US3846518A — Port system for medical humidifier container

Claim 1

Independent Claim 302 words

In a system for administering a humidified medical gas to a patient during inhalation therapy and substantially deterring cross-contamination between patients comprising, for use in combination with a source of dry medical gas to be administered to a patient after humidification and means for connection to said source of medical gas for dispensing the gas; a disposable dry medical gas humidifying assembly including means for connection to said means for dispensing the dry medical gas from the source; and means for administering humidified medicAl gas to a patient, said gas humidifying assembly comprising a disposable container for a medical liquid, said container including connection-and-retention means; and an adapter for connecting the dry medical gas source with the medical liquid container comprising a body member having a dry gas passage extending from an inlet adjacent a top portion of the body member to an outlet adjacent a lower portion of the body member, and a humidified gas passage extending from an inlet adjacent a lower portion of the body member upwardly to an exit portion on the body member; first connecting means on the body member at the dry gas passage inlet for connecting the adapter to the medical gas source; second connecting means at the dry gas passage outlet and humidified gas passage inlet for connecting the adapter with the medical liquid container, said second connecting means of the adapter and the connection-and-retention means of said container having interfitting structure including portions that permit the adapter to be manually connected to the container and integrate it as a permanent non-separable part thereof and deter subsequent manual separation therebetween whereby the adapter and medical container are discarded as a unit after inhalation therapy with the unit is completed and reuse of the humidifier assembly is deterred so that cross-contamination between patients is obviated.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 302 words

In a system for administering a humidified medical gas to a patient during inhalation therapy and substantially deterring cross-contamination between patients comprising, for use in combination with a source of dry medical gas to be administered to a patient after humidification and means for connection to said source of medical gas for dispensing the gas; a disposable dry medical gas humidifying assembly including means for connection to said means for dispensing the dry medical gas from the source; and means for administering humidified medicAl gas to a patient, said gas humidifying assembly comprising a disposable container for a medical liquid, said container including connection-and-retention means; and an adapter for connecting the dry medical gas source with the medical liquid container comprising a body member having a dry gas passage extending from an inlet adjacent a top portion of the body member to an outlet adjacent a lower portion of the body member, and a humidified gas passage extending from an inlet adjacent a lower portion of the body member upwardly to an exit portion on the body member; first connecting means on the body member at the dry gas passage inlet for connecting the adapter to the medical gas source; second connecting means at the dry gas passage outlet and humidified gas passage inlet for connecting the adapter with the medical liquid container, said second connecting means of the adapter and the connection-and-retention means of said container having interfitting structure including portions that permit the adapter to be manually connected to the container and integrate it as a permanent non-separable part thereof and deter subsequent manual separation therebetween whereby the adapter and medical container are discarded as a unit after inhalation therapy with the unit is completed and reuse of the humidifier assembly is deterred so that cross-contamination between patients is obviated.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first connection means of the adapter includes a rotatable screw cap including means adapted for removable securement to a threaded nipple of the medical gas source.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adapter''s first and second connecting means include portions integral with the body member and means to physically suspend the medical liquid container from the medical gas source.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower connecting means includes an annular flange about said body member which annular flange has a top retention shoulder surface and a lower wedge surface extending downwardly from said shoulder surface.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 121 words

The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the container comprises a portable bottle with a mouth and a cap member sealing off said bottle mouth, which cap member has an entrance passage defined by a deformable inner wall surface, said inner wall surface including a lower inwardly-projecting retention shoulder surface and a wedge surface above said shoulder surface, which wedge surface of the cap member is adapted to telescopically receive said wedge surface of the adapter when the inner wall is deformed upon insertion of the lower portion of the body member into the cap member passage so that the two shoulder surfaces can snap together permanently locking the adapter to the cap member of the medical liquid bottle.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein the adapter includes means providing a rotatable coupled engagement with the bottle closure and abutting shoulder surfaces on the adapter and closure engage each other whereby the adapter''s exit port can be rotationally oriented relative to said bottle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the adapter and bottle includes means forming a non-separable 360* rotatable connection without separation from the closure.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The combination as set forth in claim 5 the cap member includes means permanently bonding it to the mouth of the medical liquid bottle.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein the medical liquid bottle includes a gas tube with an upper end having a passage that aligns with and connects to the inlet passage of the adapter upon coupling of the adapter to the bottle closure.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein the gas tube in said container is concentrically disposed inwardly of the wedge surface and shoulder structure of the cap member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 69 words

The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein the adapter includes an outer tubulAr member defining the passage that communicates with the exit port of the adapter, and a concentrically inwardly disposed gas tube that defines the inlet passage through the adapter, said gas tube of the adapter having a lower end with coupling structure to connect with the upper end of a gas tube within the container.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein the exit port communicates with the interior of the bottle through a concentric passage surrounding the gas tubes of the adapter and bottle.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the upper end of the body member includes a tapered external flange with a retention shoulder; and a rotatable screw threaded cap fitting over said flange and rotatably slidable against said shoulder.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 52 words

The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein the rotatable screw cap includes an internal wall surface and an annular skirt section spaced from an internal wall of the cap, said skirt being annularly expandable over said flange for permanently and rotationally connecting of the screw cap to said body member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The combination as set forth in claim 13, wherein the screw cap has a mouth portion, and the combination includes a removable closure for this mouth for maintaining sterile integrity of the adapter.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 44 words

The combination as set forth in claim 15 wherein the screw cap has a lip surface around this mouth and a removable protector cap fits over said rotatable screw cap lip surface protecting it until ready for connection to a medical gas supply source.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 182 words

For use in medical inhalation therapy the combination of: a liquid-containing bottle having a mouth; a cap sealed to said mouth, and including an entrance port through the cap; a manually removable sealing member closing off said entrance port; a gas-liquid mixing system communicating with the entrance port and adapted to humidify gas with liquid inside said bottle; an outer sterility cap secured to said bottle and enclosing said manually removable sealing member and at least a portion of said bottle closure, said outer sterility cap defining a hollow cavity therein adjacent the bottle closure; and adapter fitting within said cavity of the outer sterility cap, said adapter including a dry gas passage and a humidified gas passage; a medical gas source connecting means on said adapter for securement of the adapter''s dry gas passage to a medical gas supply source; bottle connecting means on said adapter for connecting both dry gas and humidified gas passages with the bottle''s interior upon removal of the manually removable sealing member and insertion of said closure''s bottle means in coupling relationship with said closure port.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 182 words

For use in medical inhalation therapy the combination of: a liquid-containing bottle having a mouth; a cap sealed to said mouth, and including an entrance port through the cap; a manually removable sealing member closing off said entrance port; a gas-liquid mixing system communicating with the entrance port and adapted to humidify gas with liquid inside said bottle; an outer sterility cap secured to said bottle and enclosing said manually removable sealing member and at least a portion of said bottle closure, said outer sterility cap defining a hollow cavity therein adjacent the bottle closure; and adapter fitting within said cavity of the outer sterility cap, said adapter including a dry gas passage and a humidified gas passage; a medical gas source connecting means on said adapter for securement of the adapter''s dry gas passage to a medical gas supply source; bottle connecting means on said adapter for connecting both dry gas and humidified gas passages with the bottle''s interior upon removal of the manually removable sealing member and insertion of said closure''s bottle means in coupling relationship with said closure port.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein the outer sterility cap is permanently secured to said bottle and closure combination and has a frangible rip-off portion for gaining access to said adapter.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein there is a protective sheath enclosing said adapter and both adapter and sheath are confined within the cavity of said outer sterility cap.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 51 words

The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein the bottle connecting means on the adapter and the closure of the bottle include cooperating structures, whereby the adapter can be manually coupled with the closure but cannot thereafter be uncoupled to prevent use of the adapter with more than one bottle.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 62 words

The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein the sealing member includes a metal-thermoplastic laminated film sealed to said closure across said entrance port, said foil maintaining sterile integrity of the inner portions of the closure and being manually peelable from said closure after the bottle closure and foil have been sterilized by steam or water immersion at 240* -260* F.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 153 words

A locking port system for an inhalation therapy liquid supply bottle having a closure cap thereon, comprising the improvement of: an expandable and deformable sleeve connected to said closure cAp and defining a coupling passage, the internal surface of said sleeve including a retention shoulder and a sloping wedge surface thereabove; a gas tube member within said bottle having an upper end disposed within said deformable sleeve and spaced inwardly from its wall''s inner surface; a removable sterility barrier secured to said closure cap and closing off the passage through said sleeve; said barrier being manually removable for coupling the port structure of the supply bottle with a plural passage adapter that has an external shoulder surface for snap engagement with the shoulder of the closure sleeve so that the adapter and closure cap cannot thereafter be separated, thereby avoiding use of the bottle with more than one adapter in its coupling passage.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 153 words

A locking port system for an inhalation therapy liquid supply bottle having a closure cap thereon, comprising the improvement of: an expandable and deformable sleeve connected to said closure cAp and defining a coupling passage, the internal surface of said sleeve including a retention shoulder and a sloping wedge surface thereabove; a gas tube member within said bottle having an upper end disposed within said deformable sleeve and spaced inwardly from its wall''s inner surface; a removable sterility barrier secured to said closure cap and closing off the passage through said sleeve; said barrier being manually removable for coupling the port structure of the supply bottle with a plural passage adapter that has an external shoulder surface for snap engagement with the shoulder of the closure sleeve so that the adapter and closure cap cannot thereafter be separated, thereby avoiding use of the bottle with more than one adapter in its coupling passage.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 57 words

The combination as set forth in claim 22 wherein the shoulder of the expandable sleeve is in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a passage through this sleeve so that a mating shoulder surface of a coupled adapter can rotate 360* through any angle relative to the closure system without becoming disengaged from the sleeve.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 177 words

For use in medical inhalation therapy the combination of: a sterile, disposable bottle containing a sterile medical humidifying liquid and having a mouth thereon; a closure cap fitting across said mouth and permanently and integrally secured to said bottle; a deformable sleeve member connected to said closure and defining an entrance port passage into said bottle; a dry gas tube disposed within said bottle and having an upper end concentrically disposed within said sleeve a spaced distance from its inner wall; an adapter having inner and outer concentrically disposed tubes connected together and telescopically received within said sleeve of the closure cap so that the adapter''s inner tube mates with the bottle''s dry gas tube and the outer tube of the adapter mates with and connects to the sleeve of the closure cap, said coupled adapter and closure system providing means for suspending the bottle and a dry gas conduit through the inner tube of the adapter and the dry gas tube of the bottle, and an outlet humidified gas passage between the inner and outer tubes.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 177 words

For use in medical inhalation therapy the combination of: a sterile, disposable bottle containing a sterile medical humidifying liquid and having a mouth thereon; a closure cap fitting across said mouth and permanently and integrally secured to said bottle; a deformable sleeve member connected to said closure and defining an entrance port passage into said bottle; a dry gas tube disposed within said bottle and having an upper end concentrically disposed within said sleeve a spaced distance from its inner wall; an adapter having inner and outer concentrically disposed tubes connected together and telescopically received within said sleeve of the closure cap so that the adapter''s inner tube mates with the bottle''s dry gas tube and the outer tube of the adapter mates with and connects to the sleeve of the closure cap, said coupled adapter and closure system providing means for suspending the bottle and a dry gas conduit through the inner tube of the adapter and the dry gas tube of the bottle, and an outlet humidified gas passage between the inner and outer tubes.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-11-04	1978-05-06	1978-11-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-11-04	1982-05-06	1982-11-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-11-04	1986-05-06	1986-11-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Port system for medical humidifier container

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