Patent US3670243A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3864544A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3864544A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric heating unit for liquid
Assignee: CREDITANSTALT-BANKVEREIN
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Filing: 1973-09-13
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Granted: 1975-02-04
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Expires: 1993-09-13
Abstract
Abstract An electric heating unit for heating a rising column of liquid and adapted to be interposed between the liquid supply receptacle and a nebulizer for use in inhalation therapy. The heating unit has an apertured pointed member for insertion through the breachable sealing membrance closing the liquid outlet of the receptacle. A tube extends from the pointed member to the inlet of the nebulizer and conveys the liquid from the receptacle to the nebulizer. A thermostatically controlled electric heater surrounds the tube to uniformly heat the fluid as it flows from the receptacle to the nebulizer. A safety switch, controllable by the orientation of the housing, provides means for checking whether the unit is properly grounded to prevent electric shock. A number of indicator bulbs, visible through the housing walls, are provided to indicate electrical conditions in the unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Amerongen Edward Van
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:26
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/10; H05B3/16; A; A61; A61M; A61M16/00; A61M16/10; A61M16/14; A61M16/16; H05B3/40; H05B3/42; H05B3/48; H05B3/50; F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/10; F24H1/12; F24H1/14; F24H1/142; F24H2250/00; F24H2250/02; H05B2203/00; H05B2203/014; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/65
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
An electric heating unit for heating a rising column of liquid adapted to be screwed onto a liquid receptacle having an upwardly facing threaded portion adapted to receive the unit, the receptacle being closed at said threaded portion by a breachable membrane, and adapted to be screwed onto a nebulizer having a downwardly facing threaded protion adapted to receive the unit, so that the unit can be functionally disposed between the receptacle and the nebulizer, comprising: a housing having an upwardly facing threaded portion which can be mated with the threaded portion of said nebulizer, and a downwardly facing threaded socket whereby the unit can be screwed onto the threaded portion of said receptacle, said socket having concentrically a tubular apertured breaching means adapted at one end to extend into the threaded portion of the receptacle when the unit is screwed thereon to breach said membrane; a tubular member within said housing having one and in fluid communication with the other end of said tubular means and the other end disposed concentrically within the upward facing threaded portion of said housing; an electric heater disposed in heat exchange relationship to the tubular member; a thermostat disposed adjacent said heater and electrically connected to control said heater; and an electric power cord passing into said housing through a hole therein and connected to the heater and the thermostat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
An electric heating unit for heating a rising column of liquid adapted to be screwed onto a liquid receptacle having an upwardly facing threaded portion adapted to receive the unit, the receptacle being closed at said threaded portion by a breachable membrane, and adapted to be screwed onto a nebulizer having a downwardly facing threaded protion adapted to receive the unit, so that the unit can be functionally disposed between the receptacle and the nebulizer, comprising: a housing having an upwardly facing threaded portion which can be mated with the threaded portion of said nebulizer, and a downwardly facing threaded socket whereby the unit can be screwed onto the threaded portion of said receptacle, said socket having concentrically a tubular apertured breaching means adapted at one end to extend into the threaded portion of the receptacle when the unit is screwed thereon to breach said membrane; a tubular member within said housing having one and in fluid communication with the other end of said tubular means and the other end disposed concentrically within the upward facing threaded portion of said housing; an electric heater disposed in heat exchange relationship to the tubular member; a thermostat disposed adjacent said heater and electrically connected to control said heater; and an electric power cord passing into said housing through a hole therein and connected to the heater and the thermostat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said electric heater comprises: a block of material having a high heat conductivity having first and second bores therethrough, said tubular member lying within the first bore in good heat conducting relationship with the block; and a heating element disposed within the second bore in good heat conducting relationship with the block, whereby the heating element heats the block and the block heats the tubular member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said thermostat comprises: a pair of normally closed contacts, one connected to the electric power cord and the other connected to said heating element; and, a bimetal member for sensing temperature having an insulating rod extending in the direction of the bimetal member movement adjacent said contacts and operable to open said contacts upon movement of said bimetal member at a predetermined temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The unit of claim 3 wherein said thermostat further comprises a rigid metal support to which a rotable screw is adjustably attached, the screw adjustment determining the amount of movement required of the bimetallic member to open said contacts, whereby the operating temperature of the thermostat is adjustable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said one end of said breaching tubular means is pointed and has one or more holes communicating to its interior, whereby liquid can entEr the tubular means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said housing has at least one light transmissive part, further including at least one bulb within the housing adjacent the light transmissive part and electrically connected so as to indicate electrical conditions within the unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
121 words
The unit of claim 6 wherein: said electric power cord has a pair of current carrying conductors and a neutral conductor; said housing has a vertical bore; a metal ball is disposed in said bore and has free vertical movement therein; a pair of physically separated electrical wire contacts are disposed at the top of said bore and extend a distance therein, one contact being connected to said neutral conductor; and, a bulb with two leads has one lead connected to one of said current carrying conductors and the other lead connected to the other of said wire contacts, whereby the ball rests against both contacts when the unit is inverted and the bulb lights if the unit is properly grounded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The unit of claim 7 wherein: one of said bulbs is connected between the two current carrying conductors to indicate when the power is being applied to the unit; and another of said bulbs is connected in parallel with said heater element to indicate when power is being applied to the heater element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The unit of claim 8 further comprising a printed circuit board upon which said bulbs and wire contacts are mounted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The unit of claim 9 further including a plurality of vertical bores in said housing below the circuit board, said bulbs extending into the bores from the circuit board.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-03 | 1978-08-05 | 1979-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-03 | 1982-08-05 | 1983-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-03 | 1986-08-05 | 1987-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |