Patent ID: 7849852

Claim:
An apparatus for supplying gases at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient for therapeutic purposes, comprising: a heating chamber adapted to contain water and having an inlet adapted to receive gases, and inlet for receiving water, an outlet, and a heater plate on a lower surface thereof; a pressure chamber adapted to contain water and having an inlet adapted to receive gases and an outlet; a pressurised gases supply adapted to supply said pressurised gases to said pressure chamber inlet via a first conduit and to said heating chamber inlet via a second conduit, a water transfer pipe connected between said pressure chamber outlet and said heating chamber and adapted to allow water to flow through said water transfer pipe and into said heating chamber; a pressure regulator located in said second conduit operable to convert gas from said pressurised gas supply at a first pressure above atmospheric to a second pressure above atmospheric, said first pressure greater than said second pressure, said gases at said second pressure flowing from said heating chamber inlet, across the surface of said water to said heating chamber outlet; an output conduit adapted to connect to said heating chamber outlet for supplying said second gas to the patient; said first gas and said second pressure having a pressure differential large enough to cause water to flow from said pressure chamber to said heating chamber; and a valve on said water transfer pipe, said valve adapted to maintain a substantially consistent water level in said heating chamber.