Patent ID: 11931519
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A humidifier that provides humidification to breathing gas for ventilating a patient, comprising:
a first sensor that monitors an inspiratory flow of breathing gas flowing into the humidifier from a ventilator;
a second sensor that monitors humidity information of the breathing gas flowing into the humidifier;
a processor that calculates, based on the inspiratory flow and the humidity information, an amount of water to add to the breathing gas to reach a desired humidity; and
a controller that commands:
injection of the amount of water in bursts of atomized water directly into a flow path of the breathing gas; and
heating of a heating element to heat a thermally-conductive material in the flow path downstream of an injection point of the injected water, wherein the injected water is vaporized upon contact of the water with the thermally-conductive material to form humidified breathing gas for delivery to a patient being ventilated by the ventilator.