TUB FOR USE IN A HUMIDIFIER

• US 20190321580A1
• Filed: 04/24/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ResMed R&D Germany GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: KIRCHBERGER, Andreas, NICKOL, Johannes, ROTHFUSS, Jens, BURZ, Johann Sebastian, EIBL, Robert, BAYER, Christian, LANG, Bernd Christoph, EIBL, Andreas, KASPARBAUER, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 11,376,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 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 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0238 the material being a coating or protective layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/10 Device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14778 the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 : Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/12 : Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/762 : Household appliances

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tub configured to receive a volume of liquid for a humidifier, comprising at least one plastic component and at least one metal component, which together form a space for receiving said volume of liquid, wherein the at least one metal component and the at least one plastic component are attached to each other by means of a silicone seal. Furthermore, the invention relates to method for manufacturing a tub for a humidifier.

Claims

1. Tub configured to receive a volume of liquid for a humidifier, comprising

at least one plastic component and

at least one metal component, which together form a space for receiving said volume of liquid,

wherein the at least one metal component and the at least one plastic component are attached to each other by means of a silicone seal.

2. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal provides a fluid tight connection between the plastic component and the metal component.

3. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal has a thickness between 0.01 mm and 0.2 mm, preferably less than 0.1 mm or 0.05 mm.

4. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

at least a section of the metal component and/or a section of the plastic component is treated with a silicone adhesion promoting agent.

5. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal is formed from liquid silicone rubber.

6. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the plastic component and/or the metal component are essentially rigid.

7. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the plastic component is essentially trough shaped, having a bottom wall and surrounding one or more side walls, extending from said bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall has a through hole, said through hole being closed by the metal component and said silicone seal.

8. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the tub is essentially trough shaped, having a bottom wall and surrounding one or more side walls, wherein the plastic component is essentially sleeve shaped and forms the one or more side walls, while the bottom wall is substantially formed by the metal component.

9. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the metal component is attached to an inner side or an outer side of said one or more side wall and/or to an inner side or an outer side of said bottom wall.

10. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the metal component is shaped as a metal plate, preferably a substantially flat metal plate.

11. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

at least a portion of the metal component is dome shaped, preferably in an outward direction.

12. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the metal component and the plastic component are only attached to each other by means of the silicone seal.

13. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

at least a portion of the metal component and at least a portion of the plastic component overlap each other, and wherein the silicone seal is arranged to extend at least between the overlapping portions of the metal component and the plastic component.

14. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal covers at least a portion of the metal component, the portion of the metal component not overlapping with the plastic component;

and/or

the silicone seal covers at least a portion of the plastic component, the portion of the plastic component not overlapping with the metal component.

15. Tub according to claim 1,

wherein the silicone seal further covers at least a further portion of the metal component and/or the plastic component for surface protection, in particular any surface forming the reception space of the tub.

16. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

an entire inner surface of the metal component facing the space for receiving said volume of liquid is coated with the silicone seal, in particular in the form of a silicone layer on the surface of the metal component.

17. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal is formed as a labyrinth seal.

18. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal forms at least one channel with two side walls, in which at least a section of the plastic component and/or the metal component 14 is arranged/received.

19. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the silicone seal is formed as a seal providing a spring effect, in particular by comprising a silicone spring element.

20. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the tub is configured to be associated with a lid, wherein the tub comprises a lid silicone seal arranged to provide a fluid seal between the lid and the tub, when the lid is attached to the tub, in particular in a closed position.

21. Tub according to claim 1, wherein

the lid silicone seal and the silicone seal attaching the plastic component to the metal component are an integral a one-piece component.

22. Apparatus for humidifying a flow of air for delivery to a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a tub according to claim 1;

a heating element to heat liquid received within said tub.

23. Apparatus for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient comprising:

a patient interface;

a controllable motor-blower configured to generate a supply of air at a positive pressure relative to ambient pressure; and

a tub according to claim 1.

24. Method for manufacturing a humidifier tub configured to receive a volume of liquid, preferably a tub according to claim 1, comprising at least the following steps:

Providing at least one metal component;

Providing at least one plastic component; and

Attaching the at least one plastic component to the at least one metal component in a fluid tight manner by means of a silicone seal, such that the metal component and the plastic component together form a fluid tight space for receiving said volume of liquid.

25. Method according to claim 24,

wherein the plastic component and the metal component are premanufactured and inserted into a tool, wherein the components are connected to each other by introducing silicone into a connection region between the metal component and the plastic component, in particular by introducing liquid silicone rubber into a connection region between the metal component and the plastic component.

26. Method according to claim 24,

wherein the tub is manufactured in a multi-component injection molding process, in particular comprising injection molding a first component in a first injection molding step, injection molding a second component in a second injection molding step, and introducing a third component.

27. Method according to claim 26,

wherein first the plastic component is injection molded and then the metal component is introduced and afterwards the silicone seal is injection molded so as to connect the plastic component and the metal component, or first the metal component is introduced into an injection molding tool and then the plastic component is injection molded and afterwards the silicone seal is injection molded so as to connect the plastic component and the metal component.

28. Method according to claim 26,

wherein, during the multi-component injection molding process, one component is a plastic material injected in a two-component injection tool and one component is a silicone material, in particular silicone rubber, injected into the two-component injection tool and the metal component or metal blank is inserted as a further component into the two-component injection tool.

29. Method according to claim 26,

wherein the method involves using a molding tool comprising two or more mold parts, and wherein, particularly if more than two mold parts are used, one or more of the mold parts are replaced and or moved for molding the different components.

30. Method according to claim 24,

wherein the silicone is applied to the metal component and the plastic component by means of a silicone coating tool and wherein the silicone coating tool is used to deform the metal component or metal blank into a desired final shape, in particular a shape with at least a convex shape of the surface of the metal component facing away from the holding space.

31. Method according to claim 22,

wherein an injection molding apparatus used for providing, in particular manufacturing the plastic component is also used for applying the silicone.

32. Method according to claim 24,

wherein before the attaching of the plastic component to the metal component by means of the silicone, an adhesion promoting agent is applied to at least a section of the plastic component and/or the metal component.

33. Method according to claim 24,

a mask is applied to at least a fraction of the metal component and/or plastic component to shield portions that are intended to remain uncoated with silicone, wherein preferably the mask is removed after the application of the silicone and/or application of the adhesion promoting agent, and/or after application of the adhesion promoting agent.