US3834682A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mixing column for medical humidifier and method of humidifying inhalable gases
Assignee: American Hospital Supply Corp
•
Filing: 1972-06-19
•
Granted: 1974-09-10
•
Expires: 1992-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A multi-stage sieve plate humidifier column with a series of plastic snap together modular mixing units that combine to form an elongated vertical column with interconnected mixing chambers. The column is confined inside a liquid supply bottle where it is submerged in a liquid used to humidify an inhalable gas such as oxygen or air. In a method of humidification, the gas is bubbled into a lower portion of the submerged column, transferred through the interconnecting chambers of the column where the bubbles are broken up and mixed with liquid, and then the humidified gas collected near a top of the column and conducted to a patient for inhalation.
Inventors
- 👤 Phee C Mc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 00:52
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M16/00; A61M16/10; A61M16/14; A61M16/16; B; B01; B01F; B01F23/00; B01F23/20; B01F23/21; B01F33/00; B01F33/50; B01F33/501; B01F33/5011; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/42; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/65
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
In an inhalation therapy system for administering a humidified gas to a patient, an inhalation therapy humidifer comprising in combination: a disposable container including an outer wall for defining a liquid-containing reservoir; a liquid at least partially filling said container reservoir; a tubular multi-stage mixing column for containing gas therein fitting within container and spaced from said container wall and having a lower portion submerged in and communicating with said liquid, said column having means defining a plurality of series-interconnected gas-liquid mixing chamber for progressively humidifying the inhalation gas with the liquid as the gas ascends through the series of interconnecting mixing chambers in said column, said chambers being separated by a transverse partition common to adjacent chambers having a plurality of holes connecting adjacent chambers for breaking up inhalation gas into bubbles in the column to increase the gasliquid interface, the chamber having tubular walls connected to and extending between said partitions and defining an independent conduit opening into the lower portion of said column, and communicating with said liquid in the column; said humidifier having a humidified-gas outlet communicating with the uppermost chamber for directing humidified gas to a patient being treated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
In an inhalation therapy system for administering a humidified gas to a patient, an inhalation therapy humidifer comprising in combination: a disposable container including an outer wall for defining a liquid-containing reservoir; a liquid at least partially filling said container reservoir; a tubular multi-stage mixing column for containing gas therein fitting within container and spaced from said container wall and having a lower portion submerged in and communicating with said liquid, said column having means defining a plurality of series-interconnected gas-liquid mixing chamber for progressively humidifying the inhalation gas with the liquid as the gas ascends through the series of interconnecting mixing chambers in said column, said chambers being separated by a transverse partition common to adjacent chambers having a plurality of holes connecting adjacent chambers for breaking up inhalation gas into bubbles in the column to increase the gasliquid interface, the chamber having tubular walls connected to and extending between said partitions and defining an independent conduit opening into the lower portion of said column, and communicating with said liquid in the column; said humidifier having a humidified-gas outlet communicating with the uppermost chamber for directing humidified gas to a patient being treated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the humidifier is disposable and the mixing column is permanently connected to the container so the mixing column cannot be used with more than one container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mixing chambers are vertically stacked units one upon another and form an elongated vertical column, the lowermost portIon of which column is submerged in said liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said conduit includes means for connecting a pressurized dry gas supply source with a lowermost chamber of the column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the dry gas feed tube is disposed within said vertical column.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
An inhalation therapy humidifier comprising in combination: a container; a liquid at least partially filling said container; a multi-stage mixing column fitting within said container and having a portion submerged in said liquid, said column having a plurality of interconnected gas-liquid mixing chambers for humidifying the gas with the liquid as the gas passes through the interconnecting mixing chambers, each gas-liquid mixing chamber comprising a transverse sieve plate floor and a vertical tubular wall member connected to said sieve plate, each sieve plate and tubular wall member forming a modular mixing unit connected in vertically stacked relationship to similar units to form the multi-stage mixing column of the humidifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
An inhalation therapy humidifier comprising in combination: a container; a liquid at least partially filling said container; a multi-stage mixing column fitting within said container and having a portion submerged in said liquid, said column having a plurality of interconnected gas-liquid mixing chambers for humidifying the gas with the liquid as the gas passes through the interconnecting mixing chambers, each gas-liquid mixing chamber comprising a transverse sieve plate floor and a vertical tubular wall member connected to said sieve plate, each sieve plate and tubular wall member forming a modular mixing unit connected in vertically stacked relationship to similar units to form the multi-stage mixing column of the humidifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the sieve plate of each module has a dry gas feed tube protruding through the sieve plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein each modular gas-liquid mixing chamber has snap fit connecting means for attaching to a similar mixing unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein the snap fit means includes an annular rib adjacent one end of the mixing unit and an annular groove adjacent an opposite end of the unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein there is a perforate cap member attached to the lowermost mixing chamber, said cap member being submerged in said liquid and having openings therethrough causing liquid to flow upwardly into said column.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a humidifier column the improvement of a modular mixing unit comprising a sieve plate; a tubular wall member connected to said sieve plate; and a dry gas feed tube attached to said unit formed by the tubular wall and sieve plate, said dry gas feed tube extending from an upper end to a lower end of the mixing unit; said unit having attachment means adjacent its upper end and adjacent its lower end; whereby a plurality of said mixing units can be vertically stacked and connected together at their attaching means to provide a multi-stage mixing column for liquid and gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a humidifier column the improvement of a modular mixing unit comprising a sieve plate; a tubular wall member connected to said sieve plate; and a dry gas feed tube attached to said unit formed by the tubular wall and sieve plate, said dry gas feed tube extending from an upper end to a lower end of the mixing unit; said unit having attachment means adjacent its upper end and adjacent its lower end; whereby a plurality of said mixing units can be vertically stacked and connected together at their attaching means to provide a multi-stage mixing column for liquid and gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the tubular wall extends below sad sieve plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the tubular wall is cylindrical and has a central vertical longitudinal axis and the dry gas feed tube is co-axial with and concentrically disposed within the tubular wall, whereby modular mixing units can be connected together without rotationally orienting one relative to the other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the sieve plate has a series of holes therethrough each with a diameter of 0.070 to 0.120 inches.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the dry gas feed tube has connecting means at one end for receiving a dry gas tube of an adjacent modular mixing unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
The combination as set forth in claim 15 wherein the dry gas tube connecting means includes an enlarged receiving sleeve connected with the sieve plate and this sleeve has an inwardly tapered lip surface, an internal annular receiving surface inside the sleeve having a diameter larger than the internal diameter of the gas tube, and a shoulder surface laterally extending from the annular receiving surface tothe dry gas tube''s internal receiving surface; whereby the dry gas tubes of a series of modular mixing units fit together and provide an elongated dry gas feed line with a generally constant internal diameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the modular mixing unit has an upstanding annular flange above said sieve plate for connecting to a tubular wall member of a modular mixing unit immeDiately thereabove.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein the modular mixing unit has an upstanding annular flange has retention means thereon for forming a snap fit with the tubular wall of the mixing unit immediately thereabove.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein the modular mixing unit includes a retention means adjacent a lower portion of its tubular wall for snap fitting with a retention means on an upstanding annular skirt of a modular mixing unit immediately therebelow.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein the snap fit means includes a mating rib and groove structure for holding together adjacent modular mixing unit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
205 words
In an inhalation therapy system, a multi-stage mixing column for a disposable medical gas humidifier including a bottle with an outer wall forming a reservoir; a liquid at least partially filling said bottle a tubular column vertically depending into said bottle, spaced from said wall and having at least a lower portion thereof submerged in and communicating with said liquid; a series of vertically spaced, transverse perforated plates extending across and disposed within said column and defining series-connected chambers; a vertical dry gas tubular feed line of smaller cross sectional passage area than the mixing column axially disposed within said mixing column and extending through said perforated plates, so as to feed isolated pressurized dry gas axially from a top portion of the column through the various perforated plates to a bottom chamber of the column; connector means for attaching said dry gas feed line to a pressurized dry gas supply source; and connecting means for attaching an upper portion of the mixing column with a conduit for channeling humidified gas from a top of the mixing column to a patient for inhalation therapy, said perforated plates being constructed and arranged to retain liquid thereabove and above the level of liquid in said bottle reservoir.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
205 words
In an inhalation therapy system, a multi-stage mixing column for a disposable medical gas humidifier including a bottle with an outer wall forming a reservoir; a liquid at least partially filling said bottle a tubular column vertically depending into said bottle, spaced from said wall and having at least a lower portion thereof submerged in and communicating with said liquid; a series of vertically spaced, transverse perforated plates extending across and disposed within said column and defining series-connected chambers; a vertical dry gas tubular feed line of smaller cross sectional passage area than the mixing column axially disposed within said mixing column and extending through said perforated plates, so as to feed isolated pressurized dry gas axially from a top portion of the column through the various perforated plates to a bottom chamber of the column; connector means for attaching said dry gas feed line to a pressurized dry gas supply source; and connecting means for attaching an upper portion of the mixing column with a conduit for channeling humidified gas from a top of the mixing column to a patient for inhalation therapy, said perforated plates being constructed and arranged to retain liquid thereabove and above the level of liquid in said bottle reservoir.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination as set forth in claim 21 wherein the mixing column includes a bottom cap having at least one opening therethrough for passage of liquid into the column from within the bottle and surrounding the lowermost chamber of the mixing column.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination as set forth in claim 22 wherein the dry gas feed line has a bottom exit port adjacent and above said bottom cap so dry gas can be fed into an area within the bottom cap and mixed with liquid and humidified as the gas ascends through the vertical mixing column exteriorly of said tubular feed line.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination as set forth in claim 21 wherein the column is spaced from the container wall along its submerged portion so the liquid in the reservoir and column muffles the mixing of gas and liquid in the column.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
83 words
A modular unit for constructing a multi-stage mixing column for liquid and gas comprising: a one piece integrally molded thermoplastic unit including a tubular housing wall and a transverse porous sieve plate extending across the housing wall; an internal dry gas tube formed with the sieve plate and housing wall; said housing wall and dry gas tube each including coupling means at their opposite ends for joining the unit to a similar one piece modular unit to form an elongated multi-compartment mixing column.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
83 words
A modular unit for constructing a multi-stage mixing column for liquid and gas comprising: a one piece integrally molded thermoplastic unit including a tubular housing wall and a transverse porous sieve plate extending across the housing wall; an internal dry gas tube formed with the sieve plate and housing wall; said housing wall and dry gas tube each including coupling means at their opposite ends for joining the unit to a similar one piece modular unit to form an elongated multi-compartment mixing column.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein the tubular housing wall includes a rib and groove construction for snap fitting two or more modular units together.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein the tubular housing wall has an upstanding annular flange adjacent its upper end which flange has an annular beveled wedge surface thereon.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein the tubular housing wall includes a depending annular flange adjacent its lower end with a beveled wedge surface thereon.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein the dry gas tube is integrally formed with the sieve plate and centrally located thereon so as to have a common longitudinal axis with the tUbular housing wall.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
115 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein the gas tube includes a coupling member at an upper end, and said coupling member includes an enlarged receiver sleeve with an inwardly tapered upper lip surface, a transverse shoulder surface below said lip surface and an inner wall surface between the lip surface and shoulder surface; and said dry gas tube has a lower coupling portion that includes a tapered end surface adapted to engage the tapered lip surface of a dry gas tube receiving sleeve of an adjacent similar modular unit, whereby the modular units can be coupled to form a continuous dry gas feed line extending through a plurality of modular mixing units.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of humidifying a medical gas for direct administration to a patient during inhalation therapy comprising the steps of: forcing pressurized dry medical gas confined axially and downwardly into a lower reservoir portion of a container at least partially filled with a humidifying liquid; restricting the gas axially and directing it progressively upwardly through a series of vertically stacked interconnecting chambers with a portion of the chambers being submerged in said liquid and portion of the chambers extending above the liquid reservoir; progressively increasing the humidity of the gas in each successive vertical chamber forcing the gas through a series of vertically spaced perforated plates while contained in said chambers and maintaining a body of liquid above the perforated plates above the liquid level in the container reservior and progressively forming gas bubbles at each of the perforated plates and passing it through the plates with an increasing gas-liquid interface before it ascends through the liquid above the plates and at a substantially reduced noise level; collecting the gas most highly humidified adjacent the top of the container; and conducting the humidified gas into a feed line adapted to be connected to a patient for breathing.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of humidifying a medical gas for direct administration to a patient during inhalation therapy comprising the steps of: forcing pressurized dry medical gas confined axially and downwardly into a lower reservoir portion of a container at least partially filled with a humidifying liquid; restricting the gas axially and directing it progressively upwardly through a series of vertically stacked interconnecting chambers with a portion of the chambers being submerged in said liquid and portion of the chambers extending above the liquid reservoir; progressively increasing the humidity of the gas in each successive vertical chamber forcing the gas through a series of vertically spaced perforated plates while contained in said chambers and maintaining a body of liquid above the perforated plates above the liquid level in the container reservior and progressively forming gas bubbles at each of the perforated plates and passing it through the plates with an increasing gas-liquid interface before it ascends through the liquid above the plates and at a substantially reduced noise level; collecting the gas most highly humidified adjacent the top of the container; and conducting the humidified gas into a feed line adapted to be connected to a patient for breathing.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 31 including progressively directing the gas through at least three humidifying chambers as it proceeds from a lower portion of the container to an upper portion of the container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DD48277A
Cited
US676713A
Cited
US1064535A
Cited
US1165281A
Cited
US2672330A
Cited
US3429676A
Cited
US3572660A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-09 | 1978-03-11 | 1978-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-09 | 1982-03-11 | 1982-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-09 | 1986-03-11 | 1986-09-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |