Humidifier with a water tub within a pressurized chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279141-B2
Application number	US-201615194634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 17, 2008
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A tub is configured to contain a supply of water and is configured to be inserted into a chamber of a humidifier. The tub includes a tub base configured to contain the supply of water. The tub also includes a tub lid and a flow plate provided between the tub base and the tub lid. The flow plate includes a water level indicator configured to indicate a level of the supply of water in the tub base. In addition, the water level indicator includes a generally rectangular portion and a generally triangular portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier for humidifying a flow of breathable gas to be delivered to a patient, the humidifier comprising:
a chamber configured to receive the flow of breathable gas;
a tub configured to contain a supply of water and to be inserted into the chamber, the tub comprising:
a tub base configured to contain the supply of water;
a tub lid; and
a flow plate provided between the tub base and the tub lid,
the flow plate comprising a water level indicator that is configured to indicate a level of the supply of water in the tub base and comprises a generally rectangular portion and a generally triangular portion;

a humidifier lid provided on the chamber and being movable between an open position and a closed position; and
a lid seal provided on the humidifier lid, the lid seal being configured to seal the chamber such that the flow of breathable gas pressurizes the chamber.

2. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the generally triangular portion comprises an angled wall that extends at least partially below the flow plate.

3. The humidifier of claim 2 , wherein the angled wall comprises a drain hole and indicia.

4. The humidifier of claim 3 , wherein the drain hole and the indicia are provided at the same level on the angled wall.

5. The humidifier of claim 1 , further comprising: a tub seal configured to engage the tub lid.

6. The humidifier of claim 5 , wherein the tub seal is connected to the flow plate by at least one bridge that provides a gap between the tub seal and the flow plate to allow air to flow up from the tub base up to the tub lid.

7. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the flow plate comprises a dividing plate between the tub base and the tub lid.

8. The humidifier of claim 7 , wherein the dividing plate comprises an inlet configured to receive a flow of breathable gas from a channel provided in the tub lid.

9. The humidifier of claim 8 , wherein the tub lid comprises a cover portion that covers a section of the channel that is angled down towards the tub base.

10. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub lid comprises a drain aperture that allows the water to be emptied from the tub.

11. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub lid is releasably connected to the tub base.

12. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub lid is connected to the tub base by clips.

13. The humidifier of claim 12 , wherein the clips are provided around the tub base.

14. The humidifier of claim 12 , wherein the flow plate is connected to a tub seal and the clips are configured to compress the tub seal between the tub base and the tub lid.

15. The humidifier of claim 12 , wherein the tub lid comprises recesses to provide access to a user's fingers between the tub lid and the clips.

16. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the water level indicator is removably attached to the tub base and to the tub lid.

17. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the water level indicator comprises a color that appears to change as the water level rises.

18. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein a tub seal is configured to engage the tub lid, and the flow plate is positioned between the tub base and the tub lid via the engagement of the tub seal with side wall edges of the tub base and side wall edges of the tub lid.

Assignees

• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Virr Alexander
• Bath Andrew Roderick
• Row Nathan John
• Kao Dan
• Hill Phoebe Katherine
• Earl Nicholas Andrew
• Verma Hargopal
• Chen Junning

Classifications

• A61M2205/3389

  Continuous level detection (A61M2205/3393 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M16/16 Primary

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

• A61M16/0066

  Blowers or centrifugal pumps · CPC title

• A61M16/109

  the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent · CPC title

• A61M2205/584

  having a color code · CPC title