Ventilator mask with a filler and method of production

• US 20080149104A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loewenstein Medical Technology S.A.
• Original Assignee: Weinmann Gerate Fur Medizin GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Eifler, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,684,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/206.24
• 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: 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 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets

Abstract

A tightenable band clamp with a clamping band and a tightening head with two clamping jaws which are a certain circumferential distance apart and which can be moved toward each other by a tightening device. For this purpose, at least one clamping jaw, in the area of its radially inside surface, has at least one projection which extends in the circumferential direction toward the other clamping jaw and which projects into the gap.

Claims

1. A ventilator mask comprising an upper part of an elastic material and a mask body, wherein the upper part of the mask is joined with the mask body of the ventilator mask by a mask connection region, wherein a wall of the upper part of the mask bounds at least in certain regions of the wall a cavity which is filled with a filler at least in certain regions of the cavity and the cavity is formed at least in certain regions of the cavity along the periphery of the upper part of the mask.

2. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the amount of filler and/or a filler property is different in at least two locations along the periphery of the upper part of the mask.

3. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the amount of filler and/or a filler property is different in at least two locations along a cross-section of the surface the cavity.

4. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shape of the cavity and/or the size of the cavity differs in at least two locations along the periphery of the upper part of the mask.

5. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall differs in at least two locations along the periphery of the upper part of the mask.

6. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein, on a side that faces away from the mask body, the upper part of the mask has an inwardly formed, thin, peripheral contact lip.

7. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the properties of the filler are inhomogeneous, at least in certain regions, along the periphery of the upper part of the mask.

8. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the properties of the wall are inhomogeneous in at least certain regions thereof, along a cross section of the upper part of the mask.

9. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the properties of the filler are inhomogeneous, at least in certain regions along a cross section of the upper part of the mask.

10. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler has different degrees of viscosity or hardness along a cross section of the upper part of the mask.

11. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cavity of the upper part of the mask has a variable depth along its cross section.

12. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler is a gel.

13. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler is a foamed material.

14. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler is a liquid.

15. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler is a gas mixture.

16. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the filler is the natural gel Agarose.

17. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 12, wherein the gel is a silicone gel or a polyurethane gel.

18. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper part of the mask has no cavity for the filler in a region of the bridge of the nose.

19. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper part of the mask has a cavity that is filled with a filler in the region of the bridge of the nose and that the cross section of the cavity in the region of the bridge of the nose is minimal.

20. The ventilator mask in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper part of the mask has a wall of minimal thickness in a region of the bridge of the nose.

33. An upper part of a mask with a filler in accordance with claim 1, wherein, at least in certain regions, the filler has a hardness between 5 Shore 00 and 20 Shore 000.

34. An upper part of a mask with a filler in accordance with claim 1, wherein, at least in certain regions, the filler has a hardness between about 10 Shore 00 and about 20 Shore 00.

35. An upper part of a mask with a filler in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thickness or depth of the filler varies along a cross section of the upper part of the mask.

36. An upper part of a mask with a filler in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in an area of the bridge of the nose and underlaying the areas of the upper part of the mask that are near the lip, no filler is provided and/or the cavity to be filled is very thin.

21. A method of producing an upper part of a ventilator mask, comprising forming the upper part of the mask of a flexible material, providing the upper part with a cavity at least in certain regions thereof, and with at least one hole through which the filler is introduced into the cavity.

22. The method in accordance with claim 21, comprising varying the viscosity or the degree of hardness of the filler to be introduced with a level of filling of the cavity.

23. The method in accordance with claim 21, comprising using one of a gel, a foamed material, a liquid, a gas mixture or a natural gel Agarose as the filler.

24. The method in accordance with claim 21, comprising inserting the filler in the cavity in the form of a sealed body.

25. The method for producing an upper part of a ventilator mask, comprising first producing a shaped filler body and then covering the filler body with a second, protective material.

26. The method in accordance with claim 25, coupling covering the filler body with the second, protective material by an immersion method.

27. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein the filler body is produced from an elastic material, such as a gel or a foamed material.

28. A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein the filler body is produced as a hollow body and filled with a gas mixture.

29. A method for producing an upper part of a ventilator mask, comprising producing a shaped rim by spraying filler from a nozzle onto a wall of the upper part of the mask, whereby the applied amount of filler is varied to achieve the desired shaping of the rim.

30. The method in accordance with claim 29, wherein a gel or a foamed material is used as the applied filler.

31. The method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the rim sprayed onto the wall is provided with a protective layer.

32. A method of using a filler in an upper part of a ventilator mask and in a method for producing the upper part of the mask to predetermine an elasticity value of the walls of the upper part of the mask that varies along its cross section.