Nasal mask and mask cushion therefor
First Claim
1. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face, comprising:
- a mask body for connection with a supply of breathable gas;
a nasal cushion, the body and the cushion defining a nose-receiving cavity, the cushion including;
a substantially triangularly-shaped frame having a side wall and a rim integrally formed therewith, said rim extending inwardly towards the nose-receiving cavity to at least partially surround the wearer'"'"'s nose, the rim having a proximal end positioned at the side wall and a distal end spaced away from the proximal end, and a membrane of resilient material, the membrane being preformed to have the same general shape as the wearer'"'"'s face, including a preformed notch to receive the wearer'"'"'s nose and a preformed concave lower portion to receive a portion of the wearer just above the upper lip, the membrane extending away from the frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from the frame, the outer surface being inwardly curved around the rim towards the nose-receiving cavity and defining an apex to contact and form a facial seal portion with the wearer'"'"'s face, the membrane having a proximal end positioned at the side wall of the frame and a distal end spaced away from the proximal end, wherein;
the membrane and the rim intersect with one another at the side wall of the frame, the membrane and the rim are spaced away from one another with a gap defined therebetween when the mask is not in use, said gap spanning from the respective proximal ends of the rim and the membrane to the respective distal ends of the rim and the membrane such that the rim and the membrane do not contact one another along the gap when the mask is not in use, a length of the membrane as measured from the proximal end thereof to the distal end thereof is greater than a length of the rim as measured from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof, and a portion of the membrane between the apex and the distal end of the membrane curves towards the nose-receiving cavity so as to orient the distal end of the membrane towards the wearer'"'"'s face.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A nasal cushion (30) comprises a substantially triangularly shaped frame (32) from which extends a membrane (34). The frame (32) has a scalloped edge (36) by which the cushion (30) is affixed to a mask body. The membrane (34) has an aperture (38) into which the weaer'"'"'s nose is received. The membrane (34) is spaced away from the rim (40) of the frame (32), and its outer surface (41) is of substantlally the same shape as the rim (40). Respective notches (42, 44) receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose. The wearer'"'"'s nose is received through the aperture (38) into the chamber within the mask body (46). The seal forming portion (45) thus contacts both the surface of the wearer'"'"'s nose and a portion of the wearer'"'"'s face in the region between the base of the nose and the upper lip, and around the sides and over the bridge of the nose. The shape of the seal forming portion (45) is particularly suited to effectively seal the difficult region of the facial contour that is the crease between the sides of the nose and the face.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face, comprising:
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a mask body for connection with a supply of breathable gas;
a nasal cushion, the body and the cushion defining a nose-receiving cavity, the cushion including;
a substantially triangularly-shaped frame having a side wall and a rim integrally formed therewith, said rim extending inwardly towards the nose-receiving cavity to at least partially surround the wearer'"'"'s nose, the rim having a proximal end positioned at the side wall and a distal end spaced away from the proximal end, and a membrane of resilient material, the membrane being preformed to have the same general shape as the wearer'"'"'s face, including a preformed notch to receive the wearer'"'"'s nose and a preformed concave lower portion to receive a portion of the wearer just above the upper lip, the membrane extending away from the frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from the frame, the outer surface being inwardly curved around the rim towards the nose-receiving cavity and defining an apex to contact and form a facial seal portion with the wearer'"'"'s face, the membrane having a proximal end positioned at the side wall of the frame and a distal end spaced away from the proximal end, wherein;
the membrane and the rim intersect with one another at the side wall of the frame, the membrane and the rim are spaced away from one another with a gap defined therebetween when the mask is not in use, said gap spanning from the respective proximal ends of the rim and the membrane to the respective distal ends of the rim and the membrane such that the rim and the membrane do not contact one another along the gap when the mask is not in use, a length of the membrane as measured from the proximal end thereof to the distal end thereof is greater than a length of the rim as measured from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof, and a portion of the membrane between the apex and the distal end of the membrane curves towards the nose-receiving cavity so as to orient the distal end of the membrane towards the wearer'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face, comprising:
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a mask body for connection with a supply of breathable as;
a nasal cushion, the body and the cushion defining a nose-receiving cavity, the cushion including;
a substantially triangularly-shaped frame having a side wall and a rim integrally formed therewith, said rim extending inwardly towards the nose-receiving cavity to at least partially surround the wearer'"'"'s nose, the rim having a proximal end positioned at the side wall and a distal end spaced away form the proximal end, and a membrane of resilient material, the membrane being preformed to have the same general shape as the wearer'"'"'s face, including a preformed notch to receive the wearer'"'"'s nose and a preformed concave lower portion to receive a portion of the wearer just above the upper lip, the membrane extending away from the face so as to have an outer surface spaced from the frame, the outer surface being inwardly curved around the rim towards the nose-receiving cavity and defining an apex to contact and form a facial seal portion with the wearer'"'"'s face, the membrane having a proximal end positioned at the side wall of the frame and a distal end spaced away from the proximal end; and
a strap structured to secure the nasal cushion to the wearer'"'"'s face;
wherein;
the membrane and the rim intersect with one another at the side wall of the frame, the membrane and the rim are spaced away from one another with a gap defined therebetween when the mask is not in use, said gap spanning from the respective proximal ends of the rim and the membrane to the respective distal ends of the rim and the membrane such that the rim and the membrane do not contact one another along the gap when the mask is not in use, a length of the membrane as measured from the proximal end thereof to the distal end thereof is greater than a length of the rim as measured from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof, a portion of the membrane between the apex and the distal end of the membrane curves towards the nose-receiving cavity so as to orient the distal end of the membrane towards the wearer'"'"'s face, and during normal application of strap tension, the seal portion is spaced from the rim of the cushion, and during excess application of strap tension, the seal portion deforms to abut against the rim of the cushion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification