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EP-4484810-B1 - RESPIRATORY PRESSURE THERAPY SYSTEM

EP4484810B1EP 4484810 B1EP4484810 B1EP 4484810B1EP-4484810-B1

Inventors

  • KENYON, BARTON JOHN
  • HOLLEY, LIAM
  • Shrubb, Emily Claire

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20170725

Claims (15)

  1. A blower (4142) for a respiratory pressure therapy (RPT) system, the blower being configured to generate a flow of air at a therapeutic pressure of at least 6 cmH 2 O above ambient air pressure, the blower (4142) comprising: a motor (4145) having a first end and a second end; a shaft (4146) having a first shaft end extending from the first end of the motor (4145) and a second shaft end extending from the second end of the motor; an impeller (4150, 4160) arranged on each of the first shaft end and the second shaft end such that both impellers (4150, 4160) are driven simultaneously by the motor (4145); a stator (4180, 4190) corresponding to each of the first end of the motor and the second end of the motor (4145), the stator positioned downstream of the impeller along the flow of air generated by the blower (4145) in use; a blower outlet (4141) positioned downstream of each stator (4180, 4190); a housing (4148) corresponding to each of the first end of the motor (4145) and the second end of the motor (4145), each housing being shaped and dimensioned to at least partially enclose each impeller (4150, 4160) and each stator (4180, 4190) and at least partially define a blower inlet (4143), and each housing at least partially defining the corresponding blower outlet (4141) such that the blower outlets are adjacent to one another; and a flow path (4138) for the flow of air passing from each blower inlet (4143), past each impeller (4150, 4160), through each stator, and out each blower outlet (4141).
  2. The blower of claim 1, wherein each impeller and each second are at least partially contained within the corresponding housing such that the flow of air travelling along the flow path past the impeller (4160) and through the stator (4190) also passes through the housing (4148).
  3. The blower of claim 2, wherein each housing at least partially defines the corresponding blower outlet.
  4. The blower of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein each housing comprises a mounting structure (4183) to connect the blower to the RPT system.
  5. The blower of claim 4, wherein each mounting structure further comprises a pair of mounting rails (4183) extending around the outer circumference of each housing.
  6. The blower of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each housing is constructed to dampen sound and vibration.
  7. The blower of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each housing comprises a rigid material to provide structural integrity and a less rigid, elastically deformable material overmolded to the rigid material to dampen sound and vibration.
  8. The blower of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each impeller (4150, 4160) comprises an impeller hub (4153), impeller vanes (4151) extending radially from the impeller hub (4153), and an impeller shroud (4152).
  9. The blower of claim 8, wherein each of the impeller vanes (4151) comprises a first impeller vane portion (4154) that extends only in a radial direction and a second impeller vane portion (4155) that extends in a radial and axial direction.
  10. The blower of claim 9, wherein the first impeller vane portion (4154) of each of the impeller vanes of each first impeller (4150) and each second impeller (4160) has a constant cross-section and is radially inward relative to the second impeller vane portion, wherein the second impeller vane portion (4155) has a variable cross-section and is radially outward relative to the first impeller vane portion (4154), and wherein the constant cross-section of the first impeller vane portion (4154) is thinner than the variable cross-section of the second impeller vane portion (4154).
  11. The blower of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein each impeller shroud (4152) comprises a first impeller shroud portion (4156) that extends only in a radial direction and a second impeller shroud portion (4157) that extends in a radial and axial direction.
  12. The blower of any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the impeller vanes (4151) of each impeller are swept forward relative to the direction of rotation during operation.
  13. The blower of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each stator (4180, 4190) further comprises a top ring (4192), a base ring (4194), and a plurality of stator vanes (4187, 4187, 4191) that join the top ring (4192) and the base ring (4194), and wherein the plurality of stator vanes (4187, 4187, 4191) direct the flow of air from the impeller (4150, 4160) to the blower outlet in a radial and axial direction, reduce the velocity of the flow of air from the impeller (4150, 4160), and increase the pressure of the flow of air from the impeller (4150, 4160).
  14. The blower of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of stator vanes (4187, 4187, 4191) has a constant depth in a radial direction and an increasing width in a circumferential direction from the top ring to the base ring.
  15. The blower of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein each top ring (4192) includes a top ring recess (4195) and each base ring (4194) includes a base ring recess (4196), the top ring recess (4195) and the base ring recess (4196) allowing a flexible printed circuit board assembly, PCBA, to pass therethrough.

Description

1 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of Australian Provisional Application No. AU 2016902914, filed July 25, 2016, Australian Provisional Application No. 2016904093, filed October 11, 2016, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/458,862, filed February 14, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/512,445 filed by May 30, 2017. 2 BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY 2.1 FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY The present technology relates to one or more of the detection, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and amelioration of respiratory-related disorders. The present technology also relates to medical devices or apparatus, and their use. 2.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 2.2.1 Human Respiratory System and its Disorders The respiratory system of the body facilitates gas exchange. The nose and mouth form the entrance to the airways of a patient. The airways include a series of branching tubes, which become narrower, shorter and more numerous as they penetrate deeper into the lung. The prime function of the lung is gas exchange, allowing oxygen to move from the inhaled air into the venous blood and carbon dioxide to move in the opposite direction. The trachea divides into right and left main bronchi, which further divide eventually into terminal bronchioles. The bronchi make up the conducting airways, and do not take part in gas exchange. Further divisions of the airways lead to the respiratory bronchioles, and eventually to the alveoli. The alveolated region of the lung is where the gas exchange takes place, and is referred to as the respiratory zone. See "Respiratory Physiology", by John B. West, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 9th edition published 2012. A range of respiratory disorders exist. Certain disorders may be characterised by particular events, e.g. apneas, hypopneas, and hyperpneas. Examples of respiratory disorders include Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR), respiratory insufficiency, Obesity Hyperventilation Syndrome (OHS), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Neuromuscular Disease (NMD) and Chest wall disorders. 2.2.2 Therapy Various therapies, such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and Invasive ventilation (IV) have been used to treat one or more of the above respiratory disorders. 2.2.3 Treatment Systems These therapies may be provided by a treatment system or device. Such systems and devices may also be used to diagnose a condition without treating it. A treatment system may comprise a Respiratory Pressure Therapy Device (RPT device), an air circuit, a humidifier, a patient interface, and data management. Another form of treatment system is a mandibular repositioning device. 2.2.3.1 Patient Interface A patient interface may be used to interface respiratory equipment to its wearer, for example by providing a flow of air to an entrance to the airways. The flow of air may be provided via a mask to the nose and/or mouth, a tube to the mouth or a tracheostomy tube to the trachea of a patient. Depending upon the therapy to be applied, the patient interface may form a seal, e.g., with a region of the patient's face, to facilitate the delivery of gas at a pressure at sufficient variance with ambient pressure to effect therapy, e.g., at a positive pressure of about 10 cmH2O relative to ambient pressure. For other forms of therapy, such as the delivery of oxygen, the patient interface may not include a seal sufficient to facilitate delivery to the airways of a supply of gas at a positive pressure of about 10 cmH2O. 2.2.3.2 Respiratory Pressure Therapy (RPT) Device A respiratory pressure therapy (RPT) device may be used to deliver one or more of a number of therapies described above, such as by generating a flow of air for delivery to an entrance to the airways. The flow of air may be pressurised. Examples of RPT devices include a CPAP device and a ventilator. Air pressure generators are known in a range of applications, e.g. industrial-scale ventilation systems. However, air pressure generators for medical applications have particular requirements not fulfilled by more generalised air pressure generators, such as the reliability, size and weight requirements of medical devices. In addition, even devices designed for medical treatment may suffer from shortcomings, pertaining to one or more of: comfort, noise, ease of use, efficacy, size, weight, manufacturability, cost, and reliability. An example of the special requirements of certain RPT devices is acoustic noise. Table of noise output levels of prior RPT devices (one specimen only, measured using test method specified in ISO 3744 in CPAP mode at 10 cmH2O).RPT Device nameA-weighted sound pressure level dB(A)Year (approx.)C-Series Tango™31.92007C-Series Tango™ with Humidifier33.12007S8 Escape™ II30.52005S8 Escape™ II with H4i™ Humidifier31.12005S9 AutoSet™26.52010S9 AutoSet™ with H5i Humidifier28.62010 One known RPT device used for treating sleep