# US 11,896,773 B2 · Vaporizer arrangement for a breathing apparatus

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- Number: US 11,896,773 B2
- Document ID: US11896773B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/813,912
- Filed: 2020-03-10
- Published: 2020-07-02
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-28
- Assignees: Maquet Critical Care AB
- Applicants: Maquet Critical Care AB
- Inventors: Carl-Erik Troili; Mario Loncar; Ake Larsson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896773B2

## CPC

- A61M 16/18: Vaporising devices for anaesthetic preparations
- A61M 16/024: {including calculation means, e.g. using a processor}
- A61M 16/1015: {using a gas flush valve, e.g. oxygen flush valve}
- A61M 16/104: {specially adapted for anaesthetics (A61M16/18 takes precedence)}
- A61M 16/109: {the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent}
- A61M 16/12: by mixing different gases
- A61M 16/14: by mixing different fluids, one of them being in a liquid phase
- A61M 16/16: Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)}
- A62B 7/02: with compressed oxygen or air
- A61B 5/091: Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
- A61M 16/0063: {Compressors}
- A61M 16/0891: {Closed circuit, e.g. for anaesthesia}
- A61M 16/202: {electrically actuated}
- A61M 16/204: {used for inhalation control}
- A61M 16/22: Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices {; Other means for removing carbon dioxide}(cartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00)
- A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter}
- A61M 2016/0039: {in the inspiratory circuit}
- A61M 2016/102: {Measuring a parameter of the content of the delivered gas}
- A61M 2202/0208: Oxygen
- A61M 2202/0283: Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate
- A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
- A61M 2206/11: Laminar flow
- A61M 2206/14: Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
- A61M 2206/20: having means for promoting or enhancing the flow, actively or passively
- 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)}
- A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A gas tank arrangement for a breathing apparatus, including: a gas tank; an inlet valve configured to control a flow of gas into said gas tank; an outlet valve configured to control a flow of gas out of said gas tank and towards a patient; and a controller configured to control said inlet and outlet valves to maintain the gas within said gas tank at an overpressure for subsequent delivery to the patient, to control the outlet valve based on a parameter that is indicative of pressure within the gas tank, and to control the inlet and outlet valves to always maintain the pressure in the gas tank between a minimum pressure threshold value and a maximum pressure threshold value, wherein the minimum or maximum pressure threshold value is determined based on preset parameters relating to the dynamics of said outlet valve, or a desired minimum or maximum flow of gas out of the gas tank.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas tank arrangement for a breathing apparatus, comprising:
a gas tank;
an inlet valve configured to control a flow of gas into said gas tank;
an outlet valve configured to control a flow of gas out of said gas tank and towards a patient; and
a controller configured to control said inlet and outlet valves to maintain the gas within said gas tank at an overpressure for subsequent delivery to the patient, to control the outlet valve based on a parameter that is indicative of pressure within the gas tank, and to control the inlet and outlet valves to maintain the pressure in the gas tank between a minimum pressure threshold value and a maximum pressure threshold value,
wherein the minimum and maximum pressure threshold values are determined based on preset parameters relating to the dynamics of said outlet valve, or a correspondingly desired minimum or maximum flow of gas out of the gas tank.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the flow of gas out of the gas tank based on at least one parameter indicative of the respiratory phase of the patient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the flow of gas into the gas tank in a variable manner.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the flow of gas into the gas tank based on measurements indicative of the pressure within the gas tank.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the pressure in the gas tank at an end-expiratory target pressure at the end of each expiratory phase of the patient, which end-expiratory pressure corresponds to said maximum pressure threshold value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, at least during an initial phase of an inspiration phase of the patient, prevent flow of gas into the gas tank.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to, during a final phase of said inspiration phase, provide a flow of gas into the gas tank and control said flow so as to maintain the overpressure over said minimum pressure threshold value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to prevent simultaneous flow of gas into the gas tank and flow of gas out of the gas tank.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the gas tank and said desired overpressure are selected such that at least 600 ml of gas is deliverable from the gas tank at a flow that never falls below 120 lpm during an inspiration phase of the patient.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine an allowable range of operation of said outlet valve based on said parameter, and to control the outlet valve to operate only within said allowable range.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the controller is adapted to determine said allowable range of operation of the outlet valve based on said parameter and a second parameter indicative of the lung capacity of the patient.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The gas tank arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the gas tank forms a mixing chamber for two or more gas components forming a breathing gas mixture that is to be supplied to the patient.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A breathing apparatus for providing breathing support to a patient, wherein the breathing apparatus comprises a gas tank arrangement according to claim 1.