INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 18 October 2018 (18.10.2018) W I PO I PCT oimiolo VIII °nolo VIII 01 ois (10) International Publication Number WO 2018/190732 A2 (51) International Patent Classification: G01N 29/024 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/NZ2018/050052 (22) International Filing Date: 13 April 2018 (13.04.2018) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 62/485,614 14 April 2017 (14.04.2017) US 62/516,579 07 June 2017 (07.06.2017) US (71) Applicant: FISHER & PAYKEL HEALTHCARE LIMITED [NZ/NZ]; 15 Maurice Paykel Place, East Tama- ki, Auckland, 2013 (NZ). (72) Inventors: BURGESS, Russel William; 15 Maurice Paykel Place, East Tamaki, Auckland, 2013 (NZ). BARK- ER, Dean Antony; 15 Maurice Paykel Place, East Tamaki, Auckland, 2013 (NZ). (74) Agent: BALDWINS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; PO BOX 852, Wellington, 6011 (NZ). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, (54) Title: FLOW PATH SENSING FOR FLOW THERAPY APPARATUS /0 /7 N O 00 O C FIG. I (57) : A respiratory flow therapy apparatus including a sensor module can measure a flow rate of gases or gases concentra- tion provided to a patient. The sensor module can be located after a blower and/or mixer. The sensor module can include at least an ultrasonic transmitter, a receiver, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor and/or a flow rate sensor. The receivers can be immersed in the gases flow path. The receivers can cancel delays in the transmitters and improve accuracy of measurements of characteristics of the gases flow. The receivers can allow for detection of a fault condition in a blower motor of the apparatus. [Continued on next page] WO 2018/190732 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Published: without international search report and to be republished upon receipt of that report (Rule 48.2(g)) in black and white; the international application as filed contained color or greyscale and is available for download from PATENTSCOPE
FLOW PATH SENSING FOR FLOW THERAPY APPARATUS