US3617698A - Vaporizer apparatus - Google Patents

Vaporizer apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3617698A
US3617698A US10451A US3617698DA US3617698A US 3617698 A US3617698 A US 3617698A US 10451 A US10451 A US 10451A US 3617698D A US3617698D A US 3617698DA US 3617698 A US3617698 A US 3617698A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
heating chamber
liquid
water
filling
conduit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US10451A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert H Duncanson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Faberge Inc
Original Assignee
Faberge Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Faberge Inc filed Critical Faberge Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3617698A publication Critical patent/US3617698A/en
Assigned to IRVING COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, THE reassignment IRVING COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FABERGE, INCORPORATED
Assigned to FABERGE, INCORPORATED, A NY CORP. reassignment FABERGE, INCORPORATED, A NY CORP. SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FABERGE USA, INC., A MN CORP.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
    • F24F6/02—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air
    • F24F6/025—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using electrical heating means
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
    • A61M11/04—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised
    • A61M11/041—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised using heaters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D1/00—Evaporating
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S128/00—Surgery
    • Y10S128/909—Breathing apparatus with means for preventing patient cross-contamination

Definitions

  • the present invention is. concerned with apparatus for generating vapor for such use as a humidifier or vaporizer by raising the temperature of a liquid such as water or water with added medicaments or the like.
  • the temperature of the liquid is raised by electrical means such as an electrical resistance element or by immersed electrode plates.
  • the hazard is further aggravated by the fact that the most common liquid employed is water and users may be tempted to till the device from electrically grounded water taps while the device is connected to the power line. Further, the shock hazard with such devices may be greater when the user's skin is wet.
  • the vaporizer of the present invention virtually eliminates the potential shock hazard by maintaining that under all conditions of use and misuse a high resistance path between the electrodes and the user, preventing the user from contacting the liquid in the electrode chamber, and by eliminating any electrical shock consequence from overfilling or tilting of the unit.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view in section of an embodiment of a vaporizer constructed in accordance with this invention
  • FlG. 2 is a top view of the vaporizer of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a view partly in section taken from the plane 3-3 ofFlG.1;and a FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing how an attempted erroneous filling through the vapor exit port is harmlessly discharged.
  • the apparatus is shown in a preferred embodiment which is in .the form of a room vaporizer for humidifying room air or dispensing medicated vapors for sick room use.
  • the apparatus comprises a housing including a filling receptacle l2 and .a vapor exit port 16.
  • a boiler chamber which can be filled with the liquid to be vaporized. vaporization is accomplished within the boiler by the well-known technique of passing electrical current through a portion of the liquid between a pair of spaced-electrode plates 22, 23 which differ in electrical potential by being connected to the house power line.
  • the vapor generated by the electrodes collects above the liquid in the boiler chamber 20 and issues from the top wall of the boiler chamber through an opening 24 which is in communication with the vapor exit port 16 of the housing 10.
  • a baffle member 27 helps direct the vapor toward the exit port 16. Liquid to be vaporized is conveyed to the boiler chamber by means of an inclined ramp, channel, or conduit 26 which leads from a point directly below the filling receptacle 12 of the housing to the opening 24 in the top of the boiler chamber.
  • the liquid to be vaporized is in direct contact with the electrodes 22, 23 which are at a potential determined by the electrical power line, it is necessary to isolate the user from direct or indirect contact with the liquid in the boiler chamber. This is accomplished by providing very long paths for leakage current from the boiler chamber to the exterior of the housing; by interrupting, elongating, and reducing the conductive cross-sectional area of the stream of liquid during filling; by insuring that the electrodes are not immersed when the unit is tilted into a draining attitude; and by excluding fingers or probing instrumentalities from entry or contact with the liquid.
  • the construction of the present device provides only extremely long and consequently high-resistance paths between a user touching the outside of the housing and the electrodes on the inside of the enclosed boiler.
  • the boiler chamber 20 is of nonconductive material such as plastic.
  • the boiler chamber 20 is completely enclosed within the housing 10 which is also a nonconductor.
  • the boiler chamber 20 is spaced away from the interior of housing 10 by means of long narrow supporting posts 14.
  • This construction results in a very long path between the exterior of the housing 10 and the electrodes on the interior of the boiler chamber 20. All surfaces which may be wetted with condensed vapor are remote from the electrodes. Further, the elongated current leakage paths are discontinuous because the numerous sharp corners in the path substantially reduce the possibility of maintaining an uninterrupted surface film of liquid.
  • the filmbreaking effect of sharp comers is augmented by the use of film-breaking sharp edges 21 which discourage the maintenance of a continuous film current path to the posts 14. Any conductive path between the electrodes and the housing exterior must traverse the long narrow support posts 14 which are remote from any exterior surface. The result of the foregoing characteristics is a low probability for an uninterrupted wet surface film conductive path and a film path resistance in the order of hundreds of thousands of ohms, which is adequate to reduce the current to a harmless level.
  • the stream of filling liquid is interrupted and is reduced in cross-sectional area.
  • the filling liquid is poured into the funnel-shaped filling receptacle 12.
  • the liquid flows by gravity through one or more small apertures 13 in the bottom of the receptacle.
  • the size of apertures 13 is chosen to limit the liquid flow to promote the formation of discrete drops rather than a continuous stream.
  • the number of such drop forming apertures is chosen to insure rapid filling.
  • the formation of drops interrupts a conductive path.
  • the drops impinge upon an inclined ramp or channel 26 which conveys the liquid to the opening 24 in the top wall of the boiler chamber 20.
  • the slope of the ramp accelerates the liquid so as to form a relatively thin film of moving liquid thereby presenting a minimal cross-sectional area of liquid for high resistance to current flow.
  • the film of liquid is again broken up into discrete drops which interrupt any conductive path. The drops fall into the boiler chamber.
  • FIG. 4 shows the vaporizer of the present invention in a tilted position which might be employed to drain the boiler chamber after use of the device.
  • the electrodes are in a position where they are no longer immersed. This interrupts any conductive path from the electrodes to the draining liquid.
  • FIG. 4 also illustrates the futility of an attempt to erroneously fill the boiler chamber through the vapor exit port 16 rather than through the intended filling receptacle 12.
  • the liquid simply spills harmlessly into the space between the boiler chamber and the housing from which it drains through the drain holes 15.
  • the erroneously introduced liquid is kept remote from contact with the electrodes.
  • Fingers and probing instrumentalities are excluded from the boiler chamber by providing opening 245 as the only access to the interior of the boiler and by locating opening 24 in a position out of alignment with either of the exit port 16 or the filling receptacle 12. Further exclusion is provided by covering the vapor exit port 16 with a screen or apertured grid structure 17 with relatively small apertures.
  • the double shell construction of the present device wherein the boiler chamber is spaced from the housing maintains the exterior of the housing at a comfortably cool temperature while the liquid in the boiler is heated to boiling.
  • a water heater having a container and spaced electrodes in the container for heating water by passing current from one electrode to the other through the water and in which means for filling the container are provided comprising a conduit having a downwardly sloping floor with an upper inlet end and terminating in a lower discharge end disposed over an entrance to the container remote from the electrodes, a filling receptacle having a drop forming exit orifice positioned above the inlet end of the conduit, the arrangement being such that water introduced to the filling receptacle will flow from its orifice in drops which fall to the inlet end of the conduit and thence downwardly to fall from the discharge end of the conduit into the container, whereby discontinuity is imparted to the flow of water to enchance its resistance to the passage of electrical current therethrough.
  • a heater for liquids comprising a nonconductive outer housing, a nonconductive liquid heating chamber having a top wall and including an electrical heater means, said heating chamber being enclosed within the outer housing, said heating chamber being spaced away from the interior surfaces of the outer housing by means of elongated electrically nonconductive support members, a filling receptacle for receiving liquid to be conveyed to the heating chamber, said filling receptacle having a drop forming exit orifice, and conduit means leading from a position below the exit orifice to an entrance to the heating chamber, whereby a stream of filling liquid is discontinuous to interrupt a flow of electrical current therethrough.
  • the outer housing includes drain holes to discharge liquid which may appear in the space between the heating chamber and the interior of the outer housing and wherein such drain holes are located remote from the support members to maximize the length of a conductive path and its resistance to current flow to the exterior of the outer housing.
  • a water vaporizer comprising a nonconductive heating chamber including an electrode plate water-heating means and a top wall, and a nonconductive outer housing including a vapor exit port and a water filling receptacle, the heating chamber being spaced away from the interior surface of the outer housing by elongated support members, the heating chamber having an opening in its top wall for filling and for discharge of vapor, the vapor exit port being in communication with said opening, the water-filling receptacle including a drop forming exit orifice, and an inclined channel means for conveying filling water downwardly from a position below the drop forming orifice to said opening whereby the steam of filling water is discontinuous to interrupt the flow of electrical current therethrough.
  • the vaporizer of claim 9 wherein the heating chamber is provided with sharp edges to interrupt a surface film of water.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Hematology (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Anesthesiology (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
  • Control Of Resistance Heating (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Air Humidification (AREA)
  • Cookers (AREA)
US10451A 1970-02-11 1970-02-11 Vaporizer apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3617698A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US1045170A 1970-02-11 1970-02-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3617698A true US3617698A (en) 1971-11-02

Family

ID=21745818

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10451A Expired - Lifetime US3617698A (en) 1970-02-11 1970-02-11 Vaporizer apparatus

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3617698A (de)
BE (1) BE762811A (de)
CH (1) CH522182A (de)
FR (1) FR2078477A5 (de)
IE (1) IE34940B1 (de)
NO (1) NO130080B (de)
SE (1) SE364106B (de)
ZA (1) ZA71806B (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3711673A (en) * 1970-03-20 1973-01-16 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Doors for electronic ovens
US4496826A (en) * 1983-02-14 1985-01-29 Leonard Osrow Hand-held shock-resistant electrolytically heated steam producing apparatus
EP0104048A3 (de) * 1982-09-22 1985-12-18 Primeline (Imports) Limited Elektrisches Gerät mit Wasserbehälter
US6072937A (en) * 1997-02-05 2000-06-06 Irenco Ltd Steam generator
US20150059748A1 (en) * 2013-09-03 2015-03-05 Apex Medical Corp . Humidifier for respiratory apparatus
EP2968829A4 (de) * 2013-03-15 2016-10-05 Resmed Ltd Befeuchterbehälter
US9861778B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-01-09 Resmed Limited Humidifier reservoir
US12194244B2 (en) 2018-12-18 2025-01-14 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12611517B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2026-04-28 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2676112B1 (fr) * 1991-05-03 1993-08-06 Ponant Ind Dispositif d'isolation electrique entre une source en eau et un generateur de vapeur a electrodes.

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1081463A (en) * 1913-03-15 1913-12-16 James B Pentz Apparatus for generating steam.
US1323181A (en) * 1919-11-25 Method and apparatus for administering anesthetics
US1648547A (en) * 1921-05-14 1927-11-08 Walter V Goodfellow Method for producing an anaesthetic
US1811727A (en) * 1929-09-17 1931-06-23 Clifford C Mccloud Electric humidifier
US1933632A (en) * 1932-01-13 1933-11-07 Waldemar L Lindgren Combination humidifier, cigar lighter, and ash tray arrangement
US2000628A (en) * 1932-07-16 1935-05-07 Harry L Worthington Electric steaming apparatus
US2124482A (en) * 1935-09-17 1938-07-19 Robert S Blair Humidifying apparatus and method
US2299789A (en) * 1940-11-22 1942-10-27 Circo Products Company Apparatus for degreasing gear casings
US2850615A (en) * 1957-03-18 1958-09-02 Acf Ind Inc Fire simulator

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1323181A (en) * 1919-11-25 Method and apparatus for administering anesthetics
US1081463A (en) * 1913-03-15 1913-12-16 James B Pentz Apparatus for generating steam.
US1648547A (en) * 1921-05-14 1927-11-08 Walter V Goodfellow Method for producing an anaesthetic
US1811727A (en) * 1929-09-17 1931-06-23 Clifford C Mccloud Electric humidifier
US1933632A (en) * 1932-01-13 1933-11-07 Waldemar L Lindgren Combination humidifier, cigar lighter, and ash tray arrangement
US2000628A (en) * 1932-07-16 1935-05-07 Harry L Worthington Electric steaming apparatus
US2124482A (en) * 1935-09-17 1938-07-19 Robert S Blair Humidifying apparatus and method
US2299789A (en) * 1940-11-22 1942-10-27 Circo Products Company Apparatus for degreasing gear casings
US2850615A (en) * 1957-03-18 1958-09-02 Acf Ind Inc Fire simulator

Cited By (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3711673A (en) * 1970-03-20 1973-01-16 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Doors for electronic ovens
EP0104048A3 (de) * 1982-09-22 1985-12-18 Primeline (Imports) Limited Elektrisches Gerät mit Wasserbehälter
US4496826A (en) * 1983-02-14 1985-01-29 Leonard Osrow Hand-held shock-resistant electrolytically heated steam producing apparatus
US6072937A (en) * 1997-02-05 2000-06-06 Irenco Ltd Steam generator
US11357948B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-06-14 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11504496B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-11-22 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12611517B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2026-04-28 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US9861778B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-01-09 Resmed Limited Humidifier reservoir
US10342950B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2019-07-09 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US10688271B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2020-06-23 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11013881B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2021-05-25 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11298499B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-04-12 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11311696B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-04-26 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11357947B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-06-14 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12251520B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2025-03-18 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11464935B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-10-11 ResMed Pty Ltd Respiratory pressure therapy device having dock configured to alternatively receive a water reservoir or an end cap
US11497879B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-11-15 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
EP2968829A4 (de) * 2013-03-15 2016-10-05 Resmed Ltd Befeuchterbehälter
US11565075B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2023-01-31 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11565076B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2023-01-31 ResMed Pty Ltd Medical treatment apparatus and water reservoir for same
US11666727B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2023-06-06 ResMed Pty Ltd Medical treatment apparatus and water reservoir for same
US11672940B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2023-06-13 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11883605B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2024-01-30 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US11998701B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2024-06-04 ResMed Pty Ltd Apparatus for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient
US12102769B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2024-10-01 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12144929B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2024-11-19 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12201779B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2025-01-21 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US12201780B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2025-01-21 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir
US20150059748A1 (en) * 2013-09-03 2015-03-05 Apex Medical Corp . Humidifier for respiratory apparatus
US9737680B2 (en) * 2013-09-03 2017-08-22 Apex Medical Corp. Humidifier for respiratory apparatus
US12194244B2 (en) 2018-12-18 2025-01-14 ResMed Pty Ltd Humidifier reservoir

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH522182A (de) 1972-04-30
BE762811A (fr) 1971-08-11
NO130080B (de) 1974-07-01
IE34940L (en) 1971-08-11
SE364106B (de) 1974-02-11
ZA71806B (en) 1972-09-27
IE34940B1 (en) 1975-10-01
FR2078477A5 (de) 1971-11-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3873806A (en) Vaporizer-humidifier
US3617698A (en) Vaporizer apparatus
US3809374A (en) Vaporizer-humidifier
US5176856A (en) Ultrasonic wave nebulizer
CA2940466C (en) Steam generating device and thermal cooking apparatus
US3511236A (en) Vaporizer for delivery of vapor to facial area
US3593712A (en) Ultrasonic nebulizer
US1981765A (en) Vaporizer
US1900956A (en) Portable heater
US2211407A (en) Portable vaporizer
US2533794A (en) Vaporizer
US4155001A (en) Electrode-type vaporizer
US2472992A (en) Evaporator for therapeutic
US2076709A (en) Spraying device
US6275652B1 (en) Heating element for a humidifier
US3020385A (en) Vaporizer
US2777935A (en) Electric vaporizer
US2301646A (en) Humidifier
US3588470A (en) Electric sauna bath heater
US1968173A (en) Spraying device
US2484681A (en) Sterilizing device
US2111206A (en) Art of vaporizing medicaments and other materials
US2454657A (en) Vaporizer
US2523372A (en) Apparatus for vaporizing liquid
JPH0534543Y2 (de)

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: IRVING COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, THE, 1290 AVENUE OF

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FABERGE, INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:004529/0988

Effective date: 19860121

AS Assignment

Owner name: FABERGE, INCORPORATED, A NY CORP.

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FABERGE USA, INC., A MN CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004879/0884

Effective date: 19871222