Abstract: The inventive method for centrifugal separation of a determined volume of physiological liquid, in particular blood, at initial process step, consists in forming a flow of said liquid whose thickness is close to the size of largest particles (L3) contained therein at a volume ratio of <1%, in decelerating said liquid flow in order to increase the thickness thereof and to transfer said largest particles (L3) to the surface of the liquid phase (L1) which is nearest to a centrifugation axis and whose density is the greatest, in arranging, outside of said surface, a dead volume whose capacity is substantially equal to the volume of said largest particles (L3) and in removing a phase (L2) whose density is the lowest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifugal separator for a physiological fluid, particularly blood. The inventive separator comprises: a fixed conduit which continuously supplies a rigid disposable centrifugation chamber with the liquid to be separated; a fixed outlet conduit having an inlet port which is located in a concentrated area of at least one of the separated constituents having the lowest mass density in order for same to be removed continuously, said conduits being solidly connected to a fixed part of the chamber; means for guiding the chamber in rotation and means for driving the chamber around the axis of rotation defined by said guide means. The invention also comprises a second fixed outlet conduit having an inlet port which is located in a concentrated area of at least one of the separated constituents having the highest mass density in order for same to be removed continuously.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for open-loop regulation of a breathing aid apparatus which consists in constituting a compression chamber by dividing it into two compartments each connected to an intake of air or breathing mixture and to an outlet of compressed air, using an clastic floating diaphragm guiding said floating diaphragm by fixing its periphery to the wall of said chamber fixing a field coil at the center of said floating diaphragm, placing said field coil in an air gap which is oriented in the direction deforming said floating diaphragm, measuring the instantaneous flow rate of air leaving through said outlet and powering said field coil continuously calculating the instantaneous intensity and the direction of the supply current on the basis of the set pressure of compressed air, of said instantaneous flow rate and of the constants of said apparatus.

Abstract: A centrifugal device. The centrifugal device includes two drive units (1, 22) , coaxially mounted and pivoting, devices (23-33) to drive the first (1) and the second (22) drive units, with a rotational speed ratio of 2/1 between each other, a circular centrifugal unit (2) equipped with at least three channels (4, 5,6) connecting its center to a peripheral separation chamber (3) and three tubes (4a, 5a, 6a) made of an elastic deformable material, each presenting a first extremity connected to the central extremity of one of the three channels (4, 5, 6) of the centrifugal unit (2). The first coupling devices (16) are integral with the first drive unit (1) and the second coupling devices (11) are integral with the centrifugal unit (2), engaged by elastic devices (18). A moving control unit (17), integral with a gripping component (20), is connected to the sad elastic devices (18) to release coupling devices (11, 16) from each other.

Abstract: This device includes a centrifugal cup or bowl (2) rotating at the speed of 2&ohgr; around its revolving axis, a separation chamber (3) connected to the center of this cup or bowl (3) by three channels (4, 5, 6) integral to three flexible tubes (4a, 5a, 6a) forming open loops driven at the speed of &ohgr; while their second respect extremities, coaxially located with respect to the first ones, are stationary. The radius and height of this cup or bowl (2) are between 25-50 mm, and 75 to 125% respectively of this radius; its angular speed 2&ohgr; is >500 rad/sec to ensure a flow rate for the liquid to be centrifuged of at least 100 ml/min. The material and the dimensions of the tubes (4a, 5a, 6a) are chosen so that the traction force exerted on them is <0.7 N/mm2, its elasticity module is <5 N/mm2 and its rupturing resistance to alternate bending is higher than 1.5 N/mm2.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for open-loop regulation of a breathing aid apparatus, which consists in: constituting a compression chamber (1), by dividing it into two compartments (3, 4) each connected to an intake (5, 7) of air or breathing mixture and to an outlet (6, 8) of compressed air, using an elastic floating diaphragm (2); guiding said floating diaphragm (2) by fixing its periphery to the wall of said chamber (1); fixing a field coil (14) at the centre of said floating diaphragm (2); placing said field coil (14) in an air gap (E) which is oriented in the direction deforming said floating diaphragm (2); measuring the instantaneous flow rate of air leaving through said outlet (6, 8) and powering said field coil (14) continuously calculating the instantaneous intensity and the direction of the supply current on the basis of the set pressure of compressed air, of said instantaneous flow rate and of the constants of said apparatus.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method which consists in connecting a floating element adjusting the passage section of said valve to the body of said valve by elastic guide means and to a field coil of said electrodynamic control, exerting on said floating, adjusting element a reaction force tending to balance the pressure exerted on said floating adjusting element by the gas of said source and powering said field coil continuously calculating the instantaneous intensity and the supply current direction on the basis of the differential pressure between the supply pressure and the set pressure of compressed air of said instantaneous flow rate and of the constants of said apparatus.

Abstract: A channel (10) follows a generally concave curve with respect to the axis of rotation (2) of the chamber (1), alongside which is located a feed opening (7) for blood and at least two openings (8, 9) for evacuating separated components. Rotation of the chamber can apply radial forces to the blood to be separated to cause solid particles to sediment against the outer lateral wall of said channel (10). This lateral wall is shaped to produce a plurality of adjacent recesses (16, 24, 33) that are successive in the direction (F) of blood flow to be separated, the wall connecting the bottom of each recess (16, 24, 33) to its downstream end with respect to the direction (F) has an angular extent with respect to the axis of rotation (2, 28) of the rotatable chamber (1) that is set, and the distance between this wall and this axis of rotation (2, 28) reduces gradually from the bottom of said recess to its downstream end.

Abstract: A device for separating dense particles contained in blood or one or more proteins contained in blood plasma by utilizing a separating arrangement. The separation arrangement includes a feed duct, at least two discharge ducts, a pump for producing a pressure in order to introduce the blood or blood plasma into the separating device, a measuring device provided with the discharge ducts, and a control arrangement connected to the measuring device. The separation arrangement also includes a respective arrangement changing the cross section of at least one of the two discharge ducts and connected to the control arrangement.

Abstract: The disposable flexible pouch for collecting and filtering blood has two inner chambers separated from each other by a filtering screen (11), a first chamber being connected to the outside by an outlet opening for the filtered blood and a second chamber being connected to the outside by an inlet opening for the blood to be processed. The pouch is formed from two superposed walls (1, 2) made of a flexible plastic material and bonded together by welding of their respective peripheral edges (3). The inlet and the outlet openings for the blood, as well as an outlet opening (5) for the suction air provided with a bacterial filter, are all made in the same wall (2) forming the pouch and the filtering screen (11) having a lower surface at the surface of this same wall (2) cooperates with the inner face thereof to form several compartments communicating with one another and forming the second chamber, so that the retention volume is reduced.

Abstract: The centrifugal separator for fluids comprises a housing (1a, 1b) in which is mounted a rotatable driving cup (3) of a conical shape widening upwardly, as well as a disposable centrifugal bowl (5) made of an elastomeric material and having a generally conical shape widening upwardly and press fitted in the operative position inside the driving cup. This centrifugal bowl (5) has two annular beads, respectively an upper bead (14) and a lower bead (6), through which extend vertical passages, and it is closed at its upper peripheral end by a metallic bowl cover (11). It further has a cover (16) cooperating with the housing for closing the same above the bowl, a resilient rotatable seal (17) integral with this separator cover and in contact with the bowl cover, and a fluid supply tube (21) extending through the removable cover and integral therewith.

Abstract: A blood collecting and filtering apparatus comprises a container (1) defining with a removably fixed cover (2) a tightly closed enclosure. The cover (2) is provided with an adjustable device (6) for connecting to a reduced pressure system and has a traversing opening (4). A disposable flexible filtration bag (10) is disposed in service position inside said enclosure. The bag has two internal rooms (13, 14) separated the one from the other by a filtering wall (12). The first room (13) is connected to the outside by an inlet pipe (15) for feeding blood to be treated, and the second room (14) is connected to the outside by an outlet pipe (16) for filtered blood. The second room has an opening which is closed by an element (17) made of a material which is permeable to air and impervious to liquids. Both inlet (15) and outlet (16) pipes pass in a tight manner through a plug (21) which in service position closes the traversing opening (4 ) of the cover (2).

Abstract: The supply conduits (1, 2) for two different gases to be mixted are each associated to a pressure regulator (3, 4) and lead into two chambers (5, 6) connected by chokes (7, 8) having a variable section area to a mixing chamber (9). A control member (13) allows the cross section area of the chokes (7, 8) to be varied without modifying the ratio between those cross section areas. Another control member (14) allows the ratio between those cross section areas to be varied without modifying the sum. This device allows a mixture of gases of any molecular weight in predetermined proportions.