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US 4,054,622 AGranted
Combination nebulizer and humidifier
OwnerVictor E. Lesterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-contained disposable unit for converting a liquid to aerosol or for humidifying a gas includes gas inlet means and an enclosed container having a liquid supply reservoir and an outlet for the aerosol or for the humidified gas. A nozzle assembly for producing aerosol extends into the container above the liquid supply reservoir and a dual purpose conduit in communication with the liquid supply reservoir either carries liquid from the reservoir to the nozzle assembly during nebulization or passes gas into the liquid in the reservoir during humidification. The unit also includes valve means for selectively diverting gas from the gas inlet means to the nozzle assembly for nebulization or through the dual purpose conduit into the liquid in the liquid supply reservoir for humidification.
Claims29
In a humidifier-nebulizer device including an enclosed liquid holding chmaber, means for connecting said device to a gas supply source, conduit means for directing a gas therethrough and a gas exit conduit elevated above the normal liquid level in said liquid holding chamber, the improvement comprising:
- a. an upper conduit for directing gas from a supply source and a lower conduit each of which communicates with a cavity formed in a valve housing, said lower conduit also communicating with the liquid holding chamber adjacent the bottom thereof;
- b. a valve spool received in the valve housing cavity, the spool and the housing cooperating to define a valve chamber therebetween, said spool being selectively aligned between a gas humidification and a nebulization position respectively and having a first passageway system within said valve spool and comprising first and second passageways, the first passageway communicating with said upper conduit and the second passageway communicating with said lower conduit, said first passageway system directing gas from the upper conduit to the lower conduit and into a liquid in said liquid holding chamber when said valve spool is aligned for gas humidification, and a second passageway system comprising third and fourth passageways, the third passageway communicating with said upper conduit and the fourth passageway communicating with said lower conduit, whereby the second passageway system simultaneously directs gas from the upper conduit to the valve chamber through said third passageway and draws liquid from the lower conduit to said valve chamber through said fourth passageway for atomization of said liquid with said gas in said valve chamber when said valve spool is aligned for nebulization;
- and
- c. an orifice communicating said valve chamber with said liquid holding chamber above the liquid level.
1 more element
In a humidifier-nebulizer device including a liquid holding chamber, means for connecting said device to a gas supply source, and gas exit means elevated above the normal liquid level in said liquid holding chamber, the improvement comprising:
- an upper conduit for directing gas from the supply source and a lower conduit each of which communicates with a cavity formed in a valve housing, said lower conduit also communicating with the liquid holding chamber adjacent the bottom thereof;
- a valve spool received in the valve housing cavity the spool and the housing cooperating to define a valve chamber therebetween, said spool being selectively aligned between a gas humidification and a nebulization position respectively and having a first passageway system within said valve spool and comprising first and second passageways, the first passageway communicating with said upper conduit and the second passageway communicating with said lower conduit said first passageway system directing gas from the upper conduit to the lower conduit and into a liquid in said liquid holding chamber when said valve spool is aligned for gas humidification, and a second passageway system comprising third and forth passageways, the third passageway communicating with said upper conduit and the fourth passageway communicating with said lower conduit, whereby the second passageway system simultaneously directs gas from the upper conduit to the valve chamber through said third passageway and draws liquid from the lower conduit to said valve chamber through said fourth passageway for atomization of said liquid with said gas in said valve chamber when said valve spool is aligned for nebulization;
- and
- an orifice communicating said valve chamber with said liquid holding chamber above the liquid level.
1 more element
A combination nebulizer and humidifier unit, comprising:
- an enclosed container having outlet means and a liquid supply reservoir;
- gas inlet means;
- orifice means;
- conduit means;
- and
- a valve and gas nozzle component including in combination a unitary valve means and at least in part a nozzle assembly having said orifice means, said orifice means being in communication with said enclosed container above said liquid supply reservoir, said valve means upstream of said orifice means having selective positions, a gas passage defined therein, and a gas outlet port for changing the path of gas flow from said gas inlet means whereby selection of one of said positions closes said gas outlet port and causes gas from said gas inlet means to flow into said orifice means which in turn causes liquid from said liquid supply reservoir to flow through said conduit means which extends from said nozzle assembly to said reservoir into said nozzle assembly whereupon the liquid is converted to aerosol which passes out through said outlet means and whereby selection of another one of said positions causes gas from said gas inlet means to bypass said orifice means and flow through said gas outlet port and through said conduit means into the liquid in said liquid supply reservoir whereupon the gas is humidified and passed out through said outlet means.
3 more elements
A combination nebulizer and humidifier unit, comprising:
- separately formed components including a container component, a cover component, and a valve component;
- said cover component enclosing said container component and said cover component and said container component defining a liquid supply reservoir adjacent a lower portion of said cover component;
- said cover component including a receptacle having a spray orifice extending into said container component above said liquid reservoir, a gas inlet conduit in communication with said receptacle, a dual purpose conduit in communication at one end with said receptacle and in communication at said other end with said liquid supply reservoir, and outlet means above said liquid supply reservoir;
- and
- said valve component rotatably mounted in said receptacle and defining a valve chamber, said valve component defining first and second valve passageways adapted for selective alignment with said gas inlet conduit and said dual purpose conduit and a gas orifice coaxial with and spaced from said spray orifice whereby selective alignment of said first valve passageway causes gas from said gas inlet conduit to flow into said gas orifice and liquid from said liquid supply reservoir to rise in said dual purpose conduit into said space between said orifices thereby creating nebulization and whereby selective alignment of said second valve passageway causes gas from said gas inlet to flow through said dual purpose conduit into the liquid in said liquid supply reservoir thereby creating humidification.
2 more elements
A combination nebulizer and humidifier unit, comprising:
- an enclosed container having outlet means, a side enclosure and a liquid supply reservoir adjacent a lower portion of said side enclosure;
- said side enclosure including a receptacle having an end wall extending into said enclosed container above said liquid supply reservoir, said receptacle defining a valve housing and said end wall having a spray orifice;
- tubular means rotatably positioned within said receptacle having an end wall adjacent said other end wall, said tubular means defining a valve chamber and said end wall having a gas orifice coaxial with and spaced from said spray orifice;
- gas inlet means extending into said valve housing;
- conduit means extending from said valve housing to said liquid supply reservoir;
- a first valve inlet port and a cooperating valve outlet port selectively adapted for alignment with said gas inlet means and said conduit means respectively;
- and
- a second valve inlet port and a cooperating channel extending into said space between said orifices selectively adapted for alignment with said gas inlet means and said conduit means respectively whereby rotation of said tubular member to selectively align said first inlet port and said outlet port causes gas in said gas inlet means to flow into said valve chamber and on through said conduit means into the liquid in said liquid supply reservoir for humidification and whereby rotation of said tubular member to selectively align said second inlet port and said channel causes gas in said gas inlet means to flow into said vlave chamber and on through said gas orifice which in turn causes liquid from said liquid supply reservoir to rise in said conduit means and pass through said channel into said space between said orifices for nebulization.
5 more elements
A combination nebulizer and humidifier unit, comprising:
- an enclosed container having outlet means and a liquid supply reservoir;
- gas inlet means;
- orifice means;
- conduit means;
- and
- a valve and gas nozzle component mounted within a nozzle assembly having said orifice means, said gas nozzle being aligned with said orifice means, said orifice means being in communication with said enclosed container above said liquid supply reservoir, said valve means upstream of said orifice means having selective positions, a gas passage defined therein, and a gas outlet port for changing the path of gas flow from said gas inlet means whereby selection of one of said positions closes said gas outlet port and causes gas from said gas inlet means to flow into said gas nozzle and said orifice means which in turn causes liquid from said liquid supply reservoir to flow through said conduit means which extends from said nozzle assembly to said reservoir into said nozzle assembly whereupon the liquid is converted to aerosol which passes out through said outlet means and whereby selection of another one of said positions causes gas from said gas inlet means to bypass said orifice means and flow through said gas outlet port and through said conduit means into the liquid in said liquid supply reservoir whereupon the gas is humidified and passed out through said outlet means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.