A humidifier is for an airway pressure support system for delivering a humidified flow of breathing gas to an airway of a patient. The humidifier includes a water chamber, a filter, a filtration meter, a conduit, a nozzle, and a heater plate. The filter has a housing structured to house a filtration medium therein and having an inlet fluidly connected with the water chamber and an outlet. The filtration meter includes an inlet fluidly connected to the outlet of the filter, an outlet, a body portion extending between the inlet and the outlet which is structured to convey water from the inlet of the filtration meter to the outlet of the filtration meter, and a mechanism located in the body portion which is structured to measure filtration data of the water conveyed through the body portion.

A method for operating a humidifier coupled to a gas flow generator. The humidifier has a pump providing a supply of water to a heater plate. The method includes: providing power to the gas flow generator; raising the temperature of the heater plate from an ambient temperature to about a first predetermined temperature; powering the pump at about a predetermined first duty cycle; monitoring the temperature of the heater plate until one of: a drop in temperature is detected, or a predetermined period of time has elapsed; and one of: increasing the duty cycle of the pump if the drop in temperature is detected, or turning off the pump if the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

A heated conduit is configured to be connected to and receive pressurized breathable gas from a respiratory unit. The heated conduit includes a first cuff configured to be attached to the respiratory unit, the first cuff comprising a tubular air inlet portion that is configured to receive the pressurized breathable gas and an electrical connector portion that is adjacent to the tubular air inlet portion and comprises three electrical terminals. The three electrical terminals are configured to engage an electrical connector of the respiratory unit. A grouping of wires are supported within a helical rib of a flexible tube portion. The grouping of wires includes a pair of heating wires configured to generate heat and a signal wire configured to carry the signal that is output by a sensing device. Each of the heating wires and the signal wire is connected to a corresponding one of the three electrical terminals of the electrical connector portion of the first cuff.

The disclosed invention provides a breathing circuit that includes a volume regulator that includes only three ports which include an inlet port connected to the exhalation port, a first outlet port connected to atmosphere, and a second outlet port connected to the moisturizer assembly. The breathing circuit is used for a ventilation system that delivers breaths to a patient. The inlet port of the volume regulator includes a flapper valve that moves only inward at an open position to receive the exhaled gas from the patient. The first outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the atmosphere. The second outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves only outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the moisturizer assembly.

An aerosol generating device defines a first flow path from an air inlet to an outlet, and a second, separate flow path from the (or another) air inlet to the outlet. The device includes a container for aerosol generating material, a heating element arranged to heat the material to generate, in the first flow path, a flow of aerosol; and the (or another) heating element arranged to heat inlet air from the air inlet or the other air inlet to generate, in the second flow path, a flow of heated air. A receiving portion, in the second flow path, is arranged to receive an element for modifying a property of the flow of heated air, thereby to generate, in the second flow path, a flow of modified air. Also disclosed is an aerosol generating device and article wherein first and second flow paths extend substantially parallel to one another.

The disclosed invention provides a breathing circuit that includes a volume regulator that includes only three ports which include an inlet port connected to the exhalation port, a first outlet port connected to atmosphere, and a second outlet port connected to the moisturizer assembly. The breathing circuit is used for a ventilation system that delivers breaths to a patient. The inlet port of the volume regulator includes a flapper valve that moves only inward at an open position to receive the exhaled gas from the patient. The first outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the atmosphere. The second outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves only outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the moisturizer assembly.

The invention relates to a non-heated humidification device comprising a wick; a chamber for holding water in contact with the wick; and a gas inlet to the chamber, wherein the chamber and wick are configured to humidify gas passing through or over the wick at ambient conditions. The device may be modular and attachable to a flow generator. The device may comprise dual gas circuits and a control system for controlling the gas flow through the gas circuits in order to control the humidity of the gas output.

A water reservoir for an apparatus for humidifying a flow of breathable gas includes a reservoir base including a cavity structured to hold a volume of liquid and a conductive portion provided to the base. The conductive portion is adapted to thermally engage with a heater plate to allow thermal transfer of heat from the heater plate to the volume of liquid. The conductive portion includes a thin film comprising a non-metallic material, and the thin film includes a wall thickness less than about 1 mm.

A respiratory apparatus is configured to deliver breathable gas to a patient's airways and includes a flow generator configured to pressurize the breathable gas and a humidifier configured to vaporize water and deliver water vapor to humidify the breathable gas. The respiratory apparatus further includes a gas flow path leading from the flow generator to the humidifier and from the humidifier to a patient interface. A continuous heater is positioned within the gas flow path and includes multiple separately controllable heating zones.

A humidifier includes a housing, the housing is provided with a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a humidifying chamber for containing a humidifying liquid, and an external gas enters the housing via the gas inlet, flows through the humidifying chamber, and is discharged via the gas outlet; a water-absorbing-fiber device, wherein the water-absorbing-fiber device is provided inside the humidifying chamber, and extends in a longitudinal direction of the humidifying chamber, the water-absorbing-fiber device includes a first cross section, and the first cross section intersects with a gas-flow direction of the external gas after the external gas enters the humidifying chamber.