Bubble humidifier with valve inlet for supplying liquid therein
OwnerNicholas Edward Coniglio, Harry Francis Mellon, Jr.inventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bubble humidifier for humidifying gas bubbled through water contained in a container member prior to this gas being sent to a patient is provided. The bubble humidifier includes a container member having a lid, a gas inlet member connected to a gas source, a member for transporting the gas from the gas inlet member into the liquid, and a gas outlet member which feeds the humidified gas to the patient. A valve inlet member is associated with the humidifier unit and allows for the addition of liquid, which humidifies the gas, into the humidifier unit without disassembling the humidifier unit.
Claims23
A bubble humidifier for humidifying a gas sent to a patient, said humidifier comprising:
- (a) a container member including a top portion, bottom wall, and at least one peripheral sidewall defining a chamber capable of containing a liquid therein;
- (b) a lid sealingly engageable with one of said top portion of said container member and an insert disposed between said lid and said top portion of said container member;
- (c) a gas inlet means associated with said lid, said gas inlet means capable of being attached to a gas source for positively supplying a gas through said gas inlet means;
- (d) gas communication means within said container member and connected at an inlet thereof to said gas inlet means for transporting gas fed from said gas inlet means to a location disposed beneath a surface of said liquid to cause said gas to become humidified;
- (e) a gas outlet means associated with said lid and disposed above said surface of said liquid, said gas outlet means capable of sending humidified gas to a patient;
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- (f) a one way valve means disposed on said humidifier to enable liquid to be added into the container member, said one way valve means capable of creating an air tight seal upon the application of gas within the bubble humidifier.
A method of retrofitting a bubble humidifier for humidifying a gas sent to a patient with a valve for allowing the application of liquid into the bubble humidifier, said bubble humidifier including a container member having a bottom wall, a top portion, and at least one peripheral sidewall and a lid having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion of said lid including a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve, said method comprising:
- (a) providing an insert member having an open top portion, an open bottom portion, and at least one peripheral sidewall;
- (b) providing said insert member between said top portion of said container member and said bottom portion of said lid;
- (c) providing a valve on said at least one peripheral sidewall of said insert member so as to enable the application of liquid into the container member of the bubble humidifier.
An insert member for use with a bubble humidifier, said bubble humidifier including a container member having a bottom wall, a top portion, and at least one peripheral sidewall and a lid having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion of said lid including a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve, said insert member comprising:
- (a) a cylindrical member having an open top portion, an open bottom portion, and at least one peripheral sidewall, said open top portion of said cylindrical member being sealingly engageable with such bottom portion of such lid of such bubble humidifier and said bottom portion of said cylindrical member being sealing engageable with such top portion of such container member of such bubble humidifier;
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- (b) a valve means one of attached to and formed integrally with said peripheral sidewall of said cylindrical member, said valve means capable of allowing the addition of liquid into such container member of such bubble humidifier.
A bubble humidifier for humidifying a gas sent to a patient, said humidifier comprising:
- (a) a container member including a top portion, bottom wall, and at least one peripheral sidewall defining a chamber capable of containing a liquid therein;
- (b) an insert member, having a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one peripheral sidewall, said bottom portion of said insert member being positioned adjacent said top portion of said container member;
- (c) a lid sealingly engageable with said top portion of said insert member;
- (d) a gas inlet means associated with said lid, said gas inlet means capable of being attached to a gas source;
- (e) gas communication means within said container member and connected at an inlet thereof to said gas inlet means for transporting gas fed from said gas inlet means to a location disposed beneath a surface of said liquid to cause said gas to become humidified;
- (f) a gas outlet means associated with said lid and disposed above said surface of said liquid, said gas outlet means capable of sending humidified gas to a patient;
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- (g) valve means disposed on said humidifier to enable liquid to be added into the container member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.