초록 ▼

A flexible tape heater (110) in a patient conduit (112) may be used to heat the flow of gas in the patient conduit (112) that is delivered to the patient mask (116). The thin, flat and extended nature of the flexible tape heater (110) may enhance heat transfer with the gas flow while also providing

A flexible tape heater (110) in a patient conduit (112) may be used to heat the flow of gas in the patient conduit (112) that is delivered to the patient mask (116). The thin, flat and extended nature of the flexible tape heater (110) may enhance heat transfer with the gas flow while also providing low impedance to the gas flow. Heating of the gas may facilitate the desired temperature and humidity to be reached for the gas delivered to the patient by the respiratory apparatus. The flexible tape heater (110) may be placed in the patient conduit (112) such that the flexible tape heater (110) is twisted or bent about one or more of the flexible tape heater's (110) three axes. Additionally these configurations may be used to enhance the turbulent mixing of the water vapor produced in the humidification chamber (114) with the gas flow.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A respiratory apparatus for delivering gas to a patient, including: a PAP device generating a supply of pressurised gas to be delivered to the patient;a humidifier configured to a) contain a body of water, b) vaporise at least a portion of the body of water and c) deliver water vapour generated f

1. A respiratory apparatus for delivering gas to a patient, including: a PAP device generating a supply of pressurised gas to be delivered to the patient;a humidifier configured to a) contain a body of water, b) vaporise at least a portion of the body of water and c) deliver water vapour generated from the body of water to humidify the gas;a gas flow path leading from the PAP device to the humidifier and from the humidifier to a patient interface; anda heater arranged to be in thermal contact with the gas and the body of water, wherein the heater comprises an elongate heating filament in the form of a tape and a portion of the elongate heating filament is arranged to be buoyantly supported by the body of water when the body of water is contained in the humidifier. 2. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the gas flow path includes a first portion between the PAP device and the humidifier and a second portion between the humidifier and the patient interface, and wherein the heating filament extends along at least part of both said first and second portions of the gas flow path. 3. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heating filament is configured to be in thermal contact with both the gas in the gas flow path and the body of water when the body of water is contained in the humidifier. 4. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the heating filament has an intermediate portion configured to be in contact with the body of water when the body of water is contained in the humidifier. 5. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament is configured to be at least partly immersed in the body of water when the body of water is contained in the humidifier. 6. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament is configured to be in contact with a surface of the body of water when the body of water is contained in the humidifier. 7. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament comprises a flexible tape. 8. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heating filament is inserted along a bore of a patient gas delivery conduit. 9. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heating filament is incorporated in a wall of a patient gas delivery conduit. 10. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the flexible tape forms a portion at least of the gas flow path. 11. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament comprises a heating element sealed within a flexible tape. 12. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the heating element is laminated within the flexible tape. 13. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flexible tape includes polycarbonate, polyester and/or polypropylene materials. 14. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the heating element is formed by printing or etching or vacuum deposition techniques, upon at least one side of the material. 15. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flexible tape includes kapton, silicone rubber, all-polyimide, PTFE and/or mica materials. 16. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the heating element includes a wire or a ribbon. 17. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament further incorporates one or more sensors. 18. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor, a gas flow sensor and/or a pressure sensor. 19. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors includes an electronic pressure sensor adapted to sense one or more pressure signals. 20. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the one or more pressure signals includes noise, snore, cardiological, flow and/or gas flow path pressure. 21. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors includes a pressure sensor having a tube adapted to communicate one or more pressure signals. 22. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors includes a pressure sensor having a tube with a diaphragm adapted to sense one or more pressure signals. 23. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors includes a pressure sensor configured as a differential pressure sensor for two or more locations within the respiratory apparatus. 24. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the gas flow sensor comprises: a first pressure sensor associated with a thick portion of the heating filament; anda second pressure sensor associated with a thin portion of the heating filament,wherein an indication of a gas flow quantity is derived from a relationship between outputs of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor. 25. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the gas flow sensor comprises at least a portion of the heating filament configured as a hot wire anemometer. 26. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament further incorporates one or more control elements. 27. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament is adapted to receive one or more circuit components to monitor or control characteristics of the delivered gas. 28. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said characteristic includes temperature, humidity, gas flow, gas velocity and/or pressure. 29. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament further incorporates components adapted to enable the heating filament to obtain power from a wall adapted to allow one or more heating filaments to obtain power from a power supply. 30. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the power supply is a base unit. 31. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament further incorporates components adapted to enable a plurality of said heating filaments to supply power to each other from a power supply. 32. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament further incorporates components adapted to identify, communicate or have a memory device to enable a plurality of said heating filaments to interact with each other and a base unit. 33. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said heating filament interacts with the base unit via one or more heating filaments. 34. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said heating filament interacts with the base unit via a wall adapted to allow one or more heating filaments to interact with each other and the base unit. 35. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament is positioned within the gas flow path and is twisted about a longitudinal axis of the filament. 36. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the gas flow path includes a humidifier conduit, the humidifier and/or a patient gas delivery conduit. 37. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament forms a helix within the gas flow path. 38. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating filament is configured to modify acoustic properties of the respiratory apparatus. 39. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, including a plurality of said heating filaments. 40. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 39, wherein one or more of said plurality of said heating filaments further comprises one or more sensors or control elements. 41. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said plurality of said heating filaments comprise a plurality of heating circuits. 42. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating filament comprises a plurality of heating circuits. 43. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the heater is in thermal contact with the pressurised gas independently of the water when the humidifier is in an operating orientation. 44. A humidifier for respiratory apparatus, comprising: a first respiratory gas passage for receiving gas from a PAP device;a humidification chamber adapted to contain water for vaporisation and humidify the gas;a second respiratory gas passage for delivering the gas from the humidification chamber to a patient interface; anda heater configured to be in direct contact with the gas and configured to be buoyantly supported by the water contained in the humidification chamber, wherein the heater comprises an elongate heating filament in the form of a tape. 45. A humidifier according to claim 44, wherein the heating filament extends along at least part of both said first and second respiratory gas passages. 46. A humidifier according to claim 44, wherein a portion of the heating filament is configured to be in direct contact with the water in the humidification chamber. 47. A humidifier according to claim 44, wherein a portion of the heater that is in the humidification chamber is configured to be at least partially submerged in the water. 48. A humidifier according to claim 44, wherein the humidifier is configured so that the heater in direct contact with the gas and the water when the humidifier is in an operating orientation and the humidifier contains the water. 49. A humidifier for respiratory apparatus, the humidifier comprising: a container for holding a body of water, the container comprising a respiratory gas inlet and a respiratory gas outlet;apparatus for passing a respiratory gas flow over a surface of the water to humidify the gas flow; anda heater supported so as to directly heat the water adjacent and below said surface regardless of a level of water in the humidifier, the heater extending from the respiratory gas inlet to the respiratory gas outlet. 50. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein the heater is supported so as to float adjacent the surface of the water. 51. A humidifier according to claim 50, wherein the heater is supported by an inherent buoyancy of the heater. 52. A humidifier according to claim 50, wherein the heater is supported by a buoyant support body. 53. A humidifier according to claim 52, wherein the buoyant support body is a plate with one or more apertures. 54. A humidifier according to claim 53, wherein the plate with one or more apertures is a grid or mesh. 55. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein the heater comprises a flexible tape heater. 56. A humidifier according to claim 55, wherein the flexible tape heater forms a helix in the humidifier. 57. A humidifier according to claim 55, wherein the flexible tape heater forms a spiral in the humidifier. 58. A humidifier according to claim 55 where a portion of the flexible tape heater is in the gas flow and another portion of the flexible tape heater is in the body of water. 59. A humidifier according to claim 55, wherein the flexible tape heater is configured as a plate. 60. A humidifier according to claim 59 wherein the plate is supported by a buoyant support body about a peripheral edge of the plate. 61. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein a surface of the heater has one or more dimples. 62. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein the heater surface has one or more ripples. 63. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein the heater is further supported by one or more suspension arms. 64. A humidifier according to claim 49, wherein the heater is supported so as to directly heat the water immediately below the surface. 65. A humidifier for respiratory apparatus, comprising a first respiratory gas passage configured to receive gas from a PAP device, a humidification chamber configured to humidify the gas, a second respiratory gas passage for delivering the gas from the humidification chamber to a patient interface, and a heater in thermal contact with the gas and buoyantly supported by water in the humidification chamber, wherein the heater comprises an elongate heating filament extending along at least part of both said first and second respiratory gas passages. 66. A humidifier according to claim 65, wherein the heating filament is in thermal contact with water in the humidifier chamber. 67. A humidifier according to claim 65, wherein the heating filament comprises two or more separately controllable heating zones within the respiratory apparatus. 68. A humidifier according to claim 65 wherein the heating filament is a flexible tape heater. 69. A humidifier according to claim 65 wherein a portion of the heating filament is configured as a plate. 70. A humidifier according to claim 65, wherein the heater extends substantially the length of the first respiratory gas passage and the entire portion of the heater extending substantially the length of the first respiratory gas passage is located within the first respiratory gas passage. 71. A respiratory apparatus for delivering gas to a patient, including: a PAP device configured to generate a supply of pressurised gas to be delivered to the patient;a humidifier configured to vaporise water and deliver water vapour to humidify the gas;a gas flow path leading from the PAP device to the humidifier and from the humidifier to a patient interface; anda continuous heater in thermal contact with the gas and the water, wherein the continuous heater comprises two or more controllable heating zones within the respiratory apparatus,wherein at least one of said controllable heating zones corresponds to a portion of the continuous heater buoyantly supported by the water. 72. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the heater comprises a plurality of heating filaments in the form of a tape. 73. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 72, wherein each filament corresponds to a respective controllable heating zone of the two or more controllable heating zones. 74. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 73, wherein the gas flow path leading from the PAP device to the humidifier corresponds to a first heating zone, the humidifier corresponds to a second heating zone and the gas flow path leading from the humidifier to the patient interface corresponds to a third heating zone. 75. A respiratory apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the two or more controllable heating zones are controllable from a central location. 76. A method of controlling one or more characteristics of a gas being delivered by a respiratory apparatus to a patient, the respiratory apparatus comprising a humidifier apparatus containing water and a continuous heater in contact with the gas being provided to the patient and the water in the humidifier apparatus, the continuous heater having two or more controllable heater zones, the method including: controlling the heater zones to control one or more characteristics of the gas within the different zones of the respiratory apparatus to provide gas to the patient with desired one or more characteristics,wherein at least one of said controllable heater zones corresponds to a portion of the continuous heater buoyantly supported by the water. 77. A method according to claim 76, wherein said one or more characteristics includes temperature, humidity, gas flow, gas velocity and/or pressure. 78. A method according to claim 76, wherein the heater zones are controlled from a central location. 79. A method of increasing patient comfort during start-up humidification of a gas being delivered by a respiratory apparatus to a patient, the respiratory apparatus comprising a heater in contact with the gas being provided to the patient along a gas flow path and in contact with water in a humidifier apparatus, the method including: commencing heating of the gas in the gas flow path and heating of the water in the humidification apparatus, such that the patient is initially provided with heated gas while a temperature of the water in the humidification apparatus is being increased and before the temperature of the water reaches operating temperature,wherein the step of heating the gas in the gas flow path includes the step of temporarily providing a higher level of heating of the gas during an initial start-up stage of humidification. 80. A method according to claim 79, wherein the step of heating the gas in the gas flow path includes the step of heating at least a part of the gas flow path upstream of the humidification apparatus such that passage of the heated gas through the humidification apparatus provides an initial degree of humidification. 81. A method according to claim 79, wherein during the commencing of the heating of the gas in the flow path, the gas is directly heated by a heater. 82. A method according to claim 79, wherein heat for vaporizing the water during start-up is provided by the heated gas in the gas flow path.