Humidifier and automatic control system therefor

An improved system for humidifying a breathing gas, comprising:

• container means adapted to receive a supply of water through which a breathing gas is passed for humidification, said container having bottom, wall and cover portions;
• diffuser means mounted within said container and so located as to be below the surface of the water during operation of said system, said diffuser means including a diffuser plate defining the top wall of a diffuser chamber adjacent but smaller than the bottom portion of said container, said diffuser plate having a multiplicity of small conical apertures for passing breathing gas out of said chamber, and said diffuser chamber having side edges spaced from the wall portion of said container to permit free circulation of water around the diffuser chamber;
• gas inlet means extending into said container and communicating with said diffuser chamber to direct breathing gas into said diffuser chamber, said breathing gas flowing from said diffuser chamber upwardly through said conical diffuser plate apertures whereby the gas is formed into streams of small bubbles for passage through the water into the container;
• gas outlet means communicating with the interior of said container, said outlet means being located between a side edge of said diffuser and the wall portion of the container and above the surface of the water during operation of the system for collecting humidified breathing gas that has passed through the water;
• baffle wall means located between said diffuser plate and said outlet means preventing bubble turbulent water from entering said outlet means while permitting humidified gas to flow thereto;
• and
• a contaminant trap connected to said gas outlet means and located within said container receiving and retaining backflowing contaminated liquid which returns from said outlet means to said container.