US 11,857,729 B2
Integrated humidifier chamber and lid
Venkata Subbarao Potharaju, Auckland (NZ); Christie Jayne Stanton, Auckland (NZ); Andrew Paul Maxwell Salmon, Auckland (NZ); Yi-Cheng Sun, Auckland (NZ); Hayden Owen Briscoe, Auckland (NZ); Samuel Frew, Auckland (NZ); Steven John Worthington, Auckland (NZ); Philip John Dickinson, Auckland (NZ); and Cameron Jon Haxton, Auckland (NZ)
Assigned to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
Filed by Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/088,456.
Application 18/088,456 is a continuation of application No. 17/813,185, filed on Jul. 18, 2022.
Application 17/813,185 is a continuation of application No. 17/505,498, filed on Oct. 19, 2021, granted, now 11,426,554, issued on Aug. 30, 2022.
Application 17/505,498 is a continuation of application No. 16/185,538, filed on Nov. 9, 2018, granted, now 11,497,877, issued on Nov. 15, 2022.
Application 16/185,538 is a continuation of application No. 14/053,352, filed on Oct. 14, 2013, granted, now 10,155,097, issued on Dec. 18, 2018.
Application 14/053,352 is a continuation of application No. 12/513,752, granted, now 8,555,879, issued on Oct. 15, 2013, previously published as PCT/NZ2007/000328, filed on Oct. 31, 2007.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/864,501, filed on Nov. 6, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. 560235 (NZ), filed on Jul. 30, 2007.
Prior Publication US 2023/0132164 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 16/16 (2006.01); A61M 16/10 (2006.01); A61M 16/08 (2006.01); A61M 39/10 (2006.01); A61M 16/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/16 (2013.01) [A61M 16/0816 (2013.01); A61M 16/10 (2013.01); A61M 16/109 (2014.02); A61M 16/1075 (2013.01); A61M 39/1055 (2013.01); A61M 16/0066 (2013.01); A61M 2039/1022 (2013.01); A61M 2039/1033 (2013.01); A61M 2205/36 (2013.01); A61M 2205/362 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3653 (2013.01); A61M 2205/502 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated blower and humidification system for providing heated humidified gases to a user, comprising:
a blower unit;
a humidification unit; and
a conduit providing a fluid pathway between the humidification unit and a patient interface;
the blower unit comprising:
an outer casing which encloses and forms part of the blower unit, the outer casing comprising side walls, a rear wall, and a front face that is angled rearwards;
an air inlet in the rear wall of the outer casing, through which air from atmosphere can enter the outer casing in use;
a humidifier compartment defined at least in part by a bottom wall, an upwardly extending inner side wall and an opening, and comprising a compartment inlet port;
a gases path through the outer casing between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port;
a fan unit contained within the outer casing in the gases path between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port, the fan unit which in use draws air in through the air inlet and provide a pressurized gases stream to the compartment inlet port;
a heater base;
a display on the front face of the outer casing; and
a power supply unit located within the outer casing and adapted to, in use, provide power to the blower unit;
wherein the blower unit in use receives the humidification unit at the opening into the humidifier compartment using a guide to orient the humidification unit into the humidifier compartment of the blower unit; and
the humidification unit comprising:
a spring loaded clip which in use releasably locks the humidification unit in the humidifier compartment, the spring loaded clip released by a button to remove the humidification unit from the humidifier compartment;
a humidifier inlet port which in use receives the pressurized gases stream from the compartment inlet port;
a heat conducting surface which in use heats a volume of water in conjunction with the heater base;
a humidifier chamber which in use heats and humidifies the pressurized gases stream; and
an outlet connection which in use connects directly to the conduit, wherein in use the pressurized gases stream exits the compartment inlet port of the blower unit and enters the humidifier chamber, where it is humidified and heated, before passing out of the humidifier chamber, through the outlet connection, and to the user via the conduit;
wherein the humidification unit, in use, is inserted into the humidifier compartment of the blower unit in a vertical direction, guided into position by the guide, and secured in position within the humidifier compartment by the spring loaded clip of the humidification unit, causing the heat conducting surface to align with the heater base and the humidifier inlet port to align with the compartment inlet port.
 
13. A blower unit usable in a system which provides heated humidified gases to a user, the blower unit comprising:
an outer casing which encloses and forms part of the blower unit, the outer casing comprising side walls, a rear wall, and a front face that is angled rearwards;
an air inlet in the rear wall of the outer casing, through which air from atmosphere can enter the outer casing in use;
a humidifier compartment defined at least in part by a bottom wall, an upwardly extending inner side wall and an opening, and comprising a compartment inlet port and a guide;
a gases path through the outer casing between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port;
a fan unit contained within the outer casing in the gases path between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port, the fan unit which in use to draws air in through the air inlet and provide a pressurized gases stream to the compartment inlet port;
a heater base;
a display on the front face of the outer casing;
a power supply unit located within the outer casing and adapted to, in use, provide power to the blower unit; and
wherein the humidifier compartment, in use, receives a humidification unit in a vertical direction at the opening, the guide orients the humidification unit into position in the humidifier compartment, and the humidifier compartment engages a spring-loaded clip of the humidification unit to secure the humidification unit within the humidifier compartment, causing a heat conducting surface of the humidification unit to align with the heater base and a humidifier inlet port of the humidification unit to align with the compartment inlet port.
 
20. A removable humidification unit which in use is inserted into a blower unit and receives and humidifies a pressurized gases stream to form an integrated blower and humidification system, the removable humidification unit comprising:
a guide which orients the removable humidification unit in a humidifier compartment of the blower unit;
a spring loaded clip which in use releasably locks the removable humidification unit in the humidifier compartment of the blower unit, the spring loaded clip released by a button to remove the humidification unit from the humidifier compartment;
a humidifier inlet port which in operation receives the pressurized gases stream from the blower unit;
a heat conducting surface which in operation heats a volume of water in conjunction with the blower unit;
a humidifier chamber which in operation heats and humidifies the pressurized gases stream;
an outlet connection; and
a conduit connected directly to the outlet connection and which in operation provides a fluid pathway between the outlet connection and a patient interface, wherein in use the pressurized gases stream will exit a compartment inlet port of the blower unit and enter the humidifier chamber, where it is humidified and heated, before passing out of the humidifier chamber, through the outlet connection, and to a user via the conduit;
wherein the heat conducting surface is entirely vertically oriented; and
wherein the humidification unit is inserted into the humidifier compartment of the blower unit in a vertical direction, guided into position by the guide, and secured in position within the humidifier compartment of the blower unit by the spring loaded clip, causing the heat conducting surface to align with a heater base of the humidifier compartment of the blower unit, and the humidifier inlet port to align with the compartment inlet port of the humidifier compartment of the blower unit.