Respiratory gas humidifier
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
InventorsIgor Olegovich Yatsevich, Andrew John Partington, Nordyn Alami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas humidifier can have a gas channel comprising an inlet and an outlet. A portion of the gas channel can have a region having a reduction in cross-sectional area relative to the portions of the gas channel outside of the region. A water conduit can extend from the region to a water reservoir. A heating element can heat water entering the region from the water conduit. Water vaporized using the heating element can join the flow of gases passing through the gas channel in use.
Claims19
A method of removing excess liquid from an air flow channel of a humidifier, the humidifier further comprising a reservoir configured to hold a volume of liquid, the air flow channel separate from an air space above the volume of liquid in the reservoir, and a heating element positioned in the air flow channel and configured to heat liquid transferred from the reservoir to the air flow channel to humidify gases flowing through the air flow channel, the method comprising:
- transferring liquid from the reservoir to the air flow channel;
- vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid to humidify the gases flowing through the air flow channel;
- collecting excess liquid in the air flow channel that has not been vaporized;
- and
- returning the excess liquid to the reservoir.
A method of removing excess liquid from an air flow channel of a humidifier, the air flow channel extending from an inlet to an outlet configured to be coupled to a conduit configured to deliver gases to a patient, the humidifier further comprising a reservoir configured to hold a volume of liquid and a heating element positioned in the air flow channel and configured to heat liquid transferred from the reservoir to the air flow channel to humidify gases flowing through the air flow channel, the method comprising:
- collecting unvaporized liquid in the air flow channel;
- and
- passing the unvaporized liquid from the air flow channel upstream of the outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.