Apparatus for humidifying a respiratory gas

• US 9,884,163 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ResMed Humidification Technologies GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Redmed R&D Germany GmbH
• Inventors: Mayer, Wolfgang, Genger, Harald, Madaus, Stefan Rolf, Klopp, Andreas, Schtzl, Stefan Thomas, Vgele, Harald Wolfgang, Lang, Bernd Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): WOODWARD, VALERIE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US15/373,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20170087328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/105 Filters A61M16/047, A61M16/22 take precedence; water traps A61M16/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/162 Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/08 Supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/003 Means for influencing the temperature or humidity of the breathing gas

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.

Claims

1. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus configured to deliver pressurized respiratory gas to a patient interface, the CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize the respiratory gas, the CPAP unit comprising a housing with a side wall configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas;

a humidifier support housing with a connecting wall configured to be rigidly coupled to the side wall of the CPAP housing in a lateral joining direction; and

a liquid storage unit that is removably receivable within a receiving space that is defined at least in part by a receiving space wall of the humidifier support housing,

wherein the humidifier support housing is configured to receive the pressurized respiratory gas from the CPAP unit housing side wall through a connecting wall air inlet and discharge the pressurized respiratory gas into the liquid storage unit through an air outlet in a receiving space wall, the direction of the pressurized respiratory gas through the connecting wall air inlet and the receiving space wall air outlet being parallel to the lateral joining direction, and

wherein a center of a cross-section of the connecting wall air inlet taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas is offset normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas from a center of a cross-section of the receiving space wall air outlet taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas.

2. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the connecting wall air inlet and the cross-section of the receiving space wall air outlet have different shapes.

3. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a heating device configured to heat a bottom surface of the liquid storage unit, the humidifier support housing being configured so that the liquid storage unit does not contact the heating device until the liquid storage unit is fully received within the receiving space.

4. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a respiration tube connecting portion configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas to a respiration tube.

5. The CPAP apparatus of claim 4, wherein the humidifier support housing is configured so that the liquid storage unit completes a respiratory gas flow path from the connecting wall air inlet to the respiration tube connecting portion upon being secured within the receiving space.

6. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing is rigidly coupled to the CPAP unit housing side wall by a releasable fixing device.

7. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidifier support housing is configured to electrically connect to the CPAP unit housing.

8. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid storage unit is removable from the humidifier support housing without mechanically or pneumatically disconnecting the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing from the CPAP unit housing side wall.

9. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CPAP unit housing side wall comprises a connecting member configured to selectively connect to the connecting wall air inlet and a respiration tube.

10. The CPAP apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CPAP unit housing side wall comprises a connecting member configured to selectively connect to the connecting wall air inlet and a respiration tube and the humidifier support housing comprises a respiration tube connecting portion configured to connect to the respiration tube,

wherein the humidifier support housing is configured so that the liquid storage unit completes a respiratory gas flow path from the connecting wall air inlet to the respiration tube connecting portion upon being secured within the receiving space,

wherein the cross-section of the connecting wall air inlet and the cross-section of the receiving space wall air outlet have different shapes,

wherein the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing is rigidly coupled to the CPAP unit housing side wall by a releasable fixing device,

wherein the humidifier support housing is configured to electrically connect to the CPAP unit housing, and

wherein the liquid storage unit is removable from the humidifier support housing without mechanically or pneumatically disconnecting the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing from the CPAP unit housing side wall.

11. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus configured to deliver pressurized respiratory gas to a patient interface, the CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize the respiratory gas, the CPAP unit comprising a housing with a side wall configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas;

a humidifier support housing with a connecting wall configured to be rigidly coupled to the side wall of the CPAP housing in a lateral joining direction; and

a liquid storage unit that is removably receivable within a receiving space in the humidifier support housing,

wherein the CPAP unit housing side wall is configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas to the humidifier support housing through a CPAP unit air outlet, and the liquid storage unit is configured to receive the pressurized respiratory gas from the humidifier support housing through a gas feed opening, the direction of the pressurized respiratory gas through the CPAP unit air outlet and the gas feed opening being parallel to the lateral joining direction, and

wherein a center of a cross-section of the CPAP unit air outlet taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas is offset normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas from a center of a cross-section of the gas feed opening taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas when the liquid storage unit is fully received in the receiving space and the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing is connected to the CPAP unit housing side wall.

12. The CPAP apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cross-section of the CPAP air outlet and the cross-section of the gas feed opening have different shapes.

13. The CPAP apparatus of claim 11, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a heating device configured to heat a bottom surface of the liquid storage unit, the humidifier support housing being configured so that the liquid storage unit does not contact the heating device until the liquid storage unit is fully received within the receiving space.

14. The CPAP apparatus of claim 11, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a respiration tube connecting portion configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas to a respiration tube.

15. The CPAP apparatus of claim 14, wherein the humidifier support housing is configured so that the liquid storage unit completes a respiratory gas flow path from the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing to the respiration tube connecting portion upon being secured within the receiving space.

16. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus configured to deliver pressurized respiratory gas to a patient interface, the CPAP apparatus comprising:

a CPAP unit configured to pressurize the respiratory gas, the CPAP unit comprising a housing with a side wall, the side wall comprising a CPAP connecting member configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas;

a humidifier support housing with a connecting wall configured to be rigidly coupled to the side wall of the CPAP housing in a lateral joining direction, the connecting wall comprising a humidifier connecting portion configured to connect with and receive the pressurized respiratory gas from the CPAP connecting member when the connecting wall is rigidly coupled to the CPAP unit housing side wall; and

a liquid storage unit that is removably receivable within a receiving space that is defined at least in part by a receiving space wall of the humidifier support housing, the liquid storage unit comprising a gas feed opening configured to be collinear with and receive the pressurized respiratory gas from a gas discharge outlet of the receiving space wall when the liquid storage unit is fully received within the receiving space,

wherein neither the CPAP connecting member nor the humidifier connecting portion is collinear with the gas discharge outlet or the gas feed opening.

17. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein a cross-section of the CPAP connecting member taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas and a cross-section of the humidifier connecting portion taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas have the same shape.

18. The CPAP apparatus of claim 17, wherein a cross-section of the gas feed opening taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas and a cross-section of the gas discharge outlet taken normal to the flow of the pressurized respiratory gas have the same shape.

19. The CPAP apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cross-section of the gas feed opening and the cross-section of the gas discharge outlet do not have the same shape as the cross-section of the CPAP connecting member or the cross-section of the humidifier connecting portion.

20. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a heating device configured to heat a bottom surface of the liquid storage unit, the humidifier support housing being configured so that the liquid storage unit does not contact the heating device until the liquid storage unit is fully received within the receiving space.

21. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a respiration tube connecting portion configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas to a respiration tube.

22. The CPAP apparatus of claim 21, wherein the humidifier support housing is configured so that the liquid storage unit completes a respiratory gas flow path from the humidifier connecting portion to the respiration tube connecting portion upon being secured within the receiving space.

23. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing is rigidly coupled to the CPAP unit housing side wall by a releasable fixing device.

24. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the humidifier support housing is configured to electrically connect to the CPAP unit housing.

25. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the liquid storage unit is removable from the humidifier support housing without mechanically or pneumatically disconnecting the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing from the CPAP unit housing side wall.

26. The CPAP apparatus of claim 16, wherein the humidifier support housing comprises a respiration tube connecting portion configured to discharge the pressurized respiratory gas to a respiration tube,

wherein the humidifier support housing is configured so that the liquid storage unit completes a respiratory gas flow path from the humidifier connecting portion to the respiration tube connecting portion upon being secured within the receiving space,

wherein the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing is rigidly coupled to the CPAP unit housing side wall by a releasable fixing device below the humidifier connecting portion,

wherein the humidifier support housing is configured to electrically connect to the CPAP unit housing, and

wherein the liquid storage container is removable from the humidifier support housing without mechanically or pneumatically disconnecting the connecting wall of the humidifier support housing from the CPAP unit housing side wall.