Apparatus for humidifying a respiratory gas
First Claim
1. A humidifier assembly for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) unit, the humidifier assembly comprising:
- a base housing with a gas inlet configured to receive respiratory gas from the CPAP unit, the base housing comprising a) a first connecting device located at a sidewall of the base housing and configured to directly, removably connect the base housing to the CPAP unit and b) a second connecting device configured to be coupled to an air delivery hose; and
a liquid storage container that is removably received in the base housing,wherein the first connecting device comprises;
a gas inlet connecting portion located at the base housing gas inlet and configured to directly and pneumatically connect to a corresponding gas outlet connecting portion on the CPAP unit; and
an electrical connecting device located below the gas inlet connecting portion and configured to connect to a corresponding electrical connecting device of the CPAP unit, andwherein the liquid storage container comprises;
a gas feed opening in a side wall of the liquid storage container, the gas feed opening being configured to pneumatically connect to the gas inlet of the base housing when the liquid storage container is fully received by the base housing;
a liquid storage space configured to store liquid; and
a humidifying region configured to receive the respiratory gas from the gas feed opening and receive a partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space to enrich the respiratory gas with moisture,wherein the liquid storage container is configured so that when enough liquid in the humidifying region evaporates into the respiratory gas to lower the liquid in the humidifying region below a predetermined level, air escapes from the humidifying region to the liquid storage space and the partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space is transferred to the humidifying region.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A humidifier assembly for a CPAP includes a base housing with a gas inlet configured to receive respiratory gas from the CPAP unit. The base housing includes a first connecting device located at a sidewall of the base housing and configured to directly, removably connect the base housing to the CPAP unit. The base housing also includes a second connecting device configured to be coupled to an air delivery hose. The humidifier assembly further includes a liquid storage container that is removably received in the base housing. The liquid storage container includes a liquid storage space configured to store liquid and a humidifying region configured to receive the respiratory gas from the gas feed opening and receive a partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space to enrich the respiratory gas with moisture.
238 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A humidifier assembly for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) unit, the humidifier assembly comprising:
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a base housing with a gas inlet configured to receive respiratory gas from the CPAP unit, the base housing comprising a) a first connecting device located at a sidewall of the base housing and configured to directly, removably connect the base housing to the CPAP unit and b) a second connecting device configured to be coupled to an air delivery hose; and a liquid storage container that is removably received in the base housing, wherein the first connecting device comprises; a gas inlet connecting portion located at the base housing gas inlet and configured to directly and pneumatically connect to a corresponding gas outlet connecting portion on the CPAP unit; and an electrical connecting device located below the gas inlet connecting portion and configured to connect to a corresponding electrical connecting device of the CPAP unit, and wherein the liquid storage container comprises; a gas feed opening in a side wall of the liquid storage container, the gas feed opening being configured to pneumatically connect to the gas inlet of the base housing when the liquid storage container is fully received by the base housing; a liquid storage space configured to store liquid; and a humidifying region configured to receive the respiratory gas from the gas feed opening and receive a partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space to enrich the respiratory gas with moisture, wherein the liquid storage container is configured so that when enough liquid in the humidifying region evaporates into the respiratory gas to lower the liquid in the humidifying region below a predetermined level, air escapes from the humidifying region to the liquid storage space and the partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space is transferred to the humidifying region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A humidifier assembly for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:
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a base housing with a sidewall connecting surface configured to be removably and directly connected to a corresponding sidewall connecting surface of a CPAP unit, the base housing being configured to be pneumatically connected to the CPAP unit when the base housing sidewall connecting surface is directly connected to the sidewall connecting surface of the CPAP unit; and a liquid storage container that is removably received in the base housing, the liquid storage container comprising; a liquid storage space configured to store liquid; a humidifying region configured to enrich respiratory gas with moisture; a separating wall that separates the liquid storage space from the humidifying region; and a partial-amount discharge device comprising a mouth in the separating wall and being configured to discharge a partial amount of the liquid in the liquid storage space to the humidifying region of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space to enrich the respiratory gas with moisture, wherein the partial-amount discharge device is configured so that when enough liquid in the humidifying region evaporates into the respiratory gas to lower the liquid in the humidifying region below a predetermined level, air in the humidifying region escapes through the partial-amount discharge device to the liquid storage space and the partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space is transferred to the humidifying region through the partial-amount discharge device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A humidifier assembly for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:
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a base housing that is configured to selectively fixedly attach to and detach from a CPAP unit by way of lateral movement toward and away from the CPAP unit, the base housing being configured to be fluidly connected to the CPAP unit when attached to the CPAP unit; a liquid storage container that is removably received in the base housing, the liquid storage container comprising; a liquid storage space configured to store liquid; a humidifying region for enriching respiratory gas with moisture, the humidifying region having a liquid reference level; a separating wall which separates the humidifying region from the liquid storage space; a respiratory gas supply device for supplying the respiratory gas to the humidifying region; a respiratory gas withdrawal device for withdrawal of the moisture enriched respiratory gas from the humidifying region; and a partial-amount discharge device for passing a partial amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage space into the humidifying region, wherein the separating wall includes an integral downward extension defining, at least in part, a mouth opening positioned at the liquid reference level in the humidifying region so that when the liquid in the humidifying region is at the liquid reference level, the mouth opening is closed by the liquid in the humidifying region, wherein when the mouth opening is closed by the liquid in the humidifying region, the liquid in the humidifying region prevents a make-up flow of air from passing into the liquid storage space thereby preventing any liquid from flowing out of the liquid storage space, and wherein as soon as the liquid falls below the liquid reference level due to consumption of the liquid in the humidifying region, the make-up flow of air is permitted to pass into the liquid storage space, whereby liquid is permitted to pass out of the liquid storage space into the humidifying region. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification