An air conduit for a respiratory therapy device comprises a first end, a second end, and a tube portion, wherein the tube portion comprises a tube wall and an auxiliary structure, such as a rib. The air conduit may deliver a flow of air from a respiratory therapy device or a humidifier to a patient interface. The air conduit may comprise a plurality of auxiliary structures, some of which may consist of a polymeric material, and some of which may comprise a polymeric material and an electrical conductor. An auxiliary structure may be a helical rib extending across a length of the tube portion.

A drying expiratory limb of a breathing circuit is provided that is configured to increase or optimize drying of a gas to reduce or prevent condensation. The drying expiratory limb can include a wall that is at least partly made of a breathable material configured to allow transmission of water vapor but substantially prevent transmission of liquid water. The wall includes first and second openings in the wall, the openings respectively configured to receive a gas at a first temperature and a first relative humidity and to allow the gas to exit having a second temperature and a second relative humidity. The drying expiratory limb can be configured to tailor the temperature drop of the gas along the wall to maintain a relative humidity within a targeted range and/or to maintain the gas temperature above its dew point temperature.

A humidification control system comprises a ventilation therapy apparatus main body, a respiratory humidifier, a heating pipeline and a nasal oxygen cannula, wherein the ventilation therapy apparatus main body comprises a fan and a first controller, the respiratory humidifier comprises a water tank, a heating plate, a water tank air inlet temperature sensor and a heating plate temperature sensor, an air outlet of the fan is connected to an air inlet of the water tank; an air outlet of the water tank is connected to an air inlet of the heating pipeline; an air outlet of the water tank is connected to an input port of the nasal oxygen cannula; the heating pipeline comprises a heating pipeline air inlet temperature sensor and a heating pipeline heating control module; and the first controller makes the relative humidity of the current first mixed airflow.

An oxygen production unit is provided. The oxygen production unit, in various embodiments, includes a separation unit configured to separate oxygen from nitrogen in received gaseous particles; a control unit configured to control an amount of the separated oxygen to be released to a user of the oxygen production unit, and a nitrogen release unit configured to facilitate release of the separated nitrogen within oxygen production unit and/or into an environment where the oxygen production unit is located. The oxygen production unit in those embodiments can automatically determine an amount of oxygen to be produced and/or delivered to a user; a control and facilitate release of nitrogen into the environment to enhance safety; to facilitate swapping of nitrogen piece(s) in the oxygen production unit to prolong a lifetime of the oxygen production unit, and/or achieve any other benefits.

The present invention provides a breathing assistance apparatus that has a convenient and effective method of cleaning internal conduits inside the apparatus. The breathing assistance apparatus is preferably a gases supply and humidification device. The cleaning method is a method of disinfection that is automated so minimal training is required to disinfect in particular an internal elbow conduit within the device. It is therefore not necessary to dismantle the gases supply and humidification device, therefore, inadvertent damage to the internal parts of the device is avoided. The present invention also provides a method of disinfecting a heated breathing conduit and a patient interface.

A device mouthpiece is provided wherein the mouthpiece comprises a cylindrical tube and a filter element, wherein the filter element comprises a frame and a filter medium secured to the frame; the frame defines an annular channel which receives therein an end portion of the cylindrical tube; the end portion of the cylindrical tube forms a friction fit within the annular channel; and wherein the filter element is secured to the cylindrical tube via the friction fit.

Devices for delivering a controlled concentration of an agent are provided. The device includes a reservoir for the agent and a flow control portion operably connected to the reservoir. The device also includes a valve for releasing the agent from the flow control portion and a pump for flowing air to mix with the agent released by the valve and for flowing the agent and air mixture out of the device. Methods of delivering a vaporized agent to a subject are also provided. The methods include storing a liquid agent in a reservoir of a device and flowing the agent into a flow control chamber to change the agent to a gas. The methods also include mixing the agent in gas form with air and flowing the agent and air mixture out of the device to be delivered to a subject.

Supplying therapeutic gas based on inhalation duration. At least some of the example embodiments are methods including: sensing a current inhalation of the patient; providing a flow of therapeutic gas to the patient based on the sensing; and ceasing the flow of therapeutic gas to the patient based on a value indicative of previous inhalation duration.

A sieve bed assembly monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a sieve bed assembly including a canister having an intake; adsorbent material to produce oxygen enriched air from compressed air in a swing adsorption process; and an identification device including identification data for the sieve bed assembly, wherein the identification data is capable of uniquely identifying the sieve bed assembly. The system includes an oxygen concentrator having a retention mechanism to retain the sieve bed assembly, a compressor supplying compressed air to the intake of the canister, a controller, a transceiver and a reader operable to read the identification data from the identification device. The controller reads the identification data and transmits the read identification data via the transceiver. A remote external device receives the read identification data from transceiver.

A supply arrangement (100) and a process supply a medical device (50, 90) with a supply gas mixture. The supply gas mixture includes a carrier gas and an anesthetic and is generated by an anesthetic dispenser (3). A carrier gas mixing unit (9) generates the carrier gas from at least two carrier gas components. A carrier gas switch having a regular outlet and a discharge outlet selectively directs carrier gas components to the carrier gas mixing unit or to a discharge line (35). A gas mixture switch (6), having a regular outlet (41) and a discharge outlet (42) selectively directs the supply gas mixture to the medical device or to the discharge line (35). An anesthetic concentration sensor (5.1, 5.2) measures a concentration of anesthetic in the generated gas mixture. A control unit (2) controls the gas mixture switch based on measured concentration within or outside a predefined range.