Breath sampling device and method for using same

• US 8,240,187 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Colman, Joshua Lewis, Levitsky, Gershon
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank, Rodney T
• Application Number:
  US11/990,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: 73/233
• US Class Current: 73/23.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Abstract

There is provided a breath sampling tube including an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids. There is also provided a breath sampling system including a gas analyzer and a breath sampling tube may include an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids. Also provided is a method of breath sampling including channeling breath through a tube having an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids.

Claims

1. A breath sampling tube comprising:

an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is substantially similar to an n-petal flower or an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

2. The tube according to claim 1, wherein said inner conduit is further adapted to permit gas flow out of said conduit wherein said gas is essentially free of liquids.

3. The tube according to claim 1, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to store liquids along the surface of said conduit and to permit gas flow along the central portion of said conduit.

4. The tube according to claim 1, wherein-said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow along the surface of said conduit and to store liquids along the central portion of said conduit.

5. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the walls, of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material.

6. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

7. The tube according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material and another portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

8. The tube according to claim 1, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit self-drying of said liquids.

9. The tube according to claim 1, wherein said inner conduit is further adapted to permit gas flow out of said conduit wherein said gas is essentially free of liquids.

10. A breath sampling system comprising:

a gas analyzer; and

a breath sampling tube comprising an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of said inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is substantially similar to an n-petal flower or an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

11. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to store liquids along the surface of said conduit and to permit gas flow along the central portion of said conduit.

12. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein-said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow along the surface of said conduit and to store liquids along the central portion of said conduit.

13. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein the walls, of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material.

14. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

15. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein a portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material and another portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

16. The breath sampling system according to claim 10, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit self-drying of said liquids.

17. A method of breath sampling comprising:

channeling breath through a tube having an inner conduit, wherein at least a portion of said inner conduit is non-cylindrical and adapted to store liquids, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is substantially similar to an n-petal flower or an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to store liquids along the surface of said conduit and to permit gas flow along the central portion of said conduit.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow along the surface of said conduit and to store liquids along the central portion of said conduit.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein a portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material and another portion of the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit self-drying of said liquids.