Medical breathing apparatus

• US 5,086,766 A
• Filed: 10/15/1990
• Issued: 02/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virotherm Laboratories Limited
• Original Assignee: Virotherm Laboratories Limited
• Inventors: Beacham, Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALVASO, LISA E
• Application Number:
  US07/585,068
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.16, 128/203.17, 128/203.26, 128/203.27, 128/204.17
• US Class Current: 128/203.27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature

Abstract

A breathing apparatus of the kind having a water chamber in which a heating element is immersed, the temperature of said element being controlled so that air drawn over the heated water is maintained at or close to a required humidity and temperature at an outlet, the volume of the air passing through the apparatus being substantially greater than that required for breathing and being directed into a face mask connectable to the outlet which is formed with vents through which excess moist/heated air together with air exhaled by a user can pass to atmosphere, is characterized in that the casing for the apparatus is in two parts, comprising a base and a removable housing, in that the base accommodates a water tank, and has a column extending upwards therefrom which defines an air path from the water tank in that the face mask is connected to the upper, outlet end of the column, and in that the heating element is carried by and projects from said removable housing such that it is immersed into the water of said tank when said housing is fitted into position on said base.

Claims

1. A breathing apparatus of the kind having a water chamber in which a heating element is immersed in water, the temperature of the water being controlled by the heating element so that air drawn over the heated water is maintained at an outlet of the apparatus at or close to a desired humidity and temperature, the volume of the air passing through the apparatus being substantially greater than that required for breathing and being directed into a face mask, connected to the outlet, which is formed with vents through which excess moist heated air together with air exhaled by the user can pass to atmosphere,

wherein an exterior casing of the apparatus is formed from a base and a mating removable housing carrying electrical components including the heating element, the base comprises a water tank and at least a substantial portion of a duct extending therefrom which defines an air path for the moist heated air to travel from the water tank to the face mask connected to a distal end of the duct, the heating element being carried by the removable housing so that, once the removable housing is matingly engaged with the base, the heating element is at least partly immersed in the water, when water is contained in the water tank, and

the base, the at least substantial portion of the duct and the face mask remaining connected to one another as a single unit upon disengagment of the removable housing from the base.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic components include a fan, a fan motor and a circuit means for powering and controlling the fan, the fan motor and the heating element.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circuit means is provided with means of supplying power to the heating element only when the heating element is immersed in water contained by the water tank.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circuit means further includes a temperature sensor which projects into the column adjacent the outlet thereof and, during use, the temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the moist heated air as it flows through the column and provides an input to the circuit means which is used to control the electronic components.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circuit means is provided with means for providing a warning to a user after the user has used the apparatus for a predetermined period of time.

6. An apparatus according claim 2, wherein the circuit means further includes means for indicating to a user once a stable state working condition of the apparatus has been achieved.