Humidifier with a water tub within a pressurized chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040166-B2
Application number	US-201816223313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 17, 2008
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

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 pressurized breathable gas to be delivered to a patient, the humidifier comprising:
a chamber comprising:
a chamber base having a bottom surface and at least one vertical side wall extending upwardly from the bottom surface, the bottom surface having a heater plate, the vertical side wall having a chamber opening and a chamber wall seal surrounding the chamber opening;
a chamber lid being hingedly attached to the chamber base and pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position, the chamber lid having a catch and a chamber lid seal; and
a lid closure assembly to selectively lock the chamber lid to the chamber base, the lid closure assembly including a lid opening member, a spring and a latch, the lid opening member being slidably coupled to the chamber base to move the latch between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch being configured to mechanically engage the catch in the locked position in order to retain the chamber lid in the closed position, the spring biasing the latch into the locked position, and the lid opening member being slidable by the patient against the bias of the spring to move the latch to the unlocked position, to allow the chamber lid to be moved to the open position; and

a tub configured to contain a supply of water, the tub being removably positionable within the chamber base, the tub configured to receive the flow of pressurized breathable gas and output the flow of pressurized breathable gas with increased humidity, the tub comprising:
a tub base configured to contain the supply of water, the tub base including a metal surface configured to contact the heater plate;
a tub opening configured to communicate with the chamber opening, the tub opening being disposed on a vertical side wall of the tub, the tub opening being surrounded by a substantially flat tub sealing surface;
an at least partially inclined wall disposed opposite of the vertical side wall; and
a top surface having a proximate end adjacent to the vertical side wall and a distal end adjacent to the at least partially inclined wall, the at least partially inclined wall angled relative to the top surface and extending downwardly from the top surface toward the tub base,

wherein:
the chamber fully encloses the tub when the chamber lid is in the closed position, and when the chamber lid is pivoted from the open position to the closed position, a vertically directed force and a laterally directed force are applied against the tub, the vertically directed force being applied by the chamber lid seal contacting the top surface of the tub, thus urging the metal surface of the tub base toward the heater plate, and the laterally directed force being applied by the chamber lid seal contacting the at least partially inclined wall, thus urging the tub sealing surface into sealing engagement with the chamber wall seal.

2. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the chamber lid includes a tongue, and the chamber lid seal includes a groove configured to receive the tongue, the chamber lid seal being removably coupled to the chamber lid.

3. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the chamber lid seal has an asymmetrical shape constructed such that the chamber lid seal and the chamber lid may only attach in a single orientation.

4. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the chamber lid seal comprises:
an outer sealing rim configured to pressurize a volume of the tub base with the flow of the pressurized breathable gas, wherein the outer sealing rim includes a substantially rectangular perimeter; and
an inner sealing rim disposed entirely within the substantially rectangular perimeter of the outer sealing rim, the inner sealing rim including a substantially curvilinear perimeter.

5. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein the chamber lid seal includes a positioning feature located radially outside of the inner sealing rim, the positioning feature configured to contact the tub when the chamber lid is in the closed position, and provide the laterally directed force.

6. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein the outer sealing rim and the inner sealing rim comprise a one piece construction.

7. The humidifier of claim 4 , wherein the chamber lid seal includes a positioning feature configured to contact the tub when the chamber lid is in the closed position, and provide an oblique force with a first component providing the laterally directed force and a second component providing a portion of the vertically directed force.

8. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub is positionable within the chamber in a single orientation such that the chamber wall seal aligns with the tub seal surface when the chamber fully encloses the tub.

9. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub sealing surface and the chamber wall seal form a face seal.

10. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein:
the chamber lid includes a tongue, and the chamber lid seal includes a groove configured to receive the tongue, the chamber lid seal being removably coupled to the chamber lid;
the chamber lid seal has an asymmetrical shape constructed such that the chamber lid seal and the chamber lid may only attach in a single orientation;
the chamber lid seal comprises an outer sealing rim configured to pressurize a volume of the tub base with the flow of the pressurized breathable gas, wherein the outer sealing rim includes a substantially rectangular perimeter, and an inner sealing rim disposed entirely within the substantially rectangular perimeter of the outer sealing rim, the inner sealing rim including a substantially curvilinear perimeter, the outer sealing rim and the inner sealing rim comprise a one piece construction;
the tub is positionable within the chamber in a single orientation such that the chamber wall seal aligns with the tub seal surface when the chamber fully encloses the tub;
and the tub sealing surface and the chamber wall seal form a face seal.

11. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the chamber lid includes a window configured to allow for visual inspection of the tub.

12. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub further comprises a water level indicator configured to indicate a maximum fill level for the tub base.

13. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein in the closed position, the flow of pressurized breathable gas is configured to enter the chamber along a first axis, and wherein the lid opening member is movable along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis.

14. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the tub base includes a cavity configured to contain the supply of water, the cavity being at least partially exposed in the open position, and being configured to receive additional water while the tub is positioned within the chamber base.

15. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein:
the chamber lid includes a window configured to allow for visual inspection of the tub;
the tub further comprises a water level indicator configured to indicate a maximum fill level for the tub base;
in the closed position, the flow of pressurized breathable gas is configured to enter the chamber along a first axis; and
the lid opening member is movable along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis.

16. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is configured to receive the flow of pressurized breathable gas along a first direction, and wherein the lid opening member is translatable along a second direction parallel to the first direction.

17. The humidifier of claim 1 , wherein the top surface is substantially parallel to th

Assignees

• ResMed Pty Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61M2205/3382

  Upper level detectors · CPC title

• A61M2205/584

  having a color code · CPC title

• A61M16/0875

  Connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M16/1095

  in the connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M2205/3389

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