Humidifier with structure to prevent backflow of liquid through the humidifier inlet

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.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       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.   
     
     
       2. A humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top cover defines both an inlet and an outlet communicated with an interior of the base, the inlet configured to receive pressurized breathable gas and the outlet configured to deliver the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity. 
     
     
       3. A humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure includes a control knob to control a heat setting of the heating element. 
     
     
       4. A humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure includes contact elements that communicate with a power supply within the CPAP apparatus. 
     
     
       5. A humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure is configured to allow removable attachment of the CPAP apparatus to the humidifier. 
     
     
       6. A humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat conducting material is a metallic material. 
     
     
       7. A CPAP apparatus including a humidifier assembly according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       8. A humidification chamber for connecting to a respiratory therapy device to provide respiratory therapy, the humidification chamber comprising:
 a bottom surface constructed of a heat conductive material, wherein the bottom surface is configured to be positioned over a heating element of the respiratory therapy device;   a wall extending from the bottom surface and defining a volume to hold water in the humidification chamber;   a top surface, the bottom surface, wall, and top surface together enclosing the volume;   a chamber inlet configured to receive pressurized breathable gas from the respiratory therapy device when the humidification chamber is connected to the respiratory therapy device, the chamber inlet shaped to mate with an output of the respiratory therapy device through which the pressurized breathable gas is received;   a chamber outlet configured to supply the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity for delivery to a patient to provide respiratory therapy; and   an obstruction within the chamber that is positioned between the bottom surface and the top surface, wherein the obstruction has a maximum horizontal dimension that is greater than a maximum vertical dimension of the obstruction, wherein the obstruction extends at least partially across an interior of the humidification chamber along a horizontal plane, wherein the obstruction defines, at least partially, one or more fluid inlet passageways between the chamber inlet and the water contained in the humidification chamber, the one or more fluid inlet passageways causing the pressurized breathable gas received through the chamber inlet to be, at least partially, diverted around the obstruction before reaching the water contained in the humidification chamber for added humidification.   
     
     
       9. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the one or more fluid inlet passageways are defined by the obstruction and the top surface. 
     
     
       10. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the one or more fluid inlet passageways are defined by the obstruction and the wall. 
     
     
       11. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the one or more fluid inlet passageways are defined by the obstruction, the top surface, and the wall. 
     
     
       12. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the one or more fluid inlet passageways being at least partially offset from the chamber inlet so as to cause the at least partial diversion of the of the pressurized breathable gas. 
     
     
       13. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the obstruction further defines, at least partially, one or more fluid outlet passageways between the water contained in the humidification chamber and the chamber outlet, the one or more fluid outlet passageways causing the pressurized breathable gas with added humidification to be, at least partially, diverted around the obstruction before being expelled through the chamber outlet. 
     
     
       14. The humidification chamber of claim 13, wherein the one or more fluid outlet passageways are defined by the obstruction and the top surface. 
     
     
       15. The humidification chamber of claim 13, wherein the one or more fluid outlet passageways are defined by the obstruction and the wall. 
     
     
       16. The humidification chamber of claim 13, wherein the one or more fluid outlet passageways are defined by the obstruction, the top surface, and the wall. 
     
     
       17. The humidification chamber of claim 13, wherein the one or more fluid outlet passageways being at least partially offset from the chamber outlet so as to cause the at least partial diversion of the of the pressurized breathable gas with added humidification. 
     
     
       18. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising:
 an internal vertical wall positioned within the interior of the humidification chamber and extending at least partially below the obstruction, wherein the internal vertical wall at least partially obstructs flow of the pressurized breathable gas between the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet.   
     
     
       19. The humidification chamber of claim 18, wherein the internal vertical wall extends across the interior of the humidification chamber. 
     
     
       20. The humidification chamber of claim 19, wherein the internal vertical wall divides a portion of the interior of the humidification chamber below the obstruction into an inlet section and an outlet section, wherein the inlet section corresponds to the chamber inlet and the outlet section corresponds to the chamber outlet, the internal vertical wall at least partially obstructing the flow of the pressurized breathable gas between the inlet section and the outlet section. 
     
     
       21. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising:
 an internal vertical wall positioned within the interior of the humidification chamber and extending at least partially above the obstruction, wherein the internal vertical wall extends across the interior of the humidification chamber.   
     
     
       22. The humidification chamber of claim 21, wherein the internal vertical wall divides a portion of the interior of the humidification chamber above the obstruction into an inlet section and an outlet section, wherein the inlet section corresponds to the chamber inlet and the outlet section corresponds to the chamber outlet, the internal vertical wall blocks the flow of the pressurized breathable gas from the inlet section to the outlet section causing the pressurized breathable gas to flow around the obstruction. 
     
     
       23. The humidification chamber of claim 21, wherein the internal vertical wall extends from the top surface of the humidification chamber. 
     
     
       24. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the humidification chamber is sized and shaped to both (i) establish a fluid connection between the chamber inlet and the output of the respiratory therapy device when the humidification chamber mounts within a recess of the respiratory therapy device, and (ii) position the bottom surface of the humidification chamber over the heating element of the respiratory therapy device when the humidification chamber mounts within a recess of the respiratory therapy device. 
     
     
       25. The humidification chamber of claim 24, wherein the humidification chamber is configured to be positioned in the recess by horizontally sliding the humidification chamber into the recess. 
     
     
       26. The humidification chamber of claim 24, further comprising means for retaining the humidification chamber positioned in the recess. 
     
     
       27. The humidification chamber of claim 26, wherein the respiratory therapy device includes complementary means for retaining the humidification chamber positioned in the recess. 
     
     
       28. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising means for removably connecting the chamber inlet to the output of the respiratory therapy device. 
     
     
       29. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising means for removably connecting the chamber outlet to a means for delivering the pressurized breathable gas with added humidity to the patient. 
     
     
       30. The humidification chamber of claim 8, wherein the respiratory therapy device includes means for controlling the respiratory therapy provided to the patient. 
     
     
       31. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising means for adding water to the humidification chamber. 
     
     
       32. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising means for preventing spillage of water out of the chamber inlet when the bottom surface of the humidification chamber is in an angled orientation relative to horizontal. 
     
     
       33. The humidification chamber of claim 8, further comprising means for preventing spillage of water out of the chamber outlet when the bottom surface the humidification chamber is in an angled orientation relative to horizontal.