Continuous positive pressure respiratory support device

Abstract

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing, comprising an air inlet duct (5) conveying an incoming airflow to a compressor (10), the compressed airflow exiting the compressor (10) being connected to a pressurized air outlet duct (6) leading to a mask intended to be applied to a patient's airway. This device is characterized in that the air inlet duct (5) opens into a compartment (9) upstream – according to the direction of airflow – of the compressor inlet (10), and at this point has means for guiding the airflow first towards a bottom wall of said compartment (9) oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of air intake into the compressor (10), said bottom wall being at least partially covered with a rigid and non-deformable honeycomb structure (91). (See abstract figure: Fig.) 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Continuous positive pressure respiratory assistance device

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of respiratory assistance devices capable of exerting continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilation to treat sleep-related breathing disorders manifesting in the form of obstructive apnea and / or hypopnea. The invention is in fact intended to treat the effects of what is commonly called OSAHS, for Obstructive Sleep Apnea or Hypopnea Syndrome, specifically in the phases of falling asleep and then sleeping in people affected by it. These are in fact involuntary pauses in breathing resulting from a temporary and more or less complete closure of the airways, for example caused by a relaxation of the tongue and throat muscles. It is now known that these disorders are closely linked to the prevalence of other pathologies for which they are a factor in increasing the risk of occurrence, such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

[0002] To overcome the disadvantages and risks arising from these temporary stops of the respiratory system, ventilation devices such as that of the invention are used, for the purpose of preventing or remedying the obstruction of said airways by creating a positive pressure which artificially keeps them open as soon as a pressure and / or flow deficit is detected. These so-called continuous positive pressure (CPAP) devices are electrical devices based on an air compressor, pressurized air at a predetermined level being necessary to unblock the airways as soon as a closure is measured.

[0003] However, the problem that immediately arises when designing a CPAP device is the noise level that it produces during its operation. It is clear that since these devices are used at night, in a sleep-support process, the concept of operating noise proves contradictory. The existence of such noise can also constitute a disturbing factor on several levels: in addition to the discomfort induced during treatment, when a person accepts it and uses the device, the noise nuisance can be a deterrent before the treatment, and lead to refusal.

[0004] In practice, to make the device - and therefore the treatment - more acceptable, it is desirable to reduce the overall noise level of the device as much as possible, so as not to disturb the users' nights of sleep, and possibly to convince those who are reluctant that the noise nuisance is kept at a level that will not bother them.

[0005] One of the well-known means of noise reduction is the use of foams. absorbent, positioned at appropriate locations in the machine. This can be away from the airflow generated in the device, for example in the soles placed under the device, to attenuate vibrations. The foam can also be placed between internal noisy components and external covers, etc. The solutions used can also be provided in the airflow, for example by making all or part of the walls guiding said flow with foam. This arrangement, however, proves problematic because the foams have aeraulic resistivity. Part of the kinetic energy of the airflow is dispersed in the foam and this results, with equivalent duct geometry, in a loss of aeraulic performance. A second problem concerns patient safety. Absorbent foams can indeed, depending on their material and the conditions of use, disintegrate after a certain time and / or with prolonged exposure to humidity.In such a case, there is a real risk of detachment, then of movement of the detached elements with the air flow of the machine, and then of ingestion of these particles by the patient. There is also a risk of chemical alteration of the material (by hydrolysis in particular).

[0006] However, medical devices for the treatment of sleep apnea are subject to strict regulatory requirements, with normative standards that evolve regularly. It has happened that a manufacturer was forced to recall a fleet following complaints: the foams were degrading and particles were ingested by patients, several of whom then complained of pain and headaches possibly linked to this ingestion. It is now known that certain foam materials degrade by hydrolysis and generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) incompatible with safety standards, the possible chemical alteration of these particles after hydrolysis can make them potentially toxic. This actually depends on the material of the foam chosen to equip the device. It should be noted that foams are generally difficult to clean or disinfect.

[0007] Another technical problem encountered, although less serious, relates to industrialization and concerns the assembly process of the finished product. Absorbent foams are generally soft and deformable. When the device is being assembled by the production operator, it is possible that a foam may be, depending on the complexity of the assembly, incorrectly positioned or deformed. This may result in degrading the sound and / or airflow efficiency of the duct.

[0008] The most effective way to reduce the final noise level of a product is to reduce the noise emission of the elements that are sources of nuisance. Noise level problems in electromechanical devices organizing gas compression are of various origins, and the solutions to address them each have their limits. In PPC devices, the main source of noise is the compressor, and the first action that can be considered is to limit the transmission of vibrations from the compressor. presser to the rest of the device, but this only concerns the "vibratory" part of the noise level, which can be dampened by the chosen means. The other causes of noise generally find their source in the aeraulics: it concerns all the friction and percussion of the gas flows which pass through the machine, and which are not (or very little) reduced by the classic means mentioned.

[0009] To reduce noise emissions from air handling, it is therefore logical to seek to reduce friction, recirculation, turbulence and changes in direction of air flows in tubes, ducts and pipes. For example, we seek to soften the angles and curves along the path of the air in the device. However, these technical solutions are also only partially effective, and we cannot avoid thinking about the "vibration" part.

[0010] The present invention proposes a solution which frees itself from traditional designs based on the use of absorbent foams acting as acoustic dampers, and is instead based on the use of rigid elements judiciously positioned and sized to effectively replace said foams. The design of these rigid elements and the choice of their location has a dual objective. They first produce sound attenuation, by their direct effect on the propagation of the sound wave in the air. They then aim at mechanical attenuation, since they are intended to reinforce the rigidity of the mechanical parts in which they are implemented, which therefore become less likely to vibrate or deform, and therefore to generate noise.

[0011] For these purposes, and for other results which will be described in more detail below, the continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device for the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders of the invention conventionally comprises an air inlet conduit conveying an incoming air flow to a compressor, the compressed air flow leaving the compressor being connected to a pressurized air outlet conduit intended for a mask intended to be applied to the respiratory tract of a patient. From this traditional basic diagram, the design of the invention proposes numerous arrangements providing local solutions to the overall problem of noise pollution.

[0012] As a main feature, according to the invention, the PPC apparatus is firstly such that the air inlet duct opens into a compartment upstream - in the direction of circulation of the air flow - of the compressor inlet, and has at this level means for guiding the air flow firstly towards a bottom wall of said compartment oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of suction of the air into the compressor, at least said bottom wall being at least partially covered with a rigid and non-deformable honeycomb pattern structure.

[0013] In short, we placed in this compartment upstream of the compressor patterns al particular veolar patterns, having a predetermined geometry and which line a wall of the compartment. They are positioned in the device so that they are irremovable, the solid material used also making them non-degradable over time. The honeycomb pattern structure is in this case oriented substantially parallel to the air flow as it is guided at the outlet of this portion of the inlet duct opening into the compartment, and the gas flow therefore crosses these patterns frontally, dispersing over the surface of the bottom wall of the compartment. From an aeraulic point of view, the honeycomb patterns make it possible to linearize the air flow, and therefore make it less turbulent. However, it is the turbulence in an air flow that generates noise.

[0014] More specifically, according to a configuration specific to the apparatus of the invention, the air inlet duct comprises, at the inlet of said compartment, a ramp followed by a spiral portion developing in the alveolar patterns of the bottom wall, said spiral portion having a rounded hollow terminal shoe, centered in said bottom wall and located at right angles to the axis of the compressor. The incoming air flow is consequently directed towards the bottom of the compartment, in an arrival direction which, as we have seen, is generally parallel to it, then returned in a perpendicular direction towards the inlet of the compressor. This portion of the inlet duct makes it possible to channel the upstream flow under the compressor so that there is the least possible pressure loss and turbulence.The orientation (here centripetal in a clockwise direction) of the spiral allows the flow to start rotating before it reaches the compressor, and then undergo an even stronger rotation in the same direction. This also contributes to better channeling of the flow.

[0015] The honeycomb structure of the bottom is in fact positioned in direct proximity to the suction zone of the compressor, where the incoming air flow is most turbulent and where certain frequencies of the sound emitted by the compressor are generated. To further improve the control of the linearity of the flow entering the compartment, the spiral portion is provided, upstream of the rounded shoe, with a separating rib which has the function first of better channeling the air flow and then of reducing turbulence. The recess of the hollow terminal shoe is furthermore closed by a curved peripheral guide which helps to redirect at least part of the flow towards the turbine.

[0016] Furthermore, preferably, the ramp and the spiral portion constitute the upper face of a block whose base comprises a structure with honeycomb patterns, which allows, in addition to reinforcing the rigidity of said block, also to reduce the noise level, the mechanical stiffening helping to eliminate or reduce certain vibrations. This block is moreover preferably manufactured separately from the compartment and secured in particular to its honeycomb bottom. The remainder of the honeycomb bottom of the compartment can either be a separate part resting on the bottom of the compartment, or be produced during the injection of the rest of the half-shell of the chassis, and therefore be integral with said bottom.

[0017] According to a possible configuration of the invention, the PPC device comprises a buffer space provided upstream of the compressor, between on the one hand a partition wall separating the compartment from the compressor, said wall being provided with an opening placed at the right of the terminal shoe of the spiral portion, and on the other hand said compressor. This is in fact a "buffer" volume which is left to the air flow, between the moment when it leaves the compartment and the moment when it enters the compressor. This space contributes to reducing the noise level.

[0018] Furthermore, upstream of the ramp, the air inlet duct of the device may comprise two superimposed parallel sections, a first section connected to the air inlet of the device and a second section opening into the ramp, said sections being connected by a rounded U-shaped portion. The two sections are for example such that the second is placed above the first and comprises access to the ramp which descends towards the compartment, the latter being therefore located at the same “lower” level as the first section.

[0019] The first section may comprise, over a sufficient length, a linearizing profile, consisting of a honeycomb pattern oriented in the direction of flow passage. This structure is positioned downstream of the air inlet of the device, from where the flow can potentially exit in a turbulent regime. Indeed, variations in cross sections, changes in orientation, and any singular elements (grilles, filters, shapes surrounding the duct) are all obstacles to the laminarity of the flow.

[0020] Preferably, the second section may comprise a Pitot probe, a base of which rests on a separating wall of the superimposed sections and has a honeycomb pattern structure which stiffens this part of the device and in particular prevents it from vibrating. This honeycomb pattern structure also makes it possible to limit the transmission of sound from the first section to the second, and vice versa.

[0021] At one of the two ends of the air circuit of the PPC device, the outlet duct downstream of the compressor can be equipped with a terminal part for attenuating vibrations and noise comprising an air circulation baffle in the form of a tube having at least one turn and developing in a frontal plane of appearance perpendicular to the direction of the air flow in the final portion of the outlet duct, the inlet and outlet mouths of said tube being substantially parallel to said direction.

[0022] The vibrations of the apparatus of the invention as well as the noise of the compressor can in reality be perceptible up to the mask worn by the patient, hence the importance of eliminating them or at least reducing them considerably, by the means and characteristics already described and to come.

[0023] More specifically, the tubing of this terminal part for attenuating vibrations and noise is made up of two parts of said part fixed to each other, a base and a front oriented along said frontal plane, and in that at least the face of the base on which the front is fixed is covered with a structure with honeycomb patterns. It is the face facing the outside of the base which is covered with these patterns, which make it possible to dampen the sound level even more.

[0024] At the other end of the air circuit, the air inlet duct is closed, at its inlet, by a filter-holder hood provided with a grille offset relative to the axis of the inlet duct, said hood being secured to a horn flaring from the inlet duct and conveying the air from the grille to said duct. The air flow therefore enters the device by passing through the grille - behind which one or more filters are placed - preferably oriented perpendicular to the axis of the duct so that the incoming flow is parallel to said axis, then is driven towards the inlet duct, which forces it to change direction and take an orientation normal to the first orientation when passing through the grille. The air flow then undergoes a second opposite turn, so as to return in the direction of the inlet duct, which is in this case and preferably the first section of the inlet duct.The height position of the air inlet through the appliance grille has been the subject of iterations. Indeed, if it is located too low in relation to the inlet duct, the sound waves emitted from this area can reverberate on the support surface of the appliance (for example the bedside table or the floor on which the machine rests during operation), which constitutes an undesirable phenomenon.

[0025] According to one possibility, side walls perpendicular to the surface of the grille at the level of the hood or the roof comprise inclined oblique blades, protruding from said side walls towards the center of the grille, forming a device nicknamed "fish trap" arranged to prevent sound waves from rising towards the inlet grille of the compressor chassis. Furthermore, the hood provided with the grille also has, on its internal face opposite the inlet duct, a structure with honeycomb patterns. It is therefore not a solid and flat wall which is positioned opposite the outlet of the duct, which would have no impact in terms of attenuating the turbulence present in the incoming air flow.

[0026] In practice, preferably, each honeycomb pattern structure comprises hexagonal cells, which makes it a honeycomb structure. The sizing of said honeycomb patterns is subject to the fact that the thicknesses of the walls of the patterns are of the order of 1.5 mm maximum. The empty spaces may have dimensions of 3 to 4 mm between walls. In practice, the walls of the patterns must be sufficiently thick and dense to stiffen the structure on which they are positioned, without generating plastics defects (shrinkage). notably).

[0027] According to a more general view of the constitution of the invention, the compressor is fixed in a chassis comprising two superimposed half-shells separated by a flexible central seal, the inlet and outlet ducts being at least partially shaped in said chassis. More precisely, in connection with the configuration explained previously, a Pitot probe and a block with a ramp and a spiral portion of the inlet duct are in particular immobilized in and by said chassis, between the flexible central seal and the half-shells, the flexible central seal forming a separation wall on the one hand between two superimposed sections of the inlet duct and on the other hand between the compressor and a compartment at the outlet of the ramp, said seal comprising an opening placed above the end of said spiral portion and under the inlet of the compressor.

[0028] In other words, when the apparatus of the invention is placed on a horizontal plane, this configuration comprises in practice:

[0029] - means for holding one or more filters forming a baffle at the inlet followed by two sections of horizontal pipes placed one above the other,

[0030] - then a curved descent path towards the bottom lined with honeycomb patterns of a compartment,

[0031] - surmounted by a compressor whose outlet duct is slightly curved,

[0032] - and which opens into a noise reduction terminal part having also a chicane.

[0033] This is a configuration having an architecture strictly specific to the invention. Most of the technical characteristics mentioned above, including the respective configurations of the different parts, and the existence of different zones with alveolar patterns, implement the two functions already mentioned:

[0034] - A sound attenuation, by their effect on the propagation of the sound wave in air: the wave is reflected, for example, in the walls with honeycomb patterns, which can lead to cancellation (by phase opposition) or local attenuation of the sound propagation, and

[0035] - A mechanical attenuation, since the hexagonal structures of the patterns al The veolar parts reinforce the rigidity of the mechanical parts that house them, which stop vibrating or deforming, or reduce these phenomena that generate noise.

[0036] Other aims and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the description which follows, relating to a configuration which is given only as an indicative example. The understanding of this description will be facilitated in particular by reference to the drawings attached in the appendix and in which:

[0037] [Fig.l] shows a perspective view of a positive pressure apparatus chassis continues according to the present invention;

[0038] [Fig.2] shows an elevation view of the air inlet side;

[0039] [Fig. 3] is a sectional view of the inlet part of the air circuit;

[0040] [Fig.4] shows a perspective view of the compressor chassis, without the half- upper chassis shell and without the compressor;

[0041] [Fig.5a] and [Fig.5b] represent a modified Pitot probe according to the invention, respectively in perspective view and in cross-section;

[0042] [Fig.6] illustrates in perspective view the configuration of the flexible median seal;

[0043] [Fig.7] shows a sectional view along a plane perpendicular to the section plane of [Fig.3], in the part of the inlet duct comprising a descending ramp;

[0044] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of the lower half-shell of the chassis with the various elements resting on it;

[0045] [Fig.9] shows a sectional view along a plane perpendicular to the section plane of [Fig.7] in the compartment into which the descending ramp opens, in the absence of the upper half-shell; and

[0046] [Fig. 10a] and [Fig. 10b] show in perspective view the vibration and noise attenuation terminal part positioned at the end of the pressurized air outlet duct.

[0047] With reference to [Fig. 1], the continuous positive pressure apparatus of the invention comprises a chassis 1 composed of two half-shells, respectively upper 2 and lower 3, separated by a flexible seal 4. An inlet filter holder cover 50 comprising a wall provided with a grid 51 is arranged at the end of the inlet duct 5 described later, fixed to a mouth widening into a pavilion 30 closed by said cover 50, said pavilion 30 being an integral part of the lower half-shell 3. At the other end of the air circuit internal to the apparatus, an outlet duct 6 leaves the chassis 1 opposite the inlet filter part 50. The cover 50 provided with the grid 51 also comprises on a part of its inner face a structure with alveolar patterns, opposite the end of the inlet duct 5. The alveoli form a stiffening relief located opposite the start of a first section 54 of the inlet duct (see [Fig.3]).The side walls, perpendicular to the grille 51 of the filter holder cover 50 / horn 30 assembly, comprise oblique blades 53 inclined downwards. They are designed to "trap" the noise by preventing it from rising towards the grille 51 and exiting through this route. More precisely, these blades 53 protrude symmetrically from each side wall, and are oriented obliquely simultaneously towards the bottom of the cover 50 and towards the opposite side wall. One or more filters (not shown) are also positioned between these blades 53 and the grille 51, above the inlet of the duct 5.

[0048] The air flow passing through this inlet part of the air circuit changes from direction after passing the grid 51, from horizontal to vertical, then changes direction again at the level of the alveolar structure placed at the bottom of the cover 50, which attenuates the effect of the turbulence of the flow, to engage horizontally in the first section 54 of the inlet duct 5 and cross the linearizing profile 54a, the section of which has an alveolar pattern (the references to horizontality and verticality refer to the figures, and should not be understood in absolute terms). A U-shaped portion 55 at the end of said first section 54 drives the flow in the opposite direction into a second section 56 located above the first. The two superimposed sections 54, 56 are in practice separated from each other on the one hand by a part 40 of the flexible seal 4 (see in [Fig.6]), which at this location includes a rounded wall 41 participating in guiding the half-turn of the flow in the U-shaped portion 55 arranged between the two sections 54, 56, and on the other hand by the sole 70 of a Pitot probe 7 appearing in figures 5a and 5b, provided with an internal grid 75 normal to the direction of the air flow (visible in [Fig.5b]). The purpose of this part is to create a slight pressure difference between the upstream and downstream of the grid. This pressure difference is proportional to the flow passing through. A sensor (placed on top of the chimney 74 protruding from the upper half-shell 2 of the chassis 1 upwards) interprets this pressure delta into a proportional flow value.

[0049] The two sections 54 and 56 are thus formed by a subset of a minimal number of parts (here 4). The shape of the cross-section of these sections, as well as that of the portion 55, is U-shaped, called "semi-oblong". This is particularly visible in [Fig.7], clearly showing the two sections 54, 56 superimposed, arranged in an inverted U since the U of the lower section 54 is upright while the U of the upper section 56 is turned over. This is the result of a compromise between, on the one hand, the number, the arrangement, the mechanical functions of the parts forming this profile, and, on the other hand, the constraints specific to the plastics processing of each of the parts (constant material thicknesses, drafts, simplicity of design, etc.). To best linearize an air flow, the ideal passage section has a circular shape.The compromise presented here therefore consisted of approaching this shape as closely as possible while retaining a flat floor (or ceiling depending on the duct concerned) to simplify the plastics processing and assembly of the elements. The choice of this geometry is also based on numerical simulations highlighting its relevance.

[0050] The Pitot probe 7 has a passage section for the air flow similar to the rest of the ducts upstream and downstream of said probe 7 (this section is therefore semi-oblong). It must ensure the function of a pressure reducing member described above without generating an obstacle to the through flow, to the point of creating undesirable pressure losses or turbulence. The passage section of the Pitot probe 7 has two main functional zones: the grid 75 with rectangular sections, most of which pass through, which contribute to linearizing the flow and an obstructed section which forms an obstacle 76. This is more precisely made up of an obstructive wall 76 and an opening 77 placed in the lower part of this obstructed wall 76. The opening 77 is particularly sized and particularly positioned on the air flow. It is upstream and downstream of the obstacle 76 that the pressure measurements proportional to the through flow are carried out. Each of the two upper openings of the chimney 74 opens, for one, just a little upstream and for the other, just a little downstream of this obstructive wall 76. The sizing of these functional zones was the subject of aeraulic and phonic performance tests and iterative numerical simulations.

[0051] The sole 70 of the Pitot probe 7 also comprises a honeycomb pattern structure 71 which rests on a surface of the part 40 of the seal 4 provided with a particular pattern 42 with successive rectangular recesses (see in particular [Fig.6]). Above the honeycomb structure 71, the upper surface of the sole 70 is configured to allow smoothing of the guidance of the air flow, provided in particular to prevent turbulence in the curves of the path taken by the air flow. Thus, the inlet end 72 of the sole 70 is curved and forms an internal guide surface for the U-shaped portion.

[0052] At the outlet of the Pitot probe 7, the outlet end 73 of the sole 70 has a shape of initiating a turn towards the next part of the inlet duct 5, comprising a ramp 80 descending towards a lower compartment 9. This is located, in the chassis 1, at the same level as the first section 54 of the inlet duct. From said ramp 80, the wall which envelops and delimits the inlet duct 5 no longer falls under the half-shells 2, 3, as was at least partially the case until then. An arch 43 of the joint 4 followed by an inclined face 44 of this same joint 4 form the upper part of the conduit, the lower track of which is part of a block 8 (see in particular [Fig.8]) comprising the ramp 80 and a spiral portion 81 ending in the bottom of the compartment 9. The base of this block 8 is also provided with a structure with alveolar patterns 85.The spiral portion 81 is equipped with a separating rib 82 for fluidifying the air and attenuating turbulence when guiding the air flow in the spiral.

[0053] The bottom of the compartment 9 also comprises a honeycomb pattern structure 91. After the last turn of the spiral portion 81, the entire bottom is filled with honeycomb patterns 91, for which the size of the cells has been iterated until the satisfactory shape is found, in this case hexagonal.

[0054] This honeycomb patterned structure 91 placed in the bottom of the compartment 9 is particularly important for solving noise problems, due to its positioning in the immediate vicinity of the suction zone of the compressor 10, where the air flow is most turbulent and where certain frequencies of the sound emitted by the com presser 10 are generated. It should be noted that this structure 91 can be manufactured independently, that is to say that it is a separate component placed in the bottom of the compartment 9 of the lower half-shell 3 of the chassis 1 or, alternatively, injected with the rest of the half-shell 3 and therefore immediately integral with the chassis 1.

[0055] The hollow and rounded terminal shoe 83 of the spiral portion 81 has a peripheral guide in the form of a slope which curves from the bottom of the central recess of the shoe 83 located in the extension of the spiral track 81 towards a rim located at the level of the upper surface of the alveolar patterns 91. This terminal shoe 83 is located under a circular opening 45 made in a central zone of the flexible seal 4 (see in particular in [Fig.6]). When the air arrives at the end of the rib 82 of the track of the spiral portion 81, at the level of the terminal shoe 83, it is just below the compressor 10, ready to be sucked in.

[0056] As appears particularly clearly in [Fig.9], the compressor 10 is located above the compartment 9, from which it is separated by the flexible seal 4. It does not rest on said seal 4, a buffer space 11 having been provided for the incoming air flow, located between the place where it leaves the lower compartment 9, and the place where it enters the turbine. The existence of this space 11 is very important for reducing the noise level of the apparatus of the invention. The compressor 10 is substantially centered above the opening 45.

[0057] Once compressed in the compressor 10, the air flow is sent through an outlet duct 6 (see in particular [Fig.9]) before leaving the chassis 1. Its dimensions and curvatures have been optimized, based on digital simulations, to attenuate noise and vibrations as much as possible.

[0058] Finally, before leaving the device, the air flow passes through a final part: this is a terminal part 60 for attenuating vibrations and noise, shown in Figures 10a and 10b, in fact comprising a baffle placed in the air circulation path. This takes the form of a tube 61 made up of two parts of said part 60 fixed to each other, a base 64a and a front 64b, the tube 61 created between them developing in a frontal plane of appearance perpendicular to the direction of the air flow at the outlet of the outlet duct 6. The length traveled by the flow in this tube 61, as well as the shape and dimensions of the cross-section at the passage of the flow, contribute to the effectiveness of the attenuation of vibrations and noise.A separating rib 69 projecting from the base 64a allows the fluidification of the air and the attenuation of turbulence when guiding the air flow in the pipe 61, leading to a reduction in noise. The baffle more precisely has a first U-turn 62 followed by a slighter turn 63 inflecting the direction of the pipe 61 so that the inlet 65 and outlet 66 mouths of said pipe 61, respectively, are almost at the same level. These two mouths 65 and 66 are . parallel in appearance, to each other and to the direction given to the flow at the end of the outlet pipe 6. The latter has a tip 67 for attachment to the inlet mouth 65 of the terminal piece 60.

[0059] The visible face of the base 64a is covered with a honeycomb patterned structure 68. This terminal piece 60 in fact adds an additional piece of conduit to the air circuit of the apparatus of the invention described so far, which serves to attenuate the noise level emitted downstream of the compressor 10, and particularly the noise felt specifically in the mask worn by the patient on his face.

[0060] The technical solutions to the problem initially posed, namely reducing and / or eliminating where possible the noise and vibrations of the device, are addressed without resorting to foam. All the characteristics previously put forward for acoustic attenuation are instead implemented by “rigid” parts usually used to form the air flow conduits: these characteristics are embodied in the shapes given to certain elements, in “anti-turbulence” ribs, in honeycomb alveolar structures implanted in certain volumes to be filled, etc., the dimensions of which in order to attenuate the noise level have been the subject of iterative work to be correctly established.

[0061] The examples of the configuration of the PPC apparatus which are the subject of the figures should not be considered as exhaustive of the invention, which on the contrary encompasses for example variants of shape in the conduits, the alveolar structures, the inlet and outlet parts, etc.

Claims

Claims

1. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance apparatus for the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders, comprising an air inlet duct (5) conveying an incoming air flow to a compressor (10), the compressed air flow leaving the compressor (10) being connected to a pressurized air outlet duct (6) intended for a mask intended to be applied to the respiratory tract of a patient, characterized in that the air inlet duct (5) opens into a compartment (9) upstream - in the direction of circulation of the air flow - of the inlet of the compressor (10), and has at this level means for guiding the air flow first towards a bottom wall of said compartment (9) oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of suction of the air into the compressor (10), at least said bottom wall being at least partially covered with a rigid and non-deformable honeycomb patterned structure (91).

2. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the air inlet duct (5) comprises, at the inlet to said compartment (9), a ramp (80) followed by a spiral portion (81) developing in the alveolar patterns (91) of the bottom wall, said spiral portion (81) having a rounded hollow terminal shoe (83), centered in said bottom wall and located at right angles to the axis of the compressor (10).

3. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the spiral portion (81) is provided, upstream of the rounded shoe (83), with a separating rib (82).

4. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the ramp (80) and the spiral portion (81) constitute the upper face of a block (8) whose base comprises a structure with alveolar patterns (85).

5. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a buffer space (11) provided upstream of the compressor (10), between on the one hand a separation wall (4) separating the compartment (9) from the compressor (10), said wall (4) being provided with an opening (45) placed at the right angle to the terminal shoe (83) of the spiral portion (81), and on the other hand said compressor (10).

6. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, upstream of the ramp (80), the air inlet duct (5) comprises two sections (54, 56) of parallel appearance superimposed, a first section (5) connected to the air inlet of the device and a second section (56) opening into the ramp (80), said sections (54, 56) being connected by a rounded U-shaped portion (55).

7. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first section comprises a linearizing profile (54a), consisting of an alveolar pattern oriented in the direction of flow passage.

8. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the second section (56) comprises a Pitot probe (7) of which a sole (70) resting on a separating wall of the superimposed sections (54, 56) has a structure with alveolar patterns (71).

9. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet duct (6) downstream of the compressor (10) is equipped with a terminal part (60) for attenuating vibrations and noise comprising an air circulation baffle in the form of a tube (61) having at least one turn (62, 63) and developing in a frontal plane of appearance perpendicular to the direction of the air flow in the final portion of the outlet duct (6), the inlet (65) and outlet (66) mouths of said tube (61) being substantially parallel to said direction.

10. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tubing (61) of the terminal part (60) for attenuating vibrations and noise is made up of two parts of said part (60) fixed to each other, a base (64a) and a front (64b) oriented along said frontal plane, and in that at least the face of the base (64a) on which the front (64b) is fixed is covered with a honeycomb pattern structure (68).

11. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air inlet duct (5) is closed, at its inlet, by a filter holder cover (50) provided with a grid (51) offset relative to the axis of the air inlet duct (5), said cover (50) being secured to a pavilion (30) widening from the inlet duct (5) and conveying the air from the grid (51) to said conduit (5).

12. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that side walls of a perpendicular appearance to the surface of the grid (51) at the level of the hood or the roof comprise inclined oblique blades (53), protruding from said side walls in the direction of the center of the grid (51).

13. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the cover provided with the grid (51) has, on its internal face opposite the inlet duct (5), a structure with alveolar patterns.

14. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each honeycomb pattern structure (91, 71, 85, 52, 68) comprises hexagonal honeycomb cells.

15. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (10) is fixed in a chassis (1) comprising two superimposed half-shells (3, 4) separated by a flexible central seal (4), the inlet (5) and outlet (6) conduits being at least partially shaped in said chassis (1).

16. Continuous positive pressure type respiratory assistance device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that a Pitot probe and a block (8) with a ramp (80) and a spiral portion (81) of the inlet duct (5) are immobilized in said chassis (1), between the flexible middle seal (4) and the half-shells (2, 3), the flexible middle seal (4) forming a separation wall on the one hand between two superimposed sections (54, 56) of the inlet duct (5) and on the other hand between the compressor (10) and a compartment (9) at the outlet of the ramp (80), said seal (4) comprising an opening (45) placed above the end of said spiral portion (81) and under the inlet of the compressor (10).

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