The present application claims priority to Australian Provisional Applications PR3117, filed on Feb. 16, 2001 and PR7288, filed on Aug. 27, 2001, the specifications and drawings of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The present invention relates to a humidifier for use with an apparatus for supplying breathable gas such as those used for Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).
An apparatus for NIPPV or CPAP typically comprises a blower whose output is connected to a patient interface, such as a mask, via an air delivery conduit. Some patients find NIPPV or CPAP more comfortable when provided with humidified air. To this end, manufacturers often supply humidifiers which may be attached in the air circuit between the blower outlet and the patient interface. Humidifiers typically include a water reservoir and are configured such that ambient air from the blower entering the humidifier collects moisture through contact with the water, before continuing on to the patient interface.
Typically, the blower and humidifier are separate components connected via a flexible conduit. An air delivery conduit connects the humidifier outlet to a patient interface mask. Alternatively, the blower and humidifier may be rigidly-connected together. Air from the blower outlet passes into the humidifier inlet where it is humidified and then passes to the air delivery conduit. A potential problem with either arrangement is that if the humidifier is tilted relative to its normal orientation, water may run or spill from the humidifier into the blower outlet which may damage the electrical circuits of the blower and potentially cause infection control problems.
It is one aspect of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate the prior art disadvantages.
It is another aspect to provide a humidifier for a CPAP apparatus that is adapted to substantially prevent liquid contained thereto from undesirably exiting an inlet of the humidifier.
It is another aspect to provide a humidifier that is capable of directly connecting to a CPAP apparatus.
It is another aspect to provide a humidifier that has an inlet that is directly connectable with a CPAP apparatus to effectively eliminate a supply tube.
It is another aspect to provide a humidifier that is capable of heating the liquid contained therein.
One embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus for humidifying breathable gas including a humidifier body configured to retain a body of liquid therein, an inlet communicated with an interior of the humidifier body and connectable to a blower outlet, and an outlet communicated with the interior of the humidifier body and connectable to a patient supply conduit. The interior of the humidifier is arranged such that liquid from the body of liquid is prevented from exiting the humidifier body through the inlet thereof when the humidifier body is rotated from a working, upright orientation.
In this manner, the liquid is substantially prevented from entering the blower outlet and possibly damaging the blower.
It is contemplated that the apparatus may also include a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the first chamber inlet preferably being connectable to a blower outlet, a second chamber having an inlet preferably connected to the first chamber outlet, and an outlet preferably connectable to the patient supply conduit, the second chamber preferably having the carrying capacity for the body of liquid. The first chamber inlet and outlet and volumes of the first and second chambers may be adapted such that, when the humidifier is disposed in the working upright orientation, the body of liquid is contained in the second chamber and, in other relative positions of the humidifier, the body of liquid is retained in at least one of the second chamber and the first and second chambers at a level therewithin below a level of the first chamber inlet.
A volume of the second chamber may be larger than a volume of the first chamber.
The first chamber may be located substantially above the second chamber in the working upright orientation of the apparatus.
The first chamber inlet and outlet may be located adjacent opposing sections of the first chamber.
The second chamber outlet may be located closer to the first chamber outlet than the first chamber inlet.
At least a portion of a base of the second chamber may be made of a heat conducting material.
The heat conductive portion may be in the form of a metallic cap which covers an opening of the base.
The apparatus may also include a top cover, a base, and a divider disposed between the top cover and base, wherein the base defines a receptacle formed therewithin, which preferably retains the body of liquid in the working orientation of the apparatus.
The top cover and the divider together may define the first chamber and the receptacle and the divider together form the second chamber.
The first chamber inlet and the second chamber outlet may be formed in the top cover and is the first chamber outlet and the second chamber inlet may be formed in the divider, the first chamber outlet and the second chamber inlet may be defined by a single aperture in the divider which communicates the first and second chambers.
The divider may define first and second sections, the first section together with the top cover preferably defining the first chamber.
The divider may include a plurality of apertures, separated by ribs, which may provide fluid communication from the second chamber to the second chamber outlet formed in the top cover.
The top cover and the base may be formed from a relatively rigid polymer material and the divider may be formed from a relatively resilient material.
The first chamber inlet may be connected to a blower outlet, the first chamber outlet may be connected to the second chamber inlet, the second chamber outlet may be connected to the patient supply conduit, and a portion of the second chamber below and behind the second chamber inlet may define a volume thereof greater than a volume of the body of liquid.
A portion of the second chamber between the first chamber inlet and the second chamber inlet and below the second chamber inlet may define a volume thereof greater than the volume of the body of liquid.
Portions of the first chamber and second chamber between the first chamber inlet and the second chamber outlet may define a volume thereof greater than the volume of the body of liquid.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a CPAP apparatus including an apparatus for humidifying breathable gas as described above.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a humidifier for a CPAP apparatus having a humidifier body defining a fluid reservoir and a fluid passage therein. The humidifier body has first and second chambers with a dividing member therebetween. The dividing member includes an orifice therethrough to communicate the first and second chambers with one another. Air from a blower (not shown) arrives in the first chamber via a first chamber inlet and departs from the second chamber via a second chamber outlet. The fluid passage includes the inlet, outlet, the orifice, and, at least, portions of the first and second chambers. The humidifier is designed to carry a body of liquid having a maximum volume, Vmax. In a working orientation of the humidifier, the liquid body lies in a bottom portion of the second chamber. With respect to the working orientation of the humidifier the orifice lies forward of and to the side of the inlet. The first and second chambers are configured such that a volume of a first portion of the second chamber, which lies directly beneath the fist chamber, is greater than Vmax. Additionally, the volume of a second portion of the second chamber, which is disposed to the side of the first chamber, is greater than Vmax. Furthermore, the volume of a portion of the second chamber forward of the inlet plus a portion of the first chamber forward of the inlet is greater than Vmax. Additionally, the volume of a portion of the second chamber to the side of the inlet plus a portion of the first chamber to the side of the inlet is greater than Vmax.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a humidifier for a CPAP apparatus having first and second chambers, wherein an inlet to the humidifier is communicated with the first chamber, an outlet from the humidifier is communicated with the second chamber, and the first and second chambers are intercommunicated via an orifice extending therebetween. The inlet and orifice are arranged relative to one another such that a level of a volume of liquid present within the humidifier is below at least one of the inlet and orifice for any orientation of the humidifier.
Although certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein as having certain features, one skilled in the art would recognize that alternative embodiments of the invention could be provided based on at least one or more features, either individually or in combination, of the illustrated and described embodiments.
The benefits of the present invention will be readily appreciated and understood from consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments of this invention, when taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In a working orientation represented in
The embodiment of the humidifier 10 shown in
As shown in
Similarly, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
For each of the orientations of the humidifier 10 shown in
It is also contemplated that the humidifier 30 may include an additional internal passage to allow monitoring of the CPAP pressure without degrading signal strength or necessitating relatively large correction factors due to signal attenuation within the humidifier, such as described in co-pending Applications incorporated above, as well as co-pending Application No. WO 02/066107, entitled “Air Pressure Signal Monitoring in Apparatus for Treating Sleep Disordered Breathing”, filed on even date herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As shown in
As shown in
In use, a predetermined maximum volume of liquid is poured into the receptacle 60 of the base 40 after removing the top cover 36 and the sealing gasket 38 from the base 40. The top cover 36 and the sealing gasket 38 are then reattached to the base 40. As shown in
In the working upright orientation of the humidifier 30, as shown in
Similarly as with the embodiment illustrated in
For each of the orientations of the humidifier 30 shown in
In
In
In
The humidifier 30 thus ensures that the body of liquid 78 is disposed in one of (a) only the second chamber 76, or (b) portions of the first and second chambers 74, 76 at a level below the inlet 32, to prevent liquid from exiting through the inlet 32 at orientations of the humidifier 30 up to an angle of about 90° from the working upright orientation. In the illustrated embodiment, a number of features of the humidifier 30 contribute to ensuing this function. These include relive positions of the inlet 32 and first aperture 50. More particularly, the inlet 32 and first aperture 50 are located on opposing ends of the first chamber 74. Also, the volume of the second chamber 76 is larger than the volume of the first chamber 74, which is assisted by the raised portion 48 of the gasket 38 so that liquid displaced from the first chamber 74 may be accommodated within the second chamber 76 without overflow through aperture 50. Furthermore, the outlet 34 is located closer to the first aperture 50 than the inlet 32, which assists in ensuing that liquid will exit via the outlet 34, rather than though the inlet 32.
The humidifier 30 therefore substantially prevents or reduces the risk of water exiting through the inlet 32, which may damage the NIPPV or CPAP apparatus, when the humidifier 30 is in other orientations up to an angle of about 90° from its working upright orientation.
It is contemplated that the humidifier 30 may be used as a retrofit or add-on component for a CPAP apparatus. To facilitate this usage, it may be preferable to provide a connecting structure 100 that is configured to connect between the CPAP apparatus and humidifier 30. As shown in
To facilitate connection of the humidifier 30 to the connecting strut 100, it is contemplated that another embodiment of a humidifier, indicated at 120 in
As shown in
Referring back to
In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to provide heated humid air to the respirator mask. Accordingly, another embodiment of the connecting structure, indicated at 150 in is
As shown in
Referring to
It is also contemplated that the heating element 162 may be upwardly resiliently biased to ensure adequate contact between the heating element 162 and the heating plate 174.
As shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PR3117 | Feb 2001 | AU | national |
PR7288 | Aug 2001 | AU | national |
Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398. The reissue applications are (i) U.S. application Ser. No. 13/100,783, filed on May 4, 2011, (ii) U.S. application Ser. No. 13/944,960, filed on Aug. 23, 2013, (iii) application Ser. No. 15/182,919, filed Jun. 15, 2016, (iv) application Ser. No. 15/706,811 (the instant application), filed Sep. 18, 2017, (v) application Ser. No. 16/231,286, filed Dec. 21, 2018, and (vi) application Ser. No. 16/232,883, filed Dec. 26, 2018. This application is a continuation reissue of Ser. No. 15/182,919, filed Jun. 15, 2016, which is a continuation reissue of Ser. No. 13/944,960, filed Aug. 23, 2013, now RE 46,079, which is a continuation reissue of Ser. No. 13/100,783, now RE 44,453, which is an application for reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, filed as Ser. No. 11/181,807 filed Jul. 15, 2005, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/467,382, filed 7 Aug. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,337, which is the US national phase of international application PCT/AU02/00155 filed 14 Feb. 2002, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit of Australia Application Nos. PR3117, filed Feb. 16, 2001, and PR 7288, filed Aug. 27, 2001, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Declaration of Joseph Dyro, Petition Exhibit 1007. |
Notification of Acceptance of Request for Invalidation and English Translation for corresponding Chinese Pat. No. 02804936.5, dated Mar. 20, 2014, 188 pages. |
Petition for Inter Parties Review of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 Under to 35 U.S.C. §§ 311 ET SEQ. and 37 C.F.R. §42.100 ET SEQ., Apex Medical Corp., Petitioner v. ResMed Limited, Patent Owner, Case No. IPR2014-00551, Mar. 27, 2014, 38 pages. |
Apex Medical Corporation, Petition Exhibit 1002 in IPR2014-00551, “ResMed's First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement—Jury Trial Demanded”, Case No. SACV-13-00498 CJC (RNBx), USDC, Central District of California, Southern Division, 18 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1006 in IPR2014-00551, Patent Owner Amendment dated Mar. 27, 2009, in U.S. Appl. No. 11/181,807, 10 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1007 in IPR2014-00551, Declaration of Joseph Dyro in Support of Inter Partes Review of U.S. Pat. Re. 44,453, executed Mar. 26, 2014, 15 pages. |
Petition for Inter Parties Review of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 Under to 35 U.S.C. §§311-319 and 37 C.F.R. §42.100 et seq., BMC Medical Co. Ltd., Petitioner v, ResMed Limited, Patent Owner, Case No. IPR2014-01196, Jul. 23, 2014, 62 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1003 in IPR2014-01196, REMStar® Heated Humidifier Manual, Mar. 15, 2001, 8 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1004 in IPR2014-01196, Declaration of Steve Bordewick, Jul. 22, 2014, 59 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1006 in IPR2014-01196, Patent Owner ResMed Limited's Preliminary Response filed Jul. 10, 2014, in IPR2014-00551, 41 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1007 in IPR2014-01196, ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-890,: Order No. 7: Initial Determination Granting Complainants' Motion to Amend Complaint and Notice of Investigation and Granting Respondents' Motion to Terminate the Investigation with Respect to U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, served Feb. 4, 2014, 8 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1008 in IPR2014-01196, Case No. 13-cv-1246-CAB (WMc), Order on Motion to Stay, Motion to Dismiss, and Related Discovery Request, Oct. 15, 2013, 3 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1009 in IPR2014-01196, Case No. SACV 13-00498: Order Granting Defendants' Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review, Oct. 4, 2013, 3 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1010 in IPR2014-01196: Patent Prosecution History of Reissue U.S. Appl. No. 13/944,960, filed Jul. 18, 2013, 228 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1011 in IPR2014-01196: Patent Prosecution History of U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, 174 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1012 in IPR2014-01196: Patent Prosecution History of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453, 2157 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1013 in IPR2014-01196: Proof of Service of 3B Medical, Inc. In Civil Action No. 13-cv-1246-MMA-WMC, 5 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1014 in IPR2014-01196: Australian Application No. PR 3117, filed Feb. 16, 2001, 17 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1015 in IPR2014-01196: ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-890: Order No. 8: Construing Terms of the Asserted Patents, served Jan. 17, 2014, 51 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1016 in IPR2014-01196: ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-890: Order No. 14: Denying Respondents' Motion for Summary Determination of Invalidity of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453, served Mar. 26, 2014, 19 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1020 in IPR2014-01196: Australian Application No. PR 7288, filed Aug. 27, 2001, 23 pages. |
Petition Exhibit No. 1022 in IPR2014-01196: ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-890: Notice of Commission Determination Not to Review an Initial Determination Granting the Complainants' Motion to Amend the Complaint and Notice of Investigation to Substitute U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 for U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398 and Granting Respondents'Motion to Terminate the Investigation with Respect to U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, Issued: Feb. 10, 2014, 3 pages. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2001 in IPR2014-00551, Applicant Transmittal to USPTO re Completion of National Phase Filing of the PCT Application for the Mayer Reference, Aug. 6, 2002, 4 pages. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2002 in IPR2014-00551, Re. 44,453 Patent Application Data Sheet, Initial May 4, 2011, 5 pages. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2003 in IPR2014-00551, Decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board Denying Institution of Inter Partes Review of U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, entered Feb. 20, 2014, 5 pages. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2005 in IPR2014-00551, U.S. National Stage Worksheet of USPTO re National Phase Requirements Completion for the Mayer Reference, 1 page. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2010 in IPR2014-00551, Deposition Transcript of Dr. Joseph F. Dyro in Connection with Inter Partes Review Proceedings IPR2013-00511, IPR2013-00512, IPR2013-00514, IPR2013-00515, and IPR2013-00516, Apr. 21, 2014, 46 pages. |
Patent Owner Exhibit No. 2011 in IPR2014-00551, Patent Owner ResMed Limited's Preliminary Response to Apex Medical Corp.'s Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,398, Case No. IPR2013-00513, Nov. 22, 2013, 15 pages. |
Petition for Inter Parties Review of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453, BMC Medical Co. Ltd., Petitioner v. ResMed Limited, Patent Owner, Case No. IPR2014-01363, Aug. 22, 2014, 66 pages. |
Petition Exhibit 1004 in IPR2014-01363, Declaration of Steve Bordewick, Aug. 22, 2014, 90 pages. |
Notification of Acceptance of Request for Invalidation, Issued: Dec. 24, 2014, in Chinese Pat. No. 02804936.5, with English translation, 62 pages. |
U.S. International Trade Commission, Inv. No. 337-TA-890, “Office of Unfair Import Investigations' Petition for Review of the Initial Determination,” dated Sep. 3, 2014 (Public Version Filed: Oct. 8, 2014), 34 pages. |
U.S. International Trade Commission, Inv. No. 337-TA-890, “Office of Unfair Import Investigations' Response to the Petitions for Review of the Initial Determination,” dated Sep. 11, 2014 (Public Version Filed: Oct. 8, 2014), 37 pages. |
U.S. International Trade Commission, Inv. No. 337-TA-890, “Office of Unfair Import Investigations' Reply to the Private Parties' Responses to the Commission Question,” dated Nov. 7, 2014 (Public Version Filed: Dec. 3, 2014), 19 pages. |
U.S. International Trade Commission, Inv. No. 337-TA-890, “Office of Unfair Import Investigations' Response to ResMed's Motion to Withdraw the '487 Patent or Alternatively Find No Violation Based on Technical Prong,” dated Nov. 19, 2014 (Public Version Filed: Dec. 3, 2014), 5 pages. |
U.S. International Trade Commission, Inv. No. 337-TA-890, “Notice of the Commission's Final Determination; Issuance of a Limited Exclusion Order and Cease and Desist Orders; Termination of the Investigation,” Issued: Dec. 23, 2014, 25 pages. |
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Case IPR2014-01196, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 E, “Decision Institution of Inter Partes Review 37 C.F.R. §42.108,” Paper No. 7, Entered: Dec. 21, 2014, 11 pages. |
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Case IPR2014-01196 and IPR2014-01363, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 E, “Scheduling Order,” Entered: Jan. 21, 2015, 9 pages. |
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Case IPR2014-01363, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 44,453 E, Decision Institution of Inter Partes Review 37 C.F.R. §42.108, Paper No. 7, Entered: Jan. 21, 2015, 21 pages. |
Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC dated Feb. 4, 2015 in European Application No. 12 159 042.6 (4 pages). |
Fisher & Paykel Limited, New Zealand Application No. 503495, filed Mar. 21, 2000, 29 pages. |
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC (examination report) dated Jun. 5, 2015 in European Application No. 10 189 422.8 (4 pages). |
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC (examination report) dated Jun. 12, 2015 in European Application No. 02 700 014.0 (3 pages). |
Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC (European Examination Report) dated Oct. 7, 2015 in EP Application No. 12 159 042.6 (4 pages). |
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, “HC200 Series Nasal CPAP Blower & Heated Humidifier User's Manual”, 1998, 17 pages. |
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare “SleepStyle™ 200 CPAP Series” Specification Sheet, 2005, 4 pages. |
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, BMC Medical Co., Ltd., 3B Products, L.L.C. and 3B Medical Inc. (Petitioner) v. ResMed Limited (Patent Owner), Final Written Decision, Paper 25, Entered Jan. 20, 2016 in IPR2014-01363 (39 pages). |
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, BMC Medical Co., Ltd., 3B Products, L.L.C. and 3B Medical Inc. (Petitioner) v. ResMed Limited (Patent Owner), Final Written Decision, Paper 25, Entered Jan. 19, 2016 in IPR2014-01196 (14 pages). |
Virr et al., U.S. Appl. No. 15/182,919, filed Jun. 15, 2016, entitled Humidifier with Structure to Prevent Backflow of Liquid Through the Humidifier Outlet. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 15182919 | Jun 2016 | US |
Child | 11181807 | US | |
Parent | 13944960 | Aug 2013 | US |
Child | 15182919 | US | |
Parent | 13100783 | May 2011 | US |
Child | 13944960 | US | |
Parent | 10467382 | US | |
Child | 13100783 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11181807 | Jul 2005 | US |
Child | 15706811 | US | |
Parent | 11181807 | Jul 2005 | US |
Child | 13100783 | US |