Humidification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016228671-A1
Application number	US-201415021616-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A humidification system can include a heater base, a chamber, and a breathing circuit. The heater base includes a heater plate positioned in a recessed region, and a heat conductive portion of the chamber is configured to contact the heater plate. The heater base includes a guard configured to control movement of the chamber into and out of the recessed region. The guard includes an anti-racking mechanism. The chamber includes an inlet port, an outlet port. A downward extension extends into the chamber from the inlet port, and a baffle is disposed at a lower end of the downward extension. A component of the breathing circuit can include a conduit hanging end cap for shipping and storage. The end cap can include a hanging component to allow the breathing circuit component to be hung from a medical stand. The system can detect when breathing circuits are connected in reverse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heater base for supplying humidified gases to a patient, the heater base comprising:
a base portion, the base portion including a recessed region; a heater plate positioned in the recessed region, the heater plate being configured to contact a heat conductive portion of a removable humidification chamber; a guard configured to control movement of the removable humidification chamber into and out of the recessed region, the guard having a first end and a second end; and an anti-racking mechanism cooperating with the guard to cause vertical movement of the first end to translate into coordinated vertical movement of the second end.

2 . The heater base of claim 1 , wherein the anti-racking mechanism comprises an elongated rod-like member that connects to the first end of the guard and to the second end of the guard.

3 . The heater base of claim 2 , wherein the elongated rod-like member extends between a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being connected to the first end of the guard and the second arm being connected to the second end of the guard.

4 . The heater base of claim 3 , wherein the guard comprises a first post near the first end of the guard and a second post near the second end of the guard, the first arm being connected to the first post and the second arm being connected to the second post.

5 . The heater base of claim 1 , wherein a biasing member is disposed between the guard and another portion of the heater base.

6 . The heater base of claim 5 , wherein the biasing member comprises at least one compression spring that is mounted between the guard and the another portion of the heater base.

7 . The heater base of claim 6 , wherein the guard comprises a first support and a second support and the at least one compression spring comprises a first compression spring mounted to the first support and a second compression spring mounted to the second support.

8 . A chamber for use with a heater base of a humidification system, the chamber comprising:
an outer wall; an upper wall connected to the outer wall, the outer wall and the upper wall at least partially defining a chamber; an inlet port defining an opening into the chamber through the upper wall, the inlet port having a downward extension that extends below the upper wall into the cavity such that a recess is defined among the downward extension, the upper wall and the outer wall; and a baffle being disposed at a lower end of the downward extension.

9 . The chamber of claim 8 , wherein the baffle extends downward and outward from the lower end of the downward extension such that the baffle directs airflow outward toward the outer wall.

10 . The chamber of claim 9 , wherein a float is positioned within the cavity, the float comprising a lower surface designed to direct airflow.

11 . The chamber of claim 9 , wherein a float is positioned within the cavity and a removable float retainer is configured to extend into the chamber, alongside of the baffle, such that the float retainer can secure the float against movement.

12 . The chamber of claim 10 , wherein the lower surface comprises a recess.

13 . The chamber of claim 10 , wherein the lower surface comprises a ridge.

14 . The chamber of claim 10 , wherein the chamber also comprises an outlet port, the outlet port tapering such that at least a portion of the outlet port has a smaller cross-sectional area than an entrance into the outlet port from within the chamber.

15 . A conduit hanging end cap for use with a breathing conduit component, the conduit hanging end cap comprising:
a body configured to be inserted into the conduit component, the body comprising a first end and a second end, the body also comprising a plurality of outer frustoconical tapers positioned between the first end and the second end; and a flange extending from the first end of the body, the flange having an outer perimeter that is non-circular and that extends radially outward of a largest portion of the frustoconical tapers.

16 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 15 , wherein each of the frustoconical tapers has a widest portion and the flange is closest to the widest part of at least one of the frustoconical tapers compared to the rest of that frustoconical taper.

17 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 15 , comprising a hanging component extending from the flange.

18 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 17 , wherein the hanging component is a loop that extends away from the flange in a direction opposite to the body.

19 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 18 , wherein the hanging component comprises a closed loop.

20 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 15 , wherein the flange comprises a hexagonal shape.

21 . The conduit hanging end cap of claim 15 , wherein the end cap is formed of a material that is soft or pliant enough to not cause material damage to a connector of a conduit after connection of the end cap and the connector.

22 . A humidification system for humidifying respiratory gases provided to a patient, the humidification system comprising:
a heater plate; a base supporting the heater plate and configured to receive a removable chamber configured to hold a liquid; and one or more springs applying an upward force to the heater plate and urging the heater plate into contact with the removable chamber, wherein the one or more springs are preloaded so that when the chamber is inserted into the base, the heater plate is required to travel less than 3 mm without diminishing the upward force exerted by the springs on the heater plate.

23 . The humidification system of claim 22 , wherein the upward force is 30-40 Newtons (N).

24 . The humidification system of claim 22 , wherein the upward force is 36-40 Newtons (N).

25 . The humidification system of claim 22 , wherein the upward force is about 35 Newtons (N).

26 . The humidification system of claims 22 - 25 , comprising a spring assembly.

27 . The humidification system of claim 26 , wherein the spring assembly comprises:
a first spring assembly platform supporting a base of the spring; and a screw secured to and extending downward from the bottom of the heater plate, wherein a body of the screw passes through an opening of the first spring assembly platform and a head of the screw is below the first spring assembly platform, wherein the opening of the first spring assembly platform is large enough to allow the screw body to pass through the opening without resistance but not large enough to allow the screw head to pass through the opening.

28 . The humidification system of claim 27 , comprising a spring preloading assembly.

29 . The humidification system of claim 28 , wherein the spring preloading assembly comprises a second spring assembly platform located below the first spring assembly platform, the second spring assembly platform including an opening is large enough to allow the screw body to pass through the opening without resistance but not large enough to allow the screw head to pass through the opening.

30 . The humidification system of claims 22 - 29 , wherein the one or more springs are preloaded so that when the chamber is inserted into the base, the heater plate is required to travel less than 2 mm without diminishing the upward force exerted by th

Assignees

• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Jackson John James
• Manon Barry Shack
• Corrales Victor Rosales
• Van Workum Stefan Leo
• Andresen Michael John
• Evans Stephen David
• Hamilton Mark Samuel
• Buckley Paul Fleming
• Klenner Jason Allan
• Osborne Hamish
• Boggs Samuel Graham
• Stanton James William
• Griffiths Joseph Nathaniel
• Lambert Jonathan Andrew George
• Vaughan Nicholas Edward
• Kehoe James Owen
• De La Fuente Francisco Ernesto De La Pena
• Mckenna Nicholas James Michael
• Porter Rachael
• Stam Simon Mordechai
• Kemps David Robert
• Lyons Edwin Joseph
• Martin Madeleine Bess
• Shou Ada Yiwen
• Liu Huang-Ku

Classifications

• A61M2016/0033

  electrical · CPC title

• A61M16/16 Primary

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

• A61M16/0833

  T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece · CPC title

• A61M2205/6045

  having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes · CPC title

• A61M2209/06

  Packaging for specific medical equipment · CPC title