# US 11,077,400 B2 · Dehumidifier

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- Number: US 11,077,400 B2
- Document ID: US11077400B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/375,978
- Filed: 2019-04-05
- Published: 2019-11-14
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-08
- Assignees: Nihon Kohden Corporation
- Applicants: Nihon Kohden Corporation
- Inventors: Kota Saeki; Muneshige Kurahashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077400B2

## CPC

- B01D 53/268: {by diffusion}
- A61B 5/097: Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
- B01D 53/22: by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00)
- B01D 63/02: Hollow fibre modules
- B01D 2053/224: {with hollow fibres}
- B01D 2259/4533: for medical purposes
- B01D 2311/10: Temperature control
- B01D 2313/18: Specific valves
- B01D 2313/22: Cooling or heating elements
- F24F 2003/1435: {comprising semi-permeable membrane}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)

## Abstract

A dehumidifier is connected to a respiratory gas measuring apparatus. A membrane dryer has a first flow path through which a respiratory gas of a subject passes, and a second flow path through which a purge gas passes. A first normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a first upstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path. A second normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a first downstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path. A third normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a second upstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path. A fourth normally-closed electromagnetic valve is disposed in a second downstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dehumidifier which is to be connected to a respiratory gas measuring apparatus, the dehumidifier comprising:
a membrane dryer having a first flow path through which a respiratory gas of a subject passes, a second flow path through which a gas that is smaller in water content than the respiratory gas passes, and a membrane that separates the first flow path and the second flow path from each other;
a first normally-closed electromagnetic valve which is disposed in a first upstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path;
a second normally-closed electromagnetic valve which is disposed in a first downstream flow path that communicates with the first flow path;
a third normally-closed electromagnetic valve which is disposed in a second upstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path;
a fourth normally-closed electromagnetic valve which is disposed in a second downstream flow path that communicates with the second flow path;
a cooling device which cools the membrane dryer; and
a heat radiating member which dissipates heat generated by the cooling device,
wherein a gas which flows through the second downstream flow path passes through the heat radiating member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dehumidifier according to claim 1,
wherein the gas which flows through the second downstream flow path is discharged after the gas passes through the heat radiating member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dehumidifier according to claim 1,
wherein the membrane is configured by a hollow fiber membrane.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The dehumidifier according to claim 1,
wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth normally-closed electromagnetic valves are respectively set to closed states when the first, the second, the third, and the fourth normally-closed electromagnetic valves are not energized.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The dehumidifier according to claim 1,
wherein the heat radiating member includes a plurality of air passages which are formed so that a purge gas is not in direct contact with an ambient air.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A system comprising:
the dehumidifier according to claim 1, and
the respiratory gas measuring apparatus,
wherein the respiratory gas measuring apparatus is connected to the dehumidifier.