In some embodiments, a humidification system includes a heater base having a heater plate, a humidification chamber, and circuit. The circuit can include various conduits, including an inspiratory conduit, expiratory conduit, Y-piece, patient conduit, and/or dry conduit. In use, the chamber contains a quantity of liquid. The heater base heats the heater plate, which in turn heats the liquid to a temperature that causes at least some of the liquid to become vapor, thereby humidifying the gases within the chamber. The gas is delivered to the patient via the inspiratory conduit. Various features can help control the system and ensure the patient receives gases having the desired conditions. These features can be used individually or in various combinations and subcombinations both in existing humidification systems and improved systems for respiratory humidification, laparoscopy, and other purposes.

A humidification system for delivering humidified gases to a user can include a heater base, humidification chamber having an inlet, outlet, and associated fluid conduit, and breathing circuit including a supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit. The humidification system can include various features to help make set-up less difficult and time-consuming. For example, the supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit can be coupled into a one-piece circuit to aid set-up. Various components can be color-coded and can have corresponding structures to indicate which components should be connected to one another during set-up. Such features can also help make the set-up process more intuitive for an operator, which can reduce the need for specialized training and reduce the number of potential errors.

A humidification system can include a heater base, a chamber, and a breathing circuit. The heater base includes a heater plate positioned in a recessed region, and a heat conductive portion of the chamber is configured to contact the heater plate. The heater base includes a guard configured to control movement of the chamber into and out of the recessed region. The guard includes an anti-racking mechanism. The chamber includes an inlet port, an outlet port. A downward extension extends into the chamber from the inlet port, and a baffle is disposed at a lower end of the downward extension. A component of the breathing circuit can include a conduit hanging end cap for shipping and storage. The end cap can include a hanging component to allow the breathing circuit component to be hung from a medical stand. The system can detect when breathing circuits are connected in reverse.

A respiratory humidification device includes: a casing; a separator wall to divide an interior space into filling and humidification chambers, wherein a bottom edge of the separator wall leaves a space between it and the casing bottom to define a passage allowing water to flow atop the casing bottom between the chambers, and enabling the water level to rise enough to block the passage to prevent respiratory gas from passing therethrough; a valve and float within the filling chamber to control water flow into the filling chamber to prevent the water level from rising higher than a threshold; and wherein an outer wall of the casing and the separator wall cooperate with the water surface within the humidification chamber to define an elongate tube-like pathway through which respiratory gas proceeds along a path extending generally parallel to the water surface within the humidification chamber to be humidified.

A respiratory humidification device includes: a casing; a separator wall to divide an interior space into filling and humidification chambers, wherein a bottom edge of the separator wall leaves a space between it and the casing bottom to define a passage allowing water to flow atop the casing bottom between the chambers, and enabling the water level to rise enough to block the passage to prevent respiratory gas from passing therethrough; a valve and float within the filling chamber to control water flow into the filling chamber to prevent the water level from rising higher than a threshold; and wherein an outer wall of the casing and the separator wall cooperate with the water surface within the humidification chamber to define an elongate tube-like pathway through which respiratory gas proceeds along a path extending generally parallel to the water surface within the humidification chamber to be humidified.

In some embodiments, a humidification system includes a heater base having a heater plate, a humidification chamber, and circuit. The circuit can include various conduits, including an inspiratory conduit, expiratory conduit, Y-piece, patient conduit, and/or dry conduit. In use, the chamber contains a quantity of liquid. The heater base heats the heater plate, which in turn heats the liquid to a temperature that causes at least some of the liquid to become vapor, thereby humidifying the gases within the chamber. The gas is delivered to the patient via the inspiratory conduit. Various features can help control the system and ensure the patient receives gases having the desired conditions. These features can be used individually or in various combinations and subcombinations both in existing humidification systems and improved systems for respiratory humidification, laparoscopy, and other purposes.

A float retention arrangement and related methods for a humidification chamber that includes at least one float that operates an inlet valve that controls a flow of water through a water inlet opening of the humidification chamber. A cover of the humidification chamber defines an interior space, at least one gas port and a float retention opening. A component forms at least a portion of a water supply conduit for supplying water from a water source to the water inlet opening. The component is insertable into the float retention opening and is positionable to contact and retain the at least one float in a non-use position. In some configurations, the component can be a water spike.

A float-controlled valve array including a valve assembly having a conduit, a valve seat formation through which the conduit passes, and a valve body formation which is movable between a closed position in which the conduit is closed and an open position in which a flow through the conduit is possible; the valve array further including a first and a second float body having a first and a second buoyancy volume portion, respectively, wherein the first and the second float bodies are articulated pivotally on a first and a second joint, respectively, so that during specified normal operation, each float body is movable along a buoyancy axis between a lowered position and a buoyant position, and wherein the first float body and the second float body are each coupled to the valve body formation in such a way that the valve body formation is in the closed position when at least one of the float bodies is in the buoyant position, and is in the open position when both float bodies are in the lowered position; the buoyancy volume portions of the two float bodies are mutually spaced apart at a distance orthogonal to the buoyancy axis in the lowered position, wherein at least one joint is located in a body spacing region between the two buoyancy volume portions.