Nasal mask cushion assembly

• US 6,871,649 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kwok, Philip Rodney, Styles, Robert Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US10/004,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.24, 128/206.26, 128/206.27, 128/207.11, 128/207.13
• US Class Current: 128/206.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• 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 16/0622 having an underlying cushion
• 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 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.

Claims

1. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:

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 inwardly curved rim of said first membrane; and

a second membrane of resilient material, said second membrane being thinner and more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, said second membrane curved rim spaced a distance from said first membrane curved rim, said distance greater than a thickness of the first molded inwardly curved rim, said distance measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second membrane curved rim forming a face contacting seal.

2. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face comprising:

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 inwardly curved rim to surround a wearer'"'"'s nose; and

a second membrane also of resilient material, said second membrane being relatively more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, said second molded rim being of the same general shape as said first molded rim and 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, said distance greater than a thickness of the first molded inwardly curved rim, said distance measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second molded rim forming a face contacting seal;

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.

3. A nasal CPAP treatment apparatus comprising:

a flow generator for the supply of gas at a pressure elevated above atmospheric pressure;

a gas delivery conduit coupled to said flow generator; and

a nasal mask in turn coupled to said conduit, said nasal mask including;

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, the cushion including;

a nasal bridge region, a cheek region and a lip region;

a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a first membrane having a first molded inwardly curved rim; and

a second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim also of resilient material, said second membrane being relatively more flexible than said first membrane, and being of the same general shape as said first molded inwardly curved rim and fixed to and extending away from said first membrane so as to have an inner surface spaced a distance from said first molded rim, said distance greater than a thickness of the first inwardly curved rim, said distance measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second molded rim forming a face contacting seal;

wherein said seal portion is generally coterminous with respect to said second molded rim and is resiliently deformable towards said first membrane in use of said mask.

4. A nasal mask cushion for sealingly connecting a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, comprising:

a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a first membrane, the first membrane including a first molded inwardly curved rim; and

a second membrane of resilient material, said second membrane being more of resilient material, said second membrane being more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, said second membrane curved rim spaced a distance from said first membrane curved rim, said distance greater than a thickness of the first molded inwardly curved rim, said distance measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second membrane curved rim forming a face contacting seal.

5. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:

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 inwardly curved rim of said first membrane; and

a second membrane of resilient material, said second membrane being thinner and more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, a portion of said second membrane curved rim forming a face contacting seal, said second membrane curved rim spaced a sufficient distance from said first membrane curved rim such that under a normal tightening force of the mask to the wearer'"'"'face, the second membrane curved rim remains spaced from the first membrane curved rim in at least one of the nasal bridge region, the cheek region and the lip region.

6. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face comprising:

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 inwardly curved rim to surround wearer'"'"'s nose; and

a second membrane also of resilient material, said second membrane being relatively more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, said second molded rim being of the same general shape as said first molded rim and 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;

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, the second molded rim remaining spaced from the first molded rim in at least one of the wearer'"'"'s face.

7. A nasal CPAP treatment apparatus comprising:

a flow generator for the supply of gas at a pressure elevated above atmospheric pressure;

a gas delivery conduit coupled to said flow generator; and

a nasal mask in turn coupled to said conduit, said nasal mask including;

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, the cushion including;

a nasal bridge region, a cheek region and a lip region;

a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a first membrane having a molded inwardly curved rim; and

a second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim also of resilient material, said second membrane being relatively more flexible than said first membrane, and being of the same general shape as said first molded inwardly curved rim and fixed to and extending away from said first membrane so as to have an inner surface spaced a distance from said first molded rim, a portion of said second molded rim forming a face contacting seal;

wherein said seal portion is generally coterminous with respect to said second molded rim and is resiliently deformable towards said first membrane in use of said mask, the second molded rim remaining spaced from the first molded rim in at least one of the nasal bridge region, the cheek region and the lip region when the mask is connected to a wearer'"'"'s face.

8. A nasal mask cushion for sealingly connecting a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, comprising:

a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a first membrane, the first membrane including a first molded inwardly curved rim; and

a second membrane of resilient material, said second membrane being more flexible than said first membrane, said second membrane having a second molded inwardly curved rim, said second membrane curved rim spaced a distance from said first membrane curved rim, measured when the mask is not in use, a portion of said second membrane curved rim forming a face contacting seal, said second membrane curved rim spaced a sufficient distance from said first membrane curved rim such that under a normal tightening force of the mask to the wearer'"'"'s face, the second membrane curved rim remains spaced from the first membrane curved rim around at least a portion of a circumference of the first membrane curved rim.