Cushion for a respiratory mask assembly
First Claim
1. A cushion for a respiratory mask assembly that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion comprising:
- a non-face contacting portion connected to a frame;
a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face; and
an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, the intermediate portion including a gusset portion structured to apply a first component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion; and
a spring structure coupled with the face-contacting portion, the spring structure being configured to apply a second component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, wherein the first and second components of force to be applied by the gusset portion and spring structure, respectively, determine a contact force to be applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A respiratory mark assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and a cushion. The cushion has a non-face contacting portion structured to be connected to the frame, a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face, and an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion. The intermediate portion includes a gusset portion that applies a first component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion. A spring structure is coupled with the face-contacting portion of the cushion. The spring structure applies a second component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion. The first and second components of force applied by the gusset portion and spring structure, respectively, determine a contact force of the cushion applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion. The intermediate portion may also include an elastic cuff portion. Further, in the case of an oral mask, the sealing section may include a portion that is designed to promote a better seal in the chin region of the mask.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A cushion for a respiratory mask assembly that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion comprising:
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a non-face contacting portion connected to a frame;
a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face; and
an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, the intermediate portion including a gusset portion structured to apply a first component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion; and
a spring structure coupled with the face-contacting portion, the spring structure being configured to apply a second component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, wherein the first and second components of force to be applied by the gusset portion and spring structure, respectively, determine a contact force to be applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for improving the comfort of a respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient, comprising:
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providing a cushion having at least a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face and apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face; and
designing the cushion to redistribute the contact force on the patient'"'"'s face away from a first region of the patient'"'"'s face and onto a second region of the patient'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A cushion for a respiratory mask assembly that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion comprising:
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a non-face contacting portion connected to a frame; and
a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face and apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face, wherein the face-contacting portion is structured such that the contact force on the patient'"'"'s face can be redistributed away from a first region of the patient'"'"'s face and onto a second region of the patient'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A cushion for a respiratory mask assembly that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion comprising:
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a non-face contacting portion connected to a frame;
a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face; and
an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, the intermediate portion including a gusset portion to apply a component of force to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, wherein at least the gusset portion is curved as viewed from above to follow the contour of the patient'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient, comprising:
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a frame;
a cushion having a non-face contacting portion connected to the frame, a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face and apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face, and an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, the intermediate portion including a gusset portion that is determinative of a component of the contact force to be applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, the gusset portion having a first outer perimeter that defines an outer perimeter of the gusset portion and a second outer perimeter that defines an outer perimeter of a sealing strip of a seal forming portion of the cushion, wherein a distance between the first and second outer perimeters of the gusset portion can be varied in different regions of the patient'"'"'s face to thereby vary the contact force applied in different regions of the patient'"'"'s face.
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35. A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient, comprising:
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a frame;
a cushion having a non-face contacting portion connected to the frame, a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient'"'"'s face and apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face, and an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, the intermediate portion including a gusset portion that is determinative of a component of the contact force applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, the gusset portion having a first outer perimeter that defines an outer perimeter of the gusset portion and a second outer perimeter that defines an outer perimeter of a sealing strip of a seal forming portion of the cushion, wherein a distance between the first and second outer perimeters of the gusset portion in a nasal bridge contacting region of the cushion differs from a distance between the first and second outer perimeters of the gusset portion in a cheek contacting region of the cushion to thereby differ the contact force to be applied by the nasal bridge contacting region from the contact force applied by the cheek contacting region. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A respiratory mask comprising:
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a frame including a breathable gas port, wherein the frame defines an inner chamber to receive at least one of a wearer'"'"'s nasal region and mouth; and
a cushion including a flange connected to the frame, an inner rim defining an opening to the inner chamber of the frame, and a sealing portion disposed between the flange and the inner rim to contact the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the sealing portion includes a nasal seal section to span a wearer'"'"'s face above the wearer'"'"'s nares, side seal sections extending from each side of the nasal seal section on both sides of the wearer'"'"'s mouth, and a chin seal section that extends between the side seal sections, wherein the chin seal section is upwardly curved in an arch to follow the chin'"'"'s bony contour. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A cushion for use in a respiratory mask, comprising:
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a flange to connect to a mask frame;
an inner rim defining an opening to surround at least one of the wearer'"'"'s nares and mouth; and
a sealing portion disposed between the flange and the inner rim to contact the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the sealing portion includes a nasal seal section to span a wearer'"'"'s face above the wearer'"'"'s nares, side seal sections extending from each side of the nasal section on both sides of the wearer'"'"'s mouth, and a chin seal section that extends between the side seal sections, wherein the chin seal section is upwardly curved in an arch to follow the chin'"'"'s bony contour. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient, comprising:
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a frame; and
a cushion having a non-face contacting portion connected to the frame, a face-contacting portion structured to apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face, and an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face-contacting portion, wherein the intermediate portion includes an elastic cuff portion that is at least partly determinative of a component of the contact force to be applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, the elastic cuff portion having a stiffness which is less than the stiffness of at least one of the face contacting portion and the non-face contacting portion.
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66. A cushion comprising:
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a non-face contacting portion connected to the frame;
a face-contacting portion structured to apply a contact force on the patient'"'"'s face; and
an intermediate portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face contacting portion, the intermediate portion including at least one elastic cuff portion that is at least partly determinative of a component of the contact force to be applied to the patient'"'"'s face through the face-contacting portion, the at least one elastic cuff portion having a stiffness which is less than the stiffness of at least one of the face contacting portion and the non-face contacting portion. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification