Respiratory mask

• US 20070101997A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SleepNet Corporation
• Original Assignee: SleepNet Corporation
• Inventors: Chiesa, Paul, Park, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/206.210
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0605 Means for improving the adaptation of the mask to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/02 Masks gas-masks for animals A62B18/06; masks for welders A61F9/06

Abstract

The present invention is a system for stiffening a portion of the perimeter of a respiratory mask that has a formable element disposed about its perimeter, thereby making the respiratory mask more comfortable to wear.

Claims

1. A respiratory mask comprising:

a shell forming a chamber having an inlet and an outlet with a perimeter;

a malleable element disposed around the entirety of said perimeter and only around said perimeter, said malleable element being formable and capable of holding said shell in a selected configuration to produce a desired fit for a user;

one or more portions of said malleable element being stiffened; and

a seal disposed proximate the outlet, said seal dimensioned and shaped to contact the seal with external skin around both nares at a base of a nose of said user donning the mask, wherein substantially all of the sealing occurs between the seal and the external skin.

2. The respiratory mask of claim 1 where one of the one or more portions of said malleable element being stiffened runs along a wearer'"'"'s chin.

3. The respiratory mask of claim 1 wherein said malleable element comprises a wire made of relatively soft metal.

4. The respiratory mask of claim 1 wherein said malleable element is disposed within the shell.

5. The respiratory mask of claim 1 where the one or more portions of said malleable element being stiffened comprises one or more portions of said malleable element molded in a polycarbonate sleeve.

6. The respiratory mask of claim 1 wherein the seal comprises a bladder.

7. The respiratory mask of claim 6 wherein the bladder is filled with silicone gel.

8. The respiratory mask of claim 7 wherein the gel is molded in a predetermined configuration.

9. The respiratory mask of claim 1 wherein the seal is bonded to the shell.