Humidifier with structure to prevent backflow of liquid through the humidifier inlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46079-E
Application number	US-201313944960-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2013
Priority date	Feb 16, 2001
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A humidifier includes a base configured to retain a body of liquid therein, a top cover, and a seal disposed between the top cover and the base. At least a portion of the base is constructed of a heat conducting material. The top cover defines both an inlet and an outlet communicated with an interior of the base. The inlet is configured to receive pressurized breathable gas and the outlet is configured to deliver the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, comprising
a humidifier including
a base configured to retain a body of liquid therein, at least a portion of the base being constructed of a heat conducting material,
a top cover, and
a seal disposed between the top cover and the base; and
a connecting structure configured to connect between the CPAP apparatus and humidifier and allow communication of an outlet of the CPAP apparatus with the inlet of the humidifier, the connecting structure including
a housing providing a base portion to support the humidifier thereon, and
a retaining mechanism configured to secure the connecting structure to the CPAP apparatus,
wherein the base portion includes a heating element in contact with the heat conducting material of the base of the humidifier.

2. A humidifier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the top cover defines both an inlet and an outlet communicated with an interior of the base, the inlet configured to receive pressurized breathable gas and the outlet configured to deliver the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity.

3. A humidifier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure includes a control knob to control a heat setting of the heating element.

4. A humidifier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure includes contact elements that communicate with a power supply within the CPAP apparatus.

5. A humidifier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure is configured to allow removable attachment of the CPAP apparatus to the humidifier.

6. A humidifier assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the heat conducting material is a metallic material.

7. A CPAP apparatus including a humidifier assembly according to claim 1 .

8. A humidifier, comprising:
a humidifier body configured to retain a body of liquid having a predetermined maximum volume, the humidifier body comprising:
a humidifier body inlet adapted to receive a flow of breathable gas;
a humidifier body outlet adapted to deliver the flow of breathable gas with added humidity;
a gas introduction chamber having a gas introduction chamber inlet and a gas introduction chamber outlet, the gas introduction chamber inlet being adapted to receive the flow of breathable gas from the humidifier body inlet; and
a humidification chamber in communication with the gas introduction chamber and the humidifier body outlet, wherein
the gas introduction chamber outlet serves as a humidification chamber inlet, the gas introduction chamber inlet is oriented to direct the flow of breathable gas in a substantially horizontal direction when the humidifier is in an upright, operating position, the humidification chamber comprises a bottom portion below the gas introduction chamber when the humidifier is in the upright, operating position, and comprises a side portion beside the gas introduction chamber when the humidifier is in the upright, operating position, wherein each of the gas introduction chamber and the humidification chamber has an upper boundary that is defined by a common upper wall portion of the humidifier body, the gas introduction chamber inlet and the gas introduction chamber outlet are positioned above the liquid when the humidifier body retains the maximum volume of liquid and is in the upright, operating position, the gas introduction and humidification chambers are configured so that when the humidifier body retains the maximum volume of liquid and is rotated from an upright, operating position by about 80°-110°, a maximum level of liquid in the humidifier body remains below at least one of the gas introduction chamber inlet and the gas introduction chamber outlet.

9. The humidifier according to claim 8, wherein a volume of the gas introduction chamber is smaller than a volume of the humidification chamber.

10. The humidifier according to claim 9, wherein the gas introduction chamber inlet and the gas introduction chamber outlet are located at substantially diagonally opposing sections of the gas introduction chamber.

11. The humidifier according to claim 9, wherein the volume of the humidification chamber is greater than the predetermined maximum volume of liquid.

12. The humidifier according to claim 8, wherein the humidifier body includes at least one securing element positioned, configured and dimensioned to detachably secure the humidifier body to a connecting structure configured to detachably connect between a CPAP apparatus and the humidifier body.

13. The humidifier according to claim 12, wherein the at least one securing element includes a pair of locking lugs each configured to be received in a respective recess of the connecting structure once the humidifier body is fully inserted relative to the connecting structure.

14. The humidifier according to claim 13, wherein the humidifier body includes an upper portion having an external recess.

15. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, the humidifier assembly comprising:
a humidifier comprising a reservoir configured to retain a body of liquid having a predetermined maximum volume, the reservoir comprising a first chamber adapted to receive breathable gas from the CPAP apparatus, and a second chamber adapted to receive a flow of breathable gas from the first chamber; and a connecting structure configured to connect the CPAP apparatus and the humidifier, the connecting structure comprising:
a base portion to support the humidifier thereon;
a first wall face;
a second wall face opposite the first wall face, the first and second wall faces extending from the base portion and being positioned between the CPAP apparatus and the humidifier when connecting the CPAP apparatus and the humidifier; and
a retaining mechanism configured to detachably secure the connecting structure to the CPAP apparatus, the retaining mechanism being positioned on the first wall face,
wherein the base portion and the second wall face form at least a part of a receptacle adapted to laterally receive the humidifier, and wherein the first wall face is configured to engage a corresponding face of the CPAP apparatus.

16. The humidifier assembly according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the humidifier remains exposed when the humidifier is received within the receptacle.

17. The humidifier assembly according to claim 16, wherein the base comprises a heating element configured to engage a heat conducting plate of the humidifier when the humidifier is retained in the receptacle.

18. The humidifier assembly according to claim 17, wherein the second wall face comprises an extension member extending away from the first wall face, the extension member being configured to interact with the humidifier so that the heat conducting plate is biased into engagement with the heating element.

19. The humidifier assembly according to claim 18, wherein the heating element is a flat plate-like resistance heater.

20. The humidifier assembly according to claim 19, wherein the first wall face and the second wall face each have an opening, and wherein the opening of the first wall face cooperates with the opening configured to define a gas flow passage.

21. The humidifier assembly according to claim 20, wherein the opening in the second wall face is adapted to be fluidly connected to an inlet of the first chamber of the humidifier when the humidifier is received within the receptacle.

22. The humidifier assembly according to claim 21, wherein the

Assignees

• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Virr Alexander
• Smith Ian Malcolm
• Lithgow Perry David
• Jones Richard Llewelyn
• Cheung Andrew

Classifications

• Y10S261/65

  Vaporizers · CPC title

• A61M16/16 Primary

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

• A61M2205/21

  insensitive to tilting or inclination, e.g. spill-over prevention · CPC title

• A61M16/109

  the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent · CPC title

• A61M16/0066

  Blowers or centrifugal pumps · CPC title