Multi-chamber mask and method of forming the same

• US 7,909,035 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airway Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Airway Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Thornton, W. Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): STUART, COLIN W
• Application Number:
  US11/428,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20070006879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.22, 128/201.29, 128/205.25, 12820621-20624, 128/206.28, 128/206.29, 12820711-20713, 264/241, 156/322
• US Class Current: 128/206.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0866 Passive resistors therefor

Abstract

A multi-chamber mask includes a shell and a partition. The shell is adapted to cover portions of a user'"'"'s face including the mouth and at least portions of the nose including the nostrils, the shell adapted to contact the face surrounding the covered portions of the face to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the shell and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face, and the shell is adapted to couple to a gas supply source. The partition is coupled to the shell and cooperates with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth, the partition adapted to restrict flow of gas between the first and the second chamber.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber mask, comprising:

a shell adapted to cover portions of a user'"'"'s face comprising the user'"'"'s mouth and at least portions of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils, the shell comprising a custom-fit contact surface custom-shaped according to portions of the user'"'"'s face surrounding the covered portions of the user'"'"'s face, the custom-fit contact surface preventing gas from escaping between the shell and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face, the shell adapted to couple to a gas supply source; and

a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first layer custom-shaped according to at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils, the first layer defining an inner boundary of the first chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages through one or more openings in the first layer, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth, the partition preventing flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber.

2. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the first layer prevents gas from escaping between the first layer and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face;

and

wherein the second layer is coupled to the first layer and the second layer prevents gas from escaping between the first and second layers.

3. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow out of the mask from the second chamber.

4. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to couple to a post of an oral appliance.

5. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the partition comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

6. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

7. The multi-chamber mask of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polycaprolactone polymer.

8. The multi-chamber mask of claim 1, wherein the shell has been custom-formed to fit the user'"'"'s unique facial features.

9. A method of forming a multi-chamber mask, comprising:

providing a shell comprising a custom-fit contact surface custom-shaped according to physical features of a user'"'"'s face comprising the area corresponding to the user'"'"'s mouth and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils; and

providing a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first layer custom-shaped according to the contour of at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils, the first layer defining an inner boundary of the first chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages through one or more openings in the first layer, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth, the partition preventing flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first layer substantially prevents gas from escaping between the first layer and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face;

and

wherein the second layer is coupled to the first layer and the second layer to substantially prevents gas from escaping between the first and second layers.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising coupling a fitting to the shell, the fitting adapted to couple the multi-chamber mask to the gas supply source.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an opening in the shell adapted to allow gas to flow out of the mask from the second chamber.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an opening in the partition adapted to allow gas to flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the shell comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polycaprolactone polymer.

16. A method of forming a multi-chamber mask, comprising:

providing a first layer of deformable material covering portions of a facial surface, the facial surface representing physical features of a user'"'"'s face, the covered portions of the facial surface comprising portions corresponding to the user'"'"'s mouth and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils;

providing one or more openings in the first layer of deformable material corresponding to the user'"'"'s nostrils;

providing one or more spacers covering at least a portion of the facial surface corresponding to the user'"'"'s mouth;

providing a second layer of deformable material over the one or more spacers and at least a portion of the first layer;

providing a partition between the first and second layers of deformable material adapted to cooperate with the first and second layers of deformable material to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth to restrict outflow of gas from the user'"'"'s mouth in response to inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the partition adapted to restrict flow of gas between the first and the second chamber; and

coupling the first layer of deformable material to the second layer of deformable material, with the partition between the first and second layers of deformable material, to form the multi-chamber mask.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more openings in the first layer are formed before the first layer is positioned to cover portions of the facial surface.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein one or more of the first layer, the second layer, and the partition comprise a thermoplastic polymer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein one or more of the first layer, the second layer, and the partition comprise a polycaprolactone polymer.

20. A method of forming a multi-chamber mask, comprising:

providing a shell covering portions of a facial surface, the facial surface representing physical features of a user'"'"'s face, the facial surface comprising a cast of a portion of the user'"'"'s face, the covered portions comprising the area corresponding to the user'"'"'s mouth and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils; and

providing a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages through one or more openings in the first layer, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth to restrict outflow of gas from the user'"'"'s mouth in response to inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the partition adapted to restrict flow of gas between the first and the second chamber.

21. A multi-chamber mask, comprising:

a shell adapted to cover portions of a user'"'"'s face comprising the user'"'"'s mouth and at least portions of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils, the shell comprising a contact surface corresponding to portions of the user'"'"'s face surrounding the covered portions of the user'"'"'s face, the contact surface comprising a shape that substantially restricts gas from escaping between the shell and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face, the shell adapted to couple to a gas supply source; and

a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth, the partition preventing flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber;

wherein the first layer comprises one or more openings adapted to be positioned below one or more of the user'"'"'s nostrils to direct the inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages.

22. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the first layer comprises the contact surface and is configured such that gas is substantially prevented from escaping between the first layer and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face;

and

wherein the second layer is coupled to the first layer and configured such that gas is substantially prevented from escaping between the first and second layers.

23. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow out of the mask from the second chamber.

24. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to couple to a post of an oral appliance.

25. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the partition comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

26. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the shell comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

27. The multi-chamber mask of claim 26, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polycaprolactone polymer.

28. The multi-chamber mask of claim 21, wherein the shell has been custom-formed to fit the user'"'"'s unique facial features.

29. A method of forming a multi-chamber mask, comprising:

providing a shell comprising a custom-fit surface custom-shaped according to physical features of a user'"'"'s face comprising the area corresponding to the user'"'"'s mouth and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils; and

providing a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from a gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages through one or more openings in the first layer, the one or more openings adapted to be positioned below one or more of the user'"'"'s nostrils, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth, the partition preventing flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first layer is adapted to contact the user'"'"'s face to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the first layer and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face;

wherein the second layer adapted to couple to the first layer to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the first and second layers.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising coupling a fitting to the shell, the fitting adapted to couple the multi-chamber mask to the gas supply source.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing an opening in the shell adapted to allow gas to flow out of the mask from the second chamber.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing an opening in the partition adapted to allow gas to flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the shell comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polycaprolactone polymer.

36. A multi-chamber mask, comprising:

a shell adapted to cover portions of a user'"'"'s face comprising the user'"'"'s mouth and at least portions of the user'"'"'s nose comprising the nostrils, the shell adapted to contact the user'"'"'s face surrounding the covered portions of the user'"'"'s face to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the shell and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face, the shell adapted to couple to a gas supply source; and

a partition coupled to the shell between first and second layers of the shell, the partition cooperating with the shell to define a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s nose to direct inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages through one or more openings in the first layer of the shell, the second chamber adapted to be positioned proximate the user'"'"'s mouth to restrict outflow of gas from the user'"'"'s mouth in response to inflow of gas from the gas supply source to the user'"'"'s nasal passages, the partition adapted to restrict flow of gas between the first and the second chamber;

wherein the shell comprises a thermoplastic polymer that has been custom-formed to fit the user'"'"'s unique facial features.

37. The multi-chamber mask of claim 36, wherein the first layer is adapted to contact the user'"'"'s face to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the first layer and the contacted portions of the user'"'"'s face;

and

wherein the second layer is adapted to couple to the first layer to substantially prevent gas from escaping between the first and second layers.

38. The multi-chamber mask of claim 36, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow out of the mask from the second chamber.

39. The multi-chamber mask of claim 36, wherein the shell comprises an opening adapted to couple to a post of an oral appliance.

40. The multi-chamber mask of claim 36, wherein the partition comprises an opening adapted to allow gas to flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

41. The multi-chamber mask of claim 36, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polycaprolactone polymer.