Humidifying gas

Claim 2

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, for enabling flow of gas along said conduit, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for causing liquid water to flow along said wall in intimate contact with one side thereof at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, said water flow being co-current with said flow of gas along at least a portion of said wall, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said water chamber has an inlet and an outlet, a water pump has feed and return ports respectively connected to said inlet and outlet, and a water reservoir is connected to said pump to replenish water vaporized through said wall.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means to heat to at least 100* F water entering said inlet.

Claim 5

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber of said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas thErein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said chamber being a water conduit inside said gas conduit and being of water vapor permeable material.

Claim 6

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber of said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas thErein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said chamber being a water conduit inside said gas conduit and being of water vapor permeable material.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said water conduit is folded on itself to provide a plurality of runs in said gas conduit, increasing the surface area of said permeable material.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said water conduit is continuous and integral inside said gas conduit, reducing the risk of water leakage into said gas conduit.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said conduits are mechanically indepedent of each other over the major portion of their coextent, increasing flexibility.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said conduits are elongated tubes.

Claim 11

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said wall being impermeable to liquid water under operating conditions.

Claim 12

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said wall being impermeable to liquid water under operating conditions.

Claim 13

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said wall being of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 14

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said wall being of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 15

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said water chamber being a tube inside said gas conduit, said tube being sealed at its ends, means for supplying water being provided, water feed and return tubes being connected to said chamber, extending to the exterior of said conduit, and being connected to supply said water chamber with circulating water, said feed tube being connected to said means for supplying water and said conduit being connected in an anesthesia loop passing through a CO2 exchanger.

Claim 16

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said water chamber being a tube inside said gas conduit, said tube being sealed at its ends, means for supplying water being provided, water feed and return tubes being connected to said chamber, extending to the exterior of said conduit, and being connected to supply said water chamber with circulating water, said feed tube being connected to said means for supplying water and said conduit being connected in an anesthesia loop passing through a CO2 exchanger.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said water feed and return tubes enter said water chamber at the same end, said feed tube extending to the other end of said chamber to deliver water there.

Claim 18

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into sAid conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said gas conduit having, at its outlet and inlet ends, connections to a nasal catheter and an oxygen wall outlet, respectively.

Claim 19

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into sAid conduit to humidify gas therein, and means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, said gas conduit having, at its outlet and inlet ends, connections to a nasal catheter and an oxygen wall outlet, respectively.

Claim 20

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, and means for restricting the flow rate of water to said wall to below a predetermined safety limit.

Claim 21

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas conduit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, and means for restricting the flow rate of water to said wall to below a predetermined safety limit.

Claim 22

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas condudit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, and an electrical resistance heating element extending along said zone.

Claim 23

Apparatus for humidifying a gas and delivering it to be breathed, comprising a gas condudit having an inlet for communicating with a source of said gas, and an outlet, a water chamber coextensive over a zone with a portion of said gas conduit, said chamber or said conduit having a wall permeable to water vapor at said zone, means for bringing liquid water into intimate contact with one side of said wall at said zone at a vapor pressure sufficient to cause passage of water vapor through said wall and into said conduit to humidify gas therein, means for delivering the humidified gas to a patient, and an electrical resistance heating element extending along said zone.