The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 1986
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1985
Mark McGlothlin, Vernon Hills, IL (US);
Dennis Reisdorf, Crystal Lake, IL (US);
Robert Virag, Cary, IL (US);
Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc., Deerfield, IL (US);
Abstract
A humidifier (10) used in respiratory therapy is disclosed where the surface tension of a light probe (32) used therewith is maintained greater than the surface tension of the aqueous liquid used in the humidifier (10). Maintaining the surface tension of the light probe (32) greater than the surface tension of the aqueous liquid generally avoids erroneous indication of aqueous liquid level in the humidifier (10). Erroneous indications of liquid level can be caused by gas bubbles adhering to submerged portions of the light probe (32) or liquid droplets adhering to unsubmerged portions of the light probe (32). Surface tension of the light probe (32) can be maintained greater than surface tension of the aqueous liquid by coating the light probe (32) with a surface active agent, by subjecting the light probe (32) to corona discharge or plasma treatment, by coating the interior surface of the humidifier cannister (14) with an amount of surface active agent, by adding an amount of surface active agent to the aqueous liquid in the humidifier (10) or by any combination.