FR3024186A1 - RESPIRATORY ASSISTING APPARATUS WITH MICRO-SUFFLANTING WHEEL MOLDED MONOBLOC - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a monobloc finned wheel (1) for a micro-blower comprising an upper flange (2), a lower flange (3) and a plurality of inter-flange walls (4) forming fins arranged between said upper flanges. and lower (2, 3), characterized in that the upper flange (2), the lower flange (3) and the plurality of inter-flange walls (4) are formed of a one-piece molded piece of polymeric material. The invention also relates to the method of manufacturing such a finned wheel (1), a micro-blower incorporating such a wheel (1), and a respiratory assistance device is of the continuous pressure type (CPAP) or of the two-level pressure type (BiPAP) incorporating said micro-blower.

Description

The invention relates to a monobloc finned wheel for a micro-blower, its manufacturing method, a micro-blower equipped with said impeller and a respiratory assistance device, equipped with such a micro-blower equipped with the finned wheel In order to assist certain patients in their respiratory function, respiratory assistance devices are used which deliver respiratory gas at a non-zero flow rate and / or at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure (ie> 1 atm). The air sent to the patient may be supplemented with additional oxygen, especially when the patient must receive, as part of its treatment, a proportion of oxygen greater than 21% by volume. To do this, some respiratory assistance devices use a micro-blower, also called "blower" or "fan", used to suck the ambient air and deliver it at a given pressure to patients. Documents EP-A-2165078, EP-A-2102504 and WO-A-2012/139681 describe micro-blowers of this type and respiratory assistance devices equipped with such micro-blowers. The aspiration of the air by the micro-blower is done through one (or more) finned wheel arranged on a rotating shaft driven in rotation by an electric motor. Such a finned wheel generally consists of two disc-shaped flanges sandwiching a plurality of radially arranged walls, forming the fins or blades of the wheel. Flanges and fins are typically made of plastic material. The method of manufacturing such a finned wheel comprises: a molding step of a first sub-unit formed of the first flange, typically the lower flange, and walls or fins carried by this first flange, a step of molding a second subunit formed of the second flange, typically the upper flange, and - assembling and gluing the first subunit to the second subunit. However, these steps are long and tedious because they require numerous interventions and human manipulations, including the assembly step and bonding subunits to each other. In particular, gluing is not only delicate but also potentially toxic for the operators. Moreover, in case of bad bonding, one can witness disturbances of the rotations of the wheel and / or in the air flows generated by it, during its operation, because of the almost-inevitable presence of clusters. glue forming unbalanced 3024186 2. Additional operations to remove these clumps of glue are necessary, which negatively impacts the overall cost of manufacturing the wheel. In an attempt to remedy this, WO-A-2011/062633 proposes a finned wheel provided with a single flange, namely the upper flange, which makes it possible to avoid some of the aforementioned problems which are related to gluing. and assembly. However, the absence of lower flange generates other problems, in particular it causes a lower rigidity of the wheel, which can negatively impact the air flow generated and / or lead to premature wear of the wheel. Moreover, this absence of a lower flange makes it necessary to review the architecture of the bottom of the compartment of the micro-blower in which the impeller is arranged, since the role of the lower flange is then played by the bottom of said compartment. In view of this, the problem is to propose an improved finned wheel not having all or some of the aforementioned problems, a method of manufacturing such a wheel, a micro-blower and a medical ventilation apparatus equipped with such a wheel. The solution of the invention is then a micro-fan finned wheel comprising an upper flange, a lower flange and a plurality of inter-flange walls forming fins arranged between said upper and lower flanges, characterized in that the upper flange the lower flange and the plurality of inter-flange walls are formed of a molded one-piece piece, i.e. of a single piece, of polymeric material. Depending on the case, the micro-fan finned wheel according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following technical characteristics: the finned wheel is in one piece. The inter-flange walls are oriented radially or quasi-radially. - The inter-flange walls are curved, that is to say they have a radius of curvature and are not rectilinear. the lower flange is disk-shaped and comprises at its center a central passage designed to receive a rotary motor shaft, that is to say the rotary axis of the electric motor of the micro-blower in which is arranged the impeller. - The central passage through an upper bulb projecting towards the upper flange and located in the center of the lower flange. The central bulb is formed by an expansion of the inner wall of the lower flange. - The central passage also passes through a lower bulb projecting in a direction opposite to that of the upper bulb. The lower bulb is formed by an expansion of the outer wall of the lower flange. the upper flange has a disk or ring shape. The upper flange is hollowed at its center so as to form an air inlet. - The polymeric material is a plastic material, preferably PEEK, ABS PC loaded or not, or any other suitable plastic material. the piece forming the monoblock wheel is preferably molded by injection under pressure. Alternatively, the molding can be operated by injection blow molding. The upper flange has an outside diameter of less than 10 cm, typically between 2 cm and 6 cm. the upper flange has a thickness of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. the lower flange has a thickness of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. the lower flange has an outside diameter of less than 10 cm, typically between 15 cm and 6 cm. the inter-flange walls forming the fins or blades have a length of between 20 mm and 50 mm. the inter-flange walls forming the fins or blades have a height of between 1 mm and 20 mm. The fins are formed of rigid walls joining the inner surfaces of the lower and upper flanges. the fins of the wheel may have shapes and / or dimensions that are different from one another or, alternatively, shapes and / or dimensions that are identical to each other. The fins of the wheel are spaced apart from each other by air passage channels. The invention further relates to a micro-blower comprising an electric motor adapted to and adapted to drive in rotation a rotary shaft carrying a finned wheel according to the invention.

Depending on the case, the micro-blower of the invention may comprise one or more of the following technical characteristics: it comprises an internal compartment in which the finned wheel is arranged. - The finned wheel is arranged in the inner compartment of a volute, preferably a volute formed of two half-volutes fixed to one another. The internal compartment comprises an upper air inlet through which air sucked by the impeller, during its rotations, enters the inner compartment of the volute. - the volute is surmounted by a pavilion. 5 - it comprises a single air outlet duct from the micro-blower, that is to say air sucked by the fins located on both sides of the impeller. it comprises an electric motor having a rotation speed of between 1000 and 70 000 rpm. The invention also relates to a respiratory assistance apparatus comprising a micro-blower according to the invention, in particular a CPAP (ie continuous pressure) or BiPAP (ie two pressure levels) breathing assistance apparatus. . According to the case, a respiratory assistance device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following technical characteristics: it comprises an air inlet fluidly communicating with the compartment 15 of the micro-blower in which is arranged the finned wheel. it comprises an air inlet located on the side of the motor of the micro-blower so that the flow of air entering through this inlet operates a gaseous sweep of said motor before entering the internal compartment of the volute. it can be used to treat respiratory pathologies of any type, in particular sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, obesity-related disorders, in human, adult and / or child patients. The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a one-piece finned wheel according to the invention comprising an upper flange, a lower flange and a plurality of inter-flange walls forming fins arranged between said upper and lower flanges, characterized in that a molding of a one-piece part comprising the upper flange, the lower flange and the plurality of inter-flange walls of the wheel is carried out by injection of a polymeric material, in particular plastic. Depending on the case, the manufacturing method of the invention may comprise one or more of the following technical characteristics: the molding is carried out by means of a mold, formed of several parts coming to associate with each other, comprising: a mold base, called a "fixed part", comprising an impression of at least a portion of the lower flange, 3024186 5. a mold cover, referred to as a "moving part", being positioned on, that is to say overcoming, the mold base, comprising the impression of at least a portion of the upper flange, and. several lateral mold elements, called "drawers", inserted between the mold base and the mold cover, and defining between them inter-flange wall impressions. - Each lateral mold member comprises a distal portion shaped to cooperate with the distal portion of another lateral mold member defining between them a housing sized to correspond to at least one inter-flange wall. The lateral mold elements are juxtaposed and angularly offset with respect to one another. the number of lateral mold elements is between 6 and 36, preferably 6 and 20. liquid plastic is injected into the mold and then allowed to harden before demolding the monoblock wheel. - The mold base comprises an impression of at least a portion of the lower flange and the outer bulb, and preferably housing or central passage through the upper and lower bulbs. - The mold cover comprises the imprint of at least a portion of the upper flange 20 and the central opening of said upper flange. The invention will now be better understood by means of the following detailed description given with reference to the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the half of the micro-finned wheel. Figure 2 shows a diagram of the lower flange and the fins of the wheel of Figure 1, and Figures 3 and 4 show a micro-blower equipped with the impeller. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a ventilation apparatus comprising a micro-blower 30 provided with the impeller of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 6-10 schematize the method of manufacturing a monoblock wheel according to FIG. the invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of half of a fin wheel 1 according to the present invention for equipped with a micro-blower for artificial ventilation apparatus. The finned wheel 1 comprises an upper flange 2, a lower flange 3 and a plurality of walls 4 forming fins or blades arranged between said upper and lower flanges 3. In other words, the plurality of walls 4 are sandwiched between the flanges 2, 3. The walls 4 forming the fins or blades and the lower flange 3 are better visible in Figure 2 which shows the wheel 1 of Figure 1 but devoid of the upper flange 2. As can be seen, the walls 4 are oriented radially or quasi-radially and advantageously have a curved shape, that is to say a radius of curvature and are not rectilinear. The walls 4 are spaced apart from each other so as to form channels 8 or 15 gas circulation guides through which the air sucked in during the rotations of the wheel 1 passes. The channels 8 are delimited laterally by the walls 4 and by elsewhere by the inner surfaces 2a, 3a of the upper and lower flanges 2 3 According to the present invention, the upper flange 2, the lower flange 3 and the plurality of walls 4 of the wheel 1 are formed of a single piece molded of a material Polymer, typically plastic, that is to say a single piece made in one piece. The molding of this single piece is preferably done by a pressure injection technique, as explained below. In other words, the upper flange 2, the lower flange 3 and the plurality of walls 4 of the wheel 1 form a one-dimensional three-dimensional structure of molded polymer material.

The walls 4 thus join the inner surfaces 2a, 3a of the upper and lower flanges 3, being formed in one piece with said flanges 2, 3. The walls 4 typically have a height H of between 1 mm and 20 mm. which also corresponds to the spacing between the flanges 2, 3 since the upper flanges 2 and lower 3 are parallel to each other.

Preferably, the upper and lower flanges 3 are disk-shaped with a diameter typically between 2 cm and 10 cm. However, in other embodiments, one or other of the flanges 2, 3 could have a ring shape, that is to say crown, rather than solid disc.

In addition, the upper and lower flanges 2 and 3 have thicknesses E1, E2 of between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower flange 3, which here has a solid disc shape, comprises in its center, a central passage 5 adapted to receive the rotary axis 5 of the electric motor of the micro-blower. Advantageously, the central passage 5 passes through an upper bulb 6a projecting towards the upper flange 2 from the inner surface 3a of the lower flange 3 and at its center, that is to say upwards. In addition, a lower bulb 6b can also project away from the outer surface 3b of the lower flange 3 and at its center, the upper flange 2, a lower lower flange 3, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. other words, two bulbs 6a, 6b can protrude in the center of the lower flange 3 and away from its inner surfaces 3a and 3b outer, so on each side of the lower flange 3. The bulb or bulbs 6a, 6b are formed integrally with the rest of the lower flange 3, during the molding of the single piece formed by the flanges 2, 3 and the walls 4. The bulb or bulbs 6a, 6b are therefore also formed of polymer material, ie of plastic. Furthermore, the upper flange 2 is also recessed in its center so as to form a central opening 7 allowing entry and circulation of air between the flanges 2, 3 of the wheel 1, because of the suction generated by the rotations of the wheel 1 when driven by the motor of the micro-blower. The central opening 7 of the upper flange 2 has a diameter greater than that of the central passage 5 of the lower flange 3. Typically, the central opening 7 of the upper flange 2 has a diameter of between 0.5 cm and 5 cm. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper bulb 6a carried by the lower flange 3 projects upwards toward the center of the central opening 7 of the upper flange 2, preferably the end 16a of the upper bulb. 6a is flush with the center of the central opening 7. Figures 3 and 4 schematically a micro-fan 9, also called "blower", "turbine" or "micro-turbine", for sucking in ambient air and the 30 to deliver at a given pressure to a patient, which micro-blower 9 is equipped with the impeller 1 of Figure 1. Such a micro-blower 9 is intended to equip an artificial ventilation device. It comprises an electric motor 10 contained in an outer casing or casing 12, which motor 10 is supplied with electric current and controlled by control means 22 with an electronic card arranged in the ventilation apparatus 21, by means of a beam 11 of cables, electrical connections or the like, as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 4 and 5. Rotations of the rotor of the motor 10 driving in rotation a rotary drive shaft or shaft 13. The shaft or shaft 13 is housed in the housing 5 of the lower flange 3, so in the bulbs 6a, 6b. In other words, the rotary shaft 3 carries the finned wheel 1 of the invention (shown by transparency in Fig. 3). As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the fin wheel 1 is included in the inner compartment of a volute 14, 15 formed of two sub-parts, namely a lower half-volute 14 and an upper half-volute 15 , which delimit an internal space, namely the internal compartment containing the wheel 1. A seal or the like makes it possible to ensure a gaseous seal between the lower half-scrolls 14 and upper 15. The lower half-scrolls 14 and above 15 15 are preferably made of rigid plastic material, such as PEEK or any other plastic material, loaded or not, ABS PC type, ABS .... The upper volute 15 comprises an upper input 16 located next to the central opening 7 of the upper flange 2 so as to allow communication and fluidic continuity between them and, therefore, the air inlet into the inner compartment comprising the wheel 1. The air is therefore asp run through the fins 4 of the impeller 1, and then expelled to the patient by a single air outlet duct 17 formed within the volutes 14, 15, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the micro-blower 9 of Figure 3 equipped with a flag 18 overlying the volute 14, 15. The flag 18 also has an air inlet passage 19 located opposite the upper entrance 16 of the internal compartment, so also facing the central opening 7 of the upper flange 2. The horn 18 further comprises an air exhaust duct 20 which is positioned around the single air outlet duct 17 formed in the scrolls 14, 15 so as to extend the air outlet duct 17.

The horn 18 is preferably formed of a flexible deformable material, such as silicone or any other elastomeric material, so as to allow easy positioning thereof around the volute 14, 15 and the conduit 17, for example by threading.

The air sucked by the wheel 1, during its rotations, therefore enters the compartment of the micro-blower 9 through the air inlet passage 19 of the roof 18 and the upper inlet 16 of the volute 9 by being sucked by the impeller 4 rotated by the engine 2. In fact, the air sucked can come directly from the ambient atmosphere or, according to another embodiment of the apparatus considered, be taken from the atmosphere before passing through a portion of the apparatus, for example conveyed by an internal duct arranged around the housing 12 of the motor 10 of the micro-blower 9 so as to cool the motor 12 by sweeping it, which allows the cool by calorie exchange. The air thus slightly heated is then conveyed to the air intake passage 19 of the horn 10 18, as explained above. Of course, according to yet another embodiment, part of the air sucked can come directly from the atmosphere and another part through the apparatus as explained above, these two air flows mixing in input or just before entering the pavilion 18 air intake passage 19.

The one-piece part comprising the upper flange 2, the lower flange 3 and the plurality of walls 4 forming the wheel 1 according to the invention is manufactured in one piece by injection molding according to the following manufacturing method which is schematized on the Figures 6 to 10. More specifically, Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the principle of the die for injection molding of the wheel 1 of the invention under pressure. The mold comprises several sub-elements 31, 32, 33 interlocking into each other to allow molding of the wheel 1, namely: a mold bottom 32 comprising the footprint of the lower part of the mold; the wheel 1 including the lower flange 3 and, if present, the lower bulb 6b with the central passage 5, 25 - a mold cover 31 which is positioned on the mold base 32, including the impression of the upper part of the wheel 1 including the upper flange 2 and, if present, the upper bulb 6a with the central passage 5, and - several lateral mold members 33 which are inserted, like drawers, between the mold bottom 32 and the lid of mold 31, and used to make the walls 4 30 inter-flange, that is to say the curved walls 4 sandwiched between the two flanges 2, 3 of the wheel 1. The lateral mold members 33 are staggered angularly as shown schematically in Figure 10 all around the perimeter iphérie of the wheel 1. They are in variable number because the number depends on the number of walls 4 inter-flange desired. In the embodiment shown diagrammatically in Figure 10, a dozen lateral mold members 33 are used to make the wheel 1. Of course, the number of lateral mold members 33 required may be greater than or less than 12. Typically, a number of lateral mold elements 33 of between 6 and 24 are chosen.

The lateral mold members 33 need not all be of the same shape and size in order to obtain the desired walls 4. As shown in Figures 8 and 9 (Figure 9 being an enlarged view of Figure 8), each side mold member 33 considered includes a front portion or distal portion 34 shaped to cooperate with a complementary distal portion 34 carried by 10 the lateral mold member 33 which precedes it angularly, and with the complementary distal portion 34 carried by the lateral mold member 33 which follows it angularly. When inserted between the mold base 32 and the mold cover 31, the distal portions 34 define between them housing 35 having elongated and curved shapes, which are further dimensioned to correspond to the inter-flange walls 2, 3 15 desired. These housings 35 are filled with plastic material during injection molding under pressure. In addition, as also shown in Figures 8 and 9, the mold base 32 and the mold cover 31 are also shaped 36 to allow the molding of the bulbs 6a, 6b and the central passage 5 which are located in the center of the lower flange 3a of the wheel 1.

After curing the plastic material, the mold elements 31, 32, 33 are removed, as illustrated by the arrows of FIGS. 6 and 10 so as to be able to unmold the wheel 1. The micro-blower 9 equipped with the monobloc wheel 1 according to FIG. the invention can be fitted to any artificial ventilation apparatus 21 with continuous pressure or CPAP, or of the type with two levels of pressure or BiPAP, as shown schematically in FIG. 5. Medical devices or ventilators of this type are perfectly known to the user. skilled person. As already mentioned, control means 22 with an electronic card arranged in the housing or the outer shell 29 of the ventilation apparatus 21 make it possible to control the micro-blower 9, in particular its ventilation cycles, via a bundle of cables 11 30 connecting said control means 22 to the motor 10 of the micro-blower 9. The ventilation apparatus 21 conventionally comprises connection means 24, 25, in particular cable 24 and electrical outlet 25, for connecting it to a power source electrical, such as the sector (iE 110-230 V). In particular, the electric cable 24 3024186 11 makes it possible to supply electrical current, the electronic card control means 22 which drive the micro-blower 9. Moreover, an internal line (or duct) of gas 23 fed by the flow flow stream delivered by the micro-blower 9, is connected downstream to a gas conduit 26, such as a flexible pipe, which is capable of conveying the gas to a mask 27 or the like feeding the patient 28. In a conventional manner , the ventilation apparatus of the invention 21 further comprises one or more control members, for example buttons, keys or the like, for controlling the start or the stop of the micro-blower 9, as well as a 10 display or the like (not shown) for displaying visual information for the user, for example LEDs, a touch screen, a liquid crystal display or the like. These control members cooperate in particular with the control means 22. The micro-blower 9 and the control means 22 are arranged in a shell 15 forming the outer cowling of the apparatus 21. The apparatus of the invention 21 equipped with a micro-blower 9 equipped with a wheel 1 according to the invention can be used to treat respiratory diseases of any type, in particular sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, obesity-related disorders. 20

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. Impeller wheel (1) for micro-blower comprising an upper flange (2), a lower flange (3) and a plurality of inter-flange walls (4) forming fins arranged between said upper and lower flanges (2, 3) , characterized in that the upper flange (2), the lower flange (3) and the plurality of inter-flange walls (4) are formed of a one-piece molded piece of polymeric material. 2. Wheel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the walls (4) inter-flanges are oriented radially or quasi-radially. 3. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the walls (4) inter-flanges are curved. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower flange (3) is disk-shaped and comprises at its center a central passage (5) designed to receive a rotary motor shaft, preferably the central passage (5) passes through at least one central bulb (6a) projecting towards the upper flange (2). 5. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper flange (2) has a disc or ring shape. 6. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper flange (2) is recessed at its center so as to form a central opening (7). 7. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the polymeric material is a plastic material. 8. Wheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the single piece is injection molded. 3024186 13 9. Micro-blower (9) comprising an electric motor (10) adapted to drive in rotation a rotary shaft (13) and a wheel (1) finned according to one of the preceding claims carried by said rotary axis (13). 5 Respiratory assistance apparatus (21) comprising a micro-blower (9) according to claim 9. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that it is of continuous pressure type (CPAP) or of the type with two pressure levels (BiPAP). 10 12. A method of manufacturing a wheel (1) fins according to one of claims 1 to 8 comprising an upper flange (2), a lower flange (3) and a plurality of walls (4) inter-flanges forming fins arranged between said upper and lower flanges (2, 3), characterized in that a one-piece molding comprising the upper flange (2), the lower flange (3) and the plurality of internal walls is molded; flanges (4) of the wheel (1) by injection of a polymeric material. 13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the molding is operated by means of a mold (31, 32, 33) comprising: - a mold bottom (32) comprising an impression of at least a part of the mold lower flange (3), - a mold cover (31) positioned on the mold base (32), comprising the impression of at least a portion of the upper flange (2), and - a plurality of lateral mold elements (33) being inserted between the mold base (32) and the mold cover (31) and defining the imprints of the inter-flange walls (4). The method of claim 13, characterized in that each lateral mold member (33) comprises a distal portion (34) shaped to cooperate with the distal portion (34) of another lateral mold member (33) defining between them a housing (35) sized to correspond to at least one inter-flange wall (4). 15. The method of claim 13, characterized in that the polymeric material injected into the mold is plastic.