Method and apparatus for humidification of breathable gas with profiled delivery

• US 8,015,971 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kwok, Philip Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTRUP, CLINTON T
• Application Number:
  US11/658,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,232 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.22, 128/204.17, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.22, 128/204.23
• US Class Current: 128/204.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• 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 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering breathable gas to a user includes a humidifying unit that is controllable to humidify the gas in accordance with a variable humidity profile such that the gas is delivered to the user at variable humidity levels, e.g., during a treatment session.

Claims

1. A method for delivering breathable gas to a user, comprising:

positively pressurizing the gas to a predetermined level using a blower;

humidifying the breathable gas in accordance with a humidity profile having a variable humidity level using a humidifier, wherein the humidity profile is stored in the blower or the humidifier;

delivering to the user the breathable gas with the variable humidity level using a user interface;

selecting the humidity profile from a menu on the blower or humidifier; and

changing the humidity profile in accordance with ambient environmental conditions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu includes a sinusoidal wave humidity profile, a square wave humidity profile, or a combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu includes humidity acceptability indicators that indicate whether to change the humidity profile, and the method further comprises changing the humidity profile based on fuzzy logic.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ambient environmental conditions include at least one of temperature and humidity.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising adjusting the temperature and the humidity of the gas delivered to the user independently of one another.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interrupting the humidifying of the gas if the delivery of the gas to the user ceases.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sensing condensation in the user interface.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the sensing includes using an infrared emitter/detector arrangement to detect condensation.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising adjusting the temperature of the breathable gas based on the sensing of condensation.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising delaying the humidifying of the breathable gas for a predetermined period of time after the user'"'"'s treatment session has commenced.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising cycling the variable humidity levels during the user'"'"'s treatment session.