Humidifier and/or flow generator for CPAP device

A method for retaining a humidifier tub to a cradle, comprising:

• providing a cradle including a retaining mechanism and a biasing structure;
• moving the retaining mechanism to a first position that enables insertion of the humidifier tub;
• laterally sliding the humidifier tub into a receiving area defined by the cradle;
• bringing the humidifier tub into engagement with the biasing structure after a portion of the humidifier tub has already been laterally slid into the receiving area;
• and
• moving the retaining mechanism to a second position that secures the humidifier tub in an operative position,
• wherein when the cradle is in an upright operating position, the biasing structure applies a biasing force from a lateral periphery of the receiving area to force a heat conducting base plate of the humidifier tub and a heater plate of the cradle toward each other and into thermal engagement with each other.

A humidifier assembly adapted to be coupled to a flow generator, the humidifier assembly comprising:

• a cradle supporting a tub and having a heater plate, the tub having an inlet positioned on a rear wall of the tub and an outlet located on an upper side of the tub, the inlet being adapted to be in fluid communication with an output from the flow generator, the outlet of the tub being adapted to be in fluid communication with an air delivery conduit;
• the tub including a heat conducting base plate provided to a bottom portion of the tub and adapted to be in thermal contact with the heater plate of the cradle when the tub is positioned within the cradle by sliding the tub from front to back relative to the cradle, the tub and the base plate defining a chamber that is adapted to receive a volume of water, wherein the chamber is configured so that a supply of pressurized air received from the flow generator through the inlet of the tub collects moisture through contact with water within the tub before continuing on to the outlet of the tub;
• and
• a connector configured to be positioned adjacent the inlet of the tub, the connector including an attaching portion and a flexible sealing portion formed in one piece, the flexible sealing portion defining a face seal of silicone, the face seal comprising an aperture configured to be adjacent to or abut a flat surface surrounding the inlet of the tub when the tub is properly docked on the cradle, wherein the flexible sealing portion has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the attaching portion and the flat surface surrounding the inlet of the tub remains outside of the aperture of the face seal.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device including:

• a flow generator to generate pressurized gas in the range of 4-28 cm H2O;
• and
• a humidifier assembly adapted to be coupled to the flow generator, the humidifier assembly comprising:
• a cradle having a heater plate provided to a bottom surface of the cradle;
• a tub configured to be slidingly received and supported by the cradle and having an inlet positioned on a rear wall of the tub and an outlet located on an upwardly facing surface of the tub, the inlet being adapted to be in fluid communication with an output from the flow generator when the humidifier assembly is coupled to the flow generator, the outlet of the tub being adapted to be in fluid communication with an air delivery conduit in use;
• the tub including a heat conducting base plate provided to a bottom portion of the tub and adapted to be in thermal contact with the heater plate of the cradle when the tub is positioned within the cradle by sliding the tub from front to back relative to the cradle, the tub and the base plate defining a chamber that is adapted to receive a volume of water, wherein, the chamber is configured to receive pressurized air from the flow generator through the inlet of the tub so that the pressurized air collects moisture through contact with water within the tub before continuing on to the outlet of the tub;
• and
• a connector positioned adjacent the inlet of the tub, the connector including an attaching portion and a flexible sealing portion formed in one piece, the flexible sealing portion defining a face seal of silicone, the face seal comprising an aperture that is adjacent to or abuts a flat surface surrounding the inlet of the tub when the tub is properly docked on the cradle, wherein the flexible sealing portion has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the attaching portion, and the flat surface surrounding the inlet of the tub remains outside of the aperture of the face seal.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device comprising:

• a humidifier tub including a heat conducting base plate;
• and
• a cradle to support the humidifier tub in an operative position, the cradle comprising:
• a heater plate configured to communicate with the base plate of the humidifier tub;
• and
• a retaining structure with lateral portions,
• wherein the retaining structure is configured to retain the humidifier tub in the cradle and is configured to lift up and down to enable release or insertion of the humidifier tub in a receiving area defined by the cradle,
• wherein the lateral portions are configured to provide a downwardly directed force to ensure good thermal contact between the base plate of the humidifier tub and the heater plate, and
• wherein the receiving area of the cradle is structured to laterally receive a portion of the tub before the tub engages the lateral portions.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, comprising:

• a flow generator to generate a pressurized gas flow in a range of 4-28 cm H2O;
• a humidifier assembly to humidify the pressurized gas flow, the humidifier assembly comprising:
• a tub configured to store liquid and including an inlet configured to receive the pressurized gas flow and direct the pressurized gas flow into contact with the liquid, a heat conducting base plate provided to a bottom portion of the tub, and an outlet configured to deliver the pressurized gas flow to an air delivery conduit in use, and
• a cradle configured to support the tub in an operative position to receive the pressurized gas flow, the cradle including a heater plate in contact with the base plate of the tub in the operative position, a retaining mechanism configured to retain the tub in the cradle and to bring the base plate into engagement with the heater plate, and a spring configured to bias the heater plate and the base plate toward each other and into good thermal contact with each other;
• and
• a connector including an inlet to receive the pressurized gas flow from the flow generator, an outlet to deliver the pressurized gas flow to the inlet of the tub, and a conforming, bellows-type seal to seal the inlet of the tub when the tub is in the operative position and the pressurized gas flow is in the connector.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device comprising:

• a flow generator to generate a pressurized gas flow in a range of 4-28 cm H2O;
• a humidifier assembly configured to humidify the pressurized gas flow, the humidifier assembly comprising:
• a tub adapted to store liquid, the tub including an inlet to receive the pressurized gas flow and direct the pressurized gas flow into contact with the liquid, and an outlet configured for communication with an air delivery tube;
• a heat conducting base plate positioned on a bottom portion of the tub;
• and
• a cradle configured to support the tub in an operative position to receive the pressurized gas flow, the cradle comprising:
• a movable front guard configured to retain the tub in the cradle;
• a heater plate;
• and
• a biasing mechanism configured to bias the heater plate into engagement with the base plate;
• and
• a connector configured to connect an outlet of the flow generator and the inlet of the tub, the connector comprising:
• a plastic attaching portion configured to guide the pressurized gas flow from the flow generator;
• and
• a flexible sealing portion associated with the plastic attaching portion, the flexible sealing portion comprising a bellows-type conforming face seal adapted to form a seal with the inlet of the tub by abutting a surface surrounding the inlet of the tub that remains outside an aperture of the flexible sealing portion.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device comprising:

• a humidifier tub comprising:
• an inlet positioned on a rear wall of the humidifier tub;
• an outlet located on a substantially horizontal surface of the humidifier tub;
• upstanding side walls extending between the rear wall of the humidifier tub and a front wall of the humidifier tub;
• a shoulder extending horizontally outwards from a lower portion of each side wall of the humidifier tub;
• and
• a heat conducting base plate;
• and
• a cradle adapted to support the humidifier tub in a fully installed position, the humidifier tub being configured to be slidingly received within the cradle in an assembly direction toward a front wall of the cradle and to be slidingly withdrawn from the cradle in a withdrawal direction away from the front wall of the cradle, the front wall of the cradle being configured to face the rear wall of the humidifier tub when the humidifier tub is docked within the cradle, the cradle comprising:
• side walls configured to face the side walls of the humidifier tub such that the humidifier tub is properly aligned with respect to the cradle as the humidifier tub is slid in the assembly direction;
• a C-shaped channel located at each lateral side wall of the cradle and adapted to slidingly receive a respective said shoulder of the humidifier tub;
• a stop configured to prevent the humidifier tub from being removed from the cradle in the withdrawal direction when the humidifier tub is fully installed within the cradle;
• and
• a heater plate configured to communicate with the base plate of the humidifier tub,
• wherein each said shoulder of the humidifier tub comprises a main portion with an upper surface that is substantially level and a ramped portion oriented towards the front wall of the cradle in the fully installed position, and
• wherein the humidifier tub is configured so that during installation of the humidifier tub in the cradle, for each said shoulder, said ramped portion engages a respective said C-shaped channel before the main portion.