Forehead support for facial mask

• US 6,463,931 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grant, Willedwin John, Matchett, Robert Stephen, Kwok, Philip Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EREZO, DARWIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/608,440
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.11, 128/207.15, 128/207.18, 128/203.12, 128/202.28, 128/209.29, 128/206.28, 128/206.29, 128/DIG.26, 128/206.24, 128/207.17
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0638 in the form of a pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0644 having the means for adjusting its position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/065 in the form of a pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0655 in the form of a linear or curvilinear slide
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

An adjustable forehead support for a nasal mask. The present invention discloses an adjustable forehead support for a nasal or full-face mask wherein the forehead support may be adjusted for the different shapes and sizes of a facial profile. The forehead support utilizes a dual-arm system which adjusts the position of the forehead support vis-à-vis the mask and/or air flow tube. The angle of the mask to the face may be adjusted with the present invention.

Claims

1. A forehead support for use with a respiratory mask having a support post, the forehead support comprising a cushion frame having an adjustment assembly adapted to be adjustably couplable to the support post, the cushion frame having a bridge including at least one cushion receiving surface that is adapted to move transversely toward and away from a user'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to user'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of the relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, wherein the adjustment assembly includes two arm portions between the support post and the bridge, the arm portions being adjustably coupled to the support post so as to move along a curved path during adjustment of the bridge relative to the support path.

2. The forehead support as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the arms pivots about an axis that is transverse to the respective arm.

3. The forehead support as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said axis is parallel to the support post.

4. The forehead support as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support post is adapted to provide a path by which breathable gas is supplied to the mask.

5. The forehead support as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one cushion.

6. The forehead support as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one cushion includes two cushions that are spaced apart with a space between the spaced apart cushions that does not contact the patient'"'"'s forehead.

7. The forehead support as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two arm portions is independently movable relative to one another.

8. The forehead support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two arm portions wrap around the support post to meet with one another.

9. A forehead support for use with a respiratory mask having a support post, the forehead support comprising a cushion frame including an adjustment assembly adapted to be adjustably couplable to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface, and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an inner wall and an outer wall defining a space therebetween, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

10. The forehead support as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least one retaining wall extending between the inner and outer walls.

11. The forehead support as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one cushion is open-ended.

12. A forehead support for use with a respiratory mask having a support post, the forehead support comprising a cushion frame including an adjustment assembly adapted to be adjustably couplable to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface, and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an outer wall having a first side that is adapted to contact a user and a second side, opposite to the first side, that defines a space between the outer wall and the cushion receiving surface, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

13. The forehead support as claimed in claimed 12, further comprising at least one retaining wall substantially perpendicular to the outer wall and adjacent the space.

14. A forehead support for use with a respiratory mask having a support post, the forehead support comprising a cushion frame including an adjustment assembly adapted to be adjustably couplable to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface, and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an engagement surface structured to receive a retainer element positioned on the forehead support, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

15. A respiratory mask assembly comprising:

a respiratory mask having a support post;

a forehead support including an adjustment assembly adjustably coupled to the support post; and

a cushion fame having a bridge including at least one cushion receiving surface that is adapted to move transversely toward and away from a user'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the user'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, wherein the adjustment assembly includes two arm portions between the support post and the bridge, the arm portions being adjustably coupled to the support post so as to move along a curved path during adjustment of the bridge relative to the support post.

16. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the arms pivots about an axis that is transverse to the respective arm.

17. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein each said axis is parallel to the support post.

18. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the support post is adapted to provide a path by which breathable gas is supplied to the masks.

19. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least one cushion.

20. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one cushion includes two cushions that are spaced apart with a space between the spaced apart cushions that does not contact the patient'"'"'s forehead.

21. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the two arm portions is independently movable relative to one another.

22. The mask assembly as claimed in 15, wherein the two arm portions wrap around the support post to meet with one another.

23. A respiratory mask assembly comprising:

a respiratory mask having a support post; and

a forehead support including a cushion frame with an adjustment assembly adjustably coupled to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an inner wall and an outer wall defining a space therebetween, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

24. A mask assembly as claimed in claim 23, further comprising at least one retaining wall extending between the inner and outer walls.

25. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein the at least one cushion is open-ended.

26. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 25, wherein the adjustment assembly is positioned substantially between the cushion frame and the support post.

27. A respiratory mask assembly comprising:

a respiratory mask having a support post; and

a forehead support including a cushion frame with an adjustment assembly adjustably coupled to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an outer wall having a first side that is adapted to contact a user and a second side, opposite to the first side, that defines a space between the outer wall and the cushion receiving surface, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

28. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 27, further comprising at least one retaining wall substantially perpendicular to the outer wall and adjacent the space.

29. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 28, wherein the adjustment assembly is positioned substantially between the cushion frame and the support post.

30. A respiratory mask assembly comprising:

a respiratory mask having a support post; and

a forehead support including a cushion frame with an adjustment assembly adjustably coupled to the support post so as to be movable toward and away from a patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, the cushion frame having at least one cushion receiving surface and at least one cushion, wherein the at least one cushion includes an engagement surface structured to receive a retainer element positioned on the forehead support, wherein the at least one cushion is connected solely to said cushion frame.

31. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein the adjustment assembly is positioned substantially between cushion frame and the support post.

32. A respiratory mask assembly for a patient comprising:

a mask shell coupled to a facial cushion support structure including a cheek region, a lip region and a nasal bridge region, the mask shell including a support post extending upwardly above the nasal bridge region of the facial cushion support structure; and

a forehead support secured to the support post, said forehead support including an adjustment mechanism secured to the support post and a cushion frame mounted to the adjustment mechanism, wherein the cushion frame is adapted to locate at least one forehead cushion and wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a coupling member that is movable along a curved path relative to the support post such that, in use, the cushion frame can move toward and away from the patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post.

33. The assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein the cushion frame is selectively lockable at two or more predetermined positions.

34. The assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein the cushion frame includes a connector structured to releasably receive a head strap.

35. The assembly as claimed in claim 34, wherein the mask includes a connector structured to receive a head strap.

36. The assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein the at least one forehead cushion spans enough of a user'"'"'s forehead to promote stability.

37. support as claimed in claim 36, wherein said at least one forehead cushion includes at least two horizontally spaced forehead cushions.

38. A forehead support constructed and arranged to be connected to and support a respiratory mask, comprising:

a bridge constructed and arranged to engage a forehead of a user; and

an adjusting mechanism connected to the bridge and constructed and arranged for connecting to a connecting portion connected to the mask, the adjusting mechanism constructed and arranged to adjust the bridge relative to the mask, to adjust a position of the bridge relative to the connecting portion, and to selectively lock the bridge relative to the mask in a plurality of discretely spaced positions within a range of movement between the bridge and the connecting portion, the bridge remaining substantially parallel to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjusting mechanism and the connecting portion.

39. A respiratory mask assembly for a patient comprising:

a mask shell coupled to a facial cushion support structure including a cheek region, a lip region and a nasal bridge region, the mask shell including a support post extending upwardly above the nasal bridge region of the facial cushion support structure;

a forehead support secured to the support post, said forehead support including an adjustment mechanism secured to the support post and a cushion frame mounted to the adjustment mechanism, wherein the cushion frame includes a bridge, and wherein the adjustment mechanism includes at least one portion that is movable relative to the support post such that, in use, the cushion frame can move toward and away from the patient'"'"'s forehead and yet remain in an operative position relative to the patient'"'"'s forehead when in use regardless of relative positioning between the adjustment assembly and the support post, and

a pair of forehead cushions provided on the bridge, the forehead cushions being spaced from one another along a length of the bridge with a space being provided between a center portion of the bridge and the patient'"'"'s forehead, wherein

the adjustment mechanism is constructed and arranged to selectively lock the bridge relative to the mask in at least three predetermined positions,

each of the forehead cushions includes an inner wall abutting a surface of the bridge and an outer wall adapted to be in contact with the patient'"'"'s forehead, a space is provided between the inner and outer walls, and at least one interior wall is provided in the space between the inner and outer walls,

each said interior wall provides resistance to application of pressure applied to the outer wall during use,

each of the forehead cushions is an open-ended, annular member made of a deformable elastomeric material that retains its shape upon release of the pressure,

the bridge includes a retainer element provided on each side of the bridge, and each of the forehead cushions includes a surface engaged with a respective one of said retainers, and

the bridge is substantially wider than the support post.

40. The respiratory mask assembly as claimed in clam 39, wherein:

the bridge defines an imaginary axis extending between the pair of forehead cushions,

said imaginary axis remains substantially perpendicular to the support post during adjustment of the adjustment mechanism, and

the adjustment mechanism is positioned substantially between the bridge and the support post.