Humidifier

• US 6,135,432 A
• Filed: 08/25/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hebblewhite, Malcolm, Kwok, Philip Rodney, Styles, Robert Edward, Brydon, John William Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US08/918,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 261/119.1
• US Class Current: 261/119.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2006/143 using pressurised air for spraying
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 6/02 by evaporation of water in the air

Abstract

A humidifier for producing humidified air, particularly for use with a continuous positive air pressure device. The humidifier has an air inlet and outlet. An elongate passageway extending between the air inlet and the air outlet. The passageway is adapted to be partially filled with water so that air passing along the passageway becomes humidified as it passes over the water from the air inlet to the air outlet.

Claims

1. A humidifier for producing humidified air, comprising a housing having an air inlet for receiving air to be humidified, an air outlet for discharging humidified air, and an elongate passageway extending between the air inlet and air outlet for directing air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the passageway being adapted to be partially filled with water so that air passing along the passageway becomes humidified as it passes over the water from the air inlet to the air outlet, said passageway being divided into a plurality of elongate subpassageways and at least one corner portion, each subpassageway being substantially straight, and the subpassageways being connected end to end along the length of the passageway by one or more of the corner portions and wherein said housing has a relatively low profile, being of generally flat, box-shaped construction, and includes a recess in its upper surface shaped to be of a complementary shape to an underside of a continuous positive airway pressure device adapted to be mounted thereon, wherein the passageway is provided with at least one generally U-shaped corner portion which bulges outwardly at the inside side of the corner defined by the corner portion so as to force air passing through the corner portion outwardly towards the outside side of the corner defined by the corner portion.

2. A humidifier for producing humidified air, comprising a housing having an air inlet for receiving air to be humidified, an air outlet for discharging humidified air, and an elongate passageway extending between the air inlet and air outlet for directing air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the passageway being adapted to be partially filled with water so that air passing along the passageway becomes humidified as it passes over the water from the air inlet to the air outlet, said passageway being divided into a plurality of elongate subpassageways and at least one corner portion, each subpassageway being substantially straight, and the subpassageways being connected end to end along the length of the passageway by one or more of the corner portions and wherein said housing has a relatively low profile, being of generally flat, box-shaped construction, and includes a recess in its upper surface shaped to be of a complementary shape to an underside of a continuous positive airway pressure device adapted to be mounted thereon, including a last passageway being the last passageway through which air in the humidifier passes before reaching the air outlet, wherein the corner portion through which air passes before reaching the air outlet is the last corner portion and said last corner portion increases in width as it passes from the penultimate subpassageway to the last passageway, wherein the upper wall, or roof, of the last subpassageway rises gradually along the length of the last subpassageway, towards the air outlet, so as to allow the air outlet to be positioned at a greater height above the water within the last subpassageway.

3. A humidifier for producing humidified air comprising a housing having an air inlet for receiving air to be humidified, an air outlet for discharging humidified air, and an elongate passageway extending between the air inlet and air outlet for directing air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the passageway being adapted to be partially filled with water so that air passing along the passageway becomes humidified as it passes over the water from the air inlet to the air outlet, said passageway being divided into a plurality of elongate subpassageways and at least one corner portion, each subpassageway being substantially straight, and the subpassageways being connected end to end along the length of the passageway by one or more of the corner portions and wherein said housing has a relatively low profile, being of generally flat, box-shaped construction, and includes a recess in its upper surface shaped to be of a complementary shape to an underside of a continuous positive airway pressure device adapted to be mounted thereon, including a last subpassageway being the last passageway through which air in the humidifier passes before reaching the air outlet, the last subpassageway including a roof or wall rising gradually along substantially the whole length of the last subpassageway towards the air outlet.

4. A humidifier for producing humidified air, comprising a housing having an air inlet for receiving air to be humidified, an air outlet for discharging humidified air, and an elongate passageway extending between the air inlet and air outlet for directing air from the air inlet to the air outlet, the passageway being adapted to be partially filled with water so that air passing along the passageway becomes humidified as it passes over the water from the air inlet to the air outlet, said passageway being divided into a plurality of elongate subpassageways and at least one corner portion, each subpassageway being substantially straight, and the subpassageways being connected end to end along the length of the passageway by one or more of the corner portions and wherein said housing has a relatively low profile, being of generally flat, box-shaped construction, and includes a recess in its upper surface shaped to be of a complementary shape to an underside of a continuous positive airway pressure device adapted to be mounted thereon, including a first passageway being the first subpassageway through which the air in the humidifier passes after leaving the inlet, the first subpassageway including a roof or wall rising gradually along the length of the first subpassageway towards the air inlet.