Interface comprising a nasal sealing portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12390609-B2
Application number	US-202218057096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2022
Priority date	Apr 15, 2011
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

An interface for positive pressure therapy includes a mask assembly and a headgear assembly. The mask assembly comprises a mask seal that is adapted to underlie the nose. The mask seal extends up the lateral sides of the nose. The mask seal has a primary seal below the nose and a secondary seal alongside the nose.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask assembly for use in providing positive pressure respiratory therapy, the mask assembly comprising:
a mask base comprising an inlet opening and a rear peripheral region,
a mask seal comprising:
a front peripheral region configured to be secured to the rear peripheral region of the mask base;
a lip configured to seal against an upper lip region, the lip encircling an oral opening;
an upper portion of the mask seal comprising support regions and a flexing region, the support regions being more rigid than the flexing region;
a flexing chin region positioned between lower corner reinforcements, the lower corner reinforcements extending from lower corners of the mask seal and inwardly toward the flexing chin region, wherein the lower corner reinforcements are more rigid than the flexing chin region; and
a first paddle and a second paddle, the first paddle and the second paddle extend generally upward from an upper surface of the mask seal and configured to extend along lateral sides of the nose, in use, the first paddle and the second paddle together with the upper surface defining a valley for accommodating a nose such that the upper surface underlies the nose, the upper surface comprising at least one nasal opening and configured to seal against a lower portion of the nose of the user, in use and around the at least one nasal opening.

2. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mask base comprises a polycarbonate material, and wherein the mask seal comprises a silicone material.

3. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mask base comprises a groove provided along the rear peripheral region of the mask base, and wherein the mask seal comprises a flange along the front peripheral region of the mask seal, the flange configured to be inserted in the groove.

4. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support regions have a thicker cross-section than the flexing region.

5. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support regions are located on a forward-facing surface of the first paddle and the second paddle.

6. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexing region is positioned to provide a seal against an outer surface of the nose.

7. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lower corner reinforcements are positioned along a sidewall of the mask seal and wrap inward toward the lip.

8. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lower corner reinforcements are thicker than the flexing chin region.

9. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mask seal comprises a forward-facing stiffener panel, the stiffener panel adjacent the front peripheral region of the mask base.

10. The mask assembly of claim 9 , wherein the stiffener panel is thicker than the lower corner reinforcements.

11. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening of the mask base is defined by a wall comprising a contoured inner surface configured to form a snap-fit with a connector configured to facilitate connection to a supply conduit for pressurized breathing gases.

12. A mask assembly for use in providing positive pressure respiratory therapy, the mask assembly comprising:
a chamber at least partially defined by a mask base and a mask seal;
the mask base comprising an inlet opening and a rear peripheral region, the inlet opening configured to be attached to a connector for supply of pressurized breathing gases;
the mask seal comprising:
a connecting region configured to join with the rear peripheral region of the mask base;
an oral opening on a rear-facing side of the mask seal;
an upper portion of the mask seal comprising upper peripheral portions and a nasal region, the nasal region configured to seal against a lower portion of a nose, the upper peripheral portions being more rigid than the nasal region;
an oral region extending along at least a bottom of the oral opening, the oral region positioned between lower peripheral portions, the lower peripheral portions extend along a generally vertically extending portions of the rear-facing side of the mask seal and wrap inward at a bottom of the rear-facing side of the mask seal, the lower peripheral portions being more rigid than the oral region; and
the upper portion further comprising a pair of paddles extending generally upward from an upper surface of the mask seal, the pair of paddles together with the upper surface defining a valley for accommodating the nose such that the upper surface underlies the nose, the upper surface comprising at least one nasal opening and configured to seal against a lower part of the nose of the user, in use, and around the at least one nasal opening.

13. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mask base comprises bias flow holes.

14. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mask base comprises a rigid plastic material.

15. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mask seal is overmolded onto the mask base.

16. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rear peripheral region of the mask base comprises a flange and the mask seal overlies the flange.

17. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rear peripheral region of the mask base comprises a flange and the mask seal comprises a groove configured to receive the flange.

18. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mask seal comprises a clip attachable to the mask base.

19. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mask seal comprises a thickened region adjacent a juncture with the mask base.

20. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the paddles comprises a laterally outer portion and a laterally inner portion, the laterally outer portion being thicker than the laterally inner portion.

21. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the nasal region is less than a thickness of the upper peripheral portions.

22. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein the lower peripheral portions extend along the rear-facing side of the mask seal and at least a portion of a lateral facing side of the mask seal.

23. A mask assembly for use in providing positive pressure respiratory therapy, the mask assembly comprising:
a mask seal comprising:
an upper portion including a flexing region having an upper surface configured to underlie a nose of a user, in use, and one or more nasal openings in the flexing region;
first and second lower corner portions;
a flexing chin region positioned between the first and second lower corner portions; and
first and second lower corner reinforcement regions extending from the first and second lower corner portions, respectively, and inwardly toward flexing chin region, wherein first and second lower corner reinforcement regions and are stiffer than the flexing chin region.

24. The mask assembly of claim 23 , wherein the upper surface is configured to seal with a lower surface the nose of the user, in use, around the at least one nasal opening.

25. The mask assembly of claim 23 , wherein the mask seal comprises a lower portion connecting the first and second lower corner portions, wherein the first and second lower corner reinforcement regions extend from the first and second lower corner portions, respectively, inwardly along the lower portion.

26. The mask assembly of claim 23 , wherein the lower corner reinforcements are positioned along a sidewall of the mask seal and wrap inward toward an oral opening of the mask seal.

27. The mask assembly of claim

Assignees

• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Bearne Peter David Alexander
• Patel Roheet
• Middelkoop Kirstin Elizabeth
• Cox Michael John Henri
• Mashal Fadi
• Olsen Gregory James
• Mason Isaac Tristram Tane
• Stephenson Matthew Roger

Classifications

• A61M2210/0618

  Nose · CPC title

• A61M16/0611

  with a gusset portion · CPC title

• A61M16/208

  Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves · CPC title

• A61M2210/0625

  Mouth · CPC title

• A61M16/0825

  with ball-sockets · CPC title