Compact humidifier
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsMabini Arcilla, Smita Garde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A humidifier can be integrated with a ventilator allowing it to continue humidification during patient transport. The humidifier can be placed at the ventilator outlet port and have a size that adds minimal resistance and compliance in the inspiratory arm of the patient circuit. The innermost core of the humidifier is the heater element that is positioned inside a hydrophobic membrane, allowing for humidification of the gas flowing around the hydrophobic membrane.
Claims13
A humidifier for use in a patient ventilation circuit, said humidifier comprising:
- a heater configured to heat a liquid,
- a hydrophobic membrane permeable to a vapor phase of said liquid, wherein said heater configured to heat said liquid is surrounded by said hydrophobic membrane permeable to the vapor phase of said liquid, thereby allowing for crossing of said membrane only by the vapor phase of said liquid,
- wherein said heater configured to heat the liquid is disposed in a re-useable humidifier body and said hydrophobic membrane permeable to the vapor phase of said liquid is located on an external surface of a disposable humidifier housing configured to be disposed over said humidifier body,
- wherein said humidifier housing further comprises at least one inlet of a liquid chamber between a liquid channel and said hydrophobic membrane, and
- wherein said humidifier body is substantially cylindrical and said at least one inlet of said liquid chamber is disposed substantially annularly around said liquid channel.
A humidifier for use in a patient ventilation circuit, the humidifier comprising:
- a re-usable elongated humidifier body of a heat conductive material;
- a liquid channel defined through an interior of the re-usable elongated humidifier body from an inlet to an outlet configured to discharge liquid received from the channel around a periphery of the re-usable elongated humidifier body;
- a heater disposed in the re-usable elongated humidifier body;
- a part disposed peripherally around the re-usable elongated humidifier body defining at least one air passage for directing air along the periphery of the re-usable elongated humidifier body;
- and
- a disposable humidifier housing including:
- a hydrophobic membrane permeable to a vapor phase of the liquid and impermeable to the liquid, the hydrophobic membrane being disposed surrounding the re-usable elongated humidifier body to define a generally annular liquid chamber peripherally around the re-usable elongated humidifier body and adjacent the hydrophobic membrane;
- and
- complementary fastening means on the disposable humidifier housing and the re-usable elongated humidifier body configured to permit the disposable humidifier housing to be detached from the re-usable elongated humidifier body for disposal and replacement.
A disposable housing for use in a humidifier including a re-usable elongated humidifier body of a heat conductive material, a liquid channel defined through an interior of the re-usable elongated humidifier body from an inlet to an outlet configured to discharge liquid received from the channel annularly around a periphery of the re-usable elongated humidifier body, and a heater disposed in the re-usable elongated humidifier body, the disposable humidifier housing including:
- a hydrophobic membrane permeable to a vapor phase of the liquid and impermeable to the liquid, the hydrophobic membrane being disposed surrounding the usable elongated humidifier body to define a generally annular liquid chamber peripherally around the re-usable elongated humidifier body and adjacent the hydrophobic membrane;
- and
- fastening means on the disposable humidifier housing configured to permit the disposable humidifier housing to be detached from the re-usable elongated humidifier body for disposal and a replacement housing to be attached to the re-usable elongated humidifier body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.