# US 9,872,967 B2 · Components for medical circuits

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- Number: US 9,872,967 B2
- Document ID: US9872967B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/265,735
- Filed: 2016-09-14
- Published: 2017-01-05
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-22
- Assignees: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
- Applicants: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
- Inventors: David John Sims; Enrico Alvarez Garcia; Peter Kenneth Graham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872967B2

## CPC

- A61M 16/1095: {in the connecting tubes}
- A61M 13/003: {Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing}
- A61M 13/006: {with gas recirculation}
- A61M 16/024: {including calculation means, e.g. using a processor}
- A61M 16/0808: {Condensation traps}
- A61M 16/0875: {Connecting tubes}
- A61M 16/16: Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)}
- A61M 39/08: Tubes; Storage means specially adapted therefor
- B29C 65/4815: {Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives}
- B29C 65/4845: {Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives}
- B29C 65/562: {using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined (using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601)}
- B29D 23/18: Pleated {or corrugated} hoses
- F16L 11/118: having arrangements for particular purposes, e.g. electrically conducting
- F16L 53/38: using elongate electric heating elements, e.g. wires or ribbons
- A61M 13/00: Insufflators for therapeutic or disinfectant purposes {, i.e. devices for blowing a gas, powder or vapour into the body (hand-held units in which gas flow is produced by muscular energy at the moment of use B05B11/062)}
- A61M 16/106: {in a path}
- A61M 16/161: {with means for measuring the humidity}
- A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
- B29L 2031/7542: {Catheters}
- Y10T 29/49002: Electrical device making
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Condensation or “rain-out” is a problem in medical circuits and previous attempts to manage and/or prevent rain-out have resulted in relatively expensive and/or difficult to manufacture medical circuit components. The subject patent provides an improved medical circuit component for managing rain-out. In particular the component may be an improved breathing tube, or insufflation system limb comprising a helically corrugated tube preferably incorporating a heater wire.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A component comprising:
a corrugated tube wherein the corrugation profile comprises a plurality of alternating outer crests and inner troughs, each of the plurality of outer crests including local troughs comprising an inward dip,
wherein the corrugated tube is a medical tube configured to provide a pathway between components of a medical circuit,
wherein the corrugated tube transitions from a helical corrugation profile to an annular corrugation profile, and
wherein the annular corrugation profile includes angled channels to allow the first heater wire and second heater wire to step over each of the annular rings of the annular corrugation profile;
a first heater wire associated with at least one inward dip of the plurality of outer crests; and
a second heater wire associated with at least one of the plurality of inner troughs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein the first and second heater wires have different heating densities.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1 further comprising a sheath that covers the component and the first and second heater wires, the sheath configured to retain the first and second heater wires.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The component of claim 3, wherein the sheath is configured to trap air within the plurality of inner troughs and the inward dips.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The component of claim 3, wherein the sheath is bonded to the corrugated tube at least one of the plurality outer crests.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1 further comprising a sensor wire that is associated with at least one inward dip of the plurality of crests or at least one of the plurality of inner troughs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The component of claim 6, wherein the sensor wire is associated with the same inward dip as the first heater wire.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The component of claim 6, wherein the sensor wire is associated with a different inward dip than the first heater wire.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The component of claim 6, wherein the sensor wire is associated with the same inner trough as the second heater wire.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The component of claim 6, wherein the sensor wire is associated with a different inner trough than the second heater wire.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first heater wire or the second heater wire is also a sensor wire.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein the corrugated tube comprises a wall with uniform thickness.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein the corrugated tube comprises a wall with variable thickness, the wall comprising a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness wherein the maximum thickness is no more than three times the minimum thickness.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of outer crests comprise a maximum outer and inner radius of the corrugated tube and each of the plurality of inner troughs comprise a minimum inner and outer radius of the corrugated tube.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein the corrugated tube is formed in a helical manner.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The component of claim 15, wherein the corrugated tube comprises a plurality of helical corrugations.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The component of claim 15, wherein a helix of the helical corrugated tube comprises a varying pitch along the length of the corrugated tube.