Water chamber

• US 6,398,197 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
• Inventors: Wixey, David, Dickinson, Philip John
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US09/564,508
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 261/30, 261/72.1, 261/141, 261/142, 261/119.1, 261/DIG.65, 963/67, 963/70
• US Class Current: 261/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers

Abstract

A water chamber has a horizontally orientated gas inlet with an elongate flow tube extending into the water chamber from the inner periphery of the gases inlet. An inlet end of the elongate flow tube covers the inlet and an outlet end of the flow tube is spaced from the wall of the chamber. In use the flow tube receives gases supplied to the gases inlet, the gases pass through the flow tube and exit the flow tube at the outlet end distant from the wall.

Claims

1. In a water chamber adapted for use in conjunction with a heater base and having a horizontally oriented gases inlet in a wall thereof the improvement comprising an elongate flow tube extending into said water chamber from the inner periphery of said gases inlet, an inlet end of said elongate flow tube covering said inlet and an outlet end of said flow tube being spaced from the wall of said chamber, said flow tube in use receiving, at said inlet end, gases supplied to said gases inlet, said gases passing through said flow tube and exiting said flow tube at said outlet end distant from said wall.

2. A water chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flow tube extends for a distance of at least a quarter of the diameter of said water chamber.

3. A water chamber as claimed in claim 2 wherein said gases inlet and said flow tube are aligned radially and said flow tube extends to approximately the middle of said chamber.

4. A water chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber includes a vertically oriented gases outlet in the roof of said chamber, said gases outlet located beyond the termination of said flow tube, and a baffle wall extending downwardly from the roof of said chamber between the outlet end of said flow tube and said gases outlet.

5. A water chamber as claimed in claim 4 wherein said baffle wall is curved to be closest to said flow tube at the centre thereof, the ends of said baffle wall curved away from said flow tube.

6. A water chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein said water chamber comprises a transparent plastic shell open at the bottom and having a peripheral flange, a heat conductive plate enclosing said bottom of said shell and sealed at its periphery to said flange, and said elongate flow tube comprises a tubular extension tube member fitted at said gases inlet.

7. A water chamber as claimed in claim 6 wherein said extension tube includes a perpendicularly extending sealing flange at one end thereof, and said gases inlet of said water chamber includes a perpendicularly and inwardly extending annular, sealing flange, and said sealing flange of said extension tube and said sealing flange of said water chamber inlet abut one another in an assembled condition.

8. A water chamber as claimed in claim 7 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet includes a plurality of retaining protrusions spaced around the circumference thereof, adjacent but spaced from the respective said sealing flange such that in an assembled condition said protrusions and the said adjacent sealing flange engage the other said sealing flange therebetween.

9. A water chamber as claimed in claim 8 wherein said adjacent sealing flange includes a notch in the vicinity of each said retaining protrusion.

10. A water chamber as claimed in claim 7 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet to said water chamber includes one or more locating protrusions around the circumference thereof adjacent to and contiguous with their respective sealing flange, and the other said sealing flange includes one or more corresponding notches into which said retaining protrusions engage to restrain said extension tube against rotational movement.

11. A water chamber as claimed in claims 3 wherein said chamber includes a vertically oriented gases outlet in the roof of said chamber, said gases outlet located beyond the termination of said flow tube, and a baffle wall extending downwardly from the roof of said chamber between the outlet end of said flow tube and said gases outlet.

12. A water chamber as claimed in claim 11 wherein said baffle wall is curved to be closest to said flow tube at the centre thereof, the ends of said baffle wall curved away from said flow tube.

13. A water chamber as claimed in claim 3 wherein said water chamber comprises a transparent plastic shell open at the bottom and having a peripheral flange, a heat conductive plate enclosing said bottom of said shell and sealed at its periphery to said flange, and said elongate flow tube comprises a tubular extension tube member fitted at said gases inlet.

14. A water chamber as claimed in claim 13 wherein said extension tube includes a perpendicularly extending sealing flange at one end thereof, and said gases inlet of said water chamber includes a perpendicularly and inwardly extending annular sealing flange, and said sealing flange of said extension tube and said sealing flange of said water chamber inlet abut one another in an assembled condition.

15. A water chamber as claimed in claim 4 wherein said water chamber comprises a transparent plastic shell open at the bottom and having a peripheral flange, a heat conductive plate enclosing said bottom of said shell and sealed at its periphery to said flange, and said elongate flow tube comprises a tubular extension tube member fitted at said gases inlet.

16. A water chamber as claimed in claim 15 wherein said extension tube includes a perpendicularly extending sealing flange at one end thereof, and said gases inlet of said water chamber includes a perpendicularly and inwardly extending annular sealing flange, and said sealing flange of said extension tube and said sealing flange of said water chamber inlet abut one another in an assembled condition.

17. A water chamber as claimed in claim 16 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet includes a plurality of retaining protrusions spaced around the circumference thereof, adjacent but spaced from the respective said sealing flange such that in an assembled condition said protrusions and the said adjacent sealing flange engage the other said sealing flange therebetween.

18. A water chamber as claimed in claim 15 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet to said water chamber includes one or more locating protrusions around the circumference thereof adjacent to and contiguous with their respective sealing flange, and the other said sealing flange includes one or more corresponding notches into which said retaining protrusions engage to restrain said extension tube against rotational movement.

19. A water chamber as claimed in claim 7 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet to said water chamber includes one or more locating protrusions around the circumference thereof adjacent to and contiguous with their respective sealing flange, and the other said sealing flange includes one or more corresponding notches into which said retaining protrusions engage to restrain said extension tube against rotational movement.

20. A water chamber as claimed in claim 8 wherein either said extension tube or said gases inlet to said water chamber includes one or more locating protrusions around the circumference thereof adjacent to and contiguous with their respective sealing flange, and the other said sealing flange includes one or more corresponding notches into which said retaining protrusions engage to restrain said extension tube against rotational movement.