US 6,953,354 B2Granted

Connector for breathing conduits

AssigneeFisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited

InventorsDeshitha Airawana Edirisuriya, Kristopher Poh Ming Laurent

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Abstract

The present invention relates to the connections between respiratory humidifiers and/or other such devices and heated breathing conduits used to couple a patient to the humidifier. In particular, the invention is a connector to couple a gases supply means and a conduit, such that the connector causes there to be an electrical and pneumatic, that is, sealed connection between a conduit including an electrical wire extending within, throughout or about it and a gases supply device, such as a humidifier, blower or the like. The connector may be of a single port type or a dual port type. The dual port type connector is suitable for ventilator apparatus that have a dry line (dry breathing conduit) extending from a ventilator or blower that carries dry gas to a humidifier and an inspiratory limb that extends from the humidifier to the patient and carries humidified gases to the patient.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A connector for coupling a gases supply to a conduit, where said conduit is of the type that includes electrical wire extending within, throughout or about said conduit, said connector comprising:

a female gases passage portion of a generally tubular shape attached in use to one of said gases supply or said conduit, said female portion including a locking connector and an electrical connector,
a male gases passage portion of a generally tubular shape attached in use to the other of said gases supply or said conduit, said male gases passage portion including a locking connector receiver and an electrical connector receiver,
said male gases passage portion and said female gases passage portion coupled in use to form a pneumatically sealed gases passage between said gases supply and said conduit, said coupling also engaging said electrical connector and said electrical connector receiver,
a collar of generally tubular shave on said female portion, said collar capable of being moved over said female gases portion once said male and female gases passage portions are coupled in use, said collar causing said locking connector to engage with said locking connector receiver to releasably lock said male and female portions together.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/452,448Filed 2 Jun 2003
Priority: NZ 5193745 Jun 2002
Published: US 2003/0236015 A125 Dec 2003
Granted: 11 Oct 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61M 16/08
Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. ventilators ; Tracheal tubes: bellows; Connecting tubes ; Water…
A61M 16/0816
Bellows; Connecting tubes ; Water traps; Patient circuits: joints or connectors
A61M 16/0875
Bellows; Connecting tubes ; Water traps; Patient circuits: connecting tubes
A61M 16/1095
By influencing the temperature: in the connecting tubes