Humidifier with structure to prevent backflow of liquid through the humidifier inlet
First Claim
1. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, comprisinga humidifier includinga base configured to retain a body of liquid therein, at least a portion of the base being constructed of a heat conducting material,a top cover, anda seal disposed between the top cover and the base;
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A humidifier includes a base configured to retain a body of liquid therein, a top cover, and a seal disposed between the top cover and the base. At least a portion of the base is constructed of a heat conducting material. The top cover defines both an inlet and an outlet communicated with an interior of the base. The inlet is configured to receive pressurized breathable gas and the outlet is configured to deliver the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity.
167 Citations
85 Claims
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1. A humidifier assembly for a CPAP apparatus, comprising
a humidifier including a base configured to retain a body of liquid therein, at least a portion of the base being constructed of a heat conducting material, a top cover, and a seal disposed between the top cover and the base; - and
a connecting structure configured to connect between the CPAP apparatus and humidifier and allow communication of an outlet of the CPAP apparatus with the inlet of the humidifier, the connecting structure including a housing providing a base portion to support the humidifier thereon, and a retaining mechanism configured to secure the connecting structure to the CPAP apparatus, wherein the base portion includes a heating element in contact with the heat conducting material of the base of the humidifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A humidifier, comprising:
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a humidifier body configured to retain liquid, the humidifier body comprising; a rear portion having a humidifier body inlet adapted to receive a flow of pressurized breathable gas, the inlet configured to direct the flow of pressurized breathable gas into the humidifier body in a substantially horizontal direction when the humidifier is in an upright operating position; a top cover having a humidifier body outlet adapted to deliver the flow of pressurized breathable gas with added humidity; a base detachably fastened to the top cover with at least a first clip, the base having a heat conducting plate and forming a liquid receptacle for the liquid; and a vertically extending passage to direct gas from the inlet towards liquid in the liquid receptacle of the base, the vertically extending passage having at least a portion with closed shape as seen in cross-section, wherein if the humidifier body is rotated from the upright, operating position to each of a plurality of non-upright positions, the liquid in the humidifier body remains below the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A humidifier, comprising:
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a humidifier body configured to retain liquid, the humidifier body comprising; a humidifier body inlet configured to receive a flow of pressurized breathable gas the humidifier body inlet being positioned on a rear side wall of the humidifier body; a humidifier body outlet adapted to deliver the flow of pressurized breathable gas with added humidity; a gas introduction chamber having a gas introduction chamber inlet and a gas introduction chamber outlet, the gas introduction chamber inlet being adapted to receive the flow of pressurized breathable gas from the humidifier body inlet; a humidification chamber in communication with the gas introduction chamber and the humidifier body outlet, the humidification chamber having a bottom surface comprising heat conductive metallic material, and a cover including the humidifier body outlet, wherein; the gas introduction chamber outlet serves as a humidification chamber inlet, the gas introduction chamber and the humidification chamber are connected by a substantially vertically oriented transitional passage having a closed cross sectional shape configured to receive all of the flow of pressurized breathable gas before the gas is directed to the humidification chamber, the gas introduction chamber inlet faces a substantially horizontal direction when the humidifier is in an upright, operating position, the gas introduction chamber outlet is positioned above the liquid when the humidifier body retains the liquid and is in the upright, operating position, and the gas introduction chamber and the humidification chamber are configured so that when the humidifier body is rotated around a horizontal axis parallel to the bottom surface of the humidifier chamber, in each of clockwise and counterclockwise directions, from the upright, operating position to a plurality of non-upright positions, liquid is prevented or discouraged from flowing from the humidification chamber and out through the humidifier body inlet. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A humidifier, comprising:
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a humidifier body having a base and a top cover snap-fitted to the base, the base defining a liquid receptacle adapted to contain liquid, the base having a heat conducting plate; an inlet adapted to receive a flow of pressurized breathable gas; an outlet, downstream of the liquid receptacle, adapted to deliver the flow of pressurized breathable gas with added humidity; and at least a first resiliently biased lug movable relative to the base, the first lug being biased in an extended position and manually movable against the resilient bias from the extended position to a retracted position, wherein if the humidifier body is rotated from an upright, operating position to each of a plurality of non-upright positions, liquid in the humidifier body remains below the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification