Medical tubes and methods of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296102-B2
Application number	US-202117236335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2021
Priority date	Dec 4, 2012
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure relates to medical tubes and methods of manufacturing medical tubes. The tube may be a composite structure made of two or more distinct components that are spirally wound to form an elongate tube. For example, one of the components may be a spirally wound elongate hollow body, and the other component may be an elongate structural component also spirally wound between turns of the spirally wound hollow body. The tube need not be made from distinct components, however. For instance, an elongate hollow body formed (e.g., extruded) from a single material may be spirally wound to form an elongate tube. The elongate hollow body itself may in transverse cross-section have a thin wall portion and a relatively thicker or more rigid reinforcement portion. The tubes can be incorporated into a variety of medical circuits or may be employed for other medical uses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A respiratory conduit comprising:
a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis and a wall surrounding the lumen, the lumen configured to define a gas-flow path when in use; and,
a component securely connected to the wall and extending across a full width of the lumen such that the component is supported at each end by the wall surrounding the lumen, the component comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) with a temperature sensor provided on a surface of the PCB, a sensor portion disposed in the lumen; and
the sensor portion comprising a projecting portion wherein the projecting portion is configured to extend longitudinally upstream along the gas-flow path while the respiratory conduit is in use.

2. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the component also comprises a dividing portion, the dividing portion being embedded in the wall, the dividing portion of the component extending across the lumen along a diameter or chord line such that the dividing portion generally bisects at least part of the gas-flow path, and at least part of the dividing portion being overmolded by an overmolding composition.

3. The respiratory conduit of claim 2 , wherein the component comprises a wiring portion adjacent the dividing portion and projecting outward from the wall in a direction away from the lumen, the wiring portion being configured to provide an electrical connection to the temperature sensor.

4. The respiratory conduit of claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a support portion adjacent the dividing portion and projecting outward in a direction away from the lumen and in a direction opposite to the wiring portion.

5. The respiratory conduit of claim 2 , wherein the dividing portion divides at least part of the gas-flow path into two unequal parts.

6. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the sensor portion is overmolded by the overmolding composition.

7. The respiratory conduit of claim 6 , wherein the overmolding composition proximal the sensor portion comprises a tapered shape extending along the longitudinal axis and/or an airfoil shape, a wing shape, a torpedo shape, or a bullet shape.

8. The respiratory conduit of claim 6 , wherein a thinnest part of the overmolding composition is proximal an upstream leading edge or a downstream leading edge of the sensor portion.

9. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein a cross-lumen distance between the sensor portion and the wall is at least 30% of a diameter of the lumen.

10. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the component is positioned within a patient-end connector configured to connect a tube to a patient interface.

11. The respiratory conduit of claim 10 , wherein the patient-end connector comprises an insert configured to be connected at one end to the tube and at another end to the patient interface, the insert forming at least a part of the lumen defining the gas-flow path and configured to provide a housing for the PCB and the temperature sensor of the component.

12. The respiratory conduit of claim 11 , wherein the patient-end connector comprises a cover configured to protect and cover the PCB and a connection location of the insert to the tube.

13. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 further comprising a tube, wherein the PCB is configured to be connected to one or more conductive filaments provided in a wall of the tube.

14. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is close to an edge of the projecting portion of the sensor portion.

15. The respiratory conduit of claim 14 , wherein a first conductive pad connects to the temperature sensor on the projecting portion of the sensor portion.

16. The respiratory conduit of claim 15 further comprising a second conductive pad and the temperature sensor bridges across a gap between the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad.

17. A conduit for delivering humidified gases to a patient, the conduit comprising:
a connector configured to connect to a tube, the connector comprising a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis and a wall surrounding the lumen, the lumen defining a gas-flow path for the humidified gases when in use; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:
a dividing portion embedded in the wall, the dividing portion extending across a full width of the lumen along a diameter or chord line such that the dividing portion generally bisects at least part of the gas-flow path, and at least part of the dividing portion being overmolded by an overmolding composition;
a wiring portion adjacent the dividing portion, the wiring portion projecting outward from the wall; and
a sensor portion disposed in the lumen of the connector and comprising at least one sensor, the sensor portion being overmolded by the overmolding composition.

18. The conduit of claim 17 , wherein the tube comprises:
a first elongate member having a hollow body; and
a second elongate member spirally wound and joined between adjacent turns of the first elongate member.

19. The conduit of claim 18 , wherein the first elongate member is spirally wound to form at least a portion of the tube and the hollow body of the first elongate member defining a hollow portion of the wall surrounding the lumen.

20. The conduit of claim 19 , wherein the second elongate member forms at least a portion of the wall surrounding the lumen.

21. The conduit of claim 20 , wherein one or more conductive filaments are embedded or encapsulated within the second elongate member.

22. The conduit of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the one or more conductive filaments is a heating filament and/or a sensing filament.

23. The conduit of claim 22 , wherein the wiring portion is configured to electrically connect to the one or more conductive filaments.

24. The conduit of claim 17 , wherein the dividing portion divides at least part of the gas-flow path into two unequal parts.

Assignees

• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Amadio Christopher Jaye Norman
• Stoks Elmo Benson
• North Charles Christopher
• Sujau Mahran Maumoon
• Stroobant Joshua Daniel
• Millar Gavin Walsh
• Buswell Matthew Liam
• Al-Tiay Ibrahim
• Mccauley David Leon
• Van Schalkwyk Andre
• Munkelt Katja
• Wilson Matthew Robert
• Oosthuysen Helgard
• Patel Sanjay Parag
• D'Andrea Dominique Richard
• Dover Grant Martin
• Barker Dean Antony
• Harwood Jonathan David

Classifications

• A61M2205/3372

  Temperature compensation · CPC title

• A61M2039/1022

  additionally providing electrical connection · CPC title

• A61M16/0066

  Blowers or centrifugal pumps · CPC title

• B29C53/785

  with reinforcements · CPC title

• A61M16/0683

  Holding devices therefor · CPC title