Insert for heated humidifier used in respiratory therapy

• US 4,714,078 A
• Filed: 07/09/1986
• Issued: 12/22/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernard R. Paluch
• Original Assignee: Bernard R. Paluch
• Inventors: Paluch, Bernard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US06/884,775
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.17, 128/203.27, 128/204.17
• US Class Current: 128/203.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/165 with a float actuator

Abstract

There is provided for a heated humidifier used in respiratory therapy a method of lowering the heating cost, reducing the waste of humidifier fluid, lowering the compliance volume and reducing the labor costs attending water level maintenance by placing a removable, space filling, volume reducing insert into the reservoir of existing heated humidifiers. The resulting modified humidifier may be used both for adult patients as well as pediatric and neonatal patients.

Claims

1. In a heated humidifier used in respiratory therapy consisting of a first reservoir removably attached to a cover, said cover having:

(a) an inlet port for gas entry, said port being the upper terminus of a first conduit leading into a tower open at its bottom and top, the tower containing a perforated disc near the bottom of said tower, the first conduit terminating at and being in open communication with the underside of the disc, said disc acting to disperse the gas entering the inlet port;

(b) a gas exit port, and;

(c) a double well the improvement consisting of a solid removable, space filling, volume reducing insert for said first reservoir constructed of a noncompressible, nonabsorbent, sterilizable material contoured to fit said first reservoir and dimensioned so as to occupy at least 35% of the volume of the first reservoir, the insert formed with a depression, in open communication at its bottom surface with the first reservoir, acting as a second reservoir receivably accommodating the double well and tower, a chamber formed on a side of the the insert adjacent to the second reservoir, a second conduit extending from its lower terminus at the upper portion of the chamber through the body of the insert to its upper terminus at the top of the insert, a float valve pivotally connected at one end to the top of said chamber, said valve having means to positively close the lower terminus of the second conduit.

2. The insert of claim 1 in which the upper terminus of the second conduit ends in a tapered bushing sealably receiving the lower terminus of a delivery tube of a water transfer set where the water transfer set consists of the delivery tube whose upper terminus is sealed to the open top portion of an elbow, a segment of flexible tubing connected in a watertight manner at its lower end to the top portion of said elbow and in open communication with the upper terminus of the delivery tube, said tubing connected at its upper end to a drip chamber having a cap terminating in a pointed, tubular puncture spike, said elbow having a lower end closely dimensioned to fit over the gas exit port, and said elbow having a lateral tubular portion terminating in an open port, said water transfer set providing a fluid path from the drip chamber to the lower terminus of the delivery tube.

3. In a heated humidifier used in respiratory therapy consisting of a first reservoir removably attached to a cover, said cover having:

(a) an inlet port for gas entry, said port being the upper terminus of a first conduit leading into a tower open at its bottom and top, the tower containing a perforated disc near the bottom of said tower, the first conduit terminating at and being in open communication with the underside of the disc, said disc acting to disperse the gas entering the inlet port;

(b) a gas exit port, and;

(c) a double well the improvement consisting of a solid removable, space filling, volume-reducing insert for said first reservoir constructed of a noncompressible, nonabsorbent, sterilizable material contoured to fit said first reservoir and dimensioned so as to occupy at least 35% of the volume of the first reservoir, the insert formed with a depression acting as a second reservoir receivably accommodating the double well and tower, said insert having an upper and a lower portion separated by a gap with said upper and lower portion connected by a plurality of posts.