Inhalator for moist air

Claim 2

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet mean adapted for inhalation, said housing means including at least one tubular wall; tubular heating means mounted in said housing means and having an inner space communicating with said outlet means; and a porous tubular body surrounding and at least partly abutting said heating means so as to be heated by the same; said tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid; said tubular housing wall surrounding said porous tubular body and forming an annular air passage with the same communicating with said inlet means, and being connected by said inner space of said heating means with said outlet means whereby vaporized liquid is added to the inhaled air flowing through said annular passage before the air is heated in said inner space of said heating means so that the air in said annular passage cools said housing wall whereby the same can be manually gripped.

Claim 3

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet meant for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; hollow tubular heating means mounted in said housing means and having an inner space communicating with said outlet means; and a porous tubular body mounted in said housing means surrounding said heating means, said porous tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid so that said heating means heats said tubular body and said vaporizable liquid; said housing means including a first cylindrical wall surrounding said porous tubular body and forming a first annular air passage with the same, and a second cylindrical wall surrounding said first cylindrical wall and forming a second annular air passage with the same, said second air passage being connected at one end with said iNlet means and at the other end with the adjacent one end of said first air passage whose other end communicates through said inner space with said outlet means so that the inhaled air flows in countercurrent through said second and first annular air passages whereby said second wall is cooled and adapted to be manually gripped while the air flowing through said first annular air passage receives vapor from said porous tubular body before passing through said inner space of said heating means where the moistened air is heated before being inhaled through said outlet means.

Claim 4

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet meant for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; hollow tubular heating means mounted in said housing means and having an inner space communicating with said outlet means; and a porous tubular body mounted in said housing means surrounding said heating means, said porous tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid so that said heating means heats said tubular body and said vaporizable liquid; said housing means including a first cylindrical wall surrounding said porous tubular body and forming a first annular air passage with the same, and a second cylindrical wall surrounding said first cylindrical wall and forming a second annular air passage with the same, said second air passage being connected at one end with said iNlet means and at the other end with the adjacent one end of said first air passage whose other end communicates through said inner space with said outlet means so that the inhaled air flows in countercurrent through said second and first annular air passages whereby said second wall is cooled and adapted to be manually gripped while the air flowing through said first annular air passage receives vapor from said porous tubular body before passing through said inner space of said heating means where the moistened air is heated before being inhaled through said outlet means.

Claim 5

An inhalator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing means form a filling chamber at least partly bounded by said pourous tubular body; and wherein said first cylindrical wall has a filling opening communicating with said filling chamber whereby a liquid can be filled into said filling chamber through said filling opening for absorption into the capillary passages of the porous tubular body.

Claim 6

An inhalator as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second annular wall is mounted for movement in axial direction between a normal position closing said filling opening, and a filling position uncovering said filling opening.

Claim 7

An inhalator as claimed in claim 2, comprising an annular sealing ring located in said first annular passage and surrounding a sealed off filling chamber; and wherein said first cylindrical wall has a first filling opening communicating with said filling chamber.

Claim 8

An inhalator as claimed in claim 5 wherein said second cylindrical wall has a second filling opening; and wherein said second cylindrical wall can be turned relative to said first cylindrical wall between a normal position in which said first filling opening is covered and closed by said second cylindrical wall, and a filling position in which said first and second filling openings register and a liquid can be filled through the same into said filling chamber for absorption by said porous body.

Claim 9

An inhalator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and second walls have portions surrounding said first and second filling openings and abutting each other so that the liquid flowing into and through said openings is separated from said second annular air passage.

Claim 10

An inhalator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said portion of one of said walls is a boss having the respective filling opening; and wherein the circumferential extension of said boss is at least equal to the arc along which said second filling opening moves during turning of said second cylindrical wall relative to said first cylindrical wall between two end positions; and wherein said housing means include means for limiting turning movement of said second cylindrical wall in said two end positions.

Claim 11

An inhalator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tubular porous body has an inner surface formed with an annular recess adjacent and surrounding the outer surface of said heating means and forming with the same at least part of said filling chamber.

Claim 12

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; heating means mounted in said housing means; and a porous tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid, said tubular body being mounted in said housing means adjacent said heating means so that said heating means heat said tubular body and said vaporizable liquid, said housing means, tubular body, and heating means forming a path for inhaled air flowing from said inlet means to said outlet means; said tubular body and said heating means being located in said path so that air from said inlet means flowing along said path is moistened by vaporized liquid from said tubular body and heated by said heating means before being inhaled through said outlet means; said housing means forming a filling chamber at least partly bounded by said porous tubular body, and including an inner wall having a filling opening communicating with said filling chamber and an outer wall movable relative to said inner wall between a normal position closing said filling opening and a filling position uncovering said filling opening; and comprising a socket end plug connection for said heating means, said outer cylindrical wall having a portion blocking engagement of said socket plug means in said filling position.

Claim 13

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; heating means mounted in said housing means; and a porous tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid, said tubular body being mounted in said housing means adjacent said heating means so that said heating means heat said tubular body and said vaporizable liquid, said housing means, tubular body, and heating means forming a path for inhaled air flowing from said inlet means to said outlet means; said tubular body and said heating means being located in said path so that air from said inlet means flowing along said path is moistened by vaporized liquid from said tubular body and heated by said heating means before being inhaled through said outlet means; said housing means forming a filling chamber at least partly bounded by said porous tubular body, and including an inner wall having a filling opening communicating with said filling chamber and an outer wall movable relative to said inner wall between a normal position closing said filling opening and a filling position uncovering said filling opening; and comprising a socket end plug connection for said heating means, said outer cylindrical wall having a portion blocking engagement of said socket plug means in said filling position.

Claim 14

An inhalator for heated moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; a porous tubular body mounted in said housing means, and having capillary passages for storing a vaporizable liquid; heating means mounted in said housing means and located within said porous tubular body for heating said porous tubular body whereby said liquid is evaporated; said housing means, porous tubular body, and heating means forming an air passage between said inlet means and outlet means, said air passage including an outer passage portion formed between said housing means and said porous tubular body and communicating with said inlet means, and an inner passage portion within said porous tubular body communicating with said outlet means, said heating means being located in said inner passage portion so that air flowing from said inlet means through said passage and out of said outlet means cools said housing means while being moistened in said outer passage portion by liquid evaporating from said heated porous tubular body, and is then heated in moist condition by said heating means before being inhaled through said outlet means.

Claim 15

An inhalator for heated moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation; a porous tubular body mounted in said housing means, and having capillary passages for storing a vaporizable liquid; heating means mounted in said housing means and located within said porous tubular body for heating said porous tubular body whereby said liquid is evaporated; said housing means, porous tubular body, and heating means forming an air passage between said inlet means and outlet means, said air passage including an outer passage portion formed between said housing means and said porous tubular body and communicating with said inlet means, and an inner passage portion within said porous tubular body communicating with said outlet means, said heating means being located in said inner passage portion so that air flowing from said inlet means through said passage and out of said outlet means cools said housing means while being moistened in said outer passage portion by liquid evaporating from said heated porous tubular body, and is then heated in moist condition by said heating means before being inhaled through said outlet means.

Claim 16

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said tubular body consists of sintered or frit material.

Claim 17

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said body consists of a porous material taken from the group consisting of pumice, dripstone and ceramics.

Claim 18

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said heating means has a cylindrical outer surface; and wherein said porous tubular body has a cylindrical inner surface surrounding aid outer surface; and comprising sealing rings between said housing means and said heating means, and between said housing means and said tubular body.

Claim 19

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said heating means includes a ceramic tubular member bounding said inner passage portion; and electric heating wires supported within the same; wherein said porous tubular body surrounds the outer surface of said ceramic tubular member; and wherein said ceramic tubular member is impermeable to the liquid stored in said porous body.

Claim 20

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11, wherein said heating means is tubular and located around said inner passage portion so that the inhaled air flows through said tubular heating means; and comprising thermostat means controlling said heating means and including a thermostat element located in said tubular heating means in the flow of inhaled air.

Claim 21

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11, comprising a face mask; and wherein said housing means includes a housing having said outlet means, and a connector tube connecting said outlet means with said face mask; and comprising a medication carrier mounted on said housing means and located in said passage so that a medication is added to the air flowing to said mask through said passage and outlet means and containing vaporized liquid.

Claim 22

An inhalator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said heating means is tubular and has annular outer and inner surfaces; wherein said porous tubular body has an inner surface surrounding said outer annular surface of said heating means; and wherein said inner passage portion is bounded by said inner annular surface of said tubular heating means; and thermostat means located in said tubular heating means and controlling said heating means.

Claim 23

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation, said housing means including at least one tubular wall; tubular heating means mouNted in said housing means and having an inner space communicating with said outlet means; and a porous tubular body surrounding said heating means so as to be heated by the same; said tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid; said tubular housing wall surrounding said porous tubular body and forming an annular air passage with the same communicating with said inlet means, and being connected by said inner space of said heating means with said outlet means whereby vaporized liquid is added to the inhaled air flowing through said annular passage before the air is heated in said inner space of said heating means so that the air in said annular passage cools said housing wall whereby the same can be manually gripped.

Claim 24

An inhalator for moist air, comprising, in combination, housing means having inlet means for air, and outlet means adapted for inhalation, said housing means including at least one tubular wall; tubular heating means mouNted in said housing means and having an inner space communicating with said outlet means; and a porous tubular body surrounding said heating means so as to be heated by the same; said tubular body having capillary passages containing a vaporizable liquid; said tubular housing wall surrounding said porous tubular body and forming an annular air passage with the same communicating with said inlet means, and being connected by said inner space of said heating means with said outlet means whereby vaporized liquid is added to the inhaled air flowing through said annular passage before the air is heated in said inner space of said heating means so that the air in said annular passage cools said housing wall whereby the same can be manually gripped.