Patent ID: 7478635

Claim:
An integrated breathing assistance apparatus for use as part of a system for providing respiratory gases to a user, comprising: a gases delivery device adapted to provide respiratory gases at a substantially positive mean pressure through an outlet, a heater plate, adapted to receive a water chamber and heat the contents of said chamber in use, said gases delivery device and said heater plate rigidly connected together, a controller adapted to energise said integrated breathing assistance apparatus to at least two configurations, a first configuration where said gases delivery device is operable to provide respiratory gases at a substantially positive mean pressure through said outlet and said heater plate is non-operable, and a second configuration where said gases delivery device is operable to provide respiratory gases at a substantially positive mean pressure through said outlet, and said heater plate is also operable, said controller configuring said apparatus into said second configuration when an activation tool is engaged with the apparatus, said controller configuring said apparatus to said first configuration when said activation tool is absent.