System and Method for Forming a Custom Medical Mask from a Three-Dimensional Electronic Model

• US 20080006273A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airway Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Airway Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Thornton, W. Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/206.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a custom medical mask formed for a particular user from a three-dimensional electronic model includes a body formed from a polymerized photopolymer material. An interior surface of the body is configured to seat on the particular user'"'"'s face and comprises a physical embodiment of a three-dimensional electronic model corresponding to unique facial features of the particular user. According to another embodiment, a method of creating a three-dimensional electronic model for use in forming a custom medical mask for a particular user includes scanning a portion of the particular user'"'"'s face using an electronic scanning device, generating a three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face based on the scanning, and transmitting the three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face for use in forming the custom medical mask for the particular user from a photopolymer using a stereolithography apparatus.

Claims

1. A custom medical mask formed for a particular user from a three-dimensional electronic model, comprising:

a body formed from a polymerized photopolymer material; and

an interior surface of the body configured to seat on the particular user'"'"'s face and comprising a physical embodiment of a three-dimensional electronic model corresponding to unique facial features of the particular user.

2. The custom medical mask of claim 1, wherein the photopolymer material comprises a photo-reactive epoxy resin.

3. The custom medical mask of claim 1, further comprising a fitting configured to couple to a clinical gas delivery system.

4. The custom medical mask of claim 1, further comprising an exterior surface of the body offset from the interior surface a distance between 0.05 and 0.20 inches.

5. A method of creating a three-dimensional electronic model for use in forming a custom medical mask for a particular user, comprising:

scanning at least a portion of the particular user'"'"'s face using an electronic scanning device;

generating a three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face based on the scanning; and

transmitting the three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face for use in forming the custom medical mask for the particular user from a photopolymer using a stereolithography apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising processing the three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face to create a stereolithography model for use in forming the custom medical mask from the photopolymer using the stereolithography apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein processing the three-dimensional electronic model to create the stereolithography model comprises extruding a surface of the three-dimensional electronic model in a direction normal to the surface a distance between 0.05 and 0.20 inches.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the stereolithography model further comprises an electronic model of a fitting configured to couple to a clinical gas delivery system.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising focusing a light source on the photopolymer material in a pattern corresponding to the stereolithography model to polymerize the photopolymer material to form the custom medical mask from the photopolymer.

10. A system for forming a custom medical mask for a particular user from a three-dimensional electronic model, comprising:

a photopolymer material;

a three-dimensional electronic model of a custom medical mask, the three-dimensional electronic model comprising a first surface that corresponds to unique facial features of the particular user; and

a stereolithography apparatus operable to focus a light source on the photopolymer material in a pattern corresponding to the three-dimensional electronic model to polymerize the photopolymer material to form the custom medical mask for the particular user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the photopolymer material comprises a photo-reactive epoxy resin.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional electronic model further comprises a second surface offset from the first surface a distance between 0.05 and 0.20 inches.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the three-dimensional electronic model further comprises an electronic model of a fitting configured to couple to a clinical gas delivery system; and

the stereolithography apparatus is further operable to focus the light source on the photopolymer material in a pattern corresponding to the electronic model of the fitting to polymerize the photopolymer material to form the fitting configured to couple to the clinical gas delivery system.

14. A computer-implemented system for use in connection with forming a custom medical mask for a particular user from a three-dimensional electronic model, comprising:

one or more memory units storing a three-dimensional electronic model of a custom medical mask, the three-dimensional electronic model suited for use with a stereolithography apparatus and comprising a first surface that corresponds to unique facial features of the particular user; and

one or more processing units coupled to the one or more memory units and operable to access the three-dimensional electronic model in the one or more memory units for use in connection with forming a custom medical mask for a particular user using the SLA.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the three-dimensional electronic model further comprises a second surface offset from the first surface a distance between 0.05 and 0.20 inches.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the three-dimensional electronic model further comprises a model of a fitting configured to couple to a clinical gas delivery system.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to access the three-dimensional electronic model over a network.

18. A method of creating a three-dimensional electronic model for use in forming a custom medical mask for a particular user, comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional electronic model of at least a portion of the particular user'"'"'s face; and

processing the three-dimensional electronic model of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face to create a stereolithography model that is suited for use with a stereolithography apparatus in creating the custom medical mask for the particular user, the stereolithography model comprising a first surface corresponding to unique features of the portion of the particular user'"'"'s face.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stereolithography model further comprises a second surface offset from the first surface in a direction normal to the first surface a distance between 0.05 and 0.20 inches.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the stereolithography model further comprises an electronic representation of a fitting configured to couple to a clinical gas delivery system.