# US 4,657,713 A · Heated respiratory therapy humidifier

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- Number: US 4,657,713 A
- Document ID: US4657713A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/719,886
- Filed: 1985-04-03
- Granted: 1987-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 1983-05-19
- Assignees: Intertech Resources Inc.
- Inventors: Kenneth G. Miller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4657713A

## CPC

- A61M 16/142: {with semi-permeable walls separating the liquid from the respiratory gas}
- A61M 16/16: Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)}
- A61M 16/162: {Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic}
- Y10S 261/65: Vaporizers
- 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)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A humidifier assembly is disclosed. Parts of the humidifier assembly may be disposable. The assembly comprises a housing, heater means on the housing, a liquid water supply means that communicates with the heater means, a hollow shell on the housing that defines a humidification chamber, and a filter means in the humidification chamber and positioned in juxtaposition with the surface of the heater means for passing water vapor into breathable gas. Preferably the filter means is hydrophobic.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A disposable canister for use in a humidifier assembly for humidifying a breathable gas to be inhaled by a patient undergoing inhalation therapy; said humidifier assembly including a heater means mounted on a housing and having an exposed heated surface adapted to receive liquid water in direct heat transfer relationship therewith, and liquid water supply means for the exposed heated surface; and said canister comprising
a hollow shell having an open end adapted for removably mounting on said housing and provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet; and
a porous, vapor-permeable but hydrophobic filter membrane mounted within said hollow shell across said open end but at a position substantially uniformly spaced from said open end and said exposed heated surface when the shell is mounted on said housing;
said hollow shell together with said hydrophobic filter membrane together defining a humidification chamber on one side of the filter membrane that communicates with the gas inlet and the gas outlet in the shell and through which said breathable gas is adapted to pass between the inlet and the outlet, and defining a heater-receiving cavity on the other side of the filter membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The disposable canister in accordance with claim 1 wherein the porous, water vapor-permeable portion has a pore size of about 0.02 to about 0.5 micrometers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The disposable canister in accordance with claim 1 wherein said humidification chamber is provided with a vent.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The disposable canister in accordance with claim 3 wherein the vent includes a hydrophobic filter element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The disposable canister in accordance with claim 1 further including a base assembly for the canister adapted for removable positioning over the heater means; said base assembly including a projecting nipple for actuating a valve on said heater means.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The disposable canister in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic filter membrane is a microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene structure having a matrix of nodules interconnected with fibrils and has a pore size of about 0.02 to about 0.5 micrometers.