Nasal puff with adjustable sealing means

• US 4,782,832 A
• Filed: 07/30/1987
• Issued: 11/08/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Puritan Bennett Corp. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Puritan Bennett Corp. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Metzler, Philip M., Dolida, Roger J., Rose, Frederick R., Trimble, Russell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohan, Alan
• Application Number:
  US07/079,881
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.18, 128/204.18, 128/207.13
• US Class Current: 128/207.18
• 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 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

An improved nasal puff assembly is provided which is of particular benefit in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and which is characterized by a gas-delivery puff which fits only in the nose of the patient and is therefore of relatively small size and can be comfortably worn. The nasal puff of the invention advantageously includes a plenum chamber having an inlet and a pair of laterally spaced outlets; a pair of soft synthetic resin nares elements or pillows are operatively coupled with the spaced plenum outlets and are designed for ready adjustability so that the effective positions thereof can be altered individually for permitting custom fitting of the nares elements with respect to the nares of different patients. In this way a relatively small number of different sizes of nasal puff can be modified to meet the needs of virtually all patients.

Claims

1. A nasal puff, comprising:

a plenum chamber including structure defining an inlet adapted for coupling with a source of gas, and a pair of separate, spaced apart gas outlets in communication with said inlet; and

a pair of elongated gas delivery elements each having a structure defining gas flow passageway therethrough and respectively operatively coupled with a corresponding gas outlet for conveying gas from the outlet through and out said passageway,

said elements each being configured to present an end portion for insertion into a respective naris of a patient to receive said gas,

there being means for selective alteration of the effective position of each of said elements individually for permitting custom fitting of said elements with respect to the nares of different patients,

said gas delivery element alteration means including, for each element, an elongated bellows-type corrugated section forming a part of said passageway-defining structure and located between the corresponding end portion and said plenum chamber,

each of said corrugated sections including at least a pair of axially spaced apart outboard peripheral wall segments, an inboard wall segment disposed between and located radially inward of the outboard wall segments, and a pair of wall stretches interconnecting said inboard wall segment and both of said outboard segments, said wall stretches extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the associated gas delivery element.

2. The nasal puff of claim 1, said plenum chamber being a generally Y-shaped hollow body, with said outlets being located in the branches of said body.

3. The nasal puff of claim 2, said body being substantially rigid.

4. The nasal puff of claim 1, each of said end portions of said elements presenting an elongated, generally frustoconical outer wall for sealingly engaging the defining surfaces of a patient'"'"'s naris.

5. The nasal puff of claim 1, each of said outlets comprising an elongated slot, each corresponding element including a tubular member received by and slidable within the associated slot, whereby each of said elements may be bodily shifted to effect an alteration in the effective position thereof.

6. The nasal puff of claim 1, each of said elements being rotatable relative to said chamber.

7. The nasal puff of claim 6, including an angle shim interposed between each of said elements and the corresponding housing outlet.

8. The nasal puff of claim 1, each of said elements being formed of a deformable, shape-retaining soft synthetic resin material permitting manual alteration of the effective shape and effective position of each of said elements.

9. The nasal puff of claim 1, said inlet comprising an elongated tubular section adapted for connection to a flexible hose coupled with said gas source.

10. The nasal puff of claim 1, including means for securing said mask in its operative disposition adjacent a patient'"'"'s nose with said element end portions inserted into the nares of a patient.

11. A nasal puff, comprising:

a plenum chamber including structure defining an inlet adapted for coupling with a source of gas, and a pair of separate, spaced apart gas outlets in communication with said inlet; and

a pair of gas delivery elements each having a gas flow passageway therethrough and respectively operatively coupled with a corresponding gas outlet for conveying gas from the outlet through and out said passageway,

said elements each being configured for insertion into a respective naris of a patient to receive said gas,

there being means for selective alteration of the effective position of each of said elements individually for permitting custom fitting of said elements with respect to the nares of different patients,

each of said outlets comprising an elongated slot, each corresponding element including a tubular member received by and slidable within the associated slot, whereby each of said elements may be bodily shifted to effect an alteration in the effective position thereof.

12. A nasal puff, comprising:

a plenum chamber including structure defining an inlet adapted for coupling with a source of gas, and a pair of separate, spaced apart gas outlets in communication with said inlet; and

a pair of gas delivery elements each having a gas flow passageway therethrough and respectively operatively coupled with a corresponding gas outlet for conveying gas from the outlet through and out said passageway,

said elements each being configured for insertion into a respective naris of a patient to receive said gas,

there being means for selective alteration of the effective position of each of said elements individually for permitting custom fitting of said elements with respect to the nares of different patients,

each of said elements being rotatable relative to said chamber, there being an angle shim interposed between each of said elements and the corresponding housing outlet.