Apparatus for delivering humidified gases

1. An apparatus for use in humidified gases delivery treatment comprising:

a housing,

a pressurised gases supply within said housing,

a pressurised gases outlet in said housing in fluid connection with said pressurised gases supply and adapted to make fluid connection with an inlet of a humidifier in order to provide pressurised gases flow to said humidifier, said humidifier comprising a heatable water chamber, and

a removable filter in said inlet of said humidifier and downstream of said pressurised gases supply, said removable filter extending through said inlet into said heatable water chamber.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a humidified gases return in said housing, adapted to make fluid connection with an outlet of said humidifier in order to receive humidified gases from said humidifier,

and a patient outlet in said housing, in fluid connection with said humidified gases return in order to receive humidified gases from said humidified gases return and provide humidified gases to said patient outlet, said patient outlet being in fluid connection with or adapted to make fluid connection with a breathing conduit for delivery of humidified gases to a patient.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said apparatus includes a chamber heating base connected to said housing and said housing includes a humidifier engagement locating said heatable water chamber adjacent said chamber heating base, said chamber heating base adapted to vaporise liquid water in said heatable water chamber in order to provide water vapour to said gases flow passing through said heatable water chamber.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said heatable water chamber has a base and said heatable water chamber is engagable with said humidifier engagement via a single motion, and said single motion of engagement urges a base of said heatable water chamber adjacent and in contact with said chamber heating base and makes a first fluid connection between said pressurised gases outlet and said inlet of said humidifier, and makes a second fluid connection between said humidified gases return and said outlet of said humidifier, with said first and second fluid connections being made in the direction of said single motion.

5. An apparatus according claim 2 wherein said patient outlet includes a connector for receiving a breathing hose and at least one auxiliary electrical connection plug or socket or pneumatic connection plug or port, for a simultaneous connection when connecting said breathing hose.

6. A humidifier chamber for use with a gases humidification apparatus comprising:

a container, with a surrounding wall and top, and an open bottom,

a heat conductive base enclosing said open bottom of said container,

a gases inlet to said container adapted to receive pressurised gases for humidification from a pressurised gases supply,

a gases outlet from said container, and

a removable filter positioned within and extending through said gases inlet into said container and downstream to said pressurised gases supply, said filter positioned such that said filter can filter pressurised gases supplied to said container.

7. A humidifier chamber according to claim 6 further comprising a first elongate flow tube extending into said container from an inner periphery of said gases inlet and,

a second elongate flow tube extending into said container from an inner periphery of said gases outlet,

said first and said second flow tubes being substantially parallel to each other, and substantially parallel to said heat conductive base of said chamber,

said gases inlet and said gases outlet facing the same direction, a preferred insertion direction,

said preferred insertion direction being substantially parallel to said base of said chamber, such that said humidifier chamber may make operable engagement with a heater base in a single motion,

and fluid connections with said gases outlet and said gases inlet being also made in said single motion.

8. A humidifier chamber according to claim 6 wherein said filter includes a framework substantially supporting a filter material, said framework being shaped to fit an internal shape of said gases inlet, and including means to lock said filter in place in said gases inlet.

9. A humidifier chamber according to claim 8 wherein said filter material is interposed between structural members of said framework.

10. A humidifier chamber according to claim 8 wherein said means to lock is a friction fit between said filter and said gases inlet.

11. A humidifier chamber according to claim 6 wherein said gases inlet and said gases outlet of said humidifier chamber are each a female port, and said humidifier chamber comprises a generally cylindrical wall, and said female ports open out to said generally cylindrical wall adjacent a top of said generally cylindrical wall.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said removable filter is positioned such that said removable filter can filter pressurised gases entering said humidifier and protect said pressurised gases supply and said housing from contamination.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said removable filter is positioned such that said removable filter can filter pressurised gases entering said humidifier and protect said humidifier from contamination.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said removable filter and said heatable water chamber are detachable from said pressurised gases supply together.