Valved hme assemblies for use in respiratory circuits

An HME unit for use in a breathing circuit, the HME unit comprising:

• a first conduit;
• an HME chamber containing an HME member, the first conduit in fluid communication with the HME chamber;
• a second conduit in fluid communication with the HME chamber;
• an inner core for reception in the HME chamber, the inner core having at least one first opening formed therein and at least one second opening formed therein and spaced from the at least one first opening with an intermediate area being located between the at least one first opening and the at least one second opening;
• the HME member being disposed about the intermediate area of the inner core;
• and
• a movable valve that has a valve member disposed within an interior bore of the inner core and being movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position in which the valve member occludes the interior bore of the inner core and is configured to force incoming breathing gas to flow through the at least one first opening across the HME member before flowing back through the at least one second opening and subsequently into the second conduit.