Humidifying apparatus
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Limited
InventorsPaul Zwaan, Ilija Orec, Charles G. Murray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A humidifier of small gases passageway volume (of the order of 50 ml gases space) has a heater within a water containing envelope having a microporous wall common to the water space within the envelope and the gases space, the microporous wall being permeable to water vapour but not liquid water and the envelope being reinforced by a support which also directs the flow of gases over the surface of the envelope. The heater is wound as a flat spiral to avoid the effect of gases or water vapour bubbles on heater performance temperature.
Claims40
Apparatus for humidifying gases, said apparatus comprising a first passageway, a water supply inlet through which water is in use supplied to said first passageway, a second passageway through which gases are supplied to pass over a microporous wall common to both said first passageway and said second passageway at point of use, said microporous wall being permeable to water vapour but substantially impermeable to liquid water, heating means energisable to heat said water to generate vapour pressure within said first passageway sufficient to cause passage of water vapour but not liquid water through said microporous wall, said microporous wall comprising sheet microporous material formed into a water compartment of microporous material providing said first passageway and substantially contained by water compartment support means, said water compartment support means mechanically reinforcing said water compartment of microporous material to resist the pressures operating thereon, said water compartment of microporous material formed to provide a flattened microporous tube with adjacent cut edges sealed or molded together, said heating means comprising a plurality of turns of an insulated electro conductive material arranged in a formation and positioned in said water compartment such that any air bubbles forming in water in said compartment encompass a plurality of turns with the likelihood of any single turn being encompassed by such air bubbles being obviated or minimised.
Apparatus for humidifying gases, said apparatus comprising a body defining outer walls of a first main passageway and a second main passageway, an inlet to said first main passageway and a gases outlet from said second main passageway, inner walls defining a gases distribution chamber between said first main passageway and said second main passageway with a gases inflow opening in said inner walls between said first main passageway and said gases distribution chamber and a gases outflow opening in said inner walls between said gases distribution chamber and said second main passageway, a water chamber within said gases distribution chamber said water chamber having a water inlet and a first side and an opposite side thereof, a microporous wall common to both said gases distribution chamber and said water chamber, said microporous wall being permeable to water vapor but substantially impermeable to liquid water, heating means within said water chamber energisable to heat said water to generate vapour pressure within said chamber sufficient to cause passage of water vapour but not liquid water through said microporous wall, there being gases distributing spaces between outer surfaces of said microporous wall and inner surfaces of said gases distribution chamber with water chamber support means in said gases distributing spaces, said water chamber support means mechanically reinforcing said water chamber and said microporous wall to resist pressures operating thereon and flow directing means in said gases distributing spaces to spread the flow of gases from said gases inlet through said first main passageway said gases inflow opening into said gases distribution chamber first over said first side of said water chamber and then over said gases opposite side of said water chamber and through a gases outflow aperture to said second main passageway for delivery therefrom to a patient said heating means comprising a plurality of turns of an insulated electroconductive material arranged in a formation such and positioned in said water chamber in a manner such that any air bubbles forming in water in said chamber encompass a plurality of turns with the likelihood of any single turn being encompassed by such air bubble being obviated or minimized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.