Apparatus for equalizing air pressure in air respiratory system

• US 6,988,497 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mezzanine Opportunities LLC (Stonehenge Partners, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medex Cardio-Pulmonary, Inc.
• Inventors: Levine, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US10/246,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 604403-416, 12820014-20024, 128/203.12, 128/203.15, 128/203.16, 128/203.17, 128/203.23, 128/203.26, 128/204.17, 128/204.18
• US Class Current: 128/203.27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/167 acting vertically on the valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1623 Details of air intake

Abstract

A humidifier apparatus for operating at an air pressure is disclosed for use with a respiratory therapy breathing apparatus that provides a breathable gas supply to patients requiring higher concentrations of liquid vapor and gas pressure. The humidifier apparatus includes a feed liquid supply bag in fluid communication with a humidifier cartridge via a conduit. The conduit enables air to flow therethrough to equalize air pressure between the humidifier cartridge and the feed liquid supply bag in response to liquid being supplied to the humidifier cartridge.

Claims

1. A humidifier apparatus for use in a respiratory therapy circuit having a breathable gas supply and operating at an air pressure, the apparatus comprising:

a feed liquid supply bag;

a humidifier cartridge in fluid communication with said feed liquid supply bag for receiving liquid; and

a conduit for placing said humidifier cartridge in fluid communication with said feed liquid supply bag, said conduit connected to said feed liquid bag to equalize air pressure between said humidifier cartridge and said feed liquid supply bag independent of a flow of liquid from said feed liquid supply bag.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit comprises a pair of feed lines separately transferring air and liquid between said humidifier cartridge and said feed liquid supply bag.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of said feed lines comprises an air return line and the other feed line comprises a liquid feed line.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said humidifier cartridge includes a chamber configured for receiving liquid fed by said liquid feed line and transferring air in said chamber to said feed liquid supply bag in response to said received liquid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feed liquid supply bag has a sidewall and comprises a collapsible structure that receives air in response to a transfer of liquid from said liquid supply bag to said humidifier cartridge.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said conduit includes an air return line and a liquid feed line connected to said feed liquid supply bag.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said feed liquid supply bag is gravity fed and said humidifier cartridge is a heated humidifier cartridge.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said humidifier cartridge further comprises a housing defining a chamber and having a pressure equalizing outlet therethrough for enabling air to flow between said chamber and said feed liquid supply bag.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said air outlet is located at a top portion of said housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said humidifier cartridge includes an interior chamber adapted to bold liquid, said interior chamber being selectively exposed to said feed liquid supply bag and the liquid flowing therefrom.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said humidifier cartridge further includes a float valve selectively exposing said interior chamber to said feed liquid supply bag and the liquid flowing therefrom.

12. A cartridge humidifier apparatus for use with a breathable gas supply and a separate heating unit, and, when engaged with the heating unit, the apparatus being adapted for heating and humidifying the breathable gas to be inhaled by a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a feed water supply bag;

a humidifier cartridge having a top portion and configured to operationally engage the heating unit to receive heat therefrom, the humidifier cartridge including a gas inlet, a humidified gas outlet, a water inlet adapted to receive water from said feed water supply bag, and an air outlet positioned in said top portion; and

at least one air pressure equalizing conduit in fluid communication with said humidifier cartridge and said feed water supply bag for equalizing air pressure between said humidifier cartridge and said feed water supply bag.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said air outlet is at or above said water inlet.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a heating unit having a base plate configured for being sealingly engaged to a lower end of said humidifier cartridge, said base plate including an insulating portion and a conductive portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a securing sleeve connectable to said feed water supply bag and said at least one air pressure equalizing conduit and having a shoulder adjacent said feed water supply bag to facilitate connection of said at least one air pressure equalizing conduit to said feed water supply bag.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a piercing pin configured for having an end of said piercing pin passing through said securing sleeve to connect to said feed water supply bag and another end connecting to said at least one air pressure equalizing conduit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said piercing pin abuts against said shoulder of said securing sleeve upon said connection of said at least one air pressure equalizing conduit to said feed water supply bag.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said at least one air pressure equalizing conduit equalizes air pressure continuously between said humidifier cartridge and said feed water supply bag.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, the humidifier cartridge having a thermally conductive plate disposed opposite the top portion, the apparatus further comprising a heating unit have a heating surface adapted to thermally and physically engage the plate of the humidifier cartridge.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said humidifier cartridge further includes an interior chamber adapted to hold liquid, said interior chamber being selectively exposed to said feed water supply bag and the water flowing therefrom.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said humidifier cartridge further includes a float-valve selectively exposing said interior chamber to said feed water supply bag and the water flowing therefrom.

22. A humidifier apparatus for use in a respiratory therapy circuit having a breathable gas supply and operating at an air pressure, the apparatus comprising:

a humidifier cartridge having a top and a bottom;

a feed liquid supply bag having an upper end and a lower end, the feed liquid supply bag being held at an elevation such that the supply bag lower end is higher than the top of the humidifier cartridge;

a first feed line fluidicly coupling the supply bag lower end into the humidifier cartridge such that liquid is able to flow from the supply bag into the humidifier cartridge; and

a second feed line fluidicly coupling the upper end of the supply bag into the humidifier cartridge such that air pressure may be equalized between the supply bag and the humidifier cartridge.

23. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, the first feed line being connected directly to the lower end of the supply bag.

24. The humidifier apparatus of claim 23, the humidifier cartridge having a water access aperture through the top thereof, the first feed line being connected directly to the water access aperture.

25. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, the humidifier cartridge having an air access aperture through the top which couples into the humidifier cartridge, the second feed line being connected directly to the air access aperture.

26. The humidifier apparatus of claim 25, the supply bag having a second air access aperture adjacent the upper end, the second feed line being directly connected to the second air access aperture.

27. The humidifier apparatus of claim 25, the supply bag including an integral air return line portion extending from adjacent the upper end of the supply bag towards the lower end of the supply bag, the second feed line being connected to the integral air return line portion remote from the upper end of the supply bag.

28. The humidifier apparatus of claim 27, the integral air return line portion extending along a side of the supply bag between the upper end and lower end, and terminating in a second air access aperture, the second feed line being connected directly to the second air access aperture.

29. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, the supply bag having an air access aperture adjacent the upper end, the second feed line being directly connected to the air access aperture.

30. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, the supply bag including an integral air return line portion extending from adjacent the upper end of the supply bag towards the lower end of the supply bag, the second feed line being connected to the integral air return line portion remote from the upper end of the supply bag.

31. The humidifier apparatus of claim 30, the integral air return line portion extending along a side of the supply bag between the upper end and lower end, and terminating in an air access aperture, the second feed line being connected directly to the air access aperture.

32. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a heating unit having an upper heating surface adapted to thermally engage the bottom of the humidifier cartridge.

33. The humidifier apparatus of claim 22, the first and second feed lines being physically connected to each other along at least a portion of their length.

34. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the humidifier cartridge further includes an interior chamber adapted to hold liquid, the interior chamber being selectively exposed to the first feed line and the liquid flowing therein.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the humidifier cartridge further includes a float valve selectively exposing the interior chamber to the first feed line and the liquid flowing therein.

36. A humidifier apparatus for use in a respiratory therapy circuit having a breathable gas supply and operating at an air pressure, the apparatus comprising:

a humidifier cartridge;

a feed liquid supply bag having an upper end and a lower end, the supply bag including an integral air return line portion extending from adjacent the upper end of the supply bag towards the lower end of the supply bag;

a first feed line fluidicly coupling the lower end of the supply bag to the humidifier cartridge such that liquid is able to flow from the supply bag into the humidifier cartridge; and

a second feed line connected to the integral air return line portion remote from the upper end of the supply bag and fluidicly coupling the integral air return line portion to the humidifier cartridge such that air pressure may be equalized between the supply bag and the humidifier space.

37. The humidifier apparatus of claim 36, the integral air return line portion extending along a side of the supply bag between the upper end and lower end, and terminating in an air access aperture, the second feed line being connected directly to the air access aperture.

38. A humidifier apparatus for use in a respiratory therapy circuit having a breathable gas supply and operating at an air pressure, the apparatus comprising:

a feed liquid supply bag;

a humidifier cartridge;

a first feed line fluidicly coupling a lower end of the supply bag to the humidifier cartridge such that liquid is able to flow from the supply bag into the humidifier cartridge; and

a second, unobstructed feed line fluidicly coupling an upper end of the supply bag to the humidifier cartridge such that air pressure may be equalized between the supply bag and the humidifier cartridge.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the humidifier cartridge further includes an interior chamber adapted to hold liquid, the interior chamber being selectively exposed to the first feed line and the liquid flowing therein.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the humidifier cartridge further includes a float valve selectively exposing the interior chamber to the first feed line and the liquid flowing therein.