Breath Sampling Device and Method for Using Same

• US 20090312662A1
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oridion Medical (1987) Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Oridion Medical (1987) Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Colman, Joshua Lewis, Levitsky, Gershon
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/543
• 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. There is further provided, a self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of the sampling tube; and a wick material essentially within the housing adapted to retain liquid, wherein the reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing. There is provided a breath sampling system including a gas analyzer and a self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of the sampling tube and a wick material essentially within the housing adapted to retain liquid, wherein the reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing. There is also provided a method of breath sampling comprising channeling breath through a self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of the sampling tube and a wick material essentially within the housing adapted to retain liquid, wherein the reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing.

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.

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 comprises a first lumen and a second lumen connected to each other along said inner conduit.

9. The tube according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of said first lumen is larger than the diameter of said second lumen.

10. The tube according to claim 9, wherein a cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to the digit 8.

11. The tube according to claim 9, wherein said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

12. The tube according to claim 10, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to collect liquids in said first lumen.

13. The tube according to claim 10 wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow in said second lumen.

14. The tube according to claim 9, wherein the surrounding surface of said first lumen is essentially more hydrophilic than the surrounding surface of the second lumen.

15. The tube according to claim 9, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to collect liquids in said first lumen.

16. The tube according to claim 9, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow in said second lumen.

17. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially non-circular.

18. The tube according to claim 17, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-petal flower, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

19. The tube according to claim 17, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

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

21. A self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising:

a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of said sampling tube; and

a wick material essentially within said housing adapted to retain liquid, wherein said reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing.

22. The liquid reservoir according to claim 21, wherein said wick comprises a hydrophilic material.

23. The liquid reservoir according to claim 21, wherein said wick comprises a porous material.

24. The liquid reservoir according to claim 21, wherein said liquid reservoir is located within a certain distance from a gas analyzer.

25. The liquid reservoir according to claim 21, wherein said liquid reservoir is located in close proximity to the moisture reduction system.

26. 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.

27. A breath sampling system:

a gas analyzer; and

a self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of said sampling tube; and

a wick material essentially within said housing adapted-to retain liquid, wherein said reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing.

28. 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.

29. The method according to claim 28, 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.

30. The method according to claim 28, 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.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophilic material.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein the walls of said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

33. The method according to claim 28, 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.

34. The method according to claim 28, wherein said inner conduit comprises a first lumen and a second lumen connected to each other along said inner conduit.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the diameter of said first lumen is larger than the diameter of said second lumen.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein a cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to the digit 8.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein said inner conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to collect liquids in said first lumen.

39. The method according to claim 34, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow in said second lumen.

40. The method according to claim 34, wherein the surrounding surface of said first lumen is essentially more hydrophilic than the surrounding surface of the second lumen.

41. The method according to claim 34, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to collect liquids in said first lumen.

42. The method according to claim 34, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit gas flow in said second lumen.

43. The method according to claim 28, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially non-circular.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-petal flower, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein the cross section of said inner conduit is essentially similar to an n-point star, wherein n is an integer having the value of between 2-10.

46. The method according to claim 28, wherein said inner conduit is adapted to permit self-drying of said liquids.

47. A method of breath sampling comprising:

channeling breath through a self-drying liquid reservoir for a breath sampling tube comprising a housing having a diameter larger than the diameter of said sampling tube; and

a wick material essentially within said housing adapted to retain liquid, wherein said reservoir is adapted to permit gas flow through the housing.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein said wick comprises a hydrophilic material.

49. The method according to claim 47, wherein said wick comprises a porous material.

50. The method according to claim 47, wherein said liquid reservoir is located within a certain distance from a gas analyzer.

51. The method according to claim 47, wherein said liquid reservoir is located in close proximity to the moisture reduction system.