Breathing assistance apparatus

Abstract

A device for use as part of a breathing assistance system for providing gases to a user. The device may include a fan, an enclosure for receiving a humidification chamber or both. A user interface of the device can indicate the operating mode of the device, whether a peripheral device is connected and whether a gases conduit is correctly connected to the outlet of the device. A controller in the device may hide or block options from the display of the user interface and may also initiate a power save mode when the device is powered by a battery.

1 - 142 . (canceled) 
     
     
         143 . An assisted breathing unit configured to provide a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the unit adapted to receive a humidifier chamber of the type that in use contains a volume of water and that has a humidifier gases inlet and a separate humidifier gases outlet, the assisted breathing unit comprising:
 an outer casing that encloses and forms part of the assisted breathing unit;   a patient outlet mounted on the casing and adapted to connect to a gases conduit whereby gases can pass through and out of the patient outlet and into the gases conduit;   an outlet gases passage that extends between and fluidly connects the humidifier gases outlet and the patient outlet whereby heated humidified gases exiting the humidifier chamber pass into the patient outlet;   the patient outlet rotatable relative to the outer casing to move or align the patient outlet for storage or use;   a connection ring fitted to and rotatable relative to the outer casing, the patient outlet removably fitted to the connection ring and, when fitted together, the connection ring and the patient outlet cannot move relative to one another; and   the connection ring comprising an electrical connector whereby, with the patient outlet fitted to the connection ring, the electrical connector is aligned with the patient outlet so that an electrical and pneumatic connection between the assisted breathing unit and a connector on an end of the conduit can be made in one action.   
     
     
         144 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 143 , wherein the patient outlet comprises an elbow connector. 
     
     
         145 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 144 , wherein the patient outlet comprises a right-angle elbow connector. 
     
     
         146 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 145 , wherein the patient outlet comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion is adapted to connect to the casing and receive a stream of heated and humidified gases from the humidification chamber, and the outer portion is connectable to the gases conduit, the patient outlet having an insulating wall formed around and spaced apart from at least the inner portion whereby an air gap is formed between the inner end of the gases passage and the insulating wall. 
     
     
         147 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 144 , wherein the patient outlet has a recess formed on an inner side of a bend of the elbow connector and a second electrical connector is positioned in the recess and aligned parallel to an outer portion of the elbow connector whereby electrical and pneumatic connection can be made with the gases conduit in one action. 
     
     
         148 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 147 , wherein the outlet gases passage is separate from the casing whereby the outlet gases passage can be removed from the casing and replaced. 
     
     
         149 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148 , wherein the outlet gases passage comprises an overall form of a funnel, an inner portion of the outlet gases passage forming a mouth of the funnel and an outer portion of the outlet gases passage forming a stem of the funnel. 
     
     
         150 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 149 , wherein the mouth is rectangular. 
     
     
         151 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 149 , wherein the mouth is surrounded by a flange. 
     
     
         152 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 149 , wherein at least a portion of the stem is wider than a remainder of the stem to provide a rim to seal against a surface of the patient outlet. 
     
     
         153 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 152 , wherein the rim comprises a barbed appearance in cross-section. 
     
     
         154 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148 , wherein an outer end of the outlet gases passage is received in the patient outlet to form a seal with an inner surface of the patient outlet. 
     
     
         155 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148  further comprising a removable seal that forms the outlet gases passage, the removable seal sealing between the humidifier gases outlet and the patient outlet. 
     
     
         156 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 155 , wherein the removable seal is formed from a flexible material. 
     
     
         157 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148  further comprising an enclosure adapted to receive the humidifier chamber, the enclosure comprising an inlet port capable of being aligned with the humidifier gases inlet and at least part of the outlet gases passage accessible from within the enclosure whereby a user can remove and replace the outlet gases passage. 
     
     
         158 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148 , wherein the patient outlet has an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion connectable to the connection ring to receive a stream of heated and humidified gases from the humidification chamber, the outer portion being connectable to a gases conduit, the patient outlet comprising an insulating wall formed around and spaced apart from at least the inner portion whereby an air gap is formed between the inner portion and the insulating wall, the air gap being closed to atmosphere by the connection ring when the patient outlet is connected to the connection ring. 
     
     
         159 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148  further comprising a fan unit contained within the outer casing and an inlet vent or inlet port through which gases can enter the gases modification unit, the fan unit capable of receiving the gases entering through the inlet vent or inlet port and capable of providing a pressurized gases stream to the humidifier gases inlet. 
     
     
         160 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 159  further comprising a heater located in the enclosure, the heater capable of contacting the humidification chamber to heat the volume of water. 
     
     
         161 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 148  further comprising a nasal canula, the nasal canula being connectable to the gases conduit. 
     
     
         162 . An assisted breathing unit for providing a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the unit adapted to receive a humidifier chamber having a humidifier gases inlet and a humidifier gases outlet, the assisted breathing unit comprising:
 an outer casing comprising a wall;   a connection ring rotatable relative to the wall of the outer casing, an inlet aperture of the outlet gases passage fluidly connectable to the humidifier gases outlet so that humidified gases exiting the humidifier chamber pass through the outlet gases passage for delivery to a patient.   
     
     
         163 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 162 , wherein the gases outlet passage is non-rotatable relative to the wall of the outer case. 
     
     
         164 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 163 , wherein the outlet gases passage is removable from the assisted breathing unit. 
     
     
         165 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 164 , wherein the outlet gases passage is fitted to the assisted breathing unit by being pressed through the connection ring in the wall of the outer casing. 
     
     
         166 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 165  further comprising a compartment that receives the humidification chamber, an inner portion of the outlet gases passage includes a flange, the flange comprises ridges that engage with complementary sockets or slots in the compartment to hold the outlet gases passage in position. 
     
     
         167 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 166 , wherein at least part of the inner portion of the outlet gases passage is curved so as to fit flush against a curved wall of the compartment. 
     
     
         168 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 167 , wherein the connection ring is located in a rear wall of the assisted breathing unit. 
     
     
         169 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 168 , wherein the connection ring is non-removable from the outer casing. 
     
     
         170 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 169 , wherein the connection ring comprises a flange and an engaging mechanism is interposed between the outer casing and the flange of the connection ring such that the connection ring is non-removable from the outer casing. 
     
     
         171 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 170 , wherein the engaging mechanism is a circlip. 
     
     
         172 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 170 , wherein the connection ring is rigid. 
     
     
         173 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 172 , wherein at least the inlet aperture of the outlet gases passage is formed from a soft sealing material. 
     
     
         174 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 173 , wherein the soft sealing material is a silicone rubber. 
     
     
         175 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 173 , wherein an inner portion of the outlet gases passage forms a mouth portion and an outer portion of the outlet gases passage forms a stem portion, the mouth portion being wider than the stem portion. 
     
     
         176 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 175 , wherein the connection ring connects to an elbow connector such that the elbow connector and the connection ring do not move relative to each other. 
     
     
         177 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 176 , wherein the connection ring comprises an electrical connector, the electrical connector on the connection ring comprising a protrusion configured to fit into an indent or recess in an inside corner of the elbow connector. 
     
     
         178 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 177 , wherein the connection ring fits over and around an inner end of the elbow connector. 
     
     
         179 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 177 , wherein an outlet end of the outlet gases passage fits into an inner end of the elbow connector. 
     
     
         180 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 179 , wherein a seal is formed between the outlet end of the outlet gases passage and the inner end of the elbow connector. 
     
     
         181 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 180 , wherein the connection ring comprises an inside surface, the inside surface of the connection ring and the inner end of the elbow connector comprise complementary slots and ridges for removable connection to each other. 
     
     
         182 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 181 , wherein the elbow connector can be removed by pulling outwardly away from the assisted breathing unit. 
     
     
         183 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 182 , wherein the assisted breathing unit is a continuous positive airway pressure machine. 
     
     
         184 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 182  further comprising a humidifier chamber. 
     
     
         185 . The assisted breathing unit of  claim 182  further comprising a nasal canula.