Moisture indicator for heat and moisture exchange devices
First Claim
1. A moisture indicator for a Heat and Moisture Exchange (HME) device comprising a pre-colorant and an activator, applied to an inner surface of said device, wherein said colorant changes from colorless to colored upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity and said change is visible through a body of said device.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a moisture indicator for a heat and moisture exchange (HME) device that uses a pre-colorant and an activator applied to an inner surface of the HME device. The colorant undergoes a color change of Delta E (ΔE) of equal to or greater than 3 units upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity. The colorant is visually obvious to the unaided human eye under normal light conditions through the body of the device. The HME device with the visual indicator for moisture can indicate to the care-giver that it is time to change the HME device.
-
Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A moisture indicator for a Heat and Moisture Exchange (HME) device comprising a pre-colorant and an activator, applied to an inner surface of said device, wherein said colorant changes from colorless to colored upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity and said change is visible through a body of said device.
-
11. A moisture indicator for a Heat and Moisture Exchange (HME) device comprising a colorless pre-colorant and an activator applied to an inner surface a body of said device, wherein said colorant undergoes a color change of Delta E (Δ
- E) of equal to or greater than 3 units upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity and said change is visually obvious to the unaided human eye under normal light conditions, through the body of the device.
-
12. A Heat and Moisture Exchange (HME) device comprising:
-
a central body adapted to house a heat and moisture exchange body, the central body having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least a portion of which is translucent or transparent; an inlet defining a tube insertion opening; an outlet defining a tube insertion opening; a heat and moisture exchange element; and a moisture indicator comprising a colorless pre-colorant and an activator applied to an inner surface of the central body of said device, wherein said colorant undergoes a color change of Delta E (Δ
E) of equal to or greater than 3 units upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity and said change is visually obvious to the unaided human eye under normal light conditions, through the central body of the device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
Specification