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.

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 patient interface is configured to deliver a flow of positive pressure respiratory gas to an entrance of a patients airways. The patient interface includes an elastomeric support wall forming at least part of a plenum chamber configured to receive the flow of positive pressure respiratory gas. The patient interface also includes an elastomeric support flange positioned at an end of the elastomeric support wall and extending radially inward from the support wall. The support flange has a flap portion at a central superior region of the support flange that extends further in the radially inward direction than the rest of the support flange. In addition, a foam cushion is mounted on the support flange. The foam cushion is configured to form a seal with the patients face and includes an attachment surface that is in contact with an outer surface of the support flange.

A CPAP system for supplying humidified gases to a user is disclosed in which various interfaces are described for gas delivery. A mask cushion including a deformable cushion and thin sheath is described.

A humidifier for a respiratory apparatus for delivering a humidified flow of breathable gas to a patient includes a humidifier chamber configured to store a supply of water to humidify the flow of breathable gas. The humidifier chamber includes a first heating element configured to heat the supply of water. The humidifier also includes a relative humidity sensor to detect a relative humidity of ambient air and generate signals indicative of the ambient relative humidity; a first temperature sensor to detect a temperature of ambient air and generate signals indicative of the ambient temperature; and a controller configured to determine an absolute humidity of the ambient air from the signals generated by the relative humidity sensor and the first temperature sensor and to control the first heating element to provide a predetermined relative humidity to the flow of breathable gas. A method of humidifying a flow of breathable gas to be provided to a patient includes determining an absolute humidity of ambient air used to form the flow of breathable gas; and controlling a temperature of a supply of water that humidifies the flow of breathable gas to provide a predetermined absolute humidity corresponding to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined relative humidity of the flow to be delivered to the patient.

A respiratory assistance system can provide high flow therapy to patients. The respiratory assistance system can include a patient interface that can deliver a gas flow to a patient and a gas source that can drive the gas flow towards the patient interface at an operating flow rate. The system can include a controller for controlling the operating flow rate of the gas. The controller can apply multiple test flow rate values in a range as the operating flow rate. For each of the test flow rate values, the controller can measure a patient parameter. The controller can determine a new flow rate value based on the measured patient parameters. Patient parameters can include respiration rate, work of breathing, or any other parameters related to the respiratory circuit.

A cushion assembly for a patient interface includes an elastomeric seal-forming portion with a dome-shaped superior region that is intersected by the sagittal plane in the vicinity of a superior tangent point. The seal-forming portion further including a saddle-shaped inferior region that is intersected by the sagittal plane and includes an inferior tangent point. A first support region is located on one side of the sagittal plane between the inferior region and the superior region, the exterior surface of the elastomeric seal forming portion at the first support region being cylinder-shaped and/or saddle-shaped. In addition, a blowout prevention system is configured to counter a force acting on the unsupported edge of the elastomeric seal-forming portion due to a pressure within the chamber, the blowout prevention system being attached to the elastomeric seal-forming portion at the first support region of the elastomeric seal-forming portion.

A connection assembly for a respiratory therapy system, comprising: an outlet assembly, said outlet assembly including an outlet housing and a swivelling disc located on said outlet housing, said outlet housing and said swivelling disc defining, at least in part, a recess; an outlet connector located at an end of a tube portion, said outlet connector including an electrical connector; and a cable having a first end to connect to the electrical connector and a second end to connect to at least one electrical component of the respiratory therapy system, said cable having a slack portion, wherein said outlet connector and said swivelling disc are rotatable in unison between a first position and a second position, and wherein the slack portion of the cable extends from the recess and wraps around the swivelling disc as the swivelling disc is rotated from the first position to the second position.