Nasal mask for CPAP having ballooning/moulding seal with wearer's nose and facial contours

• US 5,243,971 A
• Filed: 07/09/1992
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: University of Sydney
• Inventors: Bruderer, Jakob W., Sullivan, Colin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US07/912,129
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.22, 128/204.11, 128/204.12, 128/204.18, 128/205.25, 128/206.18, 128/206.26, 128/206.28, 128/207.13, 128/207.18, 128/206.2 4
• US Class Current: 128/205.25
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• 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 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

A nasal mask which is suitable for use in a continuous positive airway pressure system. The mask has a face contacting portion mounted to a shell which is sized and shaped to overfit the nose region of an intended wearer, and the face contacting portion is in the form of a distendable membrane which is moulded from an elastic plastics material. The distendable membrane and the shell together define a chamber, and pressurised gas admitted to the chamber causes the membrane to distend outwardly from the shell. When placed in contact with the face of the wearer, the distendable membrane is caused to overlay the covered facial regions and, under the influence of the pressurised gas, to conform three-dimensionally with the contours of the overlayed regions. An orifice is formed within the membrane and is shaped and positioned to admit gas from the chamber to the nasal passages of the wearer.

Claims

1. A nasal mask which comprises a face contacting portion in the form of a membrane which is shaped to define an inflatable chamber, the membrane being formed from an elastomeric material and the chamber having a thin, externally convex end region which is arranged in use of the mask to be depressed by and to accommodate the nose of a wearer, a gas supply port communicating with the chamber and connectable to a supply of pressurized gas which, when admitted to the chamber, causes the membrane to balloon outwardly, retaining means for holding the face contacting portion in contact with the face of the wearer, the ballooned end region of the chamber overlies at least a nose region of the wearer'"'"'s face, and, under the influence of the pressurized gas, moulds, and seals three dimensionally and completely around the nose of the wearer and conforms with the contours of the overlayed region of the wearer'"'"'s face and at least one orifice formed within the membrane, the orifice being shaped and positioned to admit gas from the chamber to the nasal passages of the wearer.

2. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the membrane is removably mounted to a shell, wherein the shell defines a cavity in fluid communication with the chamber formed by the membrane and wherein the gas supply port is formed as a part of the shell.

3. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 1 wherein one only said orifice is formed within the membrane, the orifice being in the form of an aperture which is shaped and sized to permit communication between the chamber and both nasal passages of the wearer.

4. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 1 wherein one only said orifice is formed within the membrane, the orifice being in the form of an aperture which is shaped and sized to provide communication between the chamber and both the nasal passages and the mouth of the wearer.

5. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 1 wherein two said orifices are formed within the membrane, the orifices being provided within respective nipples which are shaped and positioned to project into the nasal passages of the wearer when the mask is fitted to the wearer.

6. A nasal mask which comprises a shell which is shaped to overfit at least a nose region of the face of a wearer and which defines a cavity, a face contacting portion in the form of a membrane which is mounted to the shell and which is shaped to define an inflatable chamber in fluid communication with said cavity in the shell, the membrane being formed from an elastomeric material and the chamber having a thin externally convex end region which is arranged in use of the mask to be depressed by and to accommodate the nose of the wearer, a gas supply port in the shell and communicating with the chamber by way of the cavity in the shell, the port be connectable to a supply of pressurized gas which, when admitted to the chamber, causes the membrane to balloon outwardly from the shell, retaining means for holding the face contacting portion in contact with the face of the wearer, the ballooned end region of the chamber overlies at least the nose region and, under the influence of the pressurized gas moulds, and seals three dimensionally and completely around the nose of the wearer and conforms with the contours of the overlayed region of the wearer'"'"'s face, and at least one orifice formed within the membrane, the orifice being shaped and positioned to admit gas from the chamber to the nasal passages of the wearer.

7. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 6 wherein the shell is moulded from a rigid plastics material.

8. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 6 wherein the membrane is removably mounted to the shell.

9. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 8 wherein the membrane is mounted to the shell by way of a connector moulding.

10. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 9 wherein the membrane is formed integrally with the connector moulding.

11. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 10 wherein the end region of the chamber extends outwardly from a relatively thick wall region, the wall region being configured to conform with the facial regions of the wearer.

12. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 9 wherein the membrane is formed separately from and is adhered to the connector moulding

13. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 12 wherein the connector moulding is located predominantly within the membrane and is configured to conform with facial regions of the wearer.

14. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 6, wherein only one orifice is formed within the membrane, the orifice being in the form of an aperture which is shaped and sized to permit communication between the chamber and both nasal passages of the wearer.

15. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 6, wherein only one orifice is formed within the membrane, the orifice being in the form of an aperture which is shaped and sized to provide communication between the chamber and both the nasal passages and the mouth of the wearer.

16. A nasal mask as claimed in claim 6, wherein two orifices are formed within the distendable membrane, the orifices being provided within respective nipples which are shaped and positioned to project into the nasal passages of the wearer when the mask is fitted to the wearer.

17. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system which comprises a motor driven pump, means for controlling the speed of the motor and a nasal mask connected in circuit with the pump, the nasal mask comprising a face contacting portion in the form of a membrane which is shaped to define an inflatable chamber, the membrane being formed from an elastomeric material and the chamber having a thin externally convex end region which is arranged in use of the mask to be depressed by and to accommodate the nose of a wearer, a gas supply port communicating with the chamber and connected to a supply of pressurized gas which, when admitted to the chamber causes the membrane to balloon outwardly, retaining means for holding the face contacting portion in contact with the face of the wearer, the ballooned end region of the chamber overlies at least a nose region of the wearer'"'"'s face and, under the influence of the pressurized gas, moulds, and seals three dimensionally and completely around the nose of the wearer and conforms with the contours of the overlayed region of the wearer'"'"'s face, and at least one orifice formed within the membrane, the orifice being shaped and positioned to admit gas from the chamber to the nasal passages of the wearer.

18. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system which comprises a motor driven pump, means for controlling the speed of the motor and a nasal mask connected in circuit with the pump, the nasal mask comprising a shell which is shaped to overfit at least a nose region of the face of a wearer and which defines a cavity, a face contacting portion in the form of a membrane which is mounted to the shell, the membrane being shaped to define an inflatable chamber in fluid communication with said cavity in the shell, the membrane being formed from an elastomeric material and the chamber having a thin externally convex end region which is arranged in use of the mask to be depressed by and to accommodate the nose of the wearer, a gas supply port in the shell and communicating with the chamber by way of the cavity in the shell, the port being connected to a supply of pressurized gas which, when admitted to the chamber, causes the membrane to balloon outwardly from the shell, retaining means for holding the face contacting portion in contact with the face of the wearer, the ballooned end region of the chamber overlies the nose region and, under the influence of the pressurized gas, moulds, and seals three dimensionally and completely around the nose of the wearer and conforms with the contours of the overlayed region of the wearer'"'"'s face, and at least one orifice formed within the membrane, the orifice being shaped and positioned to admit gas from the chamber to the nasal passages of the wearer.

19. A nasal mask which comprises a shell shaped to overfit at least a nose region of a face of a wearer, said shell defining a first chamber;

a face contacting portion in the form of a distendable, inflatable membrane mounted to the shell, the membrane shaped to define a second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber, said membrane formed from an elastomeric material, said second chamber having a thin-walled externally convex end region, said membrane depressed by and accommodating the nose of the wearer in use of said mask;

a gas supply portion in said shell communicating with said first chamber, said port connected to a supply of pressurized gas, said membrane distended outwardly from said shell upon admission of the gas into said first and second chambers;

retaining means for holding said face contacting portion in contact with the face of the wearer, said end region of said second chamber overlaying the nose region of the face of the wearer, said end region conforming to the contours of the overlayed portions of the face of the wearer under the influence of the pressured gas;

two nipples formed within said distendable, inflatable membrane, said nipples shaped and positioned to project into the nasal passages of the wearer when said mask is fitted on the face of the wearer, and two orifices formed within the distendable, inflatable membrane, one of said two orifices provided within each of said two nipples.