CANTILEVER DEVICE AND METHOD FOR BREATHING DEVICES AND THE LIKE

• US 20020011248A1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: BORDEWICK, STEVEN S., BLOOM, NICOLE DENISE, HANSEN, GARY L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,347,631 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• 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 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

A device for positioning a breathing apparatus over a breathing orifice in the head of a person, the person having an occipital lobe and an axis of symmetry, includes an occipital anchor for anchoring against the head of the person beneath the occipital lobe of the person. The device further includes a forward anchor for anchoring against a forward portion of the person'"'"'s head. A spring connector connects the forward anchor and the occipital anchor, and biases the occipital anchor against the head of the person beneath the occipital lobe and the forward anchor against the corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head so as to attach the device to the person'"'"'s head. The occipital anchor, the forward anchor and the spring connector are substantially aligned along the axis of symmetry of the person'"'"'s head. The mount is connected to the spring connector for mounting the apparatus so as to locate the apparatus over the orifice.

Claims

1. A device for positioning a breathing apparatus with a breathing orifice in a head of a person, the head of said person having an occipital lobe and an axis of symmetry, the device comprising:

an occipital anchor structure for anchoring against the head of the person about the occipital lobe of the person;

a forward anchor member for anchoring against a corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head at a forward anchoring position selected from the group consisting of a first portion of the person'"'"'s head proximally surrounding said orifice and a region located from a top portion of the person'"'"'s head to a forehead portion of the person'"'"'s head;

a biasing structure connecting the forward anchor and the occipital anchor, the biasing structure biasing the occipital anchor against the head of the person beneath occipital lobe and biasing the forward anchor against the corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head so as to attach the device to the person'"'"'s head, wherein the occipital anchor, the forward anchor and the biasing structure are substantially aligned along the axis of symmetry of the person'"'"'s head; and

a mounting member connected to the biasing structure for mounting said apparatus so as to locate the apparatus over said orifice.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a breathing mask, and wherein said orifice is present in at least one facial member selected from the group consisting of a person'"'"'s nose, a person'"'"'s mouth and a combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said device consists essentially of said occipital anchor, forward anchor, biasing structure and mounting member.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said occipital anchor, forward anchor, biasing structure and mounting member are essentially the only means for attaching said breathing mask to said person'"'"'s head, said device being otherwise substantially free of other means for securing the device to the person'"'"'s head.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said mounting member is capable of biasing said breathing mask so as to form a seal around said orifice.

6. The device of claim 2 further including a gas plenum attached to the mounting member and connectable to said breathing mask for delivering gas to and from said breathing mask.

7. The device of claim 2 further comprising said breathing mask.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said breathing mask covers the person'"'"'s nose.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said mask includes a pair of nostril-tubes for sealingly fitting within corresponding nostrils of the person'"'"'s nose.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said occipital anchor has a length within a range of about 2 to 8 cm, and a width within a range of about 5 to 20 cm;

said forward anchor has a length within a range of about 1 to 4 cm and a width within a range of about 5 to 11 cm;

said biasing structure extends between said occipital anchor and said forward anchor a distance within a range of about 7 to 30 cm; and

said mounting member extends between said forward anchor and said breathing mask a distance within a range of about 10 to 25 cm.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said biasing structure has a length which is adjustable within said range.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein in use, the device is adapted to apply a force normal to the occipital anchor within a range of about 300 to 1,500 gm.

13. The device of claim 2 wherein in use, the device is adapted to apply a force normal to the forward anchor within a range of about 300 to 1,200 gm.

14. The device of claim 2, wherein in use, the device is adapted to apply a force normal to the breathing mask within a range of about 0-1,000 gm.

15. The device of claim 6, wherein said gas plenum has a cross-sectional area within a range of about 100 to 500 mm².

16. The device of claim 2, further comprising a side strap connecting said occipital anchor with said mounting member, for passing around side portions of the person'"'"'s head.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said forward anchor member is comprised of said breathing apparatus.

18. The device of claim 17, further including a compliant sling having opposite ends connected to forward and rear portions of said biasing structure, for contacting the person'"'"'s head when said apparatus is located over said orifice.

19. The device of claim 7 wherein said mask is a respiratory mask.

20. The device of claim 7 wherein said mask covers the person'"'"'s nose and mouth.

21. A method for attaching a breathing mask utilizing a device as a defined in claim 7 to a head of a person having an occipital lobe and axis of symmetry, the device including:

an occipital anchor structure for anchoring about the occipital lobe of the person;

a forward anchor member for anchoring against a corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head at a forward anchoring position selected from the group consisting of a first portion of the person'"'"'s head proximally surrounding said orifice and a region selected from the group consisting of a top portion of the person'"'"'s head and a forehead portion of the person'"'"'s head

a biasing structure connecting the forward anchor and the occipital anchor, the biasing structure biasing the occipital anchor against the occipital lobe and biasing the forward anchor against the corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head so as to attach the device to the person'"'"'s head, wherein the occipital anchor, the forward anchor and the biasing structure are substantially aligned along the axis of symmetry of the person'"'"'s head; and

a mounting member connected to the biasing structure and to a breathing mask for mounting the breathing mask so as to locate the breathing mask over at least one facial member selected from the group consisting of a person'"'"'s nose, a person'"'"'s mouth and a combination thereof;

the method comprising positioning the occipital anchor about the person'"'"'s occipital lobe, and the forward anchor against the corresponding portion of said person'"'"'s head, with the breathing mask in communication with said at least one facial member of the person;

wherein the occipital anchor, the forward anchor and the biasing structure are substantially aligned along the axis of symmetry of the person'"'"'s head, and wherein said occipital anchor is biased against the person'"'"'s occipital lobe, the forward anchor is biased against the corresponding portion of the person'"'"'s head, and the breathing mask forms a seal about said facial member, so as to attach said device to the person'"'"'s head.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said device is attached to said person'"'"'s head utilizing substantially only said structures and members as defined in claim 16, and without utilizing other means for securing the device to the person'"'"'s head.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said device includes a gas plenum connected to the breathing mask, the method further comprising the step of connecting said gas plenum to a source of respiratory gas.

24. The method of claim 23 further including the step of removing expired gas containing carbon dioxide from said gas plenum after said person exhales.