Nasal mask
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mask including:
- a shell;
a cushion connected with said shell;
said shell having a side wall;
a retaining ring permanently secured to the shell inside said side wall, said side wall and said retaining ring defining a gap between said side wall and said retaining ring, said gap extending around said shell, wherein said retaining ring has a notch in cross-section;
wherein said shell includes a plurality of projecting posts, and said retaining ring includes a plurality of sleeves receiving said posts to permanently secure said retaining ring inside said side wall of said shell;
said cushion having a side wall with an outer peripheral edge portion including a tongue extending around said cushion, said tongue having a retaining flange that extends transverse to the tongue in cross-section;
said retaining flange of said cushion tongue and said notch of said retaining ring being configured such that said tongue is repeatably insertable into said gap while the retaining ring is secured to the shell so that the retaining flange of the tongue engages the notch of the retaining ring to secure said cushion to said shell and the retaining flange of the tongue is repeatably removeable from the notch of the retaining ring while the retaining ring is secured to the shell to remove the cushion from the shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nasal mask of the type for delivering gas for example to ease or assist the breathing process includes a shell and a cushion connected with the shell. The shell has a side wall and a retaining ring disposed inside the side wall. The side wall and the retaining ring define a gap extending around the shell. The cushion has a side wall with an outer peripheral edge portion including a tongue extending around the cushion. The tongue of the cushion is received in the gap in the shell to secure the cushion to the shell. Various straps assemblies and forehead adjusters for nasal masks are also shown.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A mask including:
- a shell;
a cushion connected with said shell;
said shell having a side wall;
a retaining ring permanently secured to the shell inside said side wall, said side wall and said retaining ring defining a gap between said side wall and said retaining ring, said gap extending around said shell, wherein said retaining ring has a notch in cross-section;
wherein said shell includes a plurality of projecting posts, and said retaining ring includes a plurality of sleeves receiving said posts to permanently secure said retaining ring inside said side wall of said shell;
said cushion having a side wall with an outer peripheral edge portion including a tongue extending around said cushion, said tongue having a retaining flange that extends transverse to the tongue in cross-section;
said retaining flange of said cushion tongue and said notch of said retaining ring being configured such that said tongue is repeatably insertable into said gap while the retaining ring is secured to the shell so that the retaining flange of the tongue engages the notch of the retaining ring to secure said cushion to said shell and the retaining flange of the tongue is repeatably removeable from the notch of the retaining ring while the retaining ring is secured to the shell to remove the cushion from the shell. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- a shell;
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3. A nasal mask including:
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a shell; and a cushion connected with said shell for engagement with the face of a user; said cushion having a side wall, an inner wall extending from the side wall transverse to said side wall, and an outer wall extending from the side wall transverse to said side wall; wherein said outer wall is defined by first and second sides that are spaced apart by a thickness of the outer wall, wherein said first side of the outer wall is adapted to engage and seal against a face of a user of the mask; wherein both of said first and second sides of said outer wall of said cushion extend from said side wall extending completely around said cushion; wherein said inner wall is defined by first and second sides that are spaced apart by a thickness of the inner wall, wherein said first side of said inner wall is spaced apart from said second side of said outer wall; wherein both of said first and second sides of said inner wall of said cushion are discontinuous in a nasal bridge region of said cushion, such that a gap is formed between ends of the inner wall in said nasal bridge region. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A mask including:
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a shell having a side wall; a cushion; a retaining ring permanently secured to the shell inside said side wall by sleeves that are heat staked on posts; said side wall and said retaining ring defining a gap between said side wall and said retaining ring, said gap extending around said shell wherein said retaining ring has a notch in cross-section; said cushion having a side wall with an outer peripheral edge portion including a tongue extending around said cushion, said tongue having a retaining flange that extends transverse to the tongue in cross-section; said retaining flange of said cushion tongue and said notch of said retaining ring being configured such that the tongue is repeatably insertable into said gap while the retaining ring is secured to the shell so that the retaining flange of the tongue engages the notch of the retaining ring to secure said cushion to said shell and the retaining flange of the tongue is repeatably removeable from the notch of the retaining ring while the retaining ring is secured to the shell to remove the cushion from the shell.
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12. A method of assembling, cleaning, and reassembling a mask comprising:
- securing a retaining ring to a shell inside a side wall of the shell to define a gap and a notch between said side wall and said retaining ring that extends around the shell;
inserting a tongue of the cushion into said gap while the retaining ring is secured to the shell so that a retaining flange that extends transverse to the tongue engages the notch to secure said cushion to said shell;
a retaining ring permanently secured to the shell inside said side wall by sleeves that are heat staked on posts;
removing the tongue and retaining flange from the gap and notch while the retaining ring is secured to the shell to remove the cushion from the shell;
cleaning said cushion;
inserting the tongue of the cushion into said gap while the retaining ring is secured to the shell so that the retaining flange of the tongue engages the notch to resecure said cushion to said shell. - View Dependent Claims (13)
- securing a retaining ring to a shell inside a side wall of the shell to define a gap and a notch between said side wall and said retaining ring that extends around the shell;
Specification