Heater assembly for a respiratory treatment machine

• US 7,327,949 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apex Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Apex Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Chun-Wei, Lai, Kung-Kuan, Cheng, Yao-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell; Thor S.
• Application Number:
  US11/645,914
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 392/444
• 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 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence

Abstract

A heating assembly for a respiratory treatment machine includes a base and a water tank. The base has a receiving space communicating with a recessed platform at a via an opening, and a heating plate securely placed on a bottom face of the receiving space. The water tank has a main receptacle, a secondary receptacle integrally formed and communicating with the main receptacle and movably received inside the receiving space, a conducting plate securely provided at a bottom face of the main receptacle and an extension integrally formed with the conducting plate and provided at a bottom face of the secondary receptacle. The extension has a dimension corresponding to that of the heating plate such that after the secondary receptacle is received inside the receiving space, the extension is placed on top of the heating plate and engaged with the heating plate.

Claims

1. In a heating assembly for a respiratory treatment machine, the heating assembly comprising a base and a water tank, wherein the improvement comprises:

the base has a receiving space defined inside the base and communicating with a recessed platform at a front side of the base via an opening, and a heating plate securely placed on a bottom face of the receiving space,

the water tank has a main receptacle, a secondary receptacle integrally formed and communicating with the main receptacle and movably received inside the receiving space, a conducting plate securely provided at a bottom face of the main receptacle and an extension integrally formed with the conducting plate and provided at a bottom face of the secondary receptacle, the extension has a dimension corresponding to that of the heating plate such that after the secondary receptacle is received inside the receiving space, the extension is placed on top of the heating plate and engaged with the heating plate.

2. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a protection gate is movably provided at the opening of the receiving space to selectively cover the opening.

3. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a magnet is provided at a side face of the secondary receptacle and a magnetic switch is provided at a side face of the receiving space such that interaction between the magnet and the magnetic switch controls activation of the heating plate.

4. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

5. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

6. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

7. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein springs are provided between the heating plate and the bottom face of the receiving space to secure engagement between the heating plate and the extension when the extension is on top of the heating plate.

8. A heating assembly for a respiratory treatment machine, the heating assembly having a base and a water tank, wherein the improvement comprises:

the base has a receiving space defined inside the base and communicating with a recessed platform at a front side of the base via an opening, a heating plate securely placed on a bottom face of the receiving space and means for controlling activation of the heating plate,

the water tank has a main receptacle, a secondary receptacle integrally formed and communicating with the main receptacle and movably received inside the receiving space, a conducting plate securely provided at a bottom face of the main receptacle and an extension integrally formed with the conducting plate and provided at a bottom face of the secondary receptacle, the extension has a dimension corresponding to that of the heating plate such that after the secondary receptacle is received inside the receiving space, the extension is placed on top of the heating plate and engaged with the heating plate.

9. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein a protection gate is movably provided at the opening of the receiving space to selectively cover the opening.

10. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the activation means is composed of a magnet provided at a side face of the secondary receptacle and a magnetic switch provided at a side face of the receiving space such that interaction between the magnet and the magnetic switch controls activation of the heating plate.

11. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

12. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

13. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.

14. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein springs are provided between the heating plate and the bottom face of the receiving space to secure engagement between the heating plate and the extension when the extension is on top of the heating plate.

15. A heating assembly for a respiratory treatment machine, the heating assembly having a base and a water tank, wherein the improvement comprises:

the base has a receiving space defined inside the base and communicating with a recessed platform at a front side of the base via an opening, a heating plate securely placed on a bottom face of both the platform and the receiving space and means for controlling activation of the heating plate,

the water tank has a main receptacle, a secondary receptacle integrally formed and communicating with the main receptacle and movably received inside the receiving space, a conducting plate securely provided at a bottom face of the main receptacle and an extension integrally formed with the conducting plate and provided at a bottom face of the secondary receptacle, combination of the extension and the conducting plate has a dimension corresponding to that of the heating plate such that after the secondary receptacle is received inside the receiving space, the conducting plate and the extension are placed on top of the heating plate and engaged with the heating plate.

16. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein a protection gate is movably provided at the opening of the receiving space to selectively cover the opening.

17. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the activation means is composed of a magnet provided at a side face of the secondary receptacle and a magnetic switch provided at a side face of the receiving space such that interaction between the magnet and the magnetic switch controls activation of the heating plate.

18. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the activation means is composed of a magnet provided at a side face of the secondary receptacle and a magnetic switch provided at a side face of the receiving space such that interaction between the magnet and the magnetic switch controls activation of the heating plate.

19. The heating assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein a pair of guiding tracks are formed on two opposed sides of the platform and a pair of guiding rails are formed on two opposed side of the secondary receptacle so that the guiding rails are correspondingly received inside the guiding tracks when the secondary receptacle is to be received inside the receiving space.