CUSTOMISATION OR ADJUSTMENT OF PATIENT INTERFACES

• US 20150224275A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Sander Theodoor Pastoor
• Inventors: Pastoor, Sander Theodoor, Vollmer, Thomas, Ho, Peter Chi Fai, Dobrusskin, Christoph
• Application Number:
  US14/419,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224275A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0611 with a gusset portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0622 having an underlying cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0655 in the form of a linear or curvilinear slide
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/10 with powered movement mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means

Abstract

A sensor device in the form of a patient interface has a sensor arrangement for determining a degree of fitting of a contact surface to the patient. This enables design parameters for a customised patient interface to be determined or else fitting adjustments to be made, based on how well the customisation sensor device fits the patient.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a patient interface cushion having a contact surface for making contact with the face of the patient when the sensor device is worn by the patient; and

a sensor arrangement provided for determining a parameter relating to the degree of fitting of the contact surface to the patient, thereby to enable design parameters to be obtained for a customized patient interface or to enable fitting adjustments of the patient interface to be made.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement is provided inside or at the contact surface of the cushion, for determining a degree of fitting of the contact surface to the patient.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient interface is for communicating a breathing gas to a patient.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient interface comprises a shell and the cushion, and wherein the cushion is provided with the sensor arrangement.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises:

an optical fiber providing strain, pressure, force or distance information at different positions around the contact surface;

or an array of strain gauges around the contact surface.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the patient interface comprises a patient interface element and a forehead support, wherein the sensor arrangement is for determining a degree of fitting of the contact surface of either one or both of the patient interface element and the forehead support to the patient.

7. (canceled)

8. A customization system for a patient interface, comprising:

(a) a customization sensor device comprising;

(1) a patient interface cushion having a contact surface for making contact with the face of the patient when the sensor device is worn by the patient, and

(2) a sensor arrangement provided for determining a parameter relating to the degree of fitting of the contact surface to the patient, thereby to enable design parameters to be obtained for a customized patient interface, or to enable fitting adjustments of the patient interface to be made; and

b) a processor for determining, from an output of the sensor arrangement, design parameters for a patient interface.

9. A customization system as claimed in claim 8 which comprises a set of customization sensor devices, further comprising a set of patient interfaces of different sizes corresponding to the sizes of the customization sensor devices, wherein each patient interface has a contact surface for making contact with the face of the patient when the device is worn by the patient, wherein the shape of the contact surface is adjustable.

10-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method of customizing a patient interface, comprising:

applying a sensor device to a patient, the sensor device comprising a patient interface having a contact surface for making contact with the face of the patient when the device is worn by the patient and a sensor arrangement for determining a parameter relating to the degree of fitting of the contact surface to the patient, wherein the sensor arrangement is provided inside or at the contact surface of the cushion;

from the parameter relating to the degree of fitting of the contact surface to the patient obtaining design parameters for a customized patient interface; and

.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising a method of customizing a patient interface, wherein the method comprises:

determining from the sensor arrangement signals design parameters for a customized patient interface; and

customizing a patient interface using the design parameters.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising:

selecting one customization sensor device from a set of customization sensor devices of different sizes, wherein the selected customization device is the one applied to the patient; and

selecting one of a set of patient interfaces of different sizes, the one selected having a corresponding size to the selected customization sensor device, and wherein the design parameters are used to customize the selected patient interface.

15. (canceled)