Abstract: A high flow rate humidifier employs a mixing body having a high pressure oxygen (128) jet that entrains water from a container (121) to provide a turbulent aerosol mixture of gas having water particles entrained therein. To remove the water particles and introduce vapor into the mixture, the mixture is passed through an evaporation chamber (200) formed by a pair of juxtaposed mutually spaced discs (202,204), each of which has a number of square holes (212a, 212b, 222a, 222b). The turbulent aerosol mixture at and about the jet orifice (132) is caused to flow linearly through the holes of the first disc into the space between the two, where it again becomes turbulent. The turbulent flow from between the discs is caused to flow linearly through the holes in the second or output disc into a mixing chamber (146) from whence the humidified gas is discharged.

Abstract: An adaptor is made to connect a standard sterilized water container to a standard aerosol flow passage that itself is connected to a heater. The flow control adaptor comprises a nipple that is connected to the water bottle above the heater and chamber and extends through and sealing relation to the chamber to position the nipple bottom at the heater platen which forms the bottom of the aerosol flow chamber. The bottom of the nipple adjacent the bottom of the chamber is formed with a relatively lower and smaller water feed aperture and a relatively higher and larger vent aperture that collective operate to maintain a constant level of water in the bottom of the aerosol flow chamber.

Abstract: An air entrainment nebulizer obtains a high oxygen content with an optimum total flow rate by employing an oxygen jet large enough to flow about 40 liters a minute of pressurized oxygen and an air entrainment opening of a very small total size. The air entrainment opening is a configured for very fine incremental adjustment adjacent the minimal opening or nearly closed position so as to readily control oxygen content of the discharged moisturized mixture without excessively increasing total flow rate. The air entrainment aperture is divided several parallel mutually staggered elongated slots, each having a width sufficiently small to block projection of water droplets from the mixing chamber. The combination of a high flow rate oxygen jet and a small size air entrainment aperture provides a discharge outlet having oxygen percentages in the range of about 60% to nearly 100% while maintaining a total output flow rate in the order of about 40 to about 70 liters per minute.

Abstract: A nebulizer providing a moistened breathing mixture of aerosol for inhalation therapy is provided with an improved accumulator chamber and heater configured to heat aerosol discharged from the nebulizer so as to most efficiently utilize the heat energy and to most efficiently transfer heat energy from the heater to the aerosol. Passage of the aerosol through and accumulation in a relatively long annular accumulator chamber that adjoins the heater allows introduction of heated water vapor into the aerosol. A central chamber collects precipitated droplets from the mixing chamber, and a wicking disc flows the collected liquid, under pressure or by wicking action, into the accumulator chamber where it is heated and vaporized.

Abstract: A nebulizer providing a moistened breathing mixture of aerosol for inhalation therapy is provided with an improved accumulator chamber and heater configured to heat aerosol discharged from the nebulizer so as to most efficiently utilize the heat energy and to most efficiently transfer heat energy from the heater to the aerosol. Passage of the aerosol through and accumulation in a relatively long annular accumulator chamber that adjoins the heater allows introduction of heated water vapor into the aerosol. A central chamber collects precipitated droplets from the mixing chamber, and flows the collected liquid, under pressure, into the accumulator chamber where it is heated and vaporized.

Abstract: A longitudinal surgical scrub brush is packaged in a sealed compartment formed by two thin, flexible sheets which also include an aseptic solution containing chamber adjacent the head of the brush. The head of the brush is configured to facilitate rupture of the seal between the brush containing compartment and the separate solution compartment to allow the brush to be manipulated by the handle and to cause the head of the brush to be inserted into the solution containing compartment, thereby absorbing solution only on the bristles and sponge carried on the brush head. The brush with its head containing the absorbed solution may be withdrawn from the package by the handle, which remains free of solution, and the brush may continue to be manipulated by this solution free handle.

Abstract: A nebulizer providing a moistened breathing mixture of aerosol for inhalation therapy is provided with an improved heater having a single heating element arranged in a heating housing, configured so as to support and heat the liquid in the nebulizer container and to also heat the aerosol discharged from the nebulizer so as to most efficiently utilize the heat energy and to most efficiently transfer heat energy from the heater to the aerosol. Passage of the aerosol through and accumulation in the relatively long annular accumulator that circumscribes the heater collects rain out from the aerosol and re-vaporizes the collected liquid to add further moisture to the aerosol.

Abstract: A cassette pulley is assembled from a flange part having three assembly pins which are received in corresponding holes of a hub part. The hub part has a number of reinforcing ribs which divide the bottom of the hub part into a number of recesses which are conveniently employed to hold the hub part on a group of hub holding stub shafts during assembly. Because there are more recesses than holding stub shafts, the hub may assume more than one orientation relative to the stub shafts. In order to achieve proper relative orientation of hub and flange, the hub holder is formed with a hole that is aligned with one of the hub holes when the hub is in one of a selected group of orientations. Optical sensing of such alignment enables the flange to be positioned in an orientation appropriate for assembly of the flange pins into the hub holes.