Humidifier for a patient support apparatus

An infant incubator comprising:

• a tub carrying a patient support surface and including a container-receiving cavity;
• and
• a humidifier comprising:
• a vaporizer coupled to the tub and spaced from the container-receiving cavity;
• a container for holding fluid and configured for insertion into the container-receiving cavity, and a valve assembly coupled to the container, the valve assembly having a movable portion that is movable relative to the container, the container being movable relative to the tub along a substantially straight path between a first position in the container-receiving cavity and a second position in which the container is moved away from the first position but is still at least partially situated in the container-receiving cavity, the movable portion being in an opened position to permit fluid to flow from the container through the valve assembly and to the vaporizer when the vaporizer is in the first position, and the movable portion being in a closed position to prevent fluid from flowing out of the container through the valve assembly when the container is in the second position, the movable portion moving parallel with the substantially straight path when moving between the opened position and the closed position.

An infant incubator comprising:

• a tub carrying a patient support surface and having a wall defining a perimeter, the tub including a container-receiving cavity within the perimeter;
• and
• a humidifier comprising:
• a vaporizer coupled to the tub, a container for holding fluid and configured for insertion into the container-receiving cavity, and a valve assembly coupled to the container, the valve assembly having a movable portion that is movable relative to the container, the container having a refill opening, the container being movable relative to the tub between a first position in the container-receiving cavity and a second position in which the container is moved away from the first position but is still at least partially situated in the container-receiving cavity, the refill opening being inside the perimeter of the tub and inaccessible when the container is in the first position, the refill opening being accessible outside the perimeter of the tub when the container is in the second position, movement of the container from the second position to the first position results in the movable portion moving from a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing out of the container through the valve assembly to an opened position in which fluid is permitted to flow out of the container through the valve assembly and to the vaporizer.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a support having a container-receiving cavity,
• a vaporizer coupled to the patient support apparatus,
• a fluid supply container configured for insertion into and removal from the container-receiving cavity while the vaporizer remains coupled to the patient support apparatus, and
• a valve assembly coupled to the container, the valve assembly having a movable portion that is movable relative to the container, the container being movable relative to the patient support apparatus between a first position in which the container is received in the container-receiving cavity and a second position spaced from the first position, the movable portion being in an opened position to permit fluid to flow from the container through the valve assembly and to the vaporizer when the container is in the first position, and the movable portion being in a closed position to prevent fluid from flowing out of the container when the container is in the second position.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a support having a container-receiving cavity,
• a vaporizer coupled to the support,
• a manifold mounted in the container-receiving cavity and in fluid communication with the vaporizer,
• a fluid supply container configured for insertion into and removal from the container-receiving cavity, the container having an outlet, and
• a valve assembly having a movable portion that is movable relative to the container between a closed position closing the outlet and an opened position opening the outlet, the movable portion moving from the closed position to the opened position in response to engaging the manifold during the insertion of the container into the container-receiving cavity to provide fluid communication between the container and the vaporizer through the outlet and the manifold.