Granted Patent B2

US 12,296,102 · App. 17/236,335 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventors: Christopher Jaye Norman Amadio (Auckland, NZ); Elmo Benson Stoks (Auckland, NZ); Charles Christopher North (Auckland, NZ); Mahran Maumoon Sujau (Auckland, NZ); Joshua Daniel Stroobant (Cambridge, GB); Gavin Walsh Millar (Auckland, NZ); Matthew Liam Buswell (Auckland, NZ); Ibrahim AL-Tiay (Auckland, NZ); David Leon McCauley (Auckland, NZ); Andre Van Schalkwyk (Auckland, NZ); Katja Munkelt (Hermsdorf, DE); Matthew Robert Wilson (Auckland, NZ); Helgard Oosthuysen (Auckland, NZ); Sanjay Parag Patel (Auckland, NZ); Dominique Richard D'Andrea (Auckland, NZ); Grant Martin Dover (Auckland, NZ); Dean Antony Barker (Auckland, NZ); Jonathan David Harwood (Auckland, NZ)

Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited

A61M16/0875A61M39/08A61M16/0066A61M16/0666A61M16/0683A61M16/0816A61M16/1095A61M16/16A61M2039/1022A61M2205/3372A61M2207/00B29C53/785

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A respiratory conduit comprising:

a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis and a wall surrounding the lumen, the lumen configured to define a gas-flow path when in use; and,

a component securely connected to the wall and extending across a full width of the lumen such that the component is supported at each end by the wall surrounding the lumen, the component comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) with a temperature sensor provided on a surface of the PCB, a sensor portion disposed in the lumen; and

the sensor portion comprising a projecting portion wherein the projecting portion is configured to extend longitudinally upstream along the gas-flow path while the respiratory conduit is in use.

2. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the component also comprises a dividing portion, the dividing portion being embedded in the wall, the dividing portion of the component extending across the lumen along a diameter or chord line such that the dividing portion generally bisects at least part of the gas-flow path, and at least part of the dividing portion being overmolded by an overmolding composition.

3. The respiratory conduit of claim 2 , wherein the component comprises a wiring portion adjacent the dividing portion and projecting outward from the wall in a direction away from the lumen, the wiring portion being configured to provide an electrical connection to the temperature sensor.

4. The respiratory conduit of claim 3 , wherein the component comprises a support portion adjacent the dividing portion and projecting outward in a direction away from the lumen and in a direction opposite to the wiring portion.

5. The respiratory conduit of claim 2 , wherein the dividing portion divides at least part of the gas-flow path into two unequal parts.

6. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the sensor portion is overmolded by the overmolding composition.

7. The respiratory conduit of claim 6 , wherein the overmolding composition proximal the sensor portion comprises a tapered shape extending along the longitudinal axis and/or an airfoil shape, a wing shape, a torpedo shape, or a bullet shape.

8. The respiratory conduit of claim 6 , wherein a thinnest part of the overmolding composition is proximal an upstream leading edge or a downstream leading edge of the sensor portion.

9. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein a cross-lumen distance between the sensor portion and the wall is at least 30% of a diameter of the lumen.

10. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the component is positioned within a patient-end connector configured to connect a tube to a patient interface.

11. The respiratory conduit of claim 10 , wherein the patient-end connector comprises an insert configured to be connected at one end to the tube and at another end to the patient interface, the insert forming at least a part of the lumen defining the gas-flow path and configured to provide a housing for the PCB and the temperature sensor of the component.

12. The respiratory conduit of claim 11 , wherein the patient-end connector comprises a cover configured to protect and cover the PCB and a connection location of the insert to the tube.

13. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 further comprising a tube, wherein the PCB is configured to be connected to one or more conductive filaments provided in a wall of the tube.

14. The respiratory conduit of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is close to an edge of the projecting portion of the sensor portion.

15. The respiratory conduit of claim 14 , wherein a first conductive pad connects to the temperature sensor on the projecting portion of the sensor portion.

16. The respiratory conduit of claim 15 further comprising a second conductive pad and the temperature sensor bridges across a gap between the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad.

17. A conduit for delivering humidified gases to a patient, the conduit comprising:

a connector configured to connect to a tube, the connector comprising a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis and a wall surrounding the lumen, the lumen defining a gas-flow path for the humidified gases when in use; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:

a dividing portion embedded in the wall, the dividing portion extending across a full width of the lumen along a diameter or chord line such that the dividing portion generally bisects at least part of the gas-flow path, and at least part of the dividing portion being overmolded by an overmolding composition;

a wiring portion adjacent the dividing portion, the wiring portion projecting outward from the wall; and

a sensor portion disposed in the lumen of the connector and comprising at least one sensor, the sensor portion being overmolded by the overmolding composition.

18. The conduit of claim 17 , wherein the tube comprises:

a first elongate member having a hollow body; and

a second elongate member spirally wound and joined between adjacent turns of the first elongate member.

19. The conduit of claim 18 , wherein the first elongate member is spirally wound to form at least a portion of the tube and the hollow body of the first elongate member defining a hollow portion of the wall surrounding the lumen.

20. The conduit of claim 19 , wherein the second elongate member forms at least a portion of the wall surrounding the lumen.

21. The conduit of claim 20 , wherein one or more conductive filaments are embedded or encapsulated within the second elongate member.

22. The conduit of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the one or more conductive filaments is a heating filament and/or a sensing filament.

23. The conduit of claim 22 , wherein the wiring portion is configured to electrically connect to the one or more conductive filaments.

24. The conduit of claim 17 , wherein the dividing portion divides at least part of the gas-flow path into two unequal parts.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (400)