Patent ID: 7594509

Claim:
A heat and moisture exchange device for respiratory therapy comprising: a housing comprising a wall structure defining an interior chamber, said wall structure having a first pipe formed at one end thereof extending from a first housing wall and a second pipe formed at an opposite end thereof extending from a second housing wall, said pipes communicating with said interior chamber, and wherein mating edges of the first housing wall and the second housing wall are fixed directly to each other such that said wall structure housing walls and said first and second pipes are configured to be stationary relative to one another; an elongated conduit along said interior chamber between said first and second pipes; an absorbent material configured to alternatively absorb and desorb heat and moisture therefrom positioned in said interior chamber between said elongated conduit and said housing; and a valve having a valve selector operatively secured to said housing and a rotating apertured member enclosed entirely inside said housing to provide selective fluid communication in a first valve position through said conduit and bypassing said absorbent material and in a second valve position between said first and second pipe through said absorbent material, said valve providing said selective fluid communication without moving said first and second housing walls or said first and second pipes relative to one another; and wherein said valve comprises a first apertured member defining a plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures therein and a second apertured member defining a plurality of third apertures therein, and wherein in said first valve position said valve provides fluid flow through said first and third apertures and in said second valve position said valve provides fluid flows through said second and third apertures.