Heating arrangements for humidification systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052449-B2
Application number	US-201514660122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 21, 2014
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

An electrically conductive plastic (ECP) material can be used to heat water in a reservoir of a respiratory humidifier to encourage heating and/or humidification of gases passing through the respiratory humidifier. The electrically conductive plastic material can at least in part overmould the base and/or walls of the chamber and/or the reservoir of the respiratory humidifier. The reservoir can also partially or fully be formed from the electrically conductive plastic material. Furthermore, the humidification system can be configured to create substantially equal or differential heating of water in the reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier comprising:
a chamber for receiving a reservoir; and
a heater for heating liquid in the reservoir;
wherein the heater is constructed at least in part from an electrically conductive plastic (ECP) material, wherein the heater is configured to promote differential heating of liquid in the reservoir, wherein the heater has a variable thickness along its length and/or width.

2. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the heater is located in or forms part of the chamber.

3. The humidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir, wherein the heater is located in or forms part of the reservoir.

4. The humidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir.

5. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the heater is located in or forms part of a base of the chamber.

6. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the heater is located in or forms part of a wall of the reservoir.

7. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic (ECP) material comprises intrinsically electrically conductive plastics or polymers.

8. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic (ECP) material comprises an electrically conductive additive or doping agent.

9. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic (ECP) material is configured to generate thermal energy from electrical energy.

10. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the heater is located in or forms part of a wall of the chamber.

11. A humidifier comprising:
a reservoir for liquid;
a chamber for receiving the reservoir;
an electrically conductive plastic (ECP) component integrally formed in the reservoir or the chamber; and
an electrical component configured to convey electrical energy to the electrically conductive plastic component such that the electrically conductive plastic component converts the electrical energy into thermal energy to heat liquid within the reservoir.

12. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is located in or forms part of the chamber.

13. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is located in or forms part of the reservoir.

14. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is configured to promote differential heating of liquid in the reservoir.

15. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component has a variable thickness along its length and/or width.

16. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is located in or forms part of a wall of the chamber.

17. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is located in or forms part of a base of the chamber.

18. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component is located in or forms part of a wall of the reservoir.

19. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component comprises intrinsically electrically conductive plastics or polymers.

20. The humidifier of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive plastic component comprises an electrically conductive additive or doping agent.

Assignees

• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Miller Jeremy Livingston
• Alami Nordyn
• Partington Andrew John

Classifications

• A61M2205/3368

  Temperature · CPC title

• A61M16/06

  Respiratory or anaesthetic masks · CPC title

• A61M2205/3673

  thermo-electric, e.g. Peltier effect, thermocouples, semi-conductors · CPC title

• A61M16/0066

  Blowers or centrifugal pumps · CPC title

• A61M16/16

  Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)} · CPC title