Sleeved filter for a breathing circuit

• US 5,901,705 A
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: King Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: King Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Leagre, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, CHARLES WENDELL
• Application Number:
  US08/925,116
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 128/909, 128/203.12, 128/207.14, 128/205.14, 128/204.18, 128/205.25, 128/204.17, 604/163, 604/171, 604/281
• US Class Current: 128/207.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1065 in the expiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/909 Breathing apparatus with means for preventing patient cross-contamination

Abstract

A sleeved filter apparatus prevents germs from becoming resident on both the interior and exterior of a breathing device. The sleeved filter apparatus includes a filter member and a sleeve member. The filter member is composed of a first and second enclosure half which are sealed on their interior ends. The external ends of the two enclosure halves have connectors for connecting the sleeved filter apparatus to a breathing device and/or a patient airway component. A filter element is disposed inside the filter member enclosure for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the filter member without passing through the filter element. This filter member prevents germs from passing between the patient and the interior of the breathing device. The sleeve member is made of a flexible material, and has a first open end, a second open end, and a middle portion extending between the first open end and the second open end. The first open end of the sleeve member is sealingly engaged to the filter member. The sleeve member has a diameter sized to surround the breathing circuit, and a length sufficient to extend along most or all of the entire length of the breathing circuit. The sleeve member prevents germs and bacteria from passing between the patient and the exterior of the breathing device. The sleeved filter apparatus is removable between procedures to permit reuse of the breathing circuit without substantial cross-contamination between patients.

Claims

1. A respiratory system comprising:

a breathing device including an interior and an exterior, a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, a first end connector disposed at the first end for coupling the breathing device to one of a patient connector and a machine connector, a second end connector disposed at the second end for coupling the breathing device to the other of the patient connector and machine connector, the middle portion being generally tubular and extending between the first end connector and the second end connector, the middle portion having a diameter,

a sleeved filter selectively connectable to the breathing device for preventing germs from becoming resident on both the interior and exterior of a breathing device, the sleeved filter comprising;

(a) a media container member, having a hollow interior, a first connector and a second connector, one of the first connector and the second connector being sized and shaped for connection to the first end connector,

(b) a generally tubular sleeve member, having a first open end, a second open end, and a middle portion extending between the first open end and the second open end,

the first open end of the sleeve member being sealingly engaged to the media container member, the middle portion and the second open end of the sleeve member having a diameter greater than the diameter of the breathing device to slidably interiorly receive the breathing device, and a length sized to extend along the breathing device substantially between the first end connector and the second end connector thereof, the middle portion and second end being unconnected to the breathing device whereby disconnection of the media container member from the breathing device allows the middle potion and second open end to slide over the breathing device to permit removal of both the media container member and the sleeve member from the breathing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the media container member is sized and shaped for being coupled to one of the first end connector and second end connector of the breathing device, and the second connector of the media container member is sized and shaped for being coupled to at least one of a patient breathing device, an anesthesia machine, an anesthesia face mask, an endotracheal tube, and an airway device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the media container member includes

a first enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the first connector of the media container member;

a second enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the second connector of the media container member;

a filter element disposed in the interior of the media container member for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the media container member without passing through the filter element;

the internal end of the first enclosure half being sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein

the internal end of the first enclosure half has a female lip having a larger diameter than the external end of the first enclosure half,

the internal end of the second enclosure half has a male lip having a larger diameter than the external end of the second enclosure half,

the internal end of the first enclosure half is sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half by mating the male lip of the first enclosure half with the female lip of the second enclosure half,

the filter element extends radially in the interior of the media container member, and

the filter element is sized to fit snugly in the interior of the media container member and is disposed adjacent to the area where the first enclosure half is sealingly connected to the second enclosure half.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sleeve member is made of a flexible material, and has a diameter sized to loosely surround a tube of a breathing device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the breathing device is a unilimb breathing circuit, and the sleeve member has a generally constant diameter throughout its length of between approximately 0.25 inches and 2 inches greater than the outside diameter of the unilimb breathing circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sleeve member is sealingly engaged to the media container member by attaching the sleeve member to an exterior surface of the media container member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first open end of the sleeve member is sealingly engaged to the media container member by sandwiching the first open end of the sleeve member between the female lip of the first enclosure half of the media container member and the male lip of the second enclosure half of the media container member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the media container member is attached to the patient end connector of the breathing circuit, and the sleeve member extends from the patient end along the length of the breathing circuit, said sleeved filter apparatus being removable between procedures to permit reuse of the breathing circuit without substantial cross-contamination between patients.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sleeve member is made of a flexible material, and has a diameter sized to loosely surround a tube of the breathing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the breathing device is a unilimb breathing circuit, and the sleeve member has a generally constant diameter throughout its length.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has a length sufficient to permit the second open end of the sleeve member to extend beyond the second end connector of the breathing device for permitting the middle portion of the sleeve member to surround the entire length of the breathing device between the first end connector and the second end connector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the media container member has a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the breathing device, and the sleeve member has a diameter generally equal to the maximum diameter of the media container member.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a bacteria-trapping filter element is disposed in the interior of the media container member for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the media container member without passing through the filter element, to thereby serve as a bacterial barrier for gases flowing through the filter.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the media container member comprises a filter member and a filter member including:

a first enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the first connector of the filter member; and

a second enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the second connector of the filter member;

the internal end of the first enclosure half being sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the internal end of the first enclosure half has a female lip having a larger diameter than the external end of the first enclosure half,

the internal end of the second enclosure half has a male lip having a larger diameter than the external end of the second enclosure half,

the internal end of the first enclosure half being sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half by mating the male lip member with the female lip member,

the filter element extends radially in the interior of the filter member, and

the filter element is sized to fit snugly in the interior of the filter member and is disposed adjacent to the area where the first enclosure half is sealingly connected to the second enclosure half.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the breathing device comprises a breathing circuit having first and second non-coaxial limbs and a Y-connector coupling the first and second non-coaxial limbs,

the first open end of the sleeve member having a first diameter, and the second open end of the sleeve member having a second diameter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first open end of the sleeve member is disposed adjacent to the Y-connector, and the second open end of the sleeve member has a diameter greater than the diameter of the first open end of the sleeve member, the diameter of the second open end of the sleeve member being sized for receiving both of the first and second limbs of the breathing circuit, whereby the sleeve member surrounds both the Y-connector and the first and second limbs of the breathing circuit to prevent contamination of the exterior surfaces of the breathing circuit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the media container member includes

a first enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the first connector of the media container member;

a second enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including the second connector of the media container member; and

a bacteria-trapping filter element disposed in the interior of the media container member for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the media container member without passing through the filter element,

the internal end of the first enclosure half being sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the diameter of the first open end of the sleeve member is between approximately 2 inches and 3 inches, and the diameter of the second open end of the sleeve member is between approximately 5 inches and 8 inches.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the diameter of the first open end of the sleeve member is substantially similar to the maximum diameter of the media container member and the diameter of the second open end of the sleeve member is great enough to accommodate both the first and second limbs of the breathing circuit.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the diameter of the sleeve member increases from a smaller diameter at the first open end of the sleeve member to a larger diameter at the second open end of the sleeve member.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the sleeve member has a sufficient length to surround substantially the entire length of the outer surface of the breathing circuit from the patient end of the Y-connector to a machine end connector of the first and second limbs of the breathing circuit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the rate of increase of the diameter of the sleeve member is generally constant throughout the majority of its length.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the media container member is attached to the patient end of the Y-connector of the breathing circuit, and the sleeve member extends from the patient end along the length of the breathing circuit, said sleeved filter apparatus being removable between procedures to permit reuse of the breathing circuit without substantial cross-contamination between patients.

26. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the media container member is attached to the patient end connector of the breathing device, and the sleeve member extends from the patient end along the length of the breathing device, said sleeved filter apparatus being removable between procedures to permit reuse of the breathing circuit without substantial cross-contamination between patients.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the media container member includes a filter media therein.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the media container member includes a heat and moisture exchange media therein.

29. A respiratory device comprising:

a breathing device comprising a tubular member having an exterior, and an interior through which gas can travel, the breathing device including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, a first end connector disposed at the first end for coupling the breathing device to one of a patient connector and a machine connector, a second end connector disposed at the second end for coupling the breathing device to the other of the patient connector and machine connector, the middle portion being generally tubular and extending between the first end connector and the second end connector, the middle portion having a diameter,

a sleeved filter apparatus for preventing germs from becoming resident on both the interior and exterior of a breathing device, the sleeved filter apparatus comprising;

(1) a filter member having;

(a) a first enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including a first connector of the filter member,

(b) a second enclosure half having an external end and an internal end, the external end including a second connector of the filter member, the internal end of the first enclosure half being sealingly connected to the internal end of the second enclosure half, the first connector of the filter member being connected to the first end connector of the breathing device, and the second connector of the filter member being connected to a patient breathing adaptor, and

(c) a filter element disposed in the interior of the filter member for preventing gases from flowing between the first connector and the second connector of the filter member without passing through the filter element; and

(2) a generally tubular sleeve member being composed of a flexible material, having a first open end, a second open end, and a middle portion extending between the first open end and the second open end, the first open end of the sleeve member being sealingly engaged to the filter member, the middle portion and the second open end of the sleeve member having a diameter greater than the diameter of the breathing device to slidably interiorly receive the breathing device, and a length sufficiently great enough to extend generally between the first end connector and the second end connector of the breathing device, the middle portion and second end being unconnected to the breathing device whereby disconnection of the filter member from the breathing device allows removal of both the filter member and the sleeve member from the breathing device, through the middle portion and second open end to sliding over the breathing device to permit the sleeved filter apparatus to be removed from the breathing device between procedures to permit reuse of the breathing device without substantial cross-contamination between patients.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the breathing device comprises a unilimb breathing circuit and the sleeve member has a generally constant diameter throughout its length.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein

(1) the breathing device comprises a breathing circuit having first and second non-coaxial limbs and a Y-connector coupling the first and second non-coaxial limbs;

(2) the first open end of the sleeve member is disposed adjacent to the Y-connector; and

(3) the second open end of the sleeve member has a diameter greater than the diameter of the first open end of the sleeve member, the diameter of the second open end of the sleeve member being sized to accommodate both the first and second limbs of the breathing circuit.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the filter member includes each of a filter element media and a heat and moisture exchange media.