Cushion and mask therefor
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:
- a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a rim to substantially surround wearer s nose;
a membrane also of resilient material, said membrane being thinner than and relatively more flexible than said frame, and being of the same general shape as said rim and fixed to and extending away from said frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from said rim, a portion of said outer surface forming a face contacting seal portion that is pre-shaped to generally match the contours of the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the face contacting seal portion is structured such that it is not required to turn in on itself to conform with the wearer'"'"'s face, in use; and
a nose-receiving cavity bounded by said frame and/or said membrane;
wherein;
the frame is sufficiently rigid to retain its shape and resist deformation so as to form a support structure for the membrane,said frame is not in contact with the wearer'"'"'s face in use,each of the frame and the membrane having an inner edge defining a respective aperture,each of the frame and the membrane has an outer edge, the outer edges of the frame and the membrane joining one another, andsaid seal portion is resiliently deformable towards said rim in use of said cushion.
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Abstract
A cushion includes a substantially triangularly shaped frame from which extends a membrane. The frame has a scalloped edge by which the cushion is affixed to a mask body. The membrane has an aperture into which the wearer'"'"'s nose is received. The membrane is spaced away from the rim of the frame. The wearer'"'"'s nose is received through the aperture into the chamber within the mask body. The shape of the seal forming portion is particularly suited to effectively seal the difficult region of the facial contour that is the crease between the sides of the nose and the face.
198 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:
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a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a rim to substantially surround wearer s nose; a membrane also of resilient material, said membrane being thinner than and relatively more flexible than said frame, and being of the same general shape as said rim and fixed to and extending away from said frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from said rim, a portion of said outer surface forming a face contacting seal portion that is pre-shaped to generally match the contours of the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the face contacting seal portion is structured such that it is not required to turn in on itself to conform with the wearer'"'"'s face, in use; and a nose-receiving cavity bounded by said frame and/or said membrane; wherein; the frame is sufficiently rigid to retain its shape and resist deformation so as to form a support structure for the membrane, said frame is not in contact with the wearer'"'"'s face in use, each of the frame and the membrane having an inner edge defining a respective aperture, each of the frame and the membrane has an outer edge, the outer edges of the frame and the membrane joining one another, and said seal portion is resiliently deformable towards said rim in use of said cushion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A nasal mask for connection to a wearer'"'"'s face comprising:
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a mask body for connection with a supply of breathable gas; and a nasal cushion, the body and cushion defining a nose-receiving cavity, said cushion including; a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a rim to substantially surround the wearer'"'"'s nose; a membrane also of resilient material, said membrane being thinner than and relatively more flexible than said frame, and being of the same general shape as said rim and fixed to and extending away from said frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from said frame, a portion of said outer surface forming a face contacting seal portion that is pre-shaped to generally match the contours of the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the face contacting seal portion is structured such that it is not required to turn in on itself to conform with the wearer'"'"'s face, in use; wherein; the frame is sufficiently rigid to retain its shape and resist deformation so as to form a support structure for the membrane, said frame is not in contact with the wearer'"'"'s face in use, each of the frame and the membrane has an inner edge defining a respective aperture, each of the frame and the membrane has a respective outer edge, the outer edges of the frame and the membrane joining one another, and said seal portion is resiliently deformable towards said rim in use of said mask. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A nasal mask cushion to sealingly connect a mask to a wearer'"'"'s face, the cushion comprising:
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a substantially triangularly-shaped frame of resilient material having a rim shaped to generally match facial contours in the region of facial tissue around the sides of the nose, and between the base of the nose and the top lip; a membrane also of resilient material, the membrane being thinner than and relatively more flexible than the frame, and being of the same general shape as said rim and fixed to and extending away from the frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from the rim, a portion of said outer surface forming a face contacting seal portion that is pre-shaped to generally match the contours of the wearer'"'"'s face, wherein the face contacting seal portion is structured such that it is not required to turn in on itself to conform with the wearer'"'"'s face, in use; a strap structured to secure the cushion to the patient'"'"'s face, wherein, during normal application of strap tension, the seal portion is spaced from the rim of the cushion, and during excess application of strap tension, the seal portion deforms to abut against the rim of the cushion; and a nose-receiving cavity bounded by said frame and/or said membrane; wherein; the frame is sufficiently rigid to retain its shape and resist deformation so as to form a support structure for the membrane, said frame is not in contact with the wearer'"'"'s face in use, each of the frame and the membrane has an inner edge defining a respective aperture, each of the frame and the membrane has an outer edge, the outer edges of the frame and membrane joining one another, said seal portion is resiliently deformable towards said rim in use of said cushion, and the spacing between the membrane and the rim is variable depending on strap tension and the contour of the wearer'"'"'s face.
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19. A mask cushion for sealingly connecting a mask to a patient'"'"'s face during the administration of positive airway pressure, the cushion including:
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a frame of resilient material, said frame having a rim for substantially surrounding a portion of the patient'"'"'s face; a membrane of resilient material and fixed to and extending away from the frame so as to have an outer surface spaced from the rim, in at least one region of the frame, to define a gas-filled gap between the membrane and the frame before the cushion is in use, said membrane being longer than and/or fully covering or overlying the rim as seen in cross section, a seal forming portion of said outer surface forming a face contacting seal, said seal forming portion being provided only on said membrane, said seal forming portion presenting a convex sealing surface to the patient'"'"'s face;
the membrane being pre-shaped to
1) generally match the contours of the patient'"'"'s face; and
2) have the same general shape as said rim, wherein said seal forming portion is resiliently deformable into the gap towards the rim in use of the cushion, and wherein the face contacting seal portion is structured such that it is not required to turn in on itself to conform with the wearer'"'"'s face, in use. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification