Compact oronasal patient interface

• US 7,708,017 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Raje, Milind Chandrakant, Lubke, Steven John, Davidson, Aaron Samuel, Smart, Gregory Scott, Kwok, Philip Rodney, Scheiner, Rupert Christian, Gunaratnam, Michael Kassipillai, Lynch, Susan Robyn, Robinson, Gary Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTER, KRISTEN CLARETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/703,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.11, 128/206.12, 128/206.18, 128/206.21, 128/206.24, 128/206.26, 128/206.28, 128/207.13, 128/207.18
• US Class Current: 128/206.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0611 with a gusset portion
• 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 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/084 Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets

Abstract

A breathing arrangement includes a patient interface, at least one inlet conduit, and a headgear assembly. The patient interface includes a mouth covering assembly including a cushion structured to sealingly engage around exterior of a patient'"'"'s mouth in use, a nozzle assembly including a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage within nasal passages of a patient'"'"'s nose in use, and an element connecting the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly. The at least one inlet conduit is structured to deliver breathable gas into at least one of the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly for breathing by the patient. The headgear assembly is removably connected to at least one of the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly so as to maintain the mouth covering assembly and the nozzle assembly in a desired position on the patient'"'"'s face.

Claims

1. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including an inner wall and one or more outer walls that surround the inner wall,

wherein the inner wall and the one or more outer walls have a similar curvature along their length before use,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use,

wherein, at least before use, the inner wall the one or more outer walls are each spaced apart from one other by an annular gap, and

wherein the inner wall is adapted to extend inside the patient'"'"'s nose and one of the outer walls is adapted to seal around the patient'"'"'s nare in use, and wherein the concave outer surfaces of the inner and outer walls are co-extensive over at least a portion of a length of the inner wall.

2. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of said nozzles includes an inner wall and only one outer wall that surrounds the inner wall.

3. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the outer walls includes a membrane that is thinner than the inner wall.

4. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall includes one or more openings.

5. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer walls are integrally formed in one piece from the same material.

6. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each outer wall includes a free end that is spaced from and unattached to a free end of the inner wall.

7. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer walls are constructed from a flexible, silicone material.

8. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least the outer wall is inflatable when pressurized gas is applied.

9. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of the inner and outer walls include a truncated, hollow cone shape.

10. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each nozzle includes a gusset portion structured to allow articulation of the nozzle and provide upward pressure of the nozzle into the patient'"'"'s nasal passage in use.

11. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall is adapted to seal around the patient'"'"'s nare along the concave outer surface.

12. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall and one or more outer walls have adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another.

13. The breathing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall is centrally located between the one or more outer walls.

14. A nozzle for sealingly engaging with a patient'"'"'s nose in use, comprising:

an inner wall; and

one or more outer walls that surround the inner wall,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls include an outer surface having a concave shape before use,

wherein the inner wall and one or more outer walls have adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another,

wherein the inner wall is adapted to extend inside the patient'"'"'s nose and one of the outer walls is adapted to seal around the patient'"'"'s nare in use, and

wherein the concave outer surfaces of the inner and outer walls are co-extensive over at least a portion of a length of the inner wall.

15. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein the nozzle includes an inner wall and only one outer wall that surrounds the inner wall.

16. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the outer walls includes a membrane that is thinner than the inner wall.

17. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein the inner wall includes one or more openings.

18. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein the inner and outer walls are integrally formed in one piece from the same material.

19. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein each outer wall includes a free end that is spaced from and unattached to a free end of the inner wall.

20. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein the inner and outer walls are constructed from a flexible, silicone material.

21. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein at least the outer wall is inflatable when pressurized gas is applied.

22. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein each of the inner and outer walls include a truncated, hollow cone shape.

23. A nozzle according to claim 14, wherein the nozzle includes a gusset portion structured to allow articulation of the nozzle and provide upward pressure of the nozzle into the patient'"'"'s nasal passage in use.

32. A patient interface, comprising:

a support structure; and

a pair of nozzles according to claim 14 supported by the support structure.

24. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including an inner wall and one or more outer walls that surround the inner wall, the inner wall and one or more outer walls having adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another,

wherein the inner wall and one or more outer walls are integrally formed in one piece from the same material,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use, and

wherein the concave outer surfaces of the inner and outer walls are co-extensive over at least a portion of a length of the inner wall.

25. The breathing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the inner wall and the one or more outer walls are each spaced apart from one other by an annular gap.

26. The breathing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the outer walls includes a membrane that is thinner than the inner wall.

27. The breathing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein at least the outer wall is inflatable when pressurized gas is applied.

28. The breathing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes a truncated, hollow cone shape.

29. The breathing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein each nozzle includes a gusset portion structured to allow articulation of the nozzle and provide upward pressure of the nozzle into the patient'"'"'s nasal passage in use.

30. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including an inner wall and one or more outer walls that surround the inner wall,

wherein each outer wall includes a free end that is spaced by an annular gap from and unattached to a free end of the inner wall,

wherein at least one of the outer walls includes a membrane that is thinner than the inner wall, and

wherein the outer wall includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use that tapers from its base towards a distal end whereby a width of the distal end is less than a width of the base, the concave shape extending along a majority of the outer surface.

31. The breathing arrangement according to claim 30, wherein the inner wall and the one or more outer walls are each spaced apart from one other by an annular gap.

33. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including a nozzle portion and a conduit adapted to interconnect the nozzle portion with a support structure, the nozzle portion and the conduit being integrally formed in one piece from the same material,

each nozzle portion including an inner wall and an outer wall that surrounds the inner wall, the inner wall and the outer wall having adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another by an annular gap at least before use,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use,

wherein the inner wall is generally nested within the outer wall such that the concave outer surfaces of the inner and outer walls are co-extensive over at least a portion of the length of the inner wall.

34. The breathing arrangement according to claim 33, wherein each of the inner and outer walls is generally cone-shaped and include the concave outer surface such that each nozzle portion tapers from its base towards its distal end whereby a width of the distal end is less than a width of the base.

35. The breathing arrangement according to claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the conduit includes a width that is less than the width of the base.

36. The breathing arrangement according to claim 33, wherein the annular gap extends from a base of nozzle portion to a tip of the nozzle portion, and the base of the nozzle portion is closed by a joint between the inner and outer walls.

37. The breathing arrangement according to claim 36, wherein the joint defines a lower limit of the annular gap.

38. The breathing arrangement according to claim 33, wherein each nozzle portion is adapted to seal around the patient'"'"'s nare along the concave outer surface of the outer wall.

39. The breathing arrangement according to claim 33, wherein the nozzle portion and the conduit are formed from a flexible, elastomeric material.

40. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including a nozzle portion and a conduit adapted to interconnect the nozzle portion with a support structure,

each nozzle portion including an inner wall and an outer wall that surrounds the inner wall, the inner wall and the outer wall having adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another by an annular gap at least before use,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use,

wherein the conduit includes one end adapted to connect to the support structure and an opposite end connected to a base of the nozzle portion, and the base of the nozzle portion is closed by a joint between the inner and outer walls.

41. The breathing arrangement according to claim 40, wherein each of the inner and outer walls is generally cone-shaped and include the concave outer surface such that each nozzle portion tapers from its base towards its distal end whereby a width of the distal end is less than a width of the base.

42. The breathing arrangement according to claim 40, wherein the joint defines a lower limit of the annular gap.

43. The breathing arrangement according to claim 40, wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes a truncated, hollow cone shape.

44. The breathing arrangement according to claim 40, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall have a similar curvature along their length before use.

45. A breathing arrangement for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the breathing arrangement comprising:

a pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with a patient'"'"'s nose in use,

each of said nozzles including a nozzle portion,

each nozzle portion including an inner wall and an outer wall that surrounds the inner wall, the inner wall and the outer wall having adjacent surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart from one another by an annular gap at least before use,

wherein each of the inner and outer walls includes an outer surface having a concave shape before use,

wherein the nozzle portion includes a base closed by a joint between the inner and outer walls, and each of the inner and outer walls is generally cone-shaped and includes the concave outer surface such that each nozzle portion tapers from the base towards its distal end whereby a width of the distal end is less than a width of the base.

46. The breathing arrangement according to claim 45, wherein the joint defines a lower limit of the annular gap.

47. The breathing arrangement according to claim 45, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall have a similar curvature along their length before use.