Abstract A humidifier for respirators includes a vessel having a tubular passage therethrough which is connected at one end to the inhalation line and the opposite end to the line leading to the patient. Water is circulated from a storage tank to a water chamber defined around the tubular member and the tubular member is made of a material which defines an evaporation surface which is impervious to water but pervious to water vapor so that the inhalation air becomes moistened when it is passed through the tubular member. The water which is circulated is circulated from a storage tank which is maintained at a predetermined level by the gravity of feed of water from a closed container which is mounted above the storage tank. The water in the storage tank is advantageously heated before it is circulated. To facilitate evaporation a continuous spiral screw is inserted into the tubular member so that the inhalation air is deflected around the tubular member between the convolutions of the screw so as to increase the moistening of the inhalation air during its passage through the vessel.
A humidifier for use with respirators, comprising a vessel having an inlet end connectable to an inhaling line and an outlet end spaced from said inlet end connectable to the user, means defining a passage between said inlet and said outlet having at least a portion with a wall defining an evaporation surface pervious to water vapor but impervious to water, means defining a water chamber in said vssel in contact with said evaporation surface, a water storage tank below said vessel, an inlet line and a return line for water depending from said vessel and extending downwardly from said water chamber into said water storage tank, means for circulating water from said storage tank to said water chamber through said inlet line and into said water chamber and to said return line, a separate replaceable sealed water container located above said storage tank, for supplying water to said storage tank and a discharge conduit connected between said sealed water container and said water storage tank, an axially progressing screw rotatable in said passage and adjacent said evaporation surface and being rotatable by the flow of inhalation air between the convolutions thereof to direct the air outwardly into intimate contact with the surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
203 words
A humidifier for use with respirators, comprising a vessel having an inlet end connectable to an inhaling line and an outlet end spaced from said inlet end connectable to the user, means defining a passage between said inlet and said outlet having at least a portion with a wall defining an evaporation surface pervious to water vapor but impervious to water, means defining a water chamber in said vssel in contact with said evaporation surface, a water storage tank below said vessel, an inlet line and a return line for water depending from said vessel and extending downwardly from said water chamber into said water storage tank, means for circulating water from said storage tank to said water chamber through said inlet line and into said water chamber and to said return line, a separate replaceable sealed water container located above said storage tank, for supplying water to said storage tank and a discharge conduit connected between said sealed water container and said water storage tank, an axially progressing screw rotatable in said passage and adjacent said evaporation surface and being rotatable by the flow of inhalation air between the convolutions thereof to direct the air outwardly into intimate contact with the surface.