# US 11,896,770 B2 · Fabric and method of manufacturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,770 B2 - Document ID: US11896770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/763,832 - Filed: 2018-11-13 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-13 - Assignees: AUT Ventures Limited - Applicants: AUT Ventures Limited - Inventors: Ahmed Al-Jumaily; Sandra Grau Bartual - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896770B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/1045: {Devices for humidifying or heating the inspired gas by using recovered moisture or heat from the expired gas} - C08F 120/54: Amides {, e.g. N,N-dimethylacrylamide or N-isopropylacrylamide} - A61M 16/022: {Control means therefor} - A61M 16/06: Respiratory or anaesthetic masks - A61M 16/109: {the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent} - C08F 2/38: Polymerisation using regulators, e.g. chain terminating agents {, e.g. telomerisation} - C08F 251/02: on to cellulose or derivatives thereof - A61M 11/042: {electrical} - A61M 16/161: {with means for measuring the humidity} - A61M 2016/0024: {with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch} - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/36: related to heating or cooling - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production - C08F 2438/01: Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization [ATRP] or reverse ATRP - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## Abstract A moisture exchange fabric is disclosed the fabric comprising: a substrate fabric; a polymer having lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of between 25° C. and 39° C. bonded to the substrate fabric; and a filament sewed into the substrate fabric. Also disclosed is a humidifying apparatus using the moisture exchange fabric. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A respiratory humidifying apparatus comprising: a moisture exchange fabric positioned so that a respiratory system inspiration and expiration airflow is in contact with the moisture exchange fabric, the moisture exchange fabric comprising: a substrate fabric, and a temperature-responsive polymer having lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of between 25° C. and 39° C. bonded to the substrate fabric; a heater for heating the moisture exchange fabric; a power supply for supplying power to the heater; and a controller controlling the supply of power to the heater such that during inspiration when the moisture exchange fabric is heated and moisture is added to the incoming air such that humid air is provided to a user and during expiration the moisture exchange fabric extracts moisture from the air. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the moisture exchange fabric is not heated during expiration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller switches the power on and off according to typical inspiration and expiration phases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the supply of power to the heater based on the information from at least one sensor such that the power is on during inspiration and off during expiration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller controls the supply of power to the heater based on the information from the at least one sensor such that the power is off during expiration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 where during inspiration the power supply is on in order to overcome the LCST temperature and to allow the moisture exchange fabric to release water molecules previously absorbed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the percentage of water released as a function of the temperature based on a temperature calibration curve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate fabric is a hydrophilic fabric. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate fabric is selected from the group consisting of natural fibres and processed fibres. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate fabric is selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, chitin, chitosan, rayon, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polypropylene. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polymer is PNIPAM. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of Elastin-like oligo- and polypeptides, Poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide), Poly(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE), Poly(oxazoline)s, Poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) (PVC), and Poly(N-alkylacrylamide)s. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 further including a mask adapted to encompass a user's nose and/or mouth, the mask having at least one air passage adapted to permit air to enter and leave the mask, and wherein the moisture exchange fabric is positioned so that the respiratory system inspiration and expiration airflow is in contact with the moisture exchange fabric. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is used for CPAP therapy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A self-humidified mask comprising the respiratory humidifying apparatus of claim 1. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling the water vapour release and absorption of a moisture exchange fabric providing humidified air to a user positioned so that a respiratory system inspiration and expiration airflow is in contact with the moisture exchange fabric, the moisture exchange fabric comprising a substrate fabric and a temperature responsive polymer having a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of between 25° C. and 39° C. bonded to the substrate fabric, the method comprising using a controller to control a heater by controlling the supply of power to the heater such that during inspiration the moisture exchange fabric is heated and moisture is added to incoming air such that humid air is provided to a user and during expiration the moisture exchange fabric extracts moisture from the air. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the moisture exchange fabric is heated to overcome the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the moisture exchange fabric. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling the supply of power to the heater such that during expiration the moisture exchange fabric is not heated and the moisture exchange fabric extracts moisture from the air. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: identifying the temperature required for the fabric to release the required amount of water vapour from a calibration curve; and controlling the heater to adjust the temperature of the moisture exchange fabric to release the required amount of water vapour. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of controlling the water vapour release and absorption of a moisture exchange fabric as claimed in claim 16 wherein the controller controls the heater by controlling a power supply and wherein the controller controls the voltage and current of the power supply.