HUMIDIFIER AND HEATER FOR DELIVERED GAS

• US 3,864,440 A
• Filed: 08/02/1973
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Creditanstalt-Bankverein (Unicredit SPA)
• Original Assignee: George Giocoechea
• Inventors: Giocoechea, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Miles, Tim R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US05/384,940
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 261/DIG.65,122,123,142,114R,121R 128/192,186 219/271
• US Class Current: 261/122.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 21/00 Devices for producing oxygen from chemical substances for respiratory apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers

Abstract

A humidifier for delivered gases which has a water container with a cover provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, both inlet and outlet being further provided with removable tubing adaptors. A gas conveying assembly is within the water container, and includes a delivery tube which adjoins the inlet and which also extends below a diffuser plate to a rebound chamber between the bottom of the water container and the diffuser plate. A plurality of apertures in the diffuser plate have an aggregate area which is substantially equal to the area of the discharge, said apertures being spaced from said discharge in a pattern of aligned linear radial rows and concentric rows. The cover of the humidifier is also provided with a pressure relief valve which opens when predetermined pressure levels are exceeded within the container, and which can be closed in the event high pressure humidification is desired.

Claims

1. A humidifier for delivered gases, including a water container having continuous sidewalls and a bottom wall, a top cover for the water container, an inlet on the cover for introduction of water and gas, an outlet in the cover for discharge of humidified gas, and a gas conveying assembly within said water container, said assembly having a gas delivery tube and a diffuser plate, said plate having a continuous edge extending to and contacting the sidewalls of the container to define a gas rebound chamber between the plate and the bottom of the container, the gas delivery tube having a major portion of its length extending from the plate to the inlet on the cover, and a minor portion extending below the diffuser plate but stopping short of the bottom, said minor length being operable to maintain a gas plenum between a body of water in the rebound chamber and a body of water above the plate, said body of water above the plate raising the level of water in the rebound chamber above the end of the minor portion of the tube when the level of the water in the rebound chamber falls below the end of said minor portion, thereby maintaining the gas plenum under pressure, said gas delivery tube joining said plate adjacent an edge portion, said outlet passage in the cover being above the plate adjacent an opposite edge portion, and said plate having a plurality of apertures spreading towards the remaining edge portions of the plate.

2. A humidifier for delivered gases which includes the features of claim 1 above, including an electrical heating housing dimensioned to receive the bottom wall of said water container and to support said water container while desired temperature levels are imparted to the water in said container.

3. A humidifier for delivered gases as in claim 2 above, wherein the total area of said apertures is substantially the same as the inside diameter of the outlet passage.

4. A humidifier for delivered gases which includes the features of claim 2 above, wherein said heating housing is affixed to the bottom of said water container to obtain a unitary humidifier and heater assembly.

5. A humidifier for delivered gases which includes the features of claim 1 above, wherein said gas outlet passage is formed by a tubular member and said gas and water inlet is likewise formed by a tubular member, and both the inlet and outlet having a removable tubing adaptor, each of said tubing adaptors having a tapered nozzle part for frictionally receiving flexible tubing for conveying gas to and from the humidifier.

6. A humidifier for delivered gases which includes the features of claim 3 above, wherein said gas diffuser plate has a continuous edge which defines as area and configuration that corresponds to a cross sectional area and configuration of said water container so that said continuous edge continually engages the continuous side walls of the water container, the long axis of said delivery tube being normal to the plane of said diffuser plate, said delivery tube passing through said diffuser plate adjacent a portion of the coNtinuous edge of said diffuser plate, said plurality of apertures in the diffuser plate extending from said delivery tube in aligned radial rows towards edge portions remote from the edge portion adjacent to said delivery tube.

7. A humidfier fro delivered gases which includes the features of claim 6 above, wherein said diffuser plate is a four sided polygon, said delivery tube passing through said diffuser plate adjacent one of the sides of the polygon, a bisecting axis of said polygon intercepting said side adjacent said delivery tube and a side opposite thereto, the plurality of apertures in said radial rows including both aligned linear radial rows and concentric radial rows, the radial distances of said concentric rows being substantially uniform, and said linear radial rows being spaced from said bisecting axis by substantially uniform angular displacements

8. A humidifier for delivered gases which includes the feature of claim 7 above, wherein the continuous edge of said diffuser plate is secured to the side walls of the water container, and the top is likewise secured to a continuous upper edge of the water container, and wherein an electrical heating housing is secured to the bottom of the water container, said heating housing having plug means to receive a thermostatically controlled connection.