# US 11,992,612 B2 · Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,612 B2 - Document ID: US11992612B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/035,898 - Filed: 2020-09-29 - Published: 2021-01-14 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-30 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroaki Wada; Yuzo Higashiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992612B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/0066: {Blowers or centrifugal pumps} - A61M 16/024: {including calculation means, e.g. using a processor} - F04D 29/44: Fluid-guiding means, e.g. diffusers - F04D 29/66: Combating cavitation, whirls, noise, vibration or the like (gas-flow silencers for machines or engines in general F01N); Balancing (surge control F04D27/02) - A61M 16/0069: {the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation} - A61M 16/06: Respiratory or anaesthetic masks - A61M 16/106: {in a path} - A61M 16/107: {in the inspiratory path} - A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter} - A61M 2016/0039: {in the inspiratory circuit} - A61M 2205/10: with powered movement mechanisms - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/42: Reducing noise - A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) ## Abstract A CPAP device includes a housing. A suction port is provided in a top plate portion of a casing of the air blower. The air blower chamber has a facing wall portion facing the top plate portion with a distance therebetween. A wall portion defining the air blower chamber is provided with an introduction port for introducing external air. In a space between the facing wall portion and the top plate portion, a flow adjustment portion that partitions the space into flow paths arranged side by side around a rotation axis is provided. An outer end portion and an inner end portion of each of the flow paths in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis are respectively constituted of a first open end and a second open end, the first open end and the second open end being open along the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device for sending air suctioned into the CPAP device to an airway of a user, the CPAP device comprising: an air blower; and a housing in which an air blower chamber is provided to accommodate the air blower, wherein the air blower includes an impeller rotatable about a rotation axis, a drive unit that drives to rotate the impeller, and a casing surrounding the impeller, the casing is provided with a suction port for suctioning air inside the air blower chamber into the casing, and a discharge port for discharging the air inside the casing to outside of the casing, the suction port is located at a top plate portion overlapping with the rotation axis, the top plate portion being one of a pair of wall portions of the casing, the pair of wall portions sandwiching the impeller in a direction in which the rotation axis extends, wall portions defining the air blower chamber include a wall portion that is located at a portion not overlapping with the top plate portion when seen along the direction in which the rotation axis extends and that is provided with an introduction port for introducing air outside the housing into the air blower chamber, the air blower chamber includes a facing wall portion facing the top plate portion with a distance between the facing wall portion and the top plate portion, in a space between the facing wall portion and the top plate portion, a flow adjustment portion that partitions at least a portion of the space into a plurality of flow paths arranged side by side around the rotation axis is provided, an outer end portion and an inner end portion of each of the plurality of flow paths in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis include respectively a first open end and a second open end, the first open end and the second open end being open along the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis, the flow adjustment portion is provided on the top plate portion to protrude toward the facing wall portion, and the flow adjustment portion is located to be separated from the facing wall portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The CPAP device according to claim 1, wherein an opening area of a first open end of a flow path of the plurality of flow paths on the introduction port side when seen from the suction port is smaller than an opening area of a first open end of another flow path of the plurality of flow paths on a side opposite to the introduction port side when seen from the suction port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The CPAP device according to claim 2, wherein a first open end provided in the flow path of the plurality of flow paths at a shorter distance from the introduction port has a smaller opening area than the first open end of the other flow path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The CPAP device according to claim 1, wherein the flow adjustment portion includes a plurality of flow adjustment plates that extend radially with respect to the rotation axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The CPAP device according to claim 4, wherein an inner end portion of each of the plurality of flow adjustment plates reaches an edge of the suction port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The CPAP device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of flow adjustment plates include main flow adjustment plates each having a relatively long length and additional flow adjustment plates each having a relatively short length, and one or a plurality of the additional flow adjustment plates are disposed between adjacent main flow adjustment plates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The CPAP device according to claim 4, wherein the flow adjustment portion further includes an auxiliary flow adjustment plate in a form of a plate, the auxiliary flow adjustment plate being located on the facing wall portion side of each of the plurality of flow adjustment plates, the auxiliary flow adjustment plate closing each of the plurality of flow paths at a location on the facing wall portion side. ### Claim 8 A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device for sending air suctioned into the CPAP device to an airway of a user, the CPAP device comprising: an air blower; and a housing in which an air blower chamber is provided to accommodate the air blower, wherein the air blower includes an impeller rotatable about a rotation axis, a drive unit that drives to rotate the impeller, and a casing surrounding the impeller, the casing is provided with a suction port for suctioning air inside the air blower chamber into the casing, and a discharge port for discharging the air inside the casing to outside of the casing, the suction port is located at a top plate portion overlapping with the rotation axis, the top plate portion being one of a pair of wall portions of the casing, the pair of wall portions sandwiching the impeller in a direction in which the rotation axis extends, wall portions defining the air blower chamber include a wall portion that is located at a portion not overlapping with the top plate portion when seen along the direction in which the rotation axis extends and that is provided with an introduction port for introducing air outside the housing into the air blower chamber, the air blower chamber includes a facing wall portion facing the top plate portion with a distance between the facing wall portion and the top plate portion, in a space between the facing wall portion and the top plate portion, a flow adjustment portion that partitions at least a portion of the space into a plurality of flow paths arranged side by side around the rotation axis is provided, an outer end portion and an inner end portion of each of the plurality of flow paths in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis include respectively a first open end and a second open end, the first open end and the second open end being open along the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis, the flow adjustment portion is provided on the facing wall portion to protrude toward the top plate portion, and the flow adjustment portion is located to be separated from the top plate portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The CPAP device according to claim 8, wherein an opening area of a first open end of a flow path of the plurality of flow paths on the introduction port side when seen from the suction port is smaller than an opening area of a first open end of another flow path of the plurality of flow paths on a side opposite to the introduction port side when seen from the suction port. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The CPAP device according to claim 9, wherein a first open end provided in the flow path of the plurality of flow paths at a shorter distance from the introduction port has a smaller opening area than the first open end of the other flow path. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The CPAP device according to claim 8, wherein the flow adjustment portion includes a plurality of flow adjustment plates that extend radially with respect to the rotation axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The CPAP device according to claim 11, wherein an inner end portion of each of the plurality of flow adjustment plates reaches an edge of the suction port. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The CPAP device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of flow adjustment plates include main flow adjustment plates each having a relatively long length and additional flow adjustment plates each having a relatively short length, and one or a plurality of the additional flow adjustment plates are disposed between adjacent main flow adjustment plates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The CPAP device according to claim 11, wherein the flow adjustment portion further includes an auxiliary flow adjustment plate in a form of a plate, the auxiliary flow adjustment plate being located on the facing wall portion side of each of the plurality of flow adjustment plates, the auxiliary flow adjustment plate closing each of the plurality of flow paths at a location on the facing wall portion side.