EP0549266A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for separating a liquid component from exhalation air to be delivered to an analyzing unit
Assignee: Instrumentarium Oyj
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Filing: 1992-12-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-12-17
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for separating a liquid component from the exhalation gas of a patient to be delivered to one or more analyzing units (3, 4), said apparatus comprising a first chamber (10) for delivering therein an exhalation gas coming from a patient and in which the inflown gas divides into two components in a manner that some of the gas flows to an analyzing unit and some of the gas, as well as a liquid component possibly entrapped in the exhalation gas, is conducted out past the analyzing unit, a second chamber (12), through which a patient's exhalation gas flows from the first chamber to an analyzing unit, and a gas-permeable wall (11), which separates these chambers and through which the gas flows from first chamber into second chamber. Upstream of wall(11) there is a filter (20), the exhalation gas of a patient flowing through said filter prior penetrating through said wall (11) and said filter (20) allowing there through the flow of a liquid component possibly entrapped in the gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Esa Eskelä
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:22
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M16/00; A61M16/08; A61M16/0808; A61M16/0816; A61M16/0841; A61M16/085; A61M16/10; A61M16/105; A61M16/106; A61M16/1065; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/75; A61M2205/7536
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus (1) for separating a liquid component from the exhalation gas of a patient to be delivered to one or more analyzing units (3, 4), said apparatus comprising a first chamber (10), where into an exhalation gas coming from a patient is delivered and wherein the inflown gas divides into two components in a manner that some of the gas flows to an analyzing unit and some of the gas, as well as a liquid component possibly entrapped in the exhalation gas, is directed away past the analyzing unit, a second chamber (12) for flowing exhalation gas of a patient to an analyzing unit there through, and a gas-permeable wall (11) separating these chambers, through which the gas flows from the first chamber into the second chamber, characterized in that upstream of said wall (11) there is a filter (20), the exhalation gas of a patient flowing through this filter prior to penetrating through wall (11) and said filter (20) allowing a liquid component possibly entrapped in the gas to flow there through.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said filter (20) is composed of a fibrous material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both a gas flowing subsequently to an analyzing unit through wall (11) and a flow passing by the analyzing unit flow through said filter (20).
Claim 4
Independent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) is located adjacent to the gas-permeable wall (11).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) and gas-permeable wall (11) are in contact with each other.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) is located in the first chamber (10).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter covers at least partially the surface of gas-permeable wall (11) facing said first chamber (10).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter covers at least such a large portion of the surface of gas-permeable wall (11) facing said first chamber (10) that the flow of a gas to be delivered to an analyzing unit is sufficient through the wall.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of preceding claims 1-8, characterized in that the filter covers the entire surface of wall (11), which faces said first chamber (10) and through which the exhalation gas of a patient proceeds into the second chamber (12).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) fills the first chamber (10) in its cross-sectional direction.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) fills the first chamber (10) entirely.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said,filter (20) has a mean fiber diameter of at least 50 µm.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filter (20) is electrically charged.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material used in filter (20) itself does not substantially absorb liquid.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material used in the filter contains polymer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that the material used in the filter comprises polypropylene.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow by-passing the analyzing unit from first chamber (10) is led out along a line (14) preferably by way of a receiver (15).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as set forth in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wall (11) is composed of a porous material, which is substantially impermeable to a liquid component but permeable to gas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The use of an apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in patient monitoring.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
203 words
An apparatus (1) for separating a liquid component from a gas, the gas flow through this apparatus being effected by the action of vacuum which is preferably generated by means of a pump (6), and said apparatus (1) comprising a first chamber (10), where into the gas along with a possible liquid component is delivered and wherein the inflown gas divides into at least two components, a second chamber (12) for delivering therein some of the flow occurring through the first chamber, and through which second chamber some of the flow received from the first chamber is directed to a pump (6), a gas-permeable wall (11), which separates these chambers and through which some of the gas contained in the first chamber flows into the second chamber, and a receiver (15) for passing there through some of the flow that was divided in the first chamber and did not proceed through said wall (11) between the first and the second chambers, characterized in that upstream of wall (11) there is a filter (20), the gas flowing through said filter prior to penetrating through wall (11) and said filter (20) allowing there through the flow of a liquid component possibly entrapped in the gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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