Patent ID: 8225786

Claim:
A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus for treatment of a patient with a sleeping disorder, the apparatus including a blower for supplying breathable to the patient, comprising: a gas flow path between a gas inlet and a gas outlet; a motor; a motor drive shaft including a first shaft end and a second shaft end defining a rotational axis, said first and second shaft ends extending from opposite sides of the motor; a first impeller secured to the first shaft end, said first impeller including a first gas intake, said gas inlet axially aligned along said rotational axis with the first impeller; and a second impeller secured to the second shaft end, said second impeller including a second gas intake, said first and second impellers being disposed axially between said gas inlet and said gas outlet to cooperatively pressurize gas flowing from said gas inlet to said gas outlet, wherein said second gas intake surrounds said second shaft end and said second gas intake is positioned along said rotational axis between said first and second impellers, and further wherein said motor is positioned between the first and second impellers.