| 摘要 |
A fluid treatment device comprises a housing (1, fig 1) and a fluid treatment element, eg a filter 2, located in the housing to treat fluid flowing through the housing. The housing has an inlet and an outlet port and is of elongate shape divided along its length into two parts, 10, 11, each part having a set of triangular tooth formations 16 extending along opposite sides that mate with one another. The fluid treatment element is pleated across its width in a zigzag fashion with the sides of the fluid treatment element following the profile of the teeth formations on the housing. Opposite edges of the fluid treatment element are supported and sealed between the teeth formation of the two parts of the housing such that fluid flowing between the two ports is confined to flow through the fluid treatment element. The housing may be moulded of two identical parts from a flexible plastics material, such as PVC, and may be corrugated on the outer surface to improve flexibility. One of the parts of the housing may include a carbon dioxide sampling port. The device may be used as a catheter mount for medical respiration systems with a patient end fitting (3, fig 1) and a machine end fitting (4, fig 1). Suitable filter elements may be of any conventional filter material, such as a HEPA bacterial/viral filter. In the case of delicate filter elements, a ladder shaped support frame made from a thermoplastics material, eg acetate, may be used (see fig 6). Alternatively the fluid treatment device may be used for humidifying air flowing to or from a patient, in which case the fluid treatment element may be an HME (heat and moisture exchange) element. The device may be used to treat liquids as well as gases. |
