Respiratory mask

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10265492-B2
Application number	US-201113097501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2011
Priority date	Apr 30, 2010
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A respiratory mask assembly for use with a patient, and that is suited for use with children ranging in age from about 2-7 years, includes a flexible patient interface structure arranged to interface with and deliver air to the patient's nose, the patient interface structure including cylindrical protrusions extending from respective opposite sides of the patient interface structure adjacent the patient's nares; a frame configured to support the patient interface structure, the frame including a pair of cylinders, each cylinder configured to receive a respective cylindrical protrusion of the patient interface structure; headgear arranged for releasable attachment to the frame; an air delivery tube connected to either one of the cylindrical protrusions; and a plug connected to the other one of the cylindrical protrusions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A patient interface system for delivering breathable gas to a patient, comprising:
a flexible patient interface structure configured to interface with and deliver air to a nose of the patient, the patient interface structure comprising cylindrical protrusions extending from respective opposite sides of the patient interface structure, the cylindrical protrusions being dimensioned and configured to be adjacent the patient's nares when the flexible patient interface structure is engaged with the patient's face;
a frame configured to support the patient interface structure, the frame comprising a pair of cylinders, each cylinder having an inner circumferential surface configured to receive a respective cylindrical protrusion of the patient interface structure;
headgear arranged for releasable attachment to the frame; and
an air delivery tube connected to either one of the cylindrical protrusions, the air delivery tube being configured to be assembled to the cylindrical protrusion in an assembly direction,
wherein each of the cylindrical protrusions of the flexible patient interface structure comprises a shoulder having a diameter larger than a diameter of each of said cylinders of the frame, each of the shoulders being configured to prevent movement of the respective cylindrical protrusion relative to the corresponding cylinder in the assembly direction of the air delivery tube when the air delivery tube is assembled to the respective cylindrical protrusion.

2. A patient interface system according to claim 1 , wherein the patient interface structure is formed of elastomeric material.

3. A patient interface system according to claim 2 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises silicone or foam.

4. A patient interface system according to claim 2 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Shore A hardness of about 35 to 50.

5. A patient interface system according to claim 4 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Shore A hardness of about 39 to 45.

6. A patient interface system according to claim 2 , wherein the patient interface structure is compression moulded.

7. A patient interface system according to claim 6 , wherein the patient interface structure is post cured.

8. A patient interface system according to claim 7 , wherein the patient interface structure is post cured at about 130° C. to 150° C.

9. A patient interface system according to claim 8 , wherein the patient interface structure is post cured at about 140° C.

10. A patient interface system according to claim 7 , wherein the patient interface structure is post cured for about 20 to 40 minutes.

11. A patient interface system according to claim 10 , wherein the patient interface structure is post cured for about 30 minutes.

12. A patient interface system according to claim 1 , wherein the patient interface structure is translucent, transparent, or water clear.

13. A patient interface system according to claim 1 , wherein the patient interface structure comprises:
a base wall on a front side; and
at least one flexible membrane extending from the base wall towards a rear side, the rear side being configured to engage a face of the patient, the base wall and the at least one flexible membrane forming an air chamber for receiving the air delivered by the air delivery tube, the at least one flexible membrane comprising a sealing area configured to sealingly engage the face of the patient.

14. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the base wall and the at least one flexible membrane are separated by a parting line.

15. A patient interface system according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one flexible membrane is polished.

16. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the base wall is generally trapezoidally shaped and a top side of the trapezoid is configured to bridge the nose of the patient, a bottom side of the trapezoid is configured to be adjacent the patient's nares, and lateral sides of the trapezoid are configured to be adjacent the patient's nostrils when the patient interface structure is engaged with the patient's face.

17. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one flexible membrane consists of one membrane.

18. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the base wall and the at least one flexible membrane form side walls of the air chamber and the at least one flexible membrane defines an aperture to receive the patient's nose.

19. A patient interface system according to claim 18 , wherein the aperture has a trapezoidal shape similar to the trapezoidal shape of the base wall.

20. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one flexible membrane has a varying thickness in the sealing area ranging from about 0.10 mm to 0.70 mm.

21. A patient interface system according to claim 20 , wherein the thickness ranges from about 0.20 mm to 0.58 mm.

22. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one flexible membrane comprises a sealing lip.

23. A patient interface system according to claim 22 , wherein the sealing lip has a thickness of about 0.10 mm to 0.20 mm.

24. A patient interface system according to claim 23 , wherein the sealing lip has a thickness of about 0.15 mm.

25. A patient interface system according to claim 13 , wherein the base wall comprises an exhalation vent comprising at least one aperture.

26. A patient interface system according to claim 25 , wherein the at least one aperture comprises at least one array of apertures.

27. A patient interface system according to claim 26 , wherein the exhalation vent comprises two arrays of apertures.

28. A patient interface system according to claim 27 , wherein the two arrays of apertures comprise generally parallel rows of apertures.

29. A patient interface system according to claim 28 , wherein the two arrays of apertures provide a predetermined vent flow to the patient interface structure.

30. A patient interface system according to claim 29 , wherein the predetermined vent flow is between about 30.7-41.0 L/min at 12 cm H 2 O.

31. A patient interface system according to claim 26 , wherein the apertures have a diameter of about 1.50 mm.

32. A patient interface system according to claim 26 , wherein the apertures have a diameter of about 1.60 mm.

33. A patient interface system according to claim 32 , wherein the apertures have a length of about 5.0 mm and an aspect ratio of about 0.32.

34. A patient interface system according to claim 25 , wherein the exhalation vent is disposed on a thickened portion of the base wall.

35. A patient interface system for delivering breathable gas to a patient according to claim 34 ,
wherein the thickened portion of the flexible patient interface structure is shaped to conform to the shape of an aperture of the frame so that the flexible patient interface structure is correctly assembled to the frame when the aperture of the frame receives the thickened portion of the flexible patient interface structure.

36. A patient interface system according to claim 25 , further comprising a stopper disposed on the frame, a tether adapted to connect the stopper to the patient interface structure or t

Assignees

• Amarasinghe Amal Shirley
• Ozolins Angelene Marie
• Veliss Lee James
• Wells Alicia Kristianne
• Siu Eric
• Johnson Ian Fredrick
• Norcott Alison Ruth
• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Amarasinghe Amal Shirley
• Ozolins Angelene Marie
• Veliss Lee James
• Wells Alicia Kristianne
• Siu Eric
• Johnson Ian Fredrick
• Norcott Alison Ruth

Classifications

• A61M16/0816

  Joints or connectors · CPC title

• A61M16/0633

  with forehead support · CPC title

• A61M2210/0618

  Nose · CPC title

• A61M16/0616

  with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure · CPC title

• A61M16/06

  Respiratory or anaesthetic masks · CPC title