Humidifier-nebulizer apparatus

A humidifier-nebulizer apparatus for use with a source of pressurized gas, comprising, in combination, a liquid reservoir defining a primary liquid adapted to contain a quantity of liquid and having a humidifier discharge passage communicating with said primary chamber, said reservoir having an opening at its lower end defined by a generally annular wall, sparger means supported by said reservoir and including a liquid impervious bottom wall sealingly secured at its peripheral edge to said annular wall within said opening and a sparger plate spaced from said bottom wall and having a plurality of flow orifices therethrough, said sparger plate having a depending wall formed thereon the lower edge of which abuts said bottom wall, said depending wall being spaced inwardly from and parallel to said annular wall of said reservoir to define an annular passage therebetween, said depending wall having at least one opening therein, a filler tube extending generally longitudinally upwardly along said primary chamber and having a lower end connected to said annular wall such that the interior of said filler tube is in communication with said annular passage, and adapter head means mounted on said liquid reservoir, said adapter head means including a nebulizer discharge passage, a gas inlet passage connectible to a source of pressurized gas, a liquid supply passage in flow communication with the interior of said filler tube, a venturi passage in communication with said nebulizer discharge passage and said gas input passage, an aspiration passage communicating with said venturi passage and said liquid supply passage, and a bypass passage for selectively substantially bypassing input gas around said venturi passage, said adapter head being manipulatable to a first position to cause said bypass passage to be blocked such that pressurized gas introduced into said gas input passage will pass through said venturi passage and draw a liquid from said primary chamber for discharge in a nebulized gas-liquid state from said nebulizer discharge passage, said adapter head being further manipulatable to a second position wherein said bypass passage is in communication with said gas input passage and said liquid supply passage such that gas introduced into said gas input passage is caused to flow through said bypass passage and through said filler tube and sparger plate into said primary liquid chamber for discharge in a humidified state from said humidifier discharge passage.