Apparatus for delivering humidified gases

• US 8,550,072 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Inventors: Thudor, Mohammad, Makinson, Ian Douglas, Biggs, Philip James, Dickinson, Philip John
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, RACHEL T
• Application Number:
  US13/311,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.16, 128/204.17, 128/203.17, 128/203.12, 128/203.26, 128/203.27
• US Class Current: 128/203.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1075 by influencing the temperature A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1095 in the connecting tubes
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering humidified gases has a connection manifold adapted to connect with inlet and outlet ports of a slide on water chamber in a single slide on motion. Connection of the gases inlet and gases outlet ports as well as any additional electrical and/or pneumatic connections are all made in the same slide on motion. The water chamber may include inwardly extending elongate extension tubes with one of the extension tubes having an air bleed aperture to aid filling of the chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment comprising:

a first housing including;

a heater base,

a pressurised gases outlet adapted to make separable fluid connection with an inlet of a water chamber,

a humidified gases return adapted to make separable fluid connection with an outlet of said chamber, and being adjacent to, and aligned with said pressurised gases outlet, such that both said separable connections are made by a single motion, and

said single motion also urges a base of said chamber in contact with said heater base,

a second housing including a blower for generating a supply of pressurised gases, said second housing adapted to engage with said first housing and make fluid connection between said blower and said pressurised gases outlet,

said apparatus further comprising a patient outlet in fluid connection with said humidified gases return for delivering gases to a patient via a breathing tube.

2. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressurised gases outlet and said inlet of said water chamber have between them first complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the male and female connectors, and

said humidified gases return and said outlet of said water chamber have between them second complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the male and female connectors, said preferred insertion direction of said first connectors being parallel with said preferred insertion direction of said second connectors, and being parallel with the direction of at least a terminal part of said single motion.

3. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said patient outlet includes a connector for receiving a breathing tube and at least one auxiliary electrical connection plug or socket or pneumatic connection plug or port, for a simultaneous connection when connecting a breathing circuit having complementary electrical or pneumatic connectors.

4. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gases return and said patient outlet are separable from said apparatus.

5. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 4, wherein said apparatus further comprises an elbow tube having a first inlet end and a second outlet end;

and

said first inlet end of said elbow tube comprises said gases return, and

said second outlet end of said elbow tube comprises said patient outlet.

6. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment comprising:

a blower for generating a supply of pressurised gases,

a pressurised gases outlet in fluid connection with said supply of pressurised gases and adapted to make separable fluid connection with an inlet of a water chamber in order to provide gases flow to said chamber,

a humidified gases return, adapted to make separable fluid connection with an outlet said chamber in order to receive humidified gases from said chamber, and being adjacent to, and aligned with said pressurised gases outlet, such that both said separable connections are made by a single motion, and

a patient outlet, in fluid connection with said humidified gases return in order to receive humidified gases from said humidified gases return and provide humidified gases to said patient outlet, said patient outlet being in fluid connection with or adapted to make fluid connection with a breathing conduit for delivery of humidified gases to a patient.

7. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 6 wherein said apparatus includes a chamber heater and said single motion also urges a base of said chamber in contact with said heater.

8. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pressurised gases outlet and said inlet of said water chamber have between them first complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the male and female connectors, and

said humidified gases return and said outlet of said water chamber have between them second complementary male and female connectors, having a preferred insertion direction for completing a fluid connection by engagement of the male and female connectors, and

said preferred insertion direction of said first connectors being parallel with said preferred insertion direction of said second connectors, and being parallel with the direction of at least a terminal part of said single motion.

9. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 8, wherein said inlet of said chamber and said outlet of said chamber are each a female port,

and said pressurised gases outlet and said humidified gases return are each a resilient tubular projection fitting within respective female ports with said chamber engaged.

10. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said resilient tubular projections of said pressurised gases outlet and humidified gases return have substantially parallel axis of extension, and

said heater includes a substantially planar heating plate, and said axis of extension of said resilient tubular projections are substantially parallel with the plane of said heating plate.

11. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 6, wherein said patient outlet includes a connector for receiving a breathing hose and at least one auxiliary electrical connection plug or socket or pneumatic connection plug or port, for a simultaneous connection when connecting a breathing circuit having complementary electrical or pneumatic connectors.

12. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 6, wherein said gases return and said patient outlet are separable from said apparatus.

13. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment as claimed in claim 12, wherein said apparatus further comprises an elbow tube having a first inlet end and a second outlet end;

and

said first inlet end of said elbow tube comprises said gases return, and

said second outlet end of said elbow tube comprises said patient outlet.