Maintaining a water level in a humidification component

• US 9,212,673 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SunMed Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: CareFusion 207, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Korneff, Neil, Varga, Christopher M
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNEIDER, CRAIG M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Hailey K
• Application Number:
  US13/250,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 137/389, 137/392
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/162 Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3382 Upper level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3386 Low level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/12 by influencing the boundary layer use of materials, e.g. to reduce surface friction C09K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 9/12 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7287 Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A device for maintaining a water level in a respiratory humidification system, said device comprising: at least one sensor positioned external to a humidification component, the at least one sensor configured for sensing water related information in the humidification component and providing the water related information to a water control module, the water related information comprising data configured for being used to control an operation of the water control module.

Claims

1. A device for maintaining a water level in a respiratory humidification system, said device comprising:

a humidification component;

a base unit configured to support a base of the humidification component; and

a first sensor integrated with the base unit and a second sensor integrated with the base unit, the first sensor positioned diametrically opposed to the second sensor around the humidification component, the first and second sensors being independent of the humidification component and positioned external to the humidification component and coupled with a control module, the first sensor configured for sensing water related information in said humidification component and providing said water related information to said control module, said water related information comprising data configured for being used to control an operation of a water level control element,

wherein the humidification component is independent from the base unit such that the humidification component is placeable onto and removable from the base unit without attachments.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one primary sensor and the second sensor comprises at least one redundant sensor.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a capacitive sensor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said water related information comprises data configured for being used by said control module to compute an output of said humidification system and a quantity of water consumed by said humidification system.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said water related information comprises data configured for being used by said control module to detect a lack of water or detected an excess amount of water in said humidification system.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said water level control element comprises at least one pinch valve.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the humidification component is removable without removing the at least one sensor from the base unit.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the humidification component contains only water and gas.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is an optical sensor.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said optical sensor comprises a transmissive sensor or a reflective sensor.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said operation comprises:

a maintenance of a target water level in said humidification component.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said maintenance of said target water level in said humidification component comprises:

an opening of said water level control element.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein said maintenance of said target water level in said humidification component operation comprises:

a closing of said water level control element.

15. A method for maintaining a water level in a humidification component, said method comprising:

sensing, by a first sensor and a second sensor, water related information in said humidification component, the first and second sensors directly attached to a base unit, positioned external to said humidification component and positioned directly across from each other around the humidification component and coupled with a control module, the first sensor configured to send a signal through the humidification component to the second sensor, the second sensor configured to determine the water related information based on the received signal, wherein the humidification component is independent from the base unit such that the humidification component is placeable onto the base unit without attachments;

providing, by the first and second sensors, said water related information to said control module, said water related information comprising data configured for being used to control an operation of a water level control element.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

based on at least said water related information, computing an output of a humidification system and a quantity of water consumed by said humidification system, wherein said humidification system comprises said humidification component.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

based on at least said water related information, detecting a lack of water or detecting an excess amount of water in said humidification system, wherein said humidification system comprises said humidification component.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

based on said water related information, maintaining a target water level in said humidification component.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said maintaining said target water level in said humidification component comprises:

opening said water level control element.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said maintaining said target water level in said humidification component comprises:

closing said water level control element.

21. A method of manufacturing a device for maintaining a water level in a humidification component, said method comprising:

providing a humidification component configured for holding a water volume;

providing a base unit configured to support a base of the humidification component, wherein the humidification component contains only water and gas; and

coupling a first sensor and a second sensor with a control module, the first sensor configured for sensing water related information in said humidification component and providing said water related information to said control module, said water related information comprising data configured for being used by said control module to control an operation of a water level control element, wherein the first and second sensors are directly attached to the base unit and are positioned external to said humidification component and positioned in diametrically opposed positions around the humidification component.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said coupling at least one sensor with said control module comprises:

coupling at least one primary sensor and at least one redundant sensor with said control module, wherein said at least one primary and redundant sensor comprise said at least one sensor.