivery tube,

the inlet and the outlet of the airflow path are defined by the base unit,

a first portion of the base unit intervenes between the inlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container, and

a second portion of the base unit intervenes between the outlet of the airflow path and the liquid storage container.

17. A CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize gas;

the humidifier assembly according to claim 11; and

an air delivery tube configured to connect to the humidifier assembly.

18. The CPAP apparatus of claim 17, wherein the humidifier assembly is configured to a) directly dock with the CPAP unit and b) humidify the pressurized gas.

19. The CPAP apparatus of claim 18, wherein the outlet of the humidifier assembly airflow path is configured to connect to the air delivery tube, and the humidifier assembly is configured so that the outlet remains connected to the air delivery tube when the liquid storage container is removed from the humidifier assembly.

20. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:

an air inlet configured to be fluidly connected to a CPAP unit of the CPAP apparatus;

an air outlet configured to connect to an air delivery tube;

a base unit defining the air inlet and the air outlet, the base unit comprising a bottom portion with a heating element; and

a liquid storage container configured to a) hold a body of liquid, b) be supported on the bottom portion of the base unit and c) fluidly connect the air inlet and the air outlet when supported on the bottom portion of the base unit, the liquid storage container comprising a humidifying region above a metallic heat conducting material, the humidifying region being a region inside the liquid storage container in which the liquid is evaporated into pressurized respiratory gas generated in the CPAP apparatus.

21. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein the liquid storage container is removable from the base unit.

22. The humidifier assembly of claim 21, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to be removed from the base unit without moving the air inlet and the air outlet.

23. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are separate from the liquid storage container, and the air outlet includes a connector to connect to an air delivery tube.

24. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are defined by the base unit.

25. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the air inlet and the liquid storage container.

26. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein a portion of the base unit intervenes between the air outlet and the liquid storage container.

27. The humidifier assembly of claim 20, wherein the heat conducting material is configured to thermally engage the heating element of the base unit when the liquid storage container is supported on the bottom portion of the heating element.

28. The humidifier of claim 20, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to be removed from the base unit without moving the air inlet and the air outlet,

the air inlet and the air outlet are separate from the liquid storage container,

the air outlet includes a connector to connect to an air delivery tube,

the air inlet and the air outlet are defined by the base unit,

a first portion of the base unit intervenes between the air inlet and the liquid storage container,

a second portion of the base unit intervenes between the air outlet and the liquid storage container, and

the heat conducting material is configured to thermally engage the heating element of the base unit when the liquid storage container is supported on the bottom portion of the heating element.

29. A CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize gas;

the humidifier assembly according to claim 20; and

an air delivery tube configured to connect to the humidifier assembly.

30. The CPAP apparatus of claim 29, wherein the humidifier assembly is configured to a) directly dock with the CPAP unit and b) humidify the pressurized gas.