US 6,095,505 AGranted

Patient-end humidifier

AssigneePegasus Research Corporation

InventorKenneth G. Miller

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Abstract

An improved breathing gas humidifier including an evaporation module which has a contact chamber and a flash-resistant heat exchanger, a wicking layer on the heat exchanger, a liquid water flow controller, an electric resistance heater, and a breathing gas temperature controller. The contact chamber is defined by a rigid housing and in part by a flash-resistant heat exchanger. The rigid housing has a gas inlet for connection to a breathing gas source such as a ventilator, a water inlet for connection to a liquid water source by a liquid water flow passageway, and a breathing gas outlet connected to an inhalation passageway. The wicking layer is positioned in the contact chamber to receive and distribute liquid water. The breathing gas temperature controller is operably connected to the flow controller, the heater, and a temperature sensor in the breathing gas outlet.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A humidifier for a breathing gas comprising:

an evaporation module including a contact chamber defined by a rigid housing and in part by a flash-resistant heat exchanger, said rigid housing having a gas inlet connectable to a breathing gas source, a water inlet connectable to a liquid water source by a liquid water flow passageway, and a breathing gas outlet connected to an inhalation passageway;
a temperature sensor in said breathing gas outlet;
a wicking layer in the contact chamber, in contact with said heat exchanger and positioned to receive liquid water entering said contact chamber;
an electric resistance heater for said heat exchanger;
a liquid water flow controller in said water flow passageway;
and
a breathing gas temperature controller operably connected to said flow controller, said heater, and said sensor for adjusting the water flow rate to said evaporation module and the power to said heater in response to temperature changes in said breathing gas outlet.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.