Apparatus and method for humidity conditioning sample gas of a patient breathing circuit affiliated with a ventilator and/or nitric oxide delivery system
Inventors
Stanton, John P. • Berndt, John V.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11452835-B2
Publication Date
2022-09-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A therapeutic gas is administered to a patient. A sample gas is drawn from the therapeutic gas supply, and passed through a water-permeable tubular membrane. Concurrently, a section of the water permeable tubular membrane is maintained as a ventilated water permeable tubular membrane, by exposing outer surfaces of the ventilated water permeable tubular membrane to an ambient air flow. The ambient air flow may in some examples be moved over the tubular membrane via forced air such as for example via a fan associated with a housing surrounding the tubular membrane.
Core Innovation
A sample gas conditioning apparatus is provided with a housing defining a chamber and defining an air input path and an air egress path. A fan connected to the housing urges an ambient air flow through the chamber, where the ambient air flow enters through the air input path and exits through the air egress path. A sample gas tube includes a coiled tube section comprising a water permeable material, where at least a portion of the coiled tube section is arranged in the chamber as a ventilated section.
The ventilated section is ventilated by the ambient air flow through the chamber, so that humidity conditioning of a sample gas is achieved using the ventilated, water permeable coiled tube section. The fan, the air input path, the air egress path, and the housing have a joint configuration that urges the ambient air flow through the chamber to have a flow direction generally parallel to the winding axis.
A related sample gas conditioning system is provided that includes a housing with a housing cap and housing side walls extending parallel to the winding axis, where an inner surface of the housing side walls faces and has a clearance from an outer surface of the coil winding. The sample gas tube includes a section comprising a permeable material with at least a portion arranged in the chamber as a ventilated section. The ventilated section includes a coiled tube section with a coil winding around the winding axis, and the air egress path includes at least a portion of the housing open end area.
The ventilated, coiled tube section is ventilated by the ambient air flow through the chamber, and the housing construction constrains the ambient airflow relative to the coiled tube winding. The system further defines an arrangement in which the housing includes a cap perimeter, and the housing side walls extend from the cap perimeter to a housing open end. In this construction, the air input path and the air egress path cooperate with the chamber to support ventilating of the water permeable, coiled sample gas tube section.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are identified: clm-00001 and clm-00016. Each independent claim contains multiple inventive features that define the housing, chamber airflow, fan-driven ambient airflow direction, and the arrangement of a coiled water-permeable sample gas tube ventilated by that airflow.
Fan-driven ambient airflow through a chamber
A housing at least partially defining a chamber, an air input path into the chamber, and an air egress path from the chamber, together with a fan connected to the housing configured to urge an ambient air flow through the chamber entering via the air input path and exiting via the air egress path.
Ventilated coiled water-permeable sample gas tube section
A sample gas tube having a coiled tube section comprising a water permeable material, wherein at least a portion of the coiled tube section is arranged in the chamber as a ventilated section, with the ventilated section ventilated by the ambient air flow through the chamber.
Flow direction generally parallel to the winding axis via joint configuration
A joint configuration of the fan, the air input path, the air egress path, and the housing that urges the ambient air flow through the chamber to have a flow direction generally parallel to the winding axis.
Ventilated coiled permeable section within clearance-defined housing walls
A sample gas conditioning system with a housing cap and housing side walls extending from the cap perimeter to a housing open end parallel to the winding axis, where an inner surface of the housing side walls faces and has a clearance from an outer surface of the coil winding, and where the ventilated section includes a coiled tube section comprising a coil winding around a winding axis ventilated by the ambient air flow through the chamber.
Air egress via housing open end area
A housing where the air egress path includes at least a portion of the housing open end area, with the chamber having an air input path and an air egress path defined by the housing.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a chamber-housing configuration that, using a fan, urges ambient airflow through the chamber in a direction generally parallel to a coiled winding axis, thereby ventilating a coiled, water-permeable sample gas tube section. The system-level claim further adds clearance-defined housing wall surfaces and defines how the cap and open end area participate in the air input and air egress paths.
Stated Advantages
Extending tubing service life by preventing or retarding formation of a dry-gas skin on the membrane exterior.
Documented Applications
Use in humidity conditioning of a patient’s sample gas from a ventilator / inhaled nitric oxide system in combination with gas analyzers and therapeutic gas delivery verification.
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