Patent ID: 11857729
Assignee: FISHER & PAYKEL HEALTHCARE LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An integrated blower and humidification system for providing heated humidified gases to a user, comprising:
a blower unit;
a humidification unit; and
a conduit providing a fluid pathway between the humidification unit and a patient interface;
the blower unit comprising:
an outer casing which encloses and forms part of the blower unit, the outer casing comprising side walls, a rear wall, and a front face that is angled rearwards;
an air inlet in the rear wall of the outer casing, through which air from atmosphere can enter the outer casing in use;
a humidifier compartment defined at least in part by a bottom wall, an upwardly extending inner side wall and an opening, and comprising a compartment inlet port;
a gases path through the outer casing between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port;
a fan unit contained within the outer casing in the gases path between the air inlet and the compartment inlet port, the fan unit which in use draws air in through the air inlet and provide a pressurized gases stream to the compartment inlet port;
a heater base;
a display on the front face of the outer casing; and
a power supply unit located within the outer casing and adapted to, in use, provide power to the blower unit;
wherein the blower unit in use receives the humidification unit at the opening into the humidifier compartment using a guide to orient the humidification unit into the humidifier compartment of the blower unit; and
the humidification unit comprising:
a spring loaded clip which in use releasably locks the humidification unit in the humidifier compartment, the spring loaded clip released by a button to remove the humidification unit from the humidifier compartment;
a humidifier inlet port which in use receives the pressurized gases stream from the compartment inlet port;
a heat conducting surface which in use heats a volume of water in conjunction with the heater base;
a humidifier chamber which in use heats and humidifies the pressurized gases stream; and
an outlet connection which in use connects directly to the conduit, wherein in use the pressurized gases stream exits the compartment inlet port of the blower unit and enters the humidifier chamber, where it is humidified and heated, before passing out of the humidifier chamber, through the outlet connection, and to the user via the conduit;

wherein the humidification unit, in use, is inserted into the humidifier compartment of the blower unit in a vertical direction, guided into position by the guide, and secured in position within the humidifier compartment by the spring loaded clip of the humidification unit, causing the heat conducting surface to align with the heater base and the humidifier inlet port to align with the compartment inlet port.