Respiratory mask

• US 20070107733A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ho, Peter, Busch, Lance, Jiang, Jian-An, Scarberry, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/206.240
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0616 with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0622 having an underlying cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets

Abstract

A respiratory mask including a base plate adapted for connection to a gas source and a bladder secured to the base plate to form a generally fluid tight seal with the base plate, and defining at least one internal chamber with the base plate for receiving a fluidizing medium to fill the bladder and form a resilient cushion.

Claims

1. A respiratory mask, comprising:

a base plate adapted for connection to a gas source; and

a bladder secured to the base plate to form a generally fluid tight seal with the base plate and defining at least one internal chamber with the base plate for receiving a fluidizing medium to fill the bladder and form a resilient cushion.

2. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, the bladder comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section comprising a base portion and a cushion portion, and the base portion comprising a wall thickness greater than the cushion portion.

3. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder is secured to the base plate by a retaining member.

4. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retaining member is mechanically engaged with the base plate or bonded to the base plate.

5. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retaining member is segmented to correspond to the number of internal chambers defined by the base plate and bladder.

6. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 3, the bladder comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section comprising a base portion and a cushion portion, wherein at least a portion of the base portion is sandwiched between the retaining member and base plate to form the generally fluid tight seal with the base plate.

7. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, the bladder comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section comprising a base portion and a cushion portion, and wherein at least a portion of the base portion is secured to the base plate to form the generally fluid tight seal with the base plate.

8. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, the bladder comprising at least one internal divider to define a plurality of internal chambers with the base plate.

9. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one internal divider is adapted to permit fluid communication between the internal chambers.

10. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder comprises a non-uniform wall thickness.

11. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, the base plate comprising a forehead extension, and wherein the bladder is formed to encompass the forehead extension.

12. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bladder is secured to the forehead extension by a forehead retaining member.

13. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a valve associated with the at least one internal chamber for filling the at least one internal chamber with the fluidizing medium.

14. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder comprises a sealing flap for sealing against a mask-wearer'"'"'s skin.

15. A respiratory mask, comprising:

a base plate adapted for connection to a gas source;

a retaining member; and

a bladder secured to the base plate by the retaining member, the retaining member securing the bladder to the base plate such that the bladder forms a generally fluid tight seal with the base plate and defines at least one internal chamber with the base plate for receiving a fluidizing medium to fill the bladder and form a resilient cushion.

16. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retaining member is mechanically engaged with the base plate or bonded to the base plate.

17. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, the bladder comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section comprising a base portion and a cushion portion, and the base portion comprising a wall thickness greater than the cushion portion.

18. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, the bladder comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section comprising a base portion and a cushion portion, and wherein at least a portion of the base portion is sandwiched between the retaining member and base plate to form the generally fluid tight seal with the base plate.

19. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, the bladder comprising at least one internal divider to define a plurality of internal chambers with the base plate.

20. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, the base plate comprising a forehead extension, and wherein the bladder is formed to encompass the forehead extension.

21. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, wherein the bladder comprises a non-uniform wall thickness.

22. A respiratory mask as claimed in claim 15, wherein the base plate further includes at least one track, and wherein the respiratory mask further includes at least one latching mechanism adapted to engage the track, the latching mechanism including a latch body and a post member wherein the latch body biases the post member into engagement with at least one engagement slot.

23. A bladder for a respiratory mask comprising a unitary body defining a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section, the bladder body comprising a non-uniform wall thickness over the generally U-shaped transverse cross section thereof.

24. A bladder as claimed in claim 23, the bladder body comprising a base portion and a cushion portion defining the generally U-shaped transverse cross-section, the base portion comprising opposed flanges adapted to associate the bladder with a base plate of the respiratory mask.

25. A bladder as claimed in claim 24, wherein the base portion has a wall thickness greater than the cushion portion.

26. A bladder as claimed in claim 24, wherein the bladder body is formed to encompass a forehead extension extending from the base plate of the respiratory mask.

27. A bladder as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bladder body comprises at least one internal divider to define a plurality of internal chambers therein.