US 4,028,444 AGranted

Humidifier and automatic control system therefor

AssigneeChemetron Corporation

InventorsAllen C. Brown, Neil R. Hattes, Theodore B. Eyrick

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Abstract

A humidifier system for delivering breathing gases such as air or oxygen from a respirator, anesthesia machine, oxygen source, or the like to a patient under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity is disclosed. The humidifier comprises a support housing adapted to receive a removable water tank, the housing also containing a low water sensing system, a water heating means, and a system for sensing and for regulating the temperature of the water in the tank. The tank includes an air inlet leading to a diffuser chamber, from which air flows through a diffuser plate, through the water in the humidifier, and thence to an outlet for delivery to the patient. The breathing gases are forced through the water tank under positive pressure and thereby are heated and humidified prior to delivery.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system for humidifying breathing gases, comprising:

a support housing defining a recess;
a heater means in said recess and carried by said support housing;
container means for holding a supply of water, said container means including gas inlet and gas outlet means;
means removably securing said container means in said recess in heat transfer relationship with said heater means;
diffuser means within said container and spaced therefrom to define a diffuser chamber, said chamber being so located as to be below the surface of the supply of water during operation of said system and so located as to permit a free flow of water therearound, said diffuser means including a diffuser element for passing breathing gas upwardly out of said diffuser chamber;
means including said gas inlet means communicating with said diffuser chamber for directing said breathing gas into said diffuser chamber below the surface of the supply of water, said breathing gas thereafter passing upwardly through said diffuser element and the supply of water;
means including said gas outlet means communicating with the interior of said container to direct said breathing gas out of said container;
and
a contaminant trap connected to said gas outlet means and located within said container for receiving and retaining backflowing contaminated liquid which returns from said outlet means to said container.

6 more elements

A system for humidifying a breathing gas, comprising:

container means adapted to receive a supply of water through which a breathing gas is passed for humidification, said container having bottom, wall and cover portions;
diffuser means mounted within said container and so located as to be below the surface of the water during operation of said system, said diffuser means including a diffuser plate defining the top wall of a diffuser chamber adjacent but smaller than the bottom portion of said container, said diffuser plate having a multiplicity of small apertures for passing breathing gas out of said chamber, and said diffuser chamber having side edges spaced from the wall portion of said container to permit free circulation of water around the diffuser chamber;
gas inlet means extending into said container and communicating with said diffuser chamber to direct breathing gas into said diffuser chamber, said breathing gas flowing from said diffuser chamber upwardly through said diffuser plate apertures whereby the gas is formed into streams of small bubbles for passage through the water in the container;
gas outlet means communicating with the interior of said container, said outlet means being located between a side edge of said diffuser and the wall portion of the container and above the surface of the water during operation of the system for collecting humidified breathing gas that has passed through the water;
and
baffle wall means located between said diffuser plate and said outlet means to prevent bubble turbulent water from entering said outlet means while permitting humidified gas to flow thereto.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.