1. A crosslinkable polymer composition, comprising
(i) a polyolefin, having an amount of units from polar comonomer of less than 150 micromoles per gram of polyolefin,
(ii) a polar copolymer having an amount of units from polar comonomer of more than 500 micromoles per gram of polar copolymers,
(iii) a glycerol ester compound; and
(iv) a crosslinking agent.
2. The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin is an olefin homo- or copolymer.
3. The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.
4. The polymer composition according to claim 1, the polyolefin further comprising units derived from a polar comonomer selected from acrylates, methacrylates, vinyl acetate, or mixtures therefrom.
5. The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin is an unsaturated polyolefin having a total amount of carbon-carbon double bonds1000 carbon atoms of at least 0.1 based upon ASTM D 3124-72, wherein the base line is drawn from 980 cm\u22121 to around 840 cm\u22121 and the peak heights are determined at around 888 cm\u22121 for vinylidene, around 910 cm\u22121 for vinyl and around 965 cm\u22121 for transvinylene.
6. The polymer composition according to claim 5, wherein the unsaturated polyolefin has a total amount of carbon-carbon double bonds1000 carbon atoms of more than 0.37 based upon ASTMD 3124-72, wherein the base line is drawn from 980 cm\u22121 to around 840 cm\u22121 and the peak heights are determined at around 888 cm\u22121 for vinylidene, around 910 cm\u22121 for vinyl and around 965 cm\u22121 for trans-vinylene.
7. The polymer composition according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the carbon-carbon double bonds are vinyl groups.
8. The polymer composition according to claim 7, wherein the unsaturated polyolefin has a total amount of vinyl groups1000 carbon atoms of at least 0.04, based upon ASTMD 3124-72, wherein the base line is drawn from 980 cm\u22121 to around 840 cm\u22121 and the peak height is determined at around 910 cm\u22121 for vinyl.
9. The polymer composition according to claim 5, wherein the unsaturated polyolefin is prepared by copolymerizing an olefin monomer and at least one polyunsaturated comonomer.
10. The polymer composition according to claim 9, wherein the unsaturated polyolefin has an amount of vinyl groups1000 carbon atoms which originate from the polyunsaturated comonomer, of at least 0.03 based upon ASTMD 3124-72, wherein the base line is drawn from 980 cm\u22121 to around 840 cm\u22121 and the peak height is determined at around 910 cm\u22121 for vinyl.
11. The polymer composition according to claim 9, wherein at least one polyunsaturated comonomer is a diene.
12. The polymer composition according to claim 11, wherein the diene is selected from 1,7-octadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 1,13tetradecadiene, 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene, 9-methyl-1,8-decadiene, or mixtures thereof.
13. The polymer composition according to claim 12, the polar copolymer further comprising units derived from a C3 to C20 alpha-olefin comonomer.
14. The polymer composition according to claim 3, wherein the polyethylene is produced by high pressure radical polymerization.
15. The polymer composition according to claim 14, the polyethylene further comprising units derived from C3-C20 alpha-olefin comonomers.
16. The polymer composition according to claim 1, the glycerol ester compound having the following formula:
R1OC3H5(OR2)OnR3
wherein n>1,
R1 , R2 and R3, which can be the same or different, are hydrogen or the residue of a carboxylic acid, with the proviso that there are at least two free OH groups and at least one residue of a carboxylic acid in the glycerol ester compound.
17. The polymer composition according to claim 16, wherein the carboxylic acid residue has from 8 to 24 carbon atoms.
18. The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polar copolymer is prepared by copolymerizing an olefin monomer and a polar comonomer.
19. The polymer composition according to claim 18, wherein the olefin monomer is selected from ethylene, C3-C20 alpha-olefins, and mixtures thereof.
20. The polymer composition according to claim 18, wherein the polar comonomer is selected from acrylates, methacrylates, vinyl acetate, and mixtures thereof.
21. The polymer composition according to claim 18, the polar copolymer further comprising units derived from a polyunsaturated comonomer.
22. The polymer composition according to claim 1, further comprising a polyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 50,000.
23. The polymer composition according to claim 1, further comprising an additive having at least one ether andor ester group, the additive being selected from polypropylene glycols, amido group containing fatty acid esters, ethoxylated andor propoxylated pentaerythritol, ethoxylated andor propoxylated fatty acids, alphatocopherol esters, or mixtures thereof.
24. The polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin is an unsaturated polyolefin having a total amount of carbon-carbon double bonds1000 carbon atoms of more than 0.05 based upon ASTMD 3124-72, wherein the base line is drawn from 980 cm\u22121 to around 840 cm\u22121 and the peak heights are determined at around 888 cm\u22121 for vinylidene, around 910 cm\u22121 for vinyl and around 965 cm\u22121 for transvinylene.
25. The polymer composition according to claim 1, having a total amount of units within the polar copolymer and optionally the polyolefin which are derived from the polar comonomer, of 100 to 800 micromoles per gram of the crosslinkable polymer composition.
26. A crosslinked polymer composition, obtained by treatment of the crosslinkable polymer composition according to claim 1, under crosslinking conditions.
27. The crosslinked polymer composition according to claim 26, having a hot set elongation value of less than 175%, determined according to IEC 60811-2-1.
28. The crosslinked polymer composition according to claim 26, having an electric breakdown strength of at least 50 kVmm after 1000 h wet ageing at a water bath temperature of 70\xb0 C. and a conductor temperature of 85\xb0 C. and an electric stress of 9 kVmm.
29. A process for preparing a crosslinked polymer composition, wherein the crosslinkable polymer composition according to claim 1 is treated under crosslinking conditions.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A sensor assembly for positioning in an airway of a patient circuit, comprising:
a sensing element configured to measure a parameter associated with gas within the airway;
an actuator mechanically coupled to the sensing element;
a first connector electrically coupled to the sensing element and configured to provide a measurement signal indicative of the measured parameter; and
a second connector electrically coupled to the actuator and configured to provide a drive signal to the actuator to actuate the sensing element.
2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is one of a resistive and a capacitive sensing element.
3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the parameter includes relative humidity and temperature within the airway.
4. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is maintained in a sensing element housing.
5. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuator is formed of a piezoelectric material.
6. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuator is formed of two piezoelectric layers.
7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 and further comprising:
a vane mechanically coupled to the sensing element and positioned between the two piezoelectric layers.
8. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the drive signal is configured to drive the actuator at a resonant frequency.
9. The sensor assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:
a seal positioned in the airway and enclosing the actuator.
10. The sensor assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:
a printed circuit board electrically coupling the sensing element and the first connector.
11. The sensor assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:
an assembly housing positioned outside the airway and maintaining the first and second connectors.
12. A respiratory therapy system, comprising:
a tube having an airway for transmitting gas; and
a sensor assembly coupled to the airway, comprising:
a sensing element configured to measure a parameter associated with gas within the airway;
an actuator mechanically coupled to the sensing element;
a first connector electrically coupled to the sensing element and configured to provide a measurement signal indicative of the measured parameter; and
a second connector electrically coupled to the actuator and configured to provide a drive signal to the actuator to actuate the sensing element.
13. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the sensing element is one of a resistive and a capacitive sensing element.
14. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the parameter includes relative humidity and temperature within the airway.
15. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the sensing element is maintained in a sensing element housing.
16. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the actuator is formed of a piezoelectric material.
17. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the actuator is formed of two piezoelectric layers.
18. The respiratory therapy system of claim 17, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises:
a vane mechanically coupled to the sensing element and positioned between the two piezoelectric layers.
19. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, wherein the drive signal is configured to drive the actuator at a resonant frequency.
20. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, and further comprising:
a seal positioned in the airway and enclosing the actuator.
21. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, and further comprising:
a printed circuit board electrically coupling the sensing element and the first connectors.
22. The respiratory therapy system of claim 12, and further comprising:
an assembly housing maintaining the first and second connectors.
23. A method of providing improved accuracy, reliability andor repeatability of dosage for a respiratory therapy session, comprising:
positioning a sensing element within a patient airway;
using the sensing element, measuring a parameter associated with gas within the airway;
coupling an actuator to the sensing element; and
providing a drive signal to the actuator to actuate the sensor assembly in order to reduce contamination on the sensing element.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing element is one of a resistive and a capacitive sensing element.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the parameter includes relative humidity and temperature within the airway.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing element is maintained in sensing element housing.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the actuator is formed of a piezoelectric material.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the actuator is formed of two piezoelectric layers.
29. The method of claim 28 and further comprising:
mechanically coupling a vane to the sensing element and positioning the vane between the two piezoelectric layers.
30. The method of claim 23, wherein the drive signal is configured to drive the actuator at a resonant frequency.
31. The method of claim 23, and further comprising:
providing a seal positioned in the airway and enclosing the actuator.