Breathing assistance apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9849262-B2
Application number	US-201615376401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2016
Priority date	May 30, 2003
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A nasal cannula assembly is disclosed having a face mount part, in use resting against a user's face, which includes at least one nasal prong capable of being fitted into a person's nares. The cannula assembly also includes a manifold part, in fluid communication with the face mount part, having a single horizontal side gases entry. In particular, this cannula assembly is for supplying heated, humidified gases to a patient suffering from COPD. A tie or lanyard is disclosed for use with a breathing assistance apparatus such as a nasal cannula, face or nasal mask or tracheostomy connector. The tie or lanyard transfers the weight of the conduits supplying gases to the breathing assistance apparatus from the breathing assistance apparatus and distributes it onto the neck of the patient.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nasal cannula assembly configured to deliver airflow to a patient, the nasal cannula assembly comprising:
a face mount comprising:
a pair of rearwardly-curved nasal prongs comprising a flexible material and integrally molded with the face mount, and
an oval recess; and

a gases flow manifold comprising a rigid material that is tubular in shape, wherein the rigid material of the gases flow manifold is more rigid than the material of the face mount, the gases flow manifold comprising:
a first end comprising an oval outlet configured to align with and fit into the oval recess of the face mount, wherein the rigid material of the gases flow manifold is configured to allow the oval outlet to securely engage with the oval recess,
a second end configured to attach to a conduit such that the second end provides a single horizontal side entry into the gases flow manifold and the conduit extends from one side of the nasal cannula assembly, wherein the conduit is a separate structure from the gases flow manifold and is configured to be permanently or removably attached to the gases flow manifold, and
wherein the gases flow manifold comprises a plurality of flanges, wherein at least one of the plurality of flanges extends only partially around a circumference of the gases flow manifold.

2. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the face mount comprises one or more contoured lip areas shaped to follow the contours of an upper lip area of the patient.

3. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the oval recess and the oval outlet are removably engaged and the gases flow manifold is received within the oval recess.

4. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of nasal prongs are removably attached to the face mount.

5. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gases flow manifold can be assembled to the face mount in a first orientation in which the conduit extends from the left side of the nasal cannula assembly.

6. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gases flow manifold can be assembled to the face mount in a second orientation in which the conduit extends from the right side of the nasal cannula assembly.

7. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gases flow manifold and the face mount comprise interlocking features to maintain the gases flow manifold on the face mount.

8. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 7 , wherein the interlocking features comprise a lip on one of the gases flow manifold and the face mount that engages an edge on the other of the gases flow manifold and the face mount.

9. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 further comprising a head strap configured to maintain the nasal cannula assembly on the face of the patient.

10. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 9 , wherein the head strap comprises a flexible material.

11. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 9 , wherein the head strap is bifurcated.

12. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 9 , wherein the head strap includes an upper rear strap, a lower rear strap, and a pair of side straps.

13. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nasal cannula assembly is configured to deliver high flow gases to the patient in use.

14. A nasal cannula assembly configured to deliver airflow to a patient, the nasal cannula assembly comprising:
a face mount comprising a pair of nasal prongs and an oval recess;
a pair of lateral extensions, each lateral extension configured to extend laterally from a respective one of a first and second end of the face mount, the pair of lateral extensions configured to extend along the cheek on opposite sides of the face of the patient;
a gases flow manifold that is tubular in shape, the gases flow manifold comprising:
a first end comprising an oval outlet configured to removably fit into the oval recess,
a second end configured to attach to a conduit such that the conduit extends from one side of the nasal cannula assembly, wherein the conduit is a separate structure from the gases flow manifold, and
wherein the gases flow manifold comprises a plurality of flanges, each flange defining a shoulder surface, wherein the shoulder surface extends only partially around an exterior of the gases flow manifold; and

a headgear assembly comprising one or more straps of flexible material and wherein the one or more straps are configured to attach to the pair of lateral extensions so as to retain the nasal cannula assembly against the face of the patient.

15. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 14 , wherein the face mount comprises a flexible material and the gases flow manifold comprises a rigid material such that the first end of the gases flow manifold can engage the oval recess of the face mount by moving the gases flow manifold axially into the face mount.

16. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 14 , wherein the face mount is configured to provide a soft upper lip contacting region.

17. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 14 , wherein the engagement between the oval outlet and the oval recess is a friction fit.

18. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 14 , wherein the headgear comprises an upper rear strap, a lower rear strap, and a pair of side straps.

19. The nasal cannula assembly of claim 18 , wherein each of the pair of side straps are positioned on opposite sides of the face, the pair of side straps extending towards the nasal cannula assembly.

20. A nasal cannula assembly configured to deliver airflow to a patient, the nasal cannula assembly comprising:
a flexible face mount with a surface contoured to the upper lip of the patient, the flexible face mount comprising:
a pair of rearwardly-curved nasal prongs comprising silicone and integrally molded with the flexible face mount, and
an oval recess;

a pair of lateral extensions, each lateral extension configured to extend laterally from a respective one of a first and second end of the face mount, the pair of lateral extensions configured to extend along the cheek on opposite sides of the face of the patient;
a conduit;
a gases flow manifold comprising a rigid material that is tubular in shape, wherein the rigid material of the gases flow manifold is more rigid than the material of the face mount, the gases flow manifold comprising:
a first end comprising an oval outlet configured to align with the oval recess and removably fit into the oval recess of the flexible face mount, wherein the rigid material of the gases fold manifold is configured to allow the oval outlet to securely engage with the oval recess by moving the gases flow manifold axially into the face mount,
a second end configured to attach to the conduit such that the second end provides a single horizontal side entry into the gases fold manifold and the conduit extends from one side of the nasal cannula assembly, wherein the conduit forms a separate structure from the gases flow manifold, and
wherein the gases flow manifold comprises a plurality of flanges, each flange defining a shoulder surface, wherein at least one of the shoulder surfaces comprise a c-shaped structure about an exterior of the gases flow manifold; and

a headgear assembly comprising a flexible material and configured to retain the nasal cannula assembly against the face of the user, the headgear assembly comprising:
an upper rear strap,
a lower rear strap, and
a pair of side straps, each of the pair of side straps configured to couple to the upper rear strap and the lower rear strap, wherein each of the pair of side straps are positi

Assignees

• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• White Craig Karl
• Van Beurden Jason Peter
• O'Donnell Kevin Peter

Classifications

• A61M16/0683

  Holding devices therefor · CPC title

• A61M16/16

  Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61M16/08

  Bellows; Connecting tubes {(having means for taking samples G01N1/22); Water traps; Patient circuits} · CPC title

• A61M16/1095

  in the connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M2202/0208

  Oxygen · CPC title