Abstract: Xe exhaled from a patient is recovered with a polymeric membrane.

Abstract: An integrated valve assembly and apparatus. The assembly has a main body that includes (1) an internal gas passage for conveying gas between a gas inlet and a gas outlet; (2) a gas expansion means placed in the internal gas passage between the gas inlet and the gas outlet; (3) and a locking valve that is used for controlling the release of the gas. Also included is a rotary actuator that can be operated by the user. This rotary actuator includes a blocking means that acts on the rotary actuator to prevent rotation of the rotary actuator. The integrated valve assembly may be used in a portable equipment unit that includes a compressed-oxygen bottle on which the valve assembly is mounted, and may optionally include a protective shroud for protecting the assembly and a demand valve connected to oxygen therapy nose clips, to a flowmeter or to any other similar device.

Abstract: A valve having a valve body (1) including an internal chamber (21) of axis (AA) having an upstream compartment (21a) of diameter (Dam) and a downstream compartment (21b) of diameter (Dav), with Dam<Dav. A fluid inlet orifice (10) is formed in the wall of the valve body (1) and opens into the upstream compartment (21a). A piston body (2) that can move in translation along the axis (AA) inside the internal chamber (21) and which is located between the fluid inlet orifice (10) and a fluid outlet orifice, has a front face (2a) located on the same side as the fluid inlet orifice (10), a rear face (2b) located on the same side as the fluid outlet orifice, and a lateral wall (2c) located between the front face (2a) and the rear face (2b). The lateral wall (2c) has a cylindrical first portion (P1) of diameter (D1) and a cylindrical second portion (P2) of second diameter (D2), with D1<D2 and D2<Dav.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a motorized turbine making it possible to deliver a stream of respiratory gas under variable or constant pressure into a patient circuit linked to a user. In the process an image of the respiratory flow rate of the patient is determined on the basis of the variations in the electric current consumed by the turbine. An image of the respiratory volume of the patient is determined by integrating the image of the respiratory flow rate of the patient. The moving average of the image of the respiratory volume of the patient is determined over n respiratory cycles and a respiratory flow rate restriction is determined, below that of an apnea or a hypopnea, representative of an event of ORE type.

Abstract: A facial respiratory interface (1, 11) comprising an interface body (2, 12) which bears at least one thermistor (3) having an active end (4) which can be placed opposite the mouth of a user when the interface (1, 11) is put into position on the facial region of said user, wherein the length (L) separating the active end (4) from the interface body (2, 12) can be adjusted. The interface can be used for treating respiratory disorders in a patient, in particular sleep apnea.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve comprising a valve body (1) comprising an internal chamber (21) of axis (AA) comprising an upstream compartment (21a) of diameter (Dam) and a downstream compartment (21b) of diameter (Dav), with Dam<Dav. A fluid inlet orifice (10) is formed in the wall of the said valve body (1) and opens into the upstream compartment (21a). A piston body (2) that can move in translation along the axis (AA) inside the said internal chamber (21) and which is located between the fluid inlet orifice (10) and a fluid outlet orifice, has a front face (2a) located on the same side as the fluid inlet orifice (10), a rear face (2b) located on the same side as the fluid outlet orifice, and a lateral wall (2c) located between the said front face (2a) and the said rear face (2b). The lateral wall (2c) has a cylindrical first portion (P1) of diameter (D1) and a cylindrical second portion (P2) of second diameter (D2), with D1<D2 and D2<Dav.

Abstract: A process for determining respiratory phases of the sleep of a user (3), comprising measuring at least two physical variables of which at least a first physical variable is representative of the nasal flow of the user (3) and of which at least a second physical variable is representative of the user's buccal flow. The process furthermore comprises processing and converting each physical variable with a view to establishing its degree of membership in at least one state of a fuzzy variable, and applying pre-established rules between at least one state of a first fuzzy variable and a state of a second fuzzy variable so as to evaluate the degree of membership in a respiratory phase state of the sleep of the user (3) according to fuzzy logic.

Abstract: A fluid pressure reduction system (1) formed from at least a first module (10) and a second module (20) cooperating with each other in order to ensure at least expansion of the fluid and able to be connected to and/or disconnected from each other, the connection of the modules (10, 20) with each other being provided by connection elements (11, 21, 22) with a rotary ring (21) carried by the first module (10) and/or the second module (20). Such a system may be fitted to any fluid line, especially a medical gas line.

Abstract: A device (1) for determining respiratory phases of the sleep of a user (3), comprising means (5) for measuring at least two physical variables of which at least a first physical variable is representative of the nasal flow of the user (3) and of which at least a second physical variable is representative of the user's buccal flow. The device furthermore comprises a unit (21) for processing and converting each physical variable with a view to establishing its degree of membership in at least one state of a fuzzy variable, and a unit (23) for applying pre-established rules between at least one state of a first fuzzy variable and a state of a second fuzzy variable so as to evaluate the degree of membership in a respiratory phase state of the sleep of the user (3) according to fuzzy logic.

Abstract: A respiratory assistance device, includes an inhalation branch (2) which is permanently connected, at its upstream end, to a first source (1) of a flow of pressurized gas and, at its downstream end, to a user's airway; at least a first (9) and a second (3) exhalation valve, these being arranged on the respiratory branch (2) and controlled so that they are closed during the inhalation phase; a detection unit (10) which, in proximity to the downstream end of the inhalation branch, detects the user's respiratory activity and sends a respiratory-activity data item to drive element (12), the drive element (12) controlling the first gas flow source (1) in such a way as to deliver a gas stream with substantially constant non-zero flow rate to the inhalation branch (2) throughout the exhalation phase.

Abstract: A process and device to determine the image of the nasal and/or buccal respiratory flow of a user, in which a respiratory gas at at least one pressure level is administered by means of at least one blower driven by a motor. The current consumed by the blower motor is continuously measured and a consumed current signal is generated. The consumed current signal is processed and an image of the nasal and/or buccal respiratory flow of the user is determined from the processed current signal.

Abstract: The assembly includes a body in which there is formed a bore (3) for letting in gas under pressure, containing an isolation valve (4) exposed to the gas under pressure, at least one pressure reducer (5), an element (9) for selecting and regulating the flow rate through at least one outlet (8) for gas at reduced pressure, and a tubular member (11) for controlling the isolation valve sitting on top of the body. The isolation valve is a spool (4) which can be moved back and forth in a transverse housing (26) in the body and the opposite ends of which interact directly with curved guide ramps (18, 19) formed by the tubular control member. The direct control of the isolation spool (4) by turning the tubular member (11) simplifies the architecture of the assembly and reduces the manufacturing and servicing costs thereof. The assembly is useful in transporting bottles of gas, especially of medical oxygen.

Abstract: A sealed receptacle (1) contains the additive in liquid phase. A dip tube (3) permits sending the additive to a heating enclosure (5) in which the liquid vaporizes before being sent to a collector-mixer (11) through a constriction (10). The flow rate of additive is controlled by the pressure prevailing above the liquid in the receptacle (1) thanks to a control valve (20) connected by a pressure regulator (25) to a computer (26). This latter receives predetermined values of concentration of the mixture through an input (27). It is preferably connected to a detector (28) of the temperature of the enclosure and/or to an analyzer (30) of the composition of the mixture. Used particularly in anesthesia apparatus.

Abstract: The gas control and dispensing assembly comprises a lower block (1) , mounted on a gas bottle (4) and comprising a manometer (9) and a filling connector (11), and on which a subassembly (32, 17 ) is permanently mounted, axially movable in response to a rotation of a tubular control and actuation member (46) surrounding the subassembly, which contains a pressure reducer (27) and an indexable flow regulator (34, 35) and has a low-pressure outlet (45) and a medium-pressure outlet (51).Application in particular to dispensing medical oxygen.

Abstract: A system supplies discrete puffs of gas, containing particles of an active product, to a patient's respiratory tract. A nebulizer containing the particles is in a gas circuit supplying gas to the user. A gas flow control delivers a metered amount of the gas to the nebulizer and to the user in each puff. Breath phases of the patient are sensed for initiating each of the puffs at the correct point in the breath cycle, and for counting the puffs. The sequence of puffs is programmably controlled and the puffs in a predetermined sequence according to a puff sequence program. The puff sequence program includes a maximum number of puffs, times and dates of treatment, etc. A transportable memory storage unit, such as a chip or a magnetic card, is used for transporting the puff sequence program to the controller, which includes a reader/writer to accept the puff sequence program from the memory storage unit, and also for recording the times and amounts actually used by the patient on the memory storage unit.

Abstract: A monitoring system comprising at least, a first and a second indicator unit each associated with at least one fluid distribution line and each including at least two series of indicators, each series being associated with at least one pick-up of the magnitude of a fluid which circulates in a distribution line and comprising at least two indicator lights for the thresholds of the magnitude, wherein the thresholds may be adjusted by a programming unit.

Abstract: The turbine which generates overpressure for a breathing gas is controlled by detecting recurring variations in the operation of the turbine and correspondingly modifying the control signal which is set to a level which determines the overpressure of the turbine, thereby modulating the overpressure supplied by the turbine.