Hyperthermic humidification system
Inventors
Niland, William F. • Bamford, Owen S. • Cortez, JR., Felino V.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12268817-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for delivering humidified breathing gas to a patient are provided. The apparatus includes a humidification system configured to deliver humidified breathing gas to a patient. The humidification system includes a vapor transfer unit and a base unit. The vapor transfer unit includes a liquid passage, a breathing gas passage, and a vapor transfer device positioned to transfer vapor to the breathing gas passage from the liquid passage. The base unit includes a base unit that releasably engages the vapor transfer unit to enable reuse of the base unit and selective disposal of the vapor transfer unit. The liquid passage is not coupled to the base unit for liquid flow therebetween when the vapor transfer unit is received by the base unit.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a vapor transfer unit for delivering breathing gas, where the vapor transfer unit includes a housing with a releasable interface configured to couple to a base unit having a pump driving portion and a heater interface. The vapor transfer unit contains a liquid passage with a liquid inlet to receive liquid from a liquid supply line and a liquid reservoir within the housing that is in fluid communication with the liquid passage and the vapor transfer device.
A cylindrical vapor transfer device is releasably mounted to the vapor transfer unit and includes a cartridge with an exterior frame. The cartridge has a first gas passage configured to releasably mate with a distal opening of the gas inlet to receive the breathing gas from the base unit, and a second gas passage configured to releasably mate with a breathing gas outlet to deliver heated and humidified breathing gas.
The cartridge defines a vapor transfer region configured to combine flowing breathing gas with heated vapor to produce heated and humidified breathing gas for delivery through the breathing gas outlet. The vapor transfer unit further includes a liquid level detection device monitoring a liquid level in the liquid reservoir, a heater adapted to heat a liquid in the vapor transfer unit, and a temperature measurement device for measuring a liquid temperature in the vapor transfer unit.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 is directed to the vapor transfer unit structure and its releasable coupling to a base unit with pump and heater interfaces, including liquid and breathing gas passages, a vapor transfer region producing heated and humidified breathing gas, and measurement devices. Dependent claims add cartridge identification and flow setpoints for high-flow versus low-flow cartridge configurations, optical liquid-level sensing, bubble detection, and a double-lumen patient delivery tube configured to reduce condensation.
Releasable housing interface coupling to pump and heater base portions
A housing comprising a releasable interface configured to couple the vapor transfer unit to a base unit that has a pump driving portion and a heater interface.
Liquid passage and internal liquid reservoir in fluid communication
A liquid passage comprising a liquid inlet configured to receive liquid from a liquid supply line; a liquid reservoir within the housing, the reservoir having a top end and a bottom end in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the vapor transfer device.
Breathing gas passage with proximal and distal openings
A breathing gas passage comprising a gas inlet configured to receive gas from a gas outlet on the base unit, the gas inlet having a proximal opening through which the breathing gas is able to flow in from the base unit, and a distal opening through which the breathing gas is able to flow out of the gas inlet.
Cartridge-based cylindrical vapor transfer device producing heated and humidified breathing gas
A cylindrical vapor transfer device releasably mounted to the vapor transfer unit, the cylindrical vapor transfer device comprising a cartridge, the cartridge being configured to releasably mount to the housing, the cartridge having an exterior frame with a first gas passage configured to releasably mate with the distal opening of the gas inlet and receive the breathing gas flowing from the base unit, and a second gas passage configured to releasably mate with the breathing gas outlet, the cartridge having a vapor transfer region configured to combine the flowing breathing gas with heated vapor to produce heated and humidified breathing gas for delivery through the breathing gas outlet.
Liquid level detection and liquid temperature measurement
A liquid level detection device for monitoring a liquid level in the liquid reservoir; a temperature measurement device for measuring a liquid temperature in the vapor transfer unit.
Heater adapted to heat liquid in the vapor transfer unit
A heater adapted to heat a liquid in the vapor transfer unit.
Pump portion disposed at reservoir bottom and operationally coupled when mounted
A first pump portion disposed at the bottom end of the liquid reservoir and configured to be operationally coupled to the pump driving portion in the base unit when the vapor transfer unit is mounted to the base unit.
Cartridge identification and flow-limit control by microcontroller for high-flow range
A high-flow cartridge operable with a microcontroller in the base unit, where the microcontroller is configured with a flow setpoint between 8 liters per minute and 40 liters per minute.
Cartridge identification and flow-limit control by microcontroller for low-flow range
A low-flow cartridge operable with a microcontroller that controls a base unit setpoint between 0.5 liters per minute and 8 liters per minute.
Float-based, light-reflection liquid level sensing
A float in a liquid reservoir configured so that when the reservoir is full, the float moves to a first position and reflects a first amount of light to a liquid level sensor.
Bubble detection device with reflector aligned to bubble sensor
A bubble detection device with a bubble reflector aligned with a bubble sensor to monitor air bubble formation in a liquid reservoir when the vapor transfer device is coupled to the base unit.
Double-lumen patient delivery tube configured to reduce condensation
A patient delivery tube with a double-lumen design where the inner lumen receives heated and humidified breathing gas and the outer lumen reduces condensation of that gas during flow.
Across the independent clm-00001 coverage, the inventive core is the releasable vapor transfer unit that couples to a pump/heater base while routing liquid and breathing gas to a cartridge vapor transfer region that produces heated and humidified breathing gas, supported by liquid level and temperature measurement plus a bottom reservoir pump portion coupled when mounted. Dependent refinements further cover cartridge-type identification with corresponding microcontroller flow setpoints, specific optical liquid level sensing using a float-based light reflection, bubble monitoring via a reflector-aligned bubble sensor, and a double-lumen patient delivery tube configured to reduce condensation.
Stated Advantages
Produces heated and humidified breathing gas for delivery through the breathing gas outlet.
Enables monitoring of liquid level using a liquid level detection device.
Enables measurement of liquid temperature in the vapor transfer unit.
Supports cartridge-type identification to impose flow limits for different cartridge configurations.
Supports monitoring for bubble formation using a bubble detection device.
Provides a patient delivery tube structure configured to reduce condensation via an outer lumen.
Documented Applications
Heated humidification system for delivering breathing gas to a patient via a patient delivery tube, including heated and humidified breathing gas delivery.
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