Apparatus for humidifying a respiratory gas

Abstract

A positive pressure gas supply system includes a CPAP unit a humidifier support housing with a receiving portion. The receiving portion is bound by a bottom wall with a heater and at least one side wall extending vertically from the bottom wall. A gas feed opening in the at least one side wall is in fluid communication with a gas feed path from the CPAP unit. A refilling module configured to retain a body of water is removably placed within the receiving portion from a location above the receiving portion so that a metallic part of the refilling module contacts the heater when the refilling module is resting on the bottom wall of the receiving portion. In addition, a sealing device is configured to seal off the refilling module in the receiving portion. The sealing device and the refilling module are removable as a unit from the humidifier support housing.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A positive pressure gas supply system configured to supply positive pressure gas to a patient, the system comprising:
 a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) unit configured to generate a flow of positive pressure gas;   a humidifier support housing having a receiving portion, the receiving portion being bound by a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending vertically from the bottom wall, the at least one side wall comprising a gas feed opening in fluid communication with a gas feed path from the CPAP unit, the bottom wall comprising a heater;   a refilling module configured to retain a body of water and be removably placed within the receiving portion from a location above the receiving portion, the refilling module comprising a metallic portion configured to contact the heater when the refilling module is resting on the bottom wall of the receiving portion; and   a sealing device configured to seal off the refilling module in the receiving portion, the sealing device and the refilling module being removable as a unit from the humidifier support housing.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one side wall further comprises a gas discharge opening opposite the gas feed opening. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the gas discharge opening is in fluid communication with a gas discharge path that leads to a gas outlet of the humidifier support housing. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the gas outlet of the humidifier support housing is configured to connect to an air delivery tube. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the refilling module is configured to complete an air path between the gas feed path and the gas discharge path when the refilling module rests on the bottom wall of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the gas feed opening and gas discharge opening are at substantially the same height. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the refilling module comprises a direction-changing device that intervenes between the gas feed opening and the gas discharge opening when the refilling module rests on the bottom wall of the receiving portion, the direction changing device being configured to divert the positive pressure gas downward toward the bottom of the refilling module. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the refilling module has a top portion, a bottom portion and a seal between the top and bottom portions. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the refill module comprises an air inlet and an air outlet on the at least one side wall, the air inlet and the air outlet being configured so that the positive pressure gas enters and exits the refill module in a substantially lateral direction. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the refill module comprises a top surface opposite the bottom and the air inlet and the outlet are between the top portion and the bottom portion. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing device extends around a perimeter of the refilling module. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sealing device configured to seal off the portion of the refilling module in the receiving portion. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sealing device configured to completely seal off the refilling module in the receiving portion. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the humidifier support housing and the CPAP unit are integrated. 
     
     
         35 . A positive pressure gas supply system configured to supply positive pressure gas to a patient, the system comprising:
 a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) unit configured to generate a flow of positive pressure gas;   a humidifier support housing having a receiving portion, the receiving portion being bound by a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending vertically from the bottom wall, the at least one side wall comprising a gas feed opening in fluid communication with a gas feed path from the CPAP unit and comprising a gas discharge opening opposite the gas feed opening, the bottom wall comprising a heater;   a refilling module configured to retain a body of water and be removably placed within the receiving portion from a location above the receiving portion, the refilling module comprising a metallic portion configured to contact the heater when the refilling module is in contact with the bottom wall of the receiving portion; and   a sealing device attachable to the refilling module in such a manner that when the sealing device is attached to the refilling module, placing the refilling module in the receiving portion seals off a part of the refilling module in the receiving portion.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the gas discharge opening is in fluid communication with a gas discharge path that leads to a gas outlet of the humidifier support housing. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the gas outlet of the humidifier support housing is configured to connect to an air delivery tube. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the refilling module is configured to complete an air path between the gas feed path and the gas discharge path when the refilling module rests on the bottom wall of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the gas feed opening and gas discharge opening are at substantially the same height. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the refilling module has a top portion, a bottom portion and a seal between the top and bottom portions. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing device extends around a perimeter of the refilling module. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the refilling module comprises a direction-changing device that intervenes between the gas feed opening and the gas discharge opening when the refilling module rests on the bottom wall of the receiving portion, the direction changing device being configured to divert the positive pressure gas downward toward the bottom of the refilling module. 
     
     
         43 . An apparatus for delivering a flow of pressurized breathable gas to a patient having a sleep-related disorder, the apparatus comprising:
 a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) unit comprising a blower configured to generate the flow of pressurized breathable gas;   a support housing integrated directly into the CPAP unit and having a chamber with at least one side wall extending from a bottom wall, the at least one side wall comprising a gas feed opening in fluid communication with an outlet of the CPAP unit and comprising a gas discharge opening separated from the gas feed opening, the bottom wall comprising a horizontally extending heater plate; and   a refill module configured to hold a body of water and be received within the chamber, the refill module comprising an air inlet, an air outlet and a horizontally extending bottom with a metallic heat conducting material configured to intimately contact the heater plate when the refill module is received within the chamber,   wherein the refill module and the support housing are configured so that insertion of the refill module in the chamber fluidly connects the gas feed opening to the gas discharge opening,   wherein the refill module is configured to be locked in place within the chamber,   wherein when the refill module is locked within the chamber, a portion of the refill module remains outside the chamber,   wherein the refilling module has a top portion a seal, the seal, the air inlet and the air outlet being between the top portion and the horizontally extending bottom,   wherein the refill module is configured to be opened by moving the top portion relative to the bottom portion,   wherein the chamber is open at one end,   wherein the refill module comprises a direction-changing device configured to divert the flow of pressurized breathable gas downward toward the bottom wall of the refill module, and   wherein a respiration tube connecting portion is fixed to an external side wall of the support housing and is in fluid communication with the gas discharge opening regardless of whether the refill module is within the chamber.   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the refill module is configured to be opened by rotating the top portion relative to the bottom portion. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the air inlet and the air outlet of the refill module are configured so that the pressurized breathable gas enters and exits the refill module in a substantially lateral direction. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the refill module further comprises at least one side wall extending upward from the horizontally extending bottom, and wherein the air inlet and the air outlet comprise openings in the at least one side wall.