Apparatus for equalizing air pressure in an air respiratory system

Abstract

A humidifier apparatus for operating at an air pressure is disclosed for use with a respiratory therapy breathing apparatus that provides a breathable gas supply to patients requiring higher concentrations of liquid vapor and gas pressure. The humidifier apparatus includes a feed liquid supply bag in fluid communication with a humidifier cartridge via a conduit. The conduit enables air to flow therethrough to equalize air pressure between the humidifier cartridge and the feed liquid supply bag in response to liquid being supplied to the humidifier cartridge.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to respiratory devices, and more particularly to humidifier devices delivering to a patient gases that have a controlled vapor level and temperature. [0002] When a healthy person breathes atmospheric air, the air passages of the person supply heated moisture to the inhaled gases, and the person's body generates the required amount of heat and moisture to satisfy the individual's respiratory needs. However, for patients that fail to satisfy their respiratory needs by breathing from the ambient environment (e.g., unhealthy children needing a higher concentration of water vapor in their breathable air), it becomes necessary to supply additional water to a humidifier chamber of an optionally heated humidifier device to achieve an elevated moisture concentration level in the patients breathable air. [0003] Known systems for providing heated and moisturized respiratory gases to patients basically fall into two grou...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031] It will be appreciated that a major advantage of the present humidifier apparatus 10 depicted in FIG. 1 is that the air outlet 57 in the top portion 46 of the humidifier cartridge 14 enables improved liquid flow from the liquid supply bag 20 to the humidifier cartridge 14. This ensures that a constant supply of liquid 18 is available to humidify the respiratory gases.

Problems solved by technology

However, for patients that fail to satisfy their respiratory needs by breathing from the ambient environment (e.g., unhealthy children needing a higher concentration of water vapor in their breathable air), it becomes necessary to supply additional water to a humidifier chamber of an optionally heated humidifier device to achieve an elevated moisture concentration level in the patients breathable air.

One problem with known humidifiers using gravity feed collapsible water supply bags is that these water supply bags cannot supply water to the humidifier chamber during the feeding of water to the humidifier chamber, when increased air pressure within the humidifier chamber exceeds the air pressure in the water supply bags.

This higher air pressure in the humidifier chamber inhibits water flow from the water supply bag to the humidifier chamber, resulting in humidifier devices that deliver to patients insufficient breathable gas supplies having controlled vapor levels and temperatures.

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