Holding device for a respiratory mask

• US 7,562,658 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ResMed Humidification Technologies GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MAP Medizin-Technologie GMBH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vogele, Harald, Madaus, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia M
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIHIR B
• Application Number:
  US10/333,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20040025882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,951 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.27, 128/207.11, 128/207.17, 128/206.13, 128/204.11, 128/204.12, 128/207.18, 128/201.22, 2/62, 2/9, 241/0, 241/5, 241/7, 241/8, 242/2, 242/3, 242/5, 245/2
• US Class Current: 128/207.17
• 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 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0688 by means of an adhesive

Abstract

A holding device for a respiratory mask, especially for use in the field of sleep medicine, includes a headband which, in an application position, extends from the forehead area of the patient to behind the ear area of the patient, whereby the headband is provided with a flexible reinforcing insert for reinforcing the headband in a lateral direction. This makes it advantageously possible to provide the mask retention forces, which are necessary for reliably applying a respiratory mask, in a manner that is very compatible with regard to ergonomics.

Claims

1. A holding device for a respiratory mask comprising:

a headband section having a headband surface adapted to engage a patient in an application position from a forehead portion of the patient around a back head portion of the patient located behind the patient'"'"'s ears;

a reinforcement layer integrated into the headband section, the reinforcement layer adding flexural strength to the headband section to reinforce the headband section against bending around an axis substantially perpendicular to the headband surface; and

a mask supporting arrangement provided to the headband section, the mask supporting arrangement structured to support the respiratory mask in an application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use,

wherein the headband section is provided with padding including a foam layer, which is located in the application position of the headband section between the reinforcement layer and the patient, and wherein the padding comprises stitched sections.

2. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement layer is made of a flat plastic material.

3. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement layer is made of a sheet strip.

4. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement layer is made of a thermo-formable material.

5. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the headband section is provided with a hook and loop fastener fleece material.

6. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the headband section is formed in a multi-layered backed manner.

7. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement layer is provided with breakthroughs.

8. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the headband section has an extension in the application direction directed from the forehead portion of the patient towards the upper ear portion and that it has a locally drawn-up extension descending in the back head portion.

9. A holding device for a respiratory mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stitched sections are formed by a thermal welding process.

19. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mask supporting arrangement includes a fixing element extending from the headband section, the fixing element structured to support the respiratory mask in the application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use.

20. A respiratory mask arrangement, comprising a respiratory mask having a forehead rest element, and

the holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mask supporting arrangement includes a hook and loop fastener structured to fix the forehead rest element of the respiratory mask.

21. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mask supporting arrangement is provided to the headband section at a position along the forehead portion of the patient in use.

10. A holding arrangement for a respiration mask comprising:

a headband portion adapted to engage a patient in an application position from a forehead region of the patient to a back of the head region of the patient located behind the patient'"'"'s ears,

wherein the headband portion has at least one flexible and laterally substantially flexurally stiff reinforcing insert which allows bending deformation about x and y axes extending in a main surface of the reinforcing insert and substantially prevents bending deformation about a z axis extending perpendicular to the main surface for stiffening the headband portion in a lateral direction, and

the headband portion includes a mask supporting arrangement structured to support the respiration mask in an application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use,

wherein the headband portion includes padding having a foam insert which in the application position of the headband portion is between the flexible reinforcing insert and the patient, and wherein the padding has stitched portions.

11. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the flexible reinforcing insert is formed from a flat plastic material.

12. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the flexible reinforcing insert is formed from a sheet metal strip.

13. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the flexible reinforcing insert is formed from a thermo-formable material.

14. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the headband portion is provided with a touch-and close fastener non-woven material.

15. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the headband portion is of a multi-layer lined configuration.

16. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the flexible reinforcing insert is provided with openings therethrough.

17. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the headband portion in the application position is of a configuration directed from the forehead region of the patient to the upper ear region, and in the ear region it is of a configuration which is locally raised and falls again in the region of the back of the head.

18. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the stitched portions are formed by a thermal welding operation.

22. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the mask supporting arrangement includes a fixing element extending from the headband section, the fixing element structured to support the respiratory mask in the application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use.

23. A respiratory mask arrangement, comprising a respiratory mask having a forehead rest element, and

the holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the mask supporting arrangement includes a hook and loop fastener structured to fix the forehead rest element of the respiratory mask.

24. A holding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the mask supporting arrangement is provided to the headband portion at a position along the forehead region of the patient in use.

25. A holding arrangement for a respiratory mask comprising:

a band portion; and

at least one flexible and laterally substantially flexurally stiff reinforcement provided to the band portion, said reinforcement being made of a thermoplastic plastic to allow bending deformation about x and y axes extending in a main surface of the reinforcement and to substantially prevent bending deformation about a z axis extending perpendicular to the main surface for stiffening the band portion in a lateral direction,

wherein the band portion includes a fixing element extending from the band portion and structured to support the respiratory mask in an application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use, the fixing element including first and second ends suspended from the band portion and a generally U-shaped continuous portion suspended between the ends that is adapted to be coupled with the respiratory mask.

26. A holding arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the reinforcement is formed from a flat plastic material.

27. A respiratory mask arrangement including a respiratory mask having a coupling member and the holding arrangement of claim 25.

28. A holding arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the band portion is provided with a padded section.

29. A holding arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the padded section includes a foam portion located between the reinforcement and the patient in use.

30. A holding arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the band portion includes a textile material layer positioned between the foam portion and the patient in use.

31. A holding arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the foam portion includes open cell foam.

32. A holding arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the band portion and reinforcement are stitched to one another.

33. A holding arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the reinforcement has a thickness in the range of about 0.8 to 1.5 mm.

34. A holding arrangement as claimed in claim 33, wherein a width of the reinforcement is much greater than its thickness.

35. A holding arrangement for a nasal seal, comprising:

a strap portion having a multi-layered construction including a foam padding layer and a textile layer, the textile layer being provided between the foam padding layer and the patient'"'"'s skin and adapted to contact the patient'"'"'s skin; and

a fixing element extending from the strap portion and structured to support the nasal seal in an application position on the patient'"'"'s face in use,

the fixing element including first and second lateral portions suspended from the strap portion and a central portion between the lateral portions that is adapted to be coupled with the nasal seal,

wherein the strap portion includes fastening portions structured to wrap around respective first and second lateral portions of the fixing element to releasably fix the fixing element to the strap portion, each of the fastening portions including hook and loop fasteners, and

at least a portion of each lateral portion of the fixing element being positioned such that the foam padding layer is between the fixing element and the textile layer.

36. A respiratory mask arrangement, comprising a respiratory mask and the holding arrangement as claimed in claim 35.

37. A respiratory mask arrangement as claimed in claim 36, wherein the mask includes a frame and a nasal seal provided to the frame.

38. A respiratory mask arrangement, comprising:

a frame;

a seal provided to the frame;

a pair of fixing elements extending laterally away from the frame, each fixing element having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end including a slotted connector; and

a multi-layered member positioned between the first and second ends of each of the fixing elements, each multi-layered member including a foam padding layer and a textile layer with the foam padding layer being provided between the textile layer and at least a portion of the fixing element.

39. A respiratory mask arrangement as claimed in claim 38, further comprising a headgear strap coupled with each slotted connector.

40. A respiratory mask arrangement as claimed in claim 39, wherein the multi-layered member is the headgear strap.

41. A respiratory mask arrangement as claimed in claim 38, wherein the textile layer is adapted to contact the patient'"'"'s face.

42. A respiratory mask arrangement as claimed in claim 38, wherein the seal includes a nasal seal.