Adjustable positive airway pressure or ventilation system

• US 10,485,944 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Human Design Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Human Design Medical, LLC (Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Harrison, Donald, Gosline, Andrew Havens, Arabagi, Veaceslav Gheorghe, Kapelus, Aaron Jonah
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heffner, Ned T
• Application Number:
  US14/800,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20160015921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0605 Means for improving the adaptation of the mask to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0622 having an underlying cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0694 Chin straps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1045 Devices for humidifying or heating the inspired gas by using recovered moisture or heat from the expired gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a comfortable and adjustable nasal pillow configured to be part of a nasal pillow system that is part of a mask system used with a ventilation or PAP device. The nasal pillows are configured to have multiple degrees of freedom of rotation.

Claims

1. A positive airway pressure assembly, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of nasal pillows;

a mask frame comprising a central portion and a distal portion, wherein the central portion and distal portion defines a mask frame axis;

wherein each nasal pillow comprises;

a connection interface configured to connect to the mask frame; and

an aperture;

Wherein each nasal pillow comprises an upper portion and a base portion, wherein the nasal pillow tapers from the narrow upper portion about the aperture to the wider base section forming a cone;

wherein the connection interface extends from the base portion; and

wherein each of the nasal pillows is configured to independently rotate about the mask frame axis.

2. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the nasal pillows has an elliptical cross section about the narrow upper portion.

3. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein the cone has a wall thickness of less than 20 mils.

4. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein the cone has a curved front surface.

5. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein the cone is formed of a plurality of coaxial rings, each coaxial ring having a varying durometer.

6. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the nasal pillows has an annular sidewall.

7. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 6, wherein the annular side wall of the cone has a tapering thickness being thinner at the upper portion and thicker at the base portion.

8. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 6, wherein the annular side wall of the cone has a constant thickness with a varying durometer between the upper portion and the base portion.

9. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 6, wherein the annular side wall has a plurality of strips having a varying thickness, each strip extending from the aperture at the upper portion to the base portion.

10. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, comprising an attachment sleeve for interfacing between the mask frame and each of the nasal pillows.

11. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 10, wherein each nasal pillow is provided with a plurality of annular ribs axially spaced about an attachment portion of each nasal pillow, the annular ribs engaging with a corresponding recess located about the attachment sleeve.

12. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 10, wherein the attachment sleeve can rotate axially with respect to the mask frame.

13. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 10, comprising an air conforming bladder extending from the attachment sleeve and configured to engage a user'"'"'s maxilla.

14. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the nasal pillows is configured to rotate axially with respect to the attachment sleeve and wherein each of the nasal pillows is also configured to translate axially with respect to the attachment sleeve.

15. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 14, wherein the attachment sleeve can rotate axially with respect to the mask frame.

16. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 10, wherein the base portion of each nasal pillow comprises an annular tube, the annular tube having a smaller inner diameter than the wider base section of each nasal pillow.

17. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 16, wherein the annular tube interfaces with the base portion of each nasal pillow with an elastic trampoline portion.

18. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 17, wherein the elastic trampoline portion has a durometer that is lower than the durometer of the annular tube and the cone.

19. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 17, wherein the elastic trampoline portion has a wall thickness lower than the wall thickness of the annular tube and the cone.

20. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 1, wherein the connection interface of each nasal pillow is provided with a plurality of annular ribs axially spaced about an attachment portion of each nasal pillow, the annular ribs engaging with a corresponding recess located about the mask frame.

21. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 20, wherein each of the nasal pillows is configured to rotate about and translate axially with respect to recess located about the mask frame.

22. The positive airway pressure assembly of claim 20, comprising an air conforming bladder extending from the attachment sleeve and configured to engage a user'"'"'s maxilla.

23. A positive airway pressure assembly, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of nasal pillows;

a mask frame comprising a central portion and a distal portion, wherein the central portion and distal portion defines a mask frame axis;

wherein each nasal pillow comprises;

a connection interface configured to removably connect to the mask frame;

a non-circular aperture;

a flexible base portion that is wider than and engages the connection interface;

a cone portion extending from the base portion and tapering to a narrow upper portion about where the non-circular aperture is formed; and

wherein each of the nasal pillows is configured to independently rotate about the mask frame axis.