SEALING LIP DEVICE FOR A BREATHING MASK, A BREATHING MASK AND A METHOD AND A MOLD FOR PRODUCING SAME

• US 20100282265A1
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Humidification Technologies GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MAP Medizin-Technologie GMBH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: MELIDIS, Paris, LAUBOECK, Theodor
• Granted Patent: US 8,820,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/206.26
• 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 16/0611 with a gusset portion
• 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 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0085 product washed out
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0225 Carbon oxides, e.g. Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/4835 Masks

Abstract

A sealing lip device for a breathing mask includes a receiving opening for receiving at least the nose tip region of a mask wearer, a sealing lip which is formed from an elastomeric material and which surrounds the receiving opening and which is configured to cross the bridge of the nose and which has a contact zone provided for bearing against the face of a mask wearer in use. The sealing lip is elastically and yieldingly arranged in such a way that a first sealing lip zone which in use seals the region of the bridge of the nose has a higher degree of flexibility than a second sealing lip zone which in use is adjacent to at least one of the nostrils and the upper lip of the mask wearer in the application position of the breathing mask. The sealing lip includes a folding bellows structure that suspends the sealing lip in the region of the first zone provided for sealing of the region of the bridge of the nose. The folding bellows structure includes a fold indentation having zones of differing wall thickness.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method of producing a sealing lip device for a breathing mask comprising:

introducing an elastomeric material into a mold cavity formed by a mold,

at least partially setting the material in the mold cavity; and

opening of the mold and removing the material from the mold;

wherein the step of introducing the elastomeric material into the mold cavity includes introducing the material in two discrete steps which occur in succession in respect of time to form various portions of the sealing lip device having at least one different property.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising forming a support structure of the sealing lip device and a thin-wall zone of the sealing lip in steps which are separate in respect of time.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising forming the support structure in a first injection step and the thin-wall zone in a subsequent second injection step.

34. A method as set forth in claim 32, wherein to form the thin-wall zone a mold which delimits the outside of the sealing lip is lifted off a core which delimits the inside of the sealing lip.

35. A method as set forth in claim 32, wherein the support structure is formed by a mold cavity which is defined by a core delimiting the inside of a sealing lip and an outer mold, and wherein to form the thin-wall zone of the sealing lip the outer mold is changed and then the material provided for forming the thin zone sets in the mold cavity provided for the thin-wall zone.

36-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A cushion for a breathing mask, comprising:

an elastomeric sealing lip having an outer surface adapted to contact a patient'"'"'s face in use;

a frame adapted to be provided to a mask base body; and

an elastomeric mid-cushion section provided between the elastomeric sealing lip and the frame,

wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric mid-cushion section includes a folding bellows structure that comprises zones of varying elastomeric thickness which provides varying load-bearing capability, the folding bellows structure including a question-mark or sickle-shape configuration that provides for flexible suspension of the sealing lip.

48. A cushion as set forth in claim 47, wherein the folding bellows structure includes a thick-wall portion adjoined to the frame that gradually reduces to a first bellows hinge, which is adjoined by a first bellows flank limb that extends to a bellows inner hinge, which is adjoined by a second bellows flank limb adjoined to the sealing lip.

49. A cushion as set forth in claim 48, wherein the first bellows flank limb and the second bellows flank limb each have zones of differing wall thickness.

50. A cushion as set forth in claim 47, wherein the sealing lip has a wall thickness that is thinner than any wall thickness of the folding bellows structure.

51. A cushion as set forth in claim 47, wherein the folding bellows structure includes an indentation depth that is variable in different regions of the folding bellows structure.

52. A cushion as set forth in claim 47, wherein the frame includes a rounded profile structure having a cross-section in the form of a crochet needle.

53. A cushion as set forth in claim 48, wherein the folding bellows structure includes one or more fold indentations.

54. A sealing lip device for a breathing mask having a receiving opening for receiving at least the nose tip region of a mask wearer, a sealing lip which is formed from an elastomeric material and which surrounds the receiving opening and which is configured to cross the bridge of the nose and which has a contact zone provided for bearing against the face of a mask wearer in use, wherein the sealing lip is elastically and yieldingly arranged in such a way that a first sealing lip zone which in use seals the region of the bridge of the nose has a higher degree of flexibility than a second sealing lip zone which in use is adjacent to at least one of the nostrils and the upper lip of the mask wearer in the application position of the breathing mask, wherein the elastomer material in the first sealing lip zone is thinner than the elastomer material of the second sealing lip zone, and

a coupling structure for coupling the sealing lip device to a hard shell, wherein the coupling structure on a part of the hard shell has a peripheral bead portion and on a part of the sealing lip device a frame portion with a complementary receiving groove.

55. A cushion for a breathing mask for delivering a flow of breathable gas to a patient, the cushion comprising:

a flexible frame, the frame comprising a non-planar front side configured to be attachable to and detachable from a rigid mask shell, the front side comprising an outer wall and an inner wall extending around the entire periphery of the frame and separated by a channel extending between the outer wall and the inner wall and around the entire periphery of the frame, the inner wall having a length that is greater than a length of the outer wall, the outer wall being configured to seal against an outer surface of the rigid mask shell and the inner wall being configured to seal against an interior surface of the rigid mask shell, the outer wall having a groove extending from the channel that is configured to receive a bead formed on the outer surface of the rigid mask shell, and the groove extending around the entire periphery of the frame;

a flexible support wall extending from a rear side of the frame, the support wall having at least two zones of different thickness, wherein one zone of the at least two zones is configured to extend across the bridge of the patient'"'"'s nose and has a thickness that is less than a thickness of a remainder of the support wall; and

a flexible sealing lip extending from the support wall and having an outer surface adapted to contact the patient'"'"'s face in use, the sealing lip having a peripheral edge defining a nose receiving opening, and the outer surface being convex at least in the one zone configured to extend across the bridge of the patient'"'"'s nose.

56. A cushion as set forth in claim 55, wherein the cushion comprises elastomeric material.

57. A cushion as set forth in claim 56, wherein the outer surface of the sealing lip is configured to seal against the patient'"'"'s face in regions adjacent the patient'"'"'s nostrils.

58. A cushion as set forth in claim 57, wherein the outer surface of the sealing lip is configured to seal against an upper lip of the patient.

59. A cushion as set forth in claim 58, wherein the frame has a generally triangular shape.

60. A mask for delivering a flow of breathable gas to a patient, comprising:

a cushion according to claim 55; and

a rigid mask shell configured to be attachable to and detachable from the cushion, the rigid mask shell defining an internal space and having a front side configured to be connected to a conduit for delivering the flow of breathable gas and a non-planar rear side having a shape corresponding to the non-planar front side of the frame of the cushion, a bead on an outer surface of the rigid mask shell being received in the groove of the frame of the cushion when the rigid mask shell and the cushion are attached to one another.

61. A mask as set forth in claim 60, wherein the rigid mask shell is formed of thermoplastic.

62. A mask as set forth in claim 61, wherein the rigid mask shell is transparent.

63. A mask as set forth in claim 62, wherein the rigid mask shell comprises two fixing devices configured to couple at least one strap to the mask.

64. A mask as set forth in claim 63, further comprising a plurality of outlet openings in the front side of the rigid mask shell configured to discharge a flow of respiratory gas from the internal space.

65. A mask as set forth in claim 64, wherein the plurality of outlet openings are provided in a region of the rigid mask shell configured to extend across the nasal bridge region of the patient.