Nasal mask cushion assembly
First Claim
1. A nasal mask cushion assembly to sealingly connect a nasal mask to a wearer'"'"'s face by adjusting tension on at least one tension strap connected to the nasal mask, the cushion assembly comprising:
- a generally triangular shaped frame of resilient material, the frame including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the frame also including a rim having an outer surface and a notch in the nasal bridge region; and
a generally triangularly shaped open ended membrane of resilient material, the membrane including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the membrane also including a longitudinal axis extending generally from the nasal bridge region to the lip region and a generally saddle shaped outer surface, as seen in cross section along the longitudinal axis, adapted to deform and form a seal with the wearer'"'"'s face when the mask is in use, an inwardly curved rim with an open end spaced from the frame, the inwardly curved rim including an inner surface that opposes and surrounds the rim of the frame, and a notch in the nasal bridge region corresponding to the notch in the nasal bridge region of the frame, wherein the inner surface of the inwardly curved rim of the membrane in the nasal bridge region of the membrane is spaced a distance from the outer surface of the rim of the frame in the nasal bridge region of the frame when the mask is not in use;
the inner surface of the membrane is substantially parallel to the outer surface of the frame in the lip and cheek regions;
the inner surface of the membrane includes at least one portion that diverges away from the outer surface of the frame in the nasal bridge region, as seen in cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis when the mask is not in use;
the membrane is more flexible than the frame; and
the distance between the inner surface of the membrane and the outer surface of the rim of the frame in the nasal bridge region is variable with the tension applied to the at least one tension strap.
3 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 wearer'"'"'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 substantially 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
130 Claims
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1. A nasal mask cushion assembly to sealingly connect a nasal mask to a wearer'"'"'s face by adjusting tension on at least one tension strap connected to the nasal mask, the cushion assembly comprising:
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a generally triangular shaped frame of resilient material, the frame including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the frame also including a rim having an outer surface and a notch in the nasal bridge region; and
a generally triangularly shaped open ended membrane of resilient material, the membrane including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the membrane also including a longitudinal axis extending generally from the nasal bridge region to the lip region and a generally saddle shaped outer surface, as seen in cross section along the longitudinal axis, adapted to deform and form a seal with the wearer'"'"'s face when the mask is in use, an inwardly curved rim with an open end spaced from the frame, the inwardly curved rim including an inner surface that opposes and surrounds the rim of the frame, and a notch in the nasal bridge region corresponding to the notch in the nasal bridge region of the frame, wherein the inner surface of the inwardly curved rim of the membrane in the nasal bridge region of the membrane is spaced a distance from the outer surface of the rim of the frame in the nasal bridge region of the frame when the mask is not in use;
the inner surface of the membrane is substantially parallel to the outer surface of the frame in the lip and cheek regions;
the inner surface of the membrane includes at least one portion that diverges away from the outer surface of the frame in the nasal bridge region, as seen in cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis when the mask is not in use;
the membrane is more flexible than the frame; and
the distance between the inner surface of the membrane and the outer surface of the rim of the frame in the nasal bridge region is variable with the tension applied to the at least one tension strap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A nasal mask cushion assembly to sealingly connect a nasal mask to a wearer'"'"'s face by adjusting tension on at least one tension strap connected to the nasal mask, the cushion assembly comprising:
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a generally triangularly shaped frame of resilient material, the frame including an inner surface, an outer surface, an aperture, and a rim defining the perimeter of the aperture, the rim including a notch in a region of the rim adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose; and
a generally triangularly shaped membrane of resilient material, the membrane including an aperture adapted to receive the wearer'"'"'s nose, an outer surface including a seal forming portion adapted to deform and form a seal over a portion of the wearer'"'"'s face in a region between the base of the nose and the upper lip and around the sides and over the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose when the mask is in use, an inner surface opposing the outer surface of the frame and spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the frame in at least the region of the frame adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose when the mask is in use, an edge defining the perimeter of the aperture, and a notch in a region of the membrane adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose, wherein the membrane is more flexible than the frame;
the aperture of the frame is larger than the aperture of the membrane;
the edge of the membrane is spaced a second distance from the rim, the second distance being variable in the regions of the rim and the membrane adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose; and
the first distance between the outer surface of the frame and the inner surface of the membrane is variable with the tension applied to the at least one tension strap. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A nasal mask cushion assembly to sealingly connect a nasal mask to a wearer'"'"'s face by adjusting tension on at least one tension strap connected to the nasal mask, the cushion assembly comprising:
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a generally triangularly shaped frame of resilient material, the frame including a first side adapted to contact a mask body of the nasal mask, a second side opposite the first side, an aperture extending from the first side to the second side, a rim on the second side extending around the perimeter of the aperture, and a notch in the rim in a region adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose; and
a generally triangularly shaped membrane of resilient material, the membrane including an aperture adapted to receive the wearer'"'"'s nose, an edge defining the perimeter of the aperture, a notch in a region adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose, a first surface including a seal forming portion disposed around the perimeter of the aperture adapted to deform and form a seal over a portion of the wearer'"'"'s face in a region between the base of the nose and the upper lip and around the sides and over the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose when the mask is in use, a second surface opposite the first surface that surrounds and is spaced a first distance from the rim of the frame in at least the region adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose when the mask is in use, wherein the membrane is more flexible than the frame;
the aperture of the membrane is smaller than the aperture of the frame;
the edge of the membrane is spaced a second distance from the rim of the frame, the second distance being variable in the regions of the membrane and the frame adapted to receive the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose;
the first distance between the second surface of the membrane and the rim of the frame is variable with the tension applied to the at least one tension strap. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. 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; and
a nasal cushion secured to said mask body, the body and cushion forming a nose-receiving cavity, said cushion including;
a nasal bridge region, a cheek region and a lip region;
a substantially triangularly-shaped first membrane of resilient material having a first molded rim that at least partially surrounds a wearer'"'"'s nose, at least a portion of the first molded rim being inwardly curved; and
a second membrane also of resilient material, said second membrane having a second molded rim that is inwardly curved, said second molded rim being fixed to and extending away from said first membrane so as to have a second membrane inner surface spaced a distance from an outer surface of said first molded rim, a portion of said second molded rim forming a face contacting seal that is preformed to generally match the facial contours of the wearer;
wherein said seal portion is substantially coterminous with respect to said second molded rim and is resiliently deformable towards said first membrane in use of said mask, at least a portion of the second molded rim remaining spaced from the first molded rim when the mask is connected to the wearer'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A cushion and mask assembly comprising:
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a mask including a mask shell constructed to receive a supply of breathable air, an arm extending away from the mask shell and including an oblong slot positioned on each lateral side of the arm to receive a strap, and at least one resilient pad mounted on the arm; and
a cushion having a main upstanding wall, the wall having a first end removably coupleable to the mask and a second end defining an opening into a nasal cavity formed by the mask and the cushion, the wall including a first membrane positioned between the first and second ends and extending inwardly onto the nasal cavity, the second end of the wall defining a second membrane being shaped to generally match facial contours of a wearer and so as to form a seal over a portion of the wearer'"'"'s face in a region between the base of the nose and the upper lip and around the sides and over the bridge of the wearer'"'"'s nose when the mask is in use, the second membrane being spaced from the first membrane to define a gap having a width that is greater than a thickness of the first membrane, the first membrane having a width that is less than a distance from an intersection of the second membrane and the wall to an edge of the second membrane defining an aperture of the nasal cavity, the second membrane overhanging and covering substantially all portions of the first membrane, the first membrane acting to define a maximum deformation position of the second membrane in use. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:
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a nasal bridge region, a cheek region and a lip region;
a first membrane comprising a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a first molded rim of said first membrane; and
a second membrane of resilient material, said second membrane being thinner than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded rim that is inwardly curved, said second rim spaced a first distance from said first rim in said lip region and said second rim spaced a second distance from said first rim in said nasal bridge region, said second distance greater than said first distance, said distances measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second membrane curved rim forming a face contacting seal. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104)
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105. A nasal mask cushion assembly to sealingly connect a nasal mask to a wearer'"'"'s face by adjusting tension on at least one tension strap connected to the nasal mask, the cushion assembly comprising:
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a generally triangular shaped frame of resilient material, the frame including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the frame also including a rim having an outer surface; and
a generally triangularly shaped open ended membrane of resilient material, the membrane including a nasal bridge region, a lip region, and two cheek regions connecting the nasal bridge and lip regions, the membrane also including a longitudinal axis extending generally from the nasal bridge region to the lip region and an outer surface adapted to deform and form a seal with the wearer'"'"'s face when the mask is in use, an inwardly curved rim with an open end spaced from the frame, the inwardly curved rim including an inner surface that opposes and surrounds the rim of the frame, and a notch in the nasal bridge region, wherein the inner surface of the inwardly curved rim of the membrane in the nasal bridge region of the membrane is spaced a distance from the frame in the nasal bridge region of the frame when the mask is not in use;
the inner surface of the membrane is substantially parallel to the outer surface of the frame in the lip and check regions;
the inner surface of the membrane includes at least one portion that diverges away from the frame in the nasal bridge region, as seen in cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis when the mask is not in use;
the membrane is more flexible than the frame; and
the distance between the inner surface of the membrane and the frame in the nasal bridge region is variable with the tension applied to the at least one tension strap. - View Dependent Claims (106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122)
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123. 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; and
a nasal cushion secured to said mask body, the mask body and cushion forming a nose-receiving cavity, said cushion including;
a nasal bridge region, a cheek region and an upper lip region;
a substantially triangularly-shaped inner support member of resilient material having a first surface that at least partially surrounds a wearer'"'"'s nose, at least a portion of the first surface being inwardly curved, and a notch in the nasal bridge region; and
an outer membrane also of resilient material, said outer membrane having a rim that is inwardly curved and a notch in the nasal bridge region aligned with the notch in the inner support member, said rim being structured so as to have an inner surface at least a portion of which is spaced from said first surface of said inner support member in at least the upper lip region when the mask is not in use, a portion of said rim forming a seal portion, wherein;
said seal portion is substantially coterminous with respect to said rim and is resiliently deformable towards said inner support member in use of said mask, the outer membrane is molded of silicone, the outer membrane is preformed to generally match the contours of the wearer'"'"'s face even when the mask is not in use, and the rim of the outer membrane and the first surface of the inner support member are convex in relation to the wearer'"'"'s face. - View Dependent Claims (124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130)
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Specification