Apparatus for delivering humidified gases

• US 7,111,624 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Inventors: Biggs, Philip James, Thudor, Mohammad, Makinson, Ian Douglas, Dickinson, Philip John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US10/246,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/203.17, 128/203.16, 128/203.26, 128/203.27, 128/204.17, 604/23, 392/386, 392/390, 261/DIG.65, 261/DIG.4, 261/DIG.515
• US Class Current: 128/203.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1075 by influencing the temperature A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1095 in the connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering humidified gases has a connection manifold adapted to connect with inlet and outlet ports of a slide on water chamber in a single slide on motion. Connection of the gases inlet and gases outlet ports as well as any additional electrical and/or pneumatic connections are all made in the same slide on motion. The water chamber may include inwardly extending elongate extension tubes with one of the extension tubes having an air bleed aperture to aid filling of the chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment comprising:

a housing,

a pressurised gases supply within said housing,

a pressurised gases outlet in said housing in fluid connection with said pressurised gases supply and adapted to make fluid connection with an inlet of a humidifier in order to provide gases flow to a said humidifier,

a humidified gases return in said housing, adapted to make fluid connection with an outlet of a said humidifier in order to receive humidified gases from said humidifier,

a patient outlet in said housing, in fluid connection with said humidified gases return in order to receive humidified gases from said humidified gases return and provide humidified gases to said patient outlet, said patient outlet being in fluid connection with or adapted to make fluid connection with a breathing conduit for delivery of humidified gases to a patient.

2. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 1 wherein a said humidifier is a heatable water chamber, and said apparatus includes,

a chamber heater connected to said housing and, said housing includes a humidifier engagement locating a said humidifier adjacent said chamber heater, said chamber heater adapted to vaporise liquid water in said water chamber in order to provide water vapour to said gases flow passing through said water chamber.

3. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 2 wherein said water chamber has a base, and said water chamber is engagable with said humidifier engagement via a single motion, and said single motion of engagement urges the base of said water chamber adjacent and in contact with said chamber heater and makes a first fluid connection between said pressurised gases outlet and said humidifier inlet, and makes a second fluid connection between said humidified gases return and said humidifier outlet, with said first and second fluid connections being made in the direction of said single motion.

4. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 3 wherein said pressurised gases outlet and said inlet of a said humidifier have between them first complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the mate and female connectors,

said humidified gases return and said outlet of said humidifier have between them second complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the male and female connectors, said preferred insertion direction of said first connectors being the same as said preferred insertion direction of said second connectors, and being the same as at least the direction of a terminal part of said single motion.

5. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 4 wherein said inlet of said humidifier and said outlet of said humidifier are each a female port,

and said preastuised gases outlet and said humidified gases return are each a resilient tubular projection fitting within respective female ports with said water chamber engaged.

6. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 5 wherein said tubular projections of said pressurised gases outlet and humidified gases return have substantially parallel axes of extension, said chamber heater includes a substantially planar heating plate, and said axes of extension of said tubes are at least substantially parallel with said insertion direction.

7. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in any one of claims 1–

6 wherein said patient outlet includes a connector for receiving a breathing hose and at least one auxiliary electrical connection plug or socket or pneumatic connection plug or port, for a simultaneous connection when connecting a breathing circuit having complementary electrical or pneumatic connectors.