Mask system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744290-B2
Application number	US-201715652671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2010
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A mask system for delivery of respiratory therapy to a patient includes a nares portion and a mouth portion and an inlet conduit connected to at least one of the nares portion and the mouth portion to deliver the pressurized, breathable gas. The mask system is adapted to selectively utilize the nares portion and/or the mouth portion in a first mode utilizing both the nares portion and the mouth portion, and in a second mode utilizing the nares portion and not utilizing the mouth portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask system for delivery of respiratory therapy to a patient, comprising:
a frame comprising a rigid material;
a nares portion having a pair of nozzles, a nose tip engagement portion adapted to engage and seal with a patient's nose tip, and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion is adapted to removably attach the nares portion to the frame, and wherein the attachment portion comprises a different material than the nose tip engagement portion;
a headgear assembly structured and arranged to retain the mask system in position on the head of the patient; and
a tube connector structured and arranged to connect air delivery tubing to the frame.

2. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid material is polycarbonate.

3. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to extend along either side of the patient's nose.

4. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of nozzles has an air passage that gradually decreases in size as air approaches the patient's nare.

5. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the nares portion is structured and arranged to seal around the nose in use.

6. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the nares portion includes an upper lip engagement portion adapted to engage and seal with a patient's upper lip area.

7. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the nares portion comprises a soft, flexible material.

8. The mask system according to claim 7 , wherein the soft, flexible material is silicone.

9. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion is permanently attached to the nares portion.

10. The mask system according to claim 9 , wherein the attachment portion comprises an air-tight attachment to the nares portion to enable pressurized air to enter nasal passages of the patient.

11. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the nares portion includes a flexible portion.

12. The mask system according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible portion is disposed between the nares portion and the air delivery tubing.

13. The mask system according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible portion is a flexible region adapted to absorb force and/or movement by flexing and/or altering its shape.

14. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the headgear assembly includes a first headgear strap and a second headgear strap that each removably attach the headgear assembly to the frame.

15. The mask system according to claim 14 , wherein the first headgear strap and the second headgear strap are configured to in use pass over a respective one of the patient's ears.

16. The mask system as according to claim 14 , wherein the headgear assembly further comprises a third headgear strap and a fourth headgear strap.

17. The mask system according to claim 16 , wherein the headgear assembly comprises a lower headgear portion and an upper headgear portion, and wherein the lower headgear portion provides the first headgear strap and the second headgear strap, and the upper headgear portion provides the third headgear strap and the fourth headgear strap.

18. The mask system according to claim 17 , wherein the upper headgear portion and the lower headgear portion are separate components to each other.

19. The mask system according to claim 16 , wherein the third headgear strap and the fourth headgear strap are each configured to removably attach to the nares portion.

20. The mask system according to claim 16 , wherein the third headgear strap and the fourth headgear strap are configured to extend along a respective side of the patient's head between the patient's eyes and ears.

21. The mask system according to claim 16 , wherein the third headgear strap includes a third headgear strap connector and the fourth headgear strap includes a fourth headgear strap connector, and the nares portion includes a first nares portion connector and a second nares portion connector,
and further wherein the third headgear strap connector is configured to connect to the first nares portion connector and the fourth headgear strap connector is configured to connect to the second nares portion connector.

22. The mask system according to claim 21 , wherein the first nares portion connector and the second nares portion connector each comprises a headgear tab that interfaces or connects with the third headgear strap connector and the fourth headgear strap connector respectively.

23. The mask system according to claim 21 , wherein the third headgear strap connector and the fourth headgear strap connector are each a loop.

24. The mask system according to claim 1 , wherein the nares portion may be provided in one or more sizes to accommodate a wide range of the population.

25. A mask system for delivery of respiratory therapy to a patient, comprising:
a frame;
a nares portion having a pair of nozzles, a nose tip engagement portion adapted to engage and seal with a patient's nose tip, and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion is adapted to removably attach the nares portion to the frame, wherein the attachment portion comprises a different material than the nose tip engagement portion, and wherein the attachment portion comprises one or more clips;
a headgear assembly structured and arranged to retain the mask system in position on the head of the patient; and
a tube connector structured and arranged to connect air delivery tubing to the frame.

26. The mask system according to claim 25 , wherein the one or more clips are structured to maintain the position of the nares portion with respect to the frame once it is connected thereto.

27. A mask system for delivery of respiratory therapy to a patient, comprising:
a frame comprising a rigid material;
a nares portion having a pair of nozzles, a nose tip engagement portion adapted to engage and seal with a patient's nose tip, and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion is adapted to removably attach the nares portion to the frame, and wherein the attachment portion comprises a different material than the nose tip engagement portion;
a mouth seal configured to form a seal around the mouth of the patient in use;
a headgear assembly structured and arranged to retain the mask system in position on the head of the patient; and
a tube connector structured and arranged to connect air delivery tubing to the frame.

28. The mask system according to claim 27 , wherein the nares portion and the mouth seal are adapted to allow air to freely flow between chambers of the nares portion and mouth seal.

29. The mask system according to claim 27 , wherein the mask system is adapted to be used in a first mode using both the nares portion and the mouth seal, and in a second mode using only the nares portion.

30. The mask system according to claim 29 , further including a plug that is selectively engageable with the frame to convert the mask system for use in the second mode.

31. The mask system according to claim 29 , wherein the mask system is adapted to convert from the first mode to the second mode by removing the tube connector from the frame, disconnecting the frame from the nares portion, and connecting the tube connector and air delivery tubing to the nares portion.

32. The mask

Assignees

• ResMed Pty Ltd

Inventors

• Formica Justin John
• Romagnoli Jose Ignacio
• Kwok Philip Rodney
• Gibson Joel Edward
• Pidcock David Anthony
• Skipper Christopher Scott
• Gray Stephen

Classifications

• A61M16/06 Primary

  Respiratory or anaesthetic masks · CPC title

• A61M16/0666 Primary

  Nasal cannulas or tubing (devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02) · CPC title

• A61M2209/06

  Packaging for specific medical equipment · CPC title

• A61M16/20

  Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices · CPC title

• A61M16/0825

  with ball-sockets · CPC title