Liquid chamber decoupling system and method

A method for preventing damage from liquid spills in a humidified pressure support therapy device with a prevention system, the prevention system comprising a pressure generator, a humidifier, and a decoupler, the humidifier comprising a humidification chamber and a cover, the method comprising:

• generating, with the pressure generator, a pressurized flow of breathable gas for delivery to an airway of a subject, the pressure generator comprising an outlet port configured to conduct the pressurized flow of breathable gas from the pressure generator;
• humidifying, with the humidifier, the pressurized flow of breathable gas, the humidifying comprising:
• holding, with the humidification chamber, a liquid that humidifies the pressurized flow of breathable gas, the humidification chamber defining a gas flow path between a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the gas inlet being configured for fluid communication with the pressure generator outlet port;
• and
• covering, with the cover, the humidification chamber, the cover configured to be moved between open and closed positions to, correspondingly allow and prevent access to an interior of the humidification chamber;
• and
• decoupling, responsive to the cover being opened, the humidification chamber gas inlet from fluid communication with the pressure generator outlet port, with the decoupler, to prevent the liquid in the humidification chamber from entering the pressure generator through the humidification chamber gas inlet and the pressure generator outlet port.

A system configured to prevent damage from liquid spills in a humidified pressure support therapy device, the system comprising:

• means for generating a pressurized flow of breathable gas for delivery to an airway of a subject, the means for generating comprising an outlet port configured to conduct the pressurized flow of breathable gas from the means for generating;
• means for humidifying the pressurized flow of breathable gas, the means for humidifying comprising:
• means for holding a liquid that humidifies the pressurized flow of breathable gas, the means for holding defining a gas flow path between a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the gas inlet being configured for fluid communication with the outlet port of the means for generating;
• and
• means for covering the means for holding configured to be moved between open and closed positions to, correspondingly allow and prevent access to an interior of the means for holding;
• and
• means for decoupling configured to, responsive to the means for covering being opened, decouple the gas inlet of the means for holding from fluid communication with the outlet port of the means for generating to prevent the liquid in the means for holding from entering the means for generating through the gas inlet and the outlet port.