Patent ID: 7896401

Claim:
An adapter for coupling a source of pressurized respiratory gas to a container for holding a quantity of liquid to be administered to a patient as a humidified respiratory gas, the adapter comprising: an adapter body having a first and a second end with a tapered passage formed therethrough, said tapered passage tapering toward said second end; said adapter body having a stem with a tapered portion tapering toward said second end which forms a part of an audible signal generator, a largest diameter of the tapered portion terminates into a cylindrical portion, and a through-hole extends from an outer surface of said stem into said tapered passage; said through-hole forming a passage way to relieve excess pressure and assist in the generation of the audible signal when the respiratory gas system pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold level; a substantially uniform internal diameter sleeve carried about said cylindrical portion and said tapered portion of said stem, a portion of said sleeve surrounding said cylindrical portion of said stem and extending across said through-hole, a portion of said sleeve surrounding said tapered portion of said stem being thinner than said portion of said sleeve surrounding said cylindrical portion of said stem, said thinner portion of said sleeve overlies said tapered portion of said stem and in response to respiratory gas passing through said through-hole generates an audible signal as excess respiratory gas pressure is relieved.