| CPC A61M 16/1095 (2014.02) [A61M 16/0003 (2014.02); A61M 16/1045 (2013.01); A61M 16/109 (2014.02); A61M 16/16 (2013.01); A61M 16/162 (2013.01); A61M 16/165 (2014.02); A61M 16/167 (2014.02); A61M 16/168 (2014.02); A61M 2016/0033 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3368 (2013.01); A61M 2205/502 (2013.01)] | 6 Claims |
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1. A respiratory humidification device comprising:
a casing comprising a casing top and a casing bottom that cooperate to enclose an interior space, wherein the casing bottom defines an underside portion of the casing that is formed from thermally conductive material to conduct heat into the interior space from a heating component positioned external to and underneath the casing to heat water within the casing;
a separator wall within the interior space that extends downward from the casing top and toward the casing bottom to divide the interior space into a filling chamber and a humidification chamber, wherein a bottom edge of the separator wall leaves a space between the separator wall and the casing bottom that defines a main passage between the filling chamber and the humidification chamber that allows the water to flow atop the casing bottom between the filling chamber and the humidification chamber, and that enables a level of the water within at least one of the filling chamber or the humidification chamber to rise high enough to block the main passage to prevent respiratory gas from passing therethrough;
a gas inlet formed through the casing top to enable entry of a main flow of the respiratory gas into the humidification chamber from a medical device external to the casing;
a gas outlet formed through the casing top at a location opposite from the gas inlet to enable the main flow of respiratory gas to proceed along at least one pathway through the humidification chamber in a direction from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, and to be output from the gas outlet to a patient after humidification of the respiratory gas, wherein at least one of an outer wall of the casing top and the separator wall are configured to cooperate with a surface of the water within the humidification chamber to define the at least one pathway;
a valve carried by the casing top to control a flow of the water into the filling chamber from a water source external to the casing to prevent the level of the water within at least the filling chamber from rising higher than a predetermined threshold level;
a valve guide within the interior space that extends downward from where the valve is carried by the casing top to surround the valve, wherein:
an open bottom of the valve guide is suspended above the casing bottom to allow access to a valve bottom of the valve; and
at least one tab guide opening is formed through a portion of the valve guide to allow access to at least one valve tab that extends through the tab guide opening from inside the valve guide;
a first float positioned below the valve bottom and partially within the valve guide within the filling chamber to interact with the valve bottom to control the flow of the water into the filling chamber from the water source to prevent the level of the water within at least the filling chamber from rising higher than the predetermined threshold level; and
a second float positioned to surround the first float and a portion of the valve guide within the filling chamber to interact with the at least one valve tab to control the flow of the water into the filling chamber from the water source to also prevent the level of the water within at least the filling chamber from rising higher than the predetermined threshold level, wherein the interaction between the valve bottom and the first float is independent of the interaction between the at least one valve tab and the second float such that either of the interaction between the valve bottom and the first float or the interaction between the at least one valve tab and the second float is able to cause the flow of water in the filling chamber from the water source to be stopped to prevent the level of the water within at least the filling chamber from rising higher than the predetermined threshold level.
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