Humidifier

• US 3,913,843 A
• Filed: 10/30/1974
• Issued: 10/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Creditanstalt-Bankverein (Unicredit SPA)
• Original Assignee: Orlando D. Cambio Jr
• Inventors: Cambio, Orlando D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US05/519,239
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 239/337,338,398 261/DIG.65,78A,98 128/194
• US Class Current: 239/338
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/147 the respiratory gas not passing through the liquid container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/183 the sound being generated pneumatically

Abstract

A water supply is adapted as a source for humidifying an oxygen stream through the agency of an adapter which couples pressurized oxygen to a container for the water. A venturi type member within the adapter helps to draw water therethrough from the water supply and directs atomized droplets of water and oxygen towards a foraminous filtering member where any surplus entrained water droplets are removed. The humidified oxygen stream passes through the foraminous member and is directed through an outlet nozzle and through a flexible hose to the patient for inhalation therapy. The venturi type member in the adapter is part of an insert which is vertically disposed in the upper socket of the adapter. The main venturi channel is positioned horizontally at the bottom of the insert and the venturi'"'"''"'"'s perpendicular channel communicates with the lower socket of the adapter. Disposed axially below the venturi, a breaching member is positioned in the lower socket of the adapter for piercing a sealing diaphragm across the neck of the liquid container. The adapter is also provided with an annular excess water collecting channel below the foraminous member for draining excess water back into the container. The adapter is further provided with a pressure-relief valve for venting the humidified oxygen stream to the atmosphere whenever the stream exceeds a predetermined pressure.

Claims

1. A humidifier device particularly adapted for use in an inhalation therapy system, and adapted to be connected to both a source of liquid and also to a pressurized gas stream, and having means for channeling and directing a humidified gas stream issuing therefrom to a predetermined use, said humidifier device comprising in combination:

a. venturi means including an insert body carried in said deivce and having a generally vertical upper main flow channel and a transverse venturi channel generally perpendicular to said main flow channel;

said venturi channel having an exit port in said insert body communicating downstream thereof with said means for channeling and directing the humidified gas stream to a predetermined use;

said venturi channel also having an intermediate port connecting said venturi channel with a generally vertical lower channel or conduit at least operatively connected with said insert body;

b. means for connecting said main flow channel to said pressurized gas stream;

c. means for connecting said lower vertical channel of said insert body to said liquid source, whereby the flow of gas down through said upper main flow channel and through said venturi channel creates a suction on said intermediate port thereof such that droplets of said liquid are drawn through said generally vertical lower channel and are aspiratively carried by said gas exiting said venturi channel;

d. foraminous means spaced adjacent from said venturi exit port for filtering out said droplets while permitting the flow of gas therethrough so that essentially only a liquid vapor passing from said foraminous means is carried in the gas stream exiting therefrom and directed via said channeled gas stream to said predetermined use.

2. The humidifier device of claim 1 further including in combination therewith liquid collecting receptacle means downstream of said foraminous means for collecting excess liquid from said foraminous means and for returning said excess liquid to said liquid source.

3. The humidifier device of claim 2, further including in combination therewith pressure relief means located downstream of said foraminous means within said liquid collecting receptacle means, for venting said vapor-laden gas to the atmosphere when said vapor-laden gas exceeds a predetermined pressure.

4. The humidifier device of claim 3 wherein said means of paragraph (c) for connecting said lower vertical channel to said liquid source includes a lower socket-type connector on said liquid-collecting receptacle having within said socket membranebreaching means carried thereby and adapted to breach a membrane for sealing aseptic liquid within a receptacle of the liquid constituting the liquid source.

5. The humidifier device of claim 1 wherein said means for connecting said upper vertical main flow channel to said pressurized gas flow includes an upper connector having an upwardly opening conduit-receiving socket and a handle portion integral therewith;

said socket having a smaller downward leading opening to supportingly receive therethrough said insert body of paragraph (a) so that said upper main flow channel Of said insert body is in fluid communication with said conduit-receiving socket;

said venturi channel lying in a generally horizontal plane when said insert body is generally vertically disposed in said upper connector.

6. The humidifier device of claim 5 wherein said means of paragraph (c) for connecting said lower vertical channel to said liquid source includes a lower socket-type connector having membrane-breaching means carried thereby;

a seat at the top of said latter-mentioned socket;

said seat adapted to receive a lower end of said lower vertical channel or conduit of said insert body when the latter is in place, and said seat having an orifice providing fluid communication between said lower vertical channel and said liquid source via said latter-mentioned socket and said membrane breaching means.

7. The humidifier device of claim 2, wherein said means for channeling and directing a humidified gas stream to a predetermined use includes an outlet nozzle downstream of said foraminous means and adjacent thereto disposed on an upper part of said liquid collecting receptacle for channeling the vapor-laden gas stream from said foraminous member in said predetermined direction.

8. The humidifier device of claim 3 wherein said pressure relief means includes an audible duck bill type of flexible relief valve mounted therein downstream of said venturi channel.

9. The humidifier of claim 1 wherein said device includes sleeve means closely surrounding a portion of said insert body intermediate it and said foraminous means of paragraph (d);

and said sleeve means including a sleeve having one end terminating adjacently below said venturi exit port.

10. A humidifier fitting adapted to be mounted on the neck of a container having a breachable seal sealing therein a source of pure water, and to be connected to a conduit containing a pressurized gas stream for providing a humidified gas flow from the container-attached fitting, said fitting comprising in combination:

a. a lower housing member having endless peripheral side walls and a bottom, said lower housing member having a first socket member extending upwardly from said bottom and generally centrally located with respect to said peripheral side walls so as to define curvalinear fluid chamber between said side walls and said first socket member, said first socket member having a top member and a membrane-breaching member integrally formed with and depending downwardly from said top member, said membrane-breaching member having an axial channel therethru, a seat integrally formed with said top member and having an opening in fluid communication with said axial channel, said lower housing member having an outlet pipe at the bottom of said lower housing member and in fluid communication with said curvalinear chamber;

an outlet nozzle positioned above said outlet pipe in fluid communication with the interior of said lower housing member;

b. an upper housing member including a top wall having an upwardly opening socket and a rotatable handle member mounted for rotation in said latter socket, said rotatable handle member having a central conduit-receiving socket and recessed aperture;

c. an insert body positioned in said recessed aperture and extending therethrough such that said insert body depends downwardly into said lower housing member, said insert body having a vertical channel and a horizontal venturi channel below said upper housing member, said venturi channel having an exit orifice in said insert body, said insert body having a lower conduit portion which complementarily mates with said seat of said first socket top member, said lower conduit portion of said insert body having a channel in fluid communication both with said axial channel in said membrane-breaching member and with a narrowed channel portion in fluid communication with and disposed perpendicular to said horizontal venturi channel to form a venturi; and

d. a foraminous member disposed between said venturi exit orifice and said outlet Nozzle and outlet pipe.

11. The humidifier fitting of claim 10, wherein said upwardly opening socket and said handle member have complemental shoulders;

said handle member having inner stepped shoulders; and

said insert body including shoulders which mate with said inner stepped shoulders of said handle member, all collectively acting to maintain said handle member in proper assembly in said upwardly opening socket of said upper housing member.

12. The humidifier fitting of claim 10 and further including pressure relief means positioned in said upper housing member between said foraminous member and said outlet nozzle.

13. The humidifier fitting of claim 11, and further including a projection integrally formed in said insert body projecting into said vertical channel immediately above said horizontal venturi channel thereby to commence a positive substantial restriction of said vertical channel immediately above said horizontal venturi channel.

14. The humidifier fitting of claim 13, and further including a sleeve member extending downwardly from said upper housing member and co-acting in slightly spaced relation around said insert body venturi orifice to help baffle said humidified gas stream exiting from said venturi orifice thereby improving its lift effectiveness;

said sleeve member also of a size and disposed to help position and carry said foraminous member in spaced surrounding spaced relation to said venturi orifice and insert body.

15. The humidifier fitting of claim 14 and further including pressure relief means positioned in said upper housing member between said foraminous member and said outlet nozzle.

16. The humidifier fitting of claim 15, wherein said pressure relief means includes an audible duck bill type of flexible relief valve member cooperating with a sleeved valve support and seat on said upper housing member.