Divided nasal cannula assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cannula assembly, comprising:
- slider tube extension means for helping to facilitate a distance adjustment;
nasal cannula means coupled between said slider tube extension means for facilitating both the delivery of and collection of gases;
ear piece means coupled to said nasal cannula means by said slider tube extension means for facilitating supporting said nasal cannula means from the ears of a user; and
said ear piece means including open recessed channel means for helping to facilitate user adjustment of the distance between said nasal cannula means and said ear piece means;
wherein said ear piece further includes means defining a tube locking hole for helping to secure said nasal cannula means in a fixed position relative to said ear piece means; and
wherein said ear piece means further includes stop means for helping to limit an adjustment distance between said nasal cannula means and said ear piece means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nasal cannula system includes a nasal cannula for the delivery of and collection of gases, wherein the nasal cannula is coupled to a pair of extension tubes which are slidingly received within right and left earpieces respectively for retaining and securing the extension tubes to fix the cannula in a desired position for use by a patient. Each nasal cannula includes an open recessed channel disposed between a pair of bridges for retaining the extension tube within the earpiece and an locking exit hole at its distal end for helping to secure therein the extension tube to provide a fixed distance adjustment between the nasal cannula and the ears of the patient.
128 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cannula assembly, comprising:
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slider tube extension means for helping to facilitate a distance adjustment;
nasal cannula means coupled between said slider tube extension means for facilitating both the delivery of and collection of gases;
ear piece means coupled to said nasal cannula means by said slider tube extension means for facilitating supporting said nasal cannula means from the ears of a user; and
said ear piece means including open recessed channel means for helping to facilitate user adjustment of the distance between said nasal cannula means and said ear piece means;
wherein said ear piece further includes means defining a tube locking hole for helping to secure said nasal cannula means in a fixed position relative to said ear piece means; and
wherein said ear piece means further includes stop means for helping to limit an adjustment distance between said nasal cannula means and said ear piece means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A cannula system, comprising:
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a nasal cannula coupled to a pair of extension tubes;
a pair of earpieces for supporting and retaining said extension tubes and said nasal cannula in a fixed position; and
wherein each individual earpiece includes a pair of guides with a recessed channel disposed therebetween for receiving and retaining therein an individual one of the extension tubes;
wherein one of said pair of guides is an exit bridge disposed adjacent to an exit hole, said exit bridge having a hole extending therethrough for providing access to said exit hole to provide an extension tube exit path from said recessed channel to said exit hole;
wherein said recessed channel terminates in an inclined ramp disposed at about said oval shaped exit hole;
wherein said exit hole is oval shape having its long axis extending along the longitudinal axis of said earpiece;
wherein said inclined ramp reaches its apex at the distal end of the long axis of said oval exit hole to provide an exit path that causes the extension tube to be wedged into engagement with said exit bridge;
wherein the other one of said bridges is an entrance bridge, said entrance bridge having an entrance hole extending therethrough for providing access to said recessed channel to provide an extension tube entrance path from said nasal cannula to said recessed channel;
wherein said entrance bridge, said inclined ramp and said exit bridge cooperate to facilitate capturing the extension tube in a fixed position to secure said cannula at a desired position relative to the nostrils of a patient;
wherein said nasal cannula has a single tube with at least one gas outlet channel and with at least one gas inlet channel for facilitating both the delivery of and the collection of gases;
said single tube having a given diameter and being disposed between the pair of extension tubes, wherein each extension tube has another given diameter substantially smaller than said given diameter; and
wherein each ear piece has a tube entrance hole with a sufficient diameter for receiving therethrough one of said pair of extension tubes but not a sufficient diameter for receiving therethrough said single tube for helping to limit an adjustment distance between the nasal cannula and individual ones of said pair of ear pieces.
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11. A cannula assembly, comprising:
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a nasal cannula having a centrally disposed plug wherein on one side of said plug said cannula includes at least one gas outlet channel and wherein on another side of said plug said cannula includes at least one gas inlet channel;
a pair of extension tubes, wherein one of said pair of extension tubes is coupled to said at least one gas outlet channel and wherein another one of said pair of extension tubes is coupled to said at least one gas inlet channel; and
a pair of ear pieces, at least one of said pair of ear pieces having stop means for helping to limit an adjustment distance between said nasal cannula and the ear piece. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A cannula assembly, comprising:
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a nasal cannula having a centrally disposed plug wherein on one side of said plug said cannula includes at least one gas outlet channel and wherein on another side of said cannula includes at least one gas inlet channel;
a pair of extension tubes, wherein one of said pair of extension tubes is coupled to said at least one gas outlet chanel and wherein another one of said pair of extension tubes is coupled to said at least one gas inlet channel;
a pair of ear pieces, each ear piece having a pair of guides with a recessed channel disposed therebetween for receiving and retaining therein an individual one of the extension tubes; and
wherein one of said pair of guides is an exit bridge disposed adjacent to an exit hole, said exit bridge and said hole cooperating to retain said extension tube within the ear piece and to help prevent said extension tube from being accidentally released from a fixed position relative to the ear piece. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification