Fluid inlet adapter

Abstract

An adapter is described for providing fluid to a device from a fluid source. The adapter has a housing with an inlet extending through the housing for connecting the fluid source to the device. The adapter also includes a latching component to secure the adapter to the device. The adapter further includes a tab having embedded magnets in a specific magnet configuration. The device has a sensor capable of detecting the specific magnet configuration. The device can be connected to other adapters, and identifies the fluid source based on the magnet configurations of the adapters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adapter for providing fluid from a fluid source to a device, the adapter comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet extending through the housing for connecting the fluid source to the device, the inlet comprising a first end for connecting to the fluid source and a second end for connecting to the device;   a latching component configured to secure the adapter to the device; and   a machine-readable indicator for identifying the fluid source, the machine-readable indicator extending away from the first end of the inlet and beyond the second end of the inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable indicator comprises a tab comprising a magnet, and wherein a position of the magnet on the tab indicates the fluid source. 
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 2 , wherein the tab extends parallel to the inlet. 
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 2 , wherein the magnet is embedded in the tab. 
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the latching component comprises a threaded nut. 
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises at least one pin for holding the threaded nut. 
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 5 , wherein the threaded nut comprises a groove, and wherein the at least one pin is configured to interface with the groove. 
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first protrusion having a first width and a second protrusion having a second width, the first width is different from the second width, the first protrusion is configured to fit in a corresponding first notch of the device, and the second protrusion is configured to fit in a corresponding second notch of the device such that the adapter connects to the device in a single orientation. 
     
     
         9 . A ventilator comprising:
 a ventilator housing;   a flow control device within the ventilator housing; and   a first removable adapter comprising:
 a first adapter housing; 
 a first inlet extending through the first adapter housing, the first inlet comprising a first adapter end for a first external connection and a first connector end configured to removably connect to the flow control device; 
 a first latching component configured to secure the first adapter to the flow control device; and 
 a first machine-readable indicator for identifying the first external connection, the first machine-readable indicator extending away from the first adapter end of the first inlet and beyond the first connector end of the first inlet. 
   
     
     
         10 . The ventilator of  claim 9 , wherein the first removable adapter is tethered to the ventilator housing. 
     
     
         11 . The ventilator of  claim 9 , wherein the machine-readable indicator comprises a first tab comprising a first magnet, and wherein a position of the first magnet on the first tab identifies the first external connection. 
     
     
         12 . The ventilator of  claim 11 , wherein the flow control device comprises a sensor configured to detect a position of a magnet. 
     
     
         13 . The ventilator of  claim 9 , wherein the first latching component comprises a first threaded nut. 
     
     
         14 . The ventilator of  claim 13 , wherein the flow control device comprises a threaded connector configured to interface with the first threaded nut. 
     
     
         15 . The ventilator of  claim 13 , wherein the first adapter housing comprises at least one pin for holding the first threaded nut. 
     
     
         16 . The ventilator of  claim 13 , wherein the threaded nut comprises a groove, and wherein the at least one pin is configured to interface with the groove. 
     
     
         17 . The ventilator of  claim 14 , wherein the first adapter housing comprises a first protrusion having a first width and a second protrusion having a second width, the threaded connector comprises a first notch having the first width and a second notch having the second width, and the first width is different from the second width such that the first protrusion fits into the first notch and the second protrusion fits into the second notch in a single orientation of the adapter. 
     
     
         18 . The ventilator of  claim 9 , further comprising a second removable adapter comprising:
 a second adapter housing;   a second inlet extending through the second adapter housing, the second inlet comprising a second adapter end for a second external connection and a second connector end configured to removably connect to the flow control device;   a second latching component configured to secure the second adapter to the flow control device; and   a second machine-readable indicator for identifying the second external connection, the second machine-readable indicator extending away from the second adapter end of the second inlet and beyond the second connector end of the second inlet.   
     
     
         19 . The ventilator of  claim 18 , wherein the first machine-readable indicator comprises a first tab comprising one or more magnets in a first magnet configuration and the second machine-readable indicator comprises a second tab comprising one or more magnets in a second magnet configuration, different than the first magnet configuration. 
     
     
         20 . An adapter for providing fluid to a device, the adapter comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet extending through the housing for connecting the fluid source to the device, the inlet comprising a first end for connecting to the fluid source and a second end for connecting to the device;   a latching component configured to secure the adapter to the device; and   a tab comprising one or more embedded magnets positioned in a magnet configuration.