Breathing assistance apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555210-B2
Application number	US-201213540357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2012
Priority date	Mar 21, 2000
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A humidifier and humidity sensor is disclosed for use with a breathing assistance apparatus. The humidity sensor preferably includes means to sense absolute humidity, relative humidity and/or temperature at both the patient end and humidifier end. The humidifier may also include provision to both control independently the humidity and temperature of the gases. Further, a chamber manifold is disclosed to facilitate easy connection of the humidifier to various outlets, inlets and sensors. A heated conduit is described which provides a more effective temperature profile along its length.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidification apparatus for humidifying a gases flow to be supplied to a patient or other person comprising:
a humidifier base comprising a heater plate;
a humidification chamber having an inlet and an outlet to allow the gases flow to pass through the humidification chamber from the inlet to the outlet, the humidification chamber being configured to be mounted on the humidifier base in contact with the heater plate;
a removable assembly that connects the humidification chamber to the humidifier base, the removable assembly forming a portion of the humidification apparatus and including a first sensor being supported by the removable assembly, the first sensor being configured to determine a first parameter of the gases flow before the gases flow enters the humidification chamber; and
a controller that controls the heater plate based upon at least the first parameter to heat water in the humidification chamber to humidify the gases flow passing through the humidification chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is located adjacent to the inlet of the humidification chamber when the humidification chamber is mounted on the humidifier base.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , futher comprising a continuous flow gases source.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the continuous flow gases source is a medical gases supply.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is located upstream of the inlet of the humidification chamber when the humidification chamber is mounted on the humidifier base.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor configured to determine a second parameter of the gases flow.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the heater plate also based on the second parameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second sensors is a humidity sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second sensors is a temperature sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the removable assembly comprises a manifold.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the removable assembly comprises at least one gases passageway.

12. A humidification apparatus configured to humidify a flow of gases for delivery to a user, the apparatus comprising:
a flow path of the flow of gases extending from a gases source to a humidification chamber;
the humidification chamber defining a volume configured to contain a volume of liquid;
a heater base comprising a heater configured to heat the volume of liquid, the heater being controlled by a controller; and
a removable assembly that connects the humidification chamber to the heater base, a first sensor mounted to the removable assembly, the first sensor being positioned to sense a property of gases flow before the humidification chamber;
the first sensor being connected to the controller such that the controller is configured to control the heater that is configured to heat the volume of liquid contained within the humidification chamber by adjusting a temperature of the volume of liquid in the humidification chamber based upon output from the first sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor is positioned between the gases source and the humidification chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor is configured to sense a humidity level of the flow of gases.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the flow of gases.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the removable assembly comprises a manifold.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the removable assembly comprises at least one gases passageway.

18. A method for humidifying a gases flow to be supplied to a patient or other person comprising:
sensing, using a sensor carried by a removable assembly that connects a humidification chamber to a heater base, the sensor being located on the removable assembly upstream of the humidification chamber, the sensor configured to sense a first parameter of the gases flow inside of the removable assembly prior to the gases flow entering the humidification chamber;
controlling a heater thermally coupled to a volume of liquid in the humidification chamber using output from the sensor located on the removable assembly upstream of the humidification chamber;
transferring water vapor from the volume of liquid to the gases flow passing through the humidification chamber; and
conveying the gases flow out of the removable assembly after the gases flow exits the humidification chamber,
wherein the first parameter is selected from the group consisting of temperature, absolute humidity, relative humidity and flow rate and is used to control the heater in the generation of the water vapor.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising sensing a second parameter of the gases flow after the gases flow exits the humidification chamber.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein one or more first sensors senses the first parameter and one or more second sensors senses the second parameter, the one or more first sensors being located before the humidification chamber along a flow path of the gases flow through the removable assembly and the one or more second sensors being located after the humidification chamber along a flow path of the gases flow through the removable assembly.

Assignees

• Seakins Paul John
• Smith Malcolm David
• Thudor Mohammad
• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Seakins Paul John
• Smith Malcolm David
• Thudor Mohammad

Classifications

• A61M16/161 Primary

  with means for measuring the humidity · CPC title

• A61M2205/3368

  Temperature · CPC title

• A61M2016/102

  Measuring a parameter of the content of the delivered gas · CPC title

• A61M16/1095 Primary

  in the connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title