Humidifier and/or flow generator for CPAP device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724059-B2
Application number	US-202217878382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2022
Priority date	Aug 15, 2005
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A positive airway pressure device includes a blower and a base. A blower outlet passage is connected to the blower and has a central tubular portion and a flexible sealing portion surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the central tubular portion. The base receives a tub with a heat conducting base plate, an internal air passage configured to receive the pressurized flow of respiratory gas from the blower outlet passage, and a pair of tub flanges extending laterally from respective side walls of the tub. Each tub flange has a horizontal portion and a tapered portion. The base further includes a floor with a heater plate a pair of base flanges. Each base flange extends laterally inward from a respective one of the side walls and engages a respective tub flange as the tub is inserted into the base with the tapered portions of the tub flanges being received first.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positive airway pressure device configured to deliver a pressurized flow of respiratory gas to a patient's airways, the positive airway pressure device comprising:
a flow generator comprising a blower configured to pressurize the flow of respiratory gas;
a tub configured to hold a body of water and humidify the pressurized flow of respiratory gas, the tub comprising:
a heat conducting base plate;
an internal air passage extending laterally from an aperture in a side wall of the tub; and

a pair of tub flanges extending laterally from respective side walls of the tub, each tub flange comprising a horizontal portion and a tapered portion, an upper surface of the tub flange being level at the horizontal portion and tapering downwardly in the tapered portion; and
a base that supports both the flow generator and the tub, the base comprising:
a floor with a heater plate;
a pair of side walls that oppose each other; and
a pair of base flanges, each base flange extending laterally inward from a respective one of the side walls;

a gas flow passage associated with the flow generator, the gas flow passage being configured to convey the pressurized flow of respiratory gas, the gas flow passage being in direct fluid communication with the internal air passage of the tub; and
a sealing assembly associated with the gas flow passage, the sealing assembly comprising a base portion and a flexible sealing portion that is more flexible than the base portion,
wherein the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly and the tub are configured so that no part of the tub enters the gas flow passage when the tub is fully received by the base,
wherein the tub is removable from the base by moving the tub in a first direction away from the blower and is receivable by the base by moving the tub in a second direction opposite the first direction,
wherein the tub is configured so that when the tub is received by the base, the tapered portion of each tub flange moves beneath a respective one of the base flanges before the horizontal portion of the tub flange moves beneath said respective one of the base flanges,
wherein the tub is further configured so that when the tub is removed from the base, the horizontal portion of the tub flange exits the base before the tapered portion of the tub flange, and
wherein the heater plate of the base is positioned to engage the heat conducting base plate of the tub when the tub is received by the base.

2. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured so that the tub is automatically secured on the base when the tub is fully received by the base.

3. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the gas flow passage terminates at an outlet opening, and wherein the aperture in the side wall of the tub is configured to face the outlet opening of the gas flow passage when the tub is received within the base.

4. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flow generator further comprises a vertical wall with an opening, and wherein the gas flow passage is positioned to convey the pressurized flow of respiratory gas through the opening in the vertical wall.

5. The positive airway pressure device of claim 4 , wherein an entirety of the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly is located on one side of the vertical wall.

6. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly is removable from the base portion of the sealing assembly.

7. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein a top portion of the tub comprises an outlet opening.

8. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flow generator is separable from the base.

9. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein each tub flange is configured so that the upper surface of the tub flange engages a lower surface of said respective one of the base flanges when the tub is received by the base.

10. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the base flanges are configured to urge the tub against the heater plate as the tub is received by the base.

11. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flow generator further comprising a vertical wall with an opening,
wherein the base portion of the sealing assembly is tubular and extends through the opening in the vertical wall,
wherein the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the base portion of the sealing assembly,
wherein the aperture in the side wall of the tub is smaller than an outlet opening of the gas flow passage,
wherein the base is configured so that the tub is automatically secured on the base when the tub is fully received by the base and engages the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly,
wherein the gas flow passage terminates at an outlet opening,
wherein the aperture in the side wall of the tub is configured to face the outlet opening of the gas flow passage when the tub is received within the base,
wherein an entirety of the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly is located on one side of the vertical wall,
wherein a top portion of the tub comprises an outlet opening,
wherein each tub flange is configured so that the upper surface of the tub flange engages a lower surface of said respective one of the base flanges when the tub is received by the base, and
wherein the base flanges are configured to urge the tub against the heater plate as the tub is received by the base.

12. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flow generator further comprises a vertical wall with an opening,
wherein the gas flow passage is positioned to convey the pressurized flow of respiratory gas through the opening in the vertical wall,
wherein the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly is removable from the base portion of the sealing assembly,
wherein the base is configured so that the tub is automatically secured on the base when the tub is fully received by the base,
wherein the aperture in the side wall of the tub is configured to face the blower when the tub is received within the base,
wherein an entirety of the flexible sealing portion of the sealing assembly is located on one side of the vertical wall,
wherein a top portion of the tub comprises an outlet opening,
wherein each tub flange is configured so that the upper surface of the tub flange engages a lower surface of said respective one of the base flanges when the tub is received by the base, and
wherein the base flanges are configured to urge the tub against the heater plate as the tub is received by the base.

13. The positive airway pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the flow generator further comprises a vertical wall with an opening,
wherein the gas flow passage is positioned to convey the pressurized flow of respiratory gas through the opening in the vertical wall,
wherein the base is configured so that the tub is automatically secured on the base when the tub is fully received by the base,
wherein the aperture in the side wall of the tub is configured to face the blower when the tub is received within the base,
wherein a top portion of the tub comprises an outlet opening,
wherein each tub flange is configured so that the upper surface of the tub flange engages a lower surface of said respective one of the base flanges when the tub is received by the base, and
wherein the base flanges are configured to urge the tub against the heater plate as the tub is received by the base.

14. The positive airway pres

Assignees

• ResMed Pty Ltd

Inventors

• Smith Ian Malcolm
• Snow John Michael
• Lithgow Perry David
• Kao Dan

Classifications

• A61M16/16 Primary

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

• A61M16/0057

  Pumps therefor · CPC title

• A61M16/0066

  Blowers or centrifugal pumps · CPC title

• A61M16/0075

  Bellows-type · CPC title

• A61M16/0616

  with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure · CPC title