Respiratory Care, Inc.

Intertech Resources Inc.

Inspiron Corporation

Viridan Inc.

Kenneth G Miller

Martin Foley

Roy DeBoer, Jr

A humidifier assembly is disclosed. The humidifier assembly includes a housing, a heater in the housing, a hollow shell on the housing, a partition wall within the shell, and a liquid water inlet that is unitary with the hollow shell. The heater provides an exposed heated surface for contacting liquid water in a direct heat transfer relationship. The hollow shell and the partition wall together define a humidification chamber. The hollow shell also defines a breathable gas inlet and a humidified, breathable gas outlet, both of which communicate with the humidification chamber. The partition wall includes a hydrophobic filter that permits water vapor but not liquid water to pass therethrough. The hollow shell, the partition, wall and the housing together define a liquid water-tight but water vapor permeable water reservoir between the partition wall and the heater. The liquid water inlet comunicates directly with the water reservoir and provides liquid water that can be vaporized upon contact with the heated surface. Vaporized water passes through the hydrophobic filter into the humidification chamber to humidify the breathable gas.

Respiratory humidifier

A humidifier assembly is disclosed. Parts of the humidifier assembly may be disposable. The assembly comprises a housing, heater means on the housing, a liquid water supply means that communicates with the heater means, a hollow shell on the housing that defines a humidification chamber, and a filter means in the humidification chamber and positioned in juxtaposition with the surface of the heater means for passing water vapor into breathable gas. Preferably the filter means is hydrophobic.

Heated respiratory therapy humidifier

A portable reservoir container storing liquid, mounts on its inflow port section a heater and a vortex mixing device in series. Liquid from the bottom of the container is fed to the vortex mixing device in response to the inflow of oxygen gas thereto producing an outflow of liquid and oxygen gas in a vortical flow pattern that is delivered to the inflow port section of the container. A flow of conditioned oxygen gas is discharged from the gas space of the container through an outflow portion section.

Nebulizer system

A linear, annular flow nebulizer for use in inhalation therapy comprising a shell having walls with an ambient air intake in one of the walls; a nebulizer conduit having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal fluid passageway, the proximal end communicating with a gas source and the distal end inwardly tapering to define a nozzle which penetrates a wall of the shell; and, a nebulizer cup having a bottom end mounted within the interior space of the shell, the bottom of the cup having a well surrounding a dispensing port spaced from and in alignment with the nozzle, the well permitting the angular confluence of a liquid stream into a gas stream to produce an aerosol. The nebulizer further includes a hollow tapered throat associated with the ambient air intake to draw and mix ambient air with the aerosol; a tubular thermally-conductive core in communication with the throat; a container having an opening for supplying liquid to the nebulizer cup; a closure mounted over the container opening with the core being mounted through the closure; and, a tube connected to the cup and extending into the container to conduct liquid into the cup.

Annular flow entrainment nebulizer

A multiple aspirator has a disk with an axial hole and a plurality of radial bores, providing liquid feeding channels, which end at the axial hole. A round rod is disposed coaxially in the axial hole. Gas flow parallel to the axis, through the hole past said disk, is forced by the rod into an annular pattern, thereby aspirating fluid from the radial bores and nebulizing it in said annular pattern.

Multiple aspirator for nebulizer

A cylindrical cartridge having a housing containing a replenishable water supply is employed as a water supply source for producing an aerosol with an oxygen stream for inhalation therapy through the agency of a nebulizer adapter which couples pressurized oxygen to the water cartridge. A primary venturi-type insert member is disposed uprightly within a vertical tubular portion of the cartridge. The venturi draws water from the water supply and directs atomized droplets of water and oxygen into a mixing chamber. The aerosol flows out of the cartridge through an outlet nozzle. The cartridge is an elongated housing having a capillary active cylindrical absorption surface means internally whereby water is drawn up along the cartridge's cylindrical body wall which serves as an evaporating surface. The aerosol containing oxygen is humidified by being further charged with evaporated water from the capillary absorption means. Suitable egress port means is provided to which a flexible tube is connected. The tube is then suitably directed to a patient in a conventional manner. The cartridge has a metal wall portion so that when it is associated with a heater the water in the absorption means may be more readily heated by an electric heater. By combining the concept of nebulization and humidification there is achieved an extremely high rate of water content in the gases distributed to a patient.

Humidifier-nebulizer

A cylindrical cartridge having a housing containing a replenishable water supply is employed as a water supply source for producing an aerosol with an oxygen stream for inhalation therapy through the agency of a nebulizer adapter which couples pressurized oxygen to the water cartridge. A venturi-type insert member is disposed vertically with the cartridge. The venturi draws water from the water supply and directs atomized droplets of water and oxygen into a mixing chamber located above the water level in the cartridge. The cartridge has a vertical tubular portion with a connection to a source of oxygen or air and terminates above the level of the water in the cartridge. The aerosol flows out of the cartridge through an outlet nozzle. The cartridge is an elongated housing having a capillary active cylindrical absorption surface means internally whereby water is drawn up along the cartridge's cylindrical body wall which serves as an evaporating surface.

High volume humidifier/nebulizer

A previously disclosed cartridge type humidifier apparatus including a separate heater module with a cylindrical opening for replaceably receiving therein disposable cylindrical humidifier cartridge modules, having a housing containing a replenishable water supply, is employed as a water supply source for producing an aerosol with an oxygen supply for pediatric inhalation therapy. The cartridge modules each have a tubular metal main body adapted for a sliding fit within a complimentary tubular walled heater. The metal tubular body has rigid plastic top and bottom end portions. The plastic top end portion is a cap with a center axial gas inlet tube, and a separate transverse gas delivery pipe, the cap forming a closed air space over a pool of humidifying liquid. Each cartridge includes an absorption column, preferably of the cylindrical tube form which is adapted to lay closely adjacent and draw water up along the cartridges cylindrical metal body which serves as the evaporating surface when heated by the heater modules. The gas to be humidified is dispersed within a hollow chamber formed between the gas inlet pipe projecting concentrically into the cartridge, and the radially spaced wall of the main cartridge body and absorption column. The inlet tube terminates above the water. The water is introduced into the lower end portion of the apparatus.

Pediatric cartridge humidifier

A cartridge-type humidifier apparatus embodying a separate heater module with a cylindrical opening for replaceably receiving therein disposable cylindrical humidifier cartridge modules. Certain upgraded embodiments of the cartridge modules are sterilizable and reusable several times before being disposed of, or portions thereof recycled. The cartridge modules each have a tubular metal main body adapted for a sliding fit within a complementary tubular walled heater. The metal tubular body has rigid plastic top and bottom end portions. The plastic top end portion is a cap with a center axial gas inlet tube, and a separate transverse gas delivery pipe, the cap forming a closed air space over a pool of humidifying liquid. Each cartridge includes an absorption column preferably of the cylindrical tube form which is adapted to lay closely adjacent and draw water up along the cartridge's cylindrical metal body wall which serves the evaporating surface when heated by the heater modules. The gas to be humidified is dispersed within a hollow chamber formed between the gas inlet pipe projecting concentrically into the cartridge, and the radially spaced wall of the main cartridge body and absorption column. The inlet tube always terminates above the water. The water may be introduced into the lower end portion by way of conduits or other communication means.

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Palatine, IL, United States of America

Kenneth G Miller