Ergonomic and adjustable respiratory mask assembly with headgear assembly
First Claim
1. A nasal mask-securing assembly to secure a mask to a patient'"'"'s head, the nasal mask-securing assembly comprising:
- a strap assembly including a pair of upper end strap portions and a pair of rear strap portions each of which is made of a relatively soft and flexible material and each having a foam and fabric construction, anda relatively rigid support structure extending across the cheek regions of the patient in use, constructed of an outer layer of plastic material stitched to an inner patient-contacting layer formed of foam and fabric construction.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body. Each side frame member includes an integrally formed first connector portion. A headgear assembly is removably attachable to the frame. The headgear assembly has a second connector portion adapted to be removably coupled with the first connector portion provided on the frame. The second connector portion is manually movable to a releasing position to detach the headgear assembly from the frame. The headgear assembly is rotationally adjustable with respect to the frame.
179 Citations
91 Claims
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1. A nasal mask-securing assembly to secure a mask to a patient'"'"'s head, the nasal mask-securing assembly comprising:
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a strap assembly including a pair of upper end strap portions and a pair of rear strap portions each of which is made of a relatively soft and flexible material and each having a foam and fabric construction, and a relatively rigid support structure extending across the cheek regions of the patient in use, constructed of an outer layer of plastic material stitched to an inner patient-contacting layer formed of foam and fabric construction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12)
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7. A nasal mask assembly for nasal CPAP therapy of a patient comprising:
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a nasal mask including a nasal seal; and a nasal mask-securing assembly comprising; a strap assembly including a pair of upper end strap portions and a pair of rear strap portions each of which is made of a relatively soft and flexible material and each having a foam and fabric construction, and a relatively rigid support structure extending across the cheek regions of the patient in use, constructed of an outer layer of plastic material stitched to an inner patient-contacting layer formed of foam and fabric construction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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14. In a nasal mask assembly for nasal CPAP therapy of a patient, apparatus for securing and stabilizing a nasal seal of the mask assembly on the patient'"'"'s face, comprising:
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(i) a nasal seal engagement structure including an aperture, said nasal seal engagement structure being engagable with the nasal seal in a manner that allows the nasal seal to be repeatedly detachable from and re-attachable to the nasal seal engagement structure; and (ii) a securing assembly to secure the nasal seal engagement structure and nasal seal to the patient'"'"'s head, comprising; a strap assembly including a pair of relatively flexible straps having a relatively soft fabric and foam material construction, and a support structure made of a relatively rigid material compared to the strap material and having a degree of flexibility in one direction such that variations in patient physiology can be accommodated in use, said support structure being attached to the pair of straps and in use attaching the strap assembly and the nasal seal engagement structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A nasal mask assembly for nasal CPAP therapy of a patient comprising:
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(i) a nasal seal having a face-contacting side and a non-face contacting side, the non-face contacting side being engagable in a manner that allows the nasal seal to be repeatedly detachable from and re-attachable to other portions of the mask assembly; (ii) a nasal seal engagement structure including an aperture; and (iii) a mask-securing assembly to secure the nasal seal engagement structure and nasal seal to the patient'"'"'s head, comprising; a strap assembly including a pair of relatively flexible straps having a relatively soft fabric and foam material construction, and a support structure made of a relatively rigid material compared to the strap material and having a degree of flexibility in one direction such that variations in patient physiology can be accommodated in use, said support structure being attached to the pair of straps and in use attaching the strap assembly and the nasal seal engagement structure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A mask-securing assembly for securing a nasal seal engagement structure and nasal seal of a nasal mask assembly to a patient'"'"'s head, comprising:
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a strap assembly including a pair of relatively flexible straps having a relatively soft fabric and foam material construction, and a support structure made of a relatively rigid material compared to the strap material and having a degree of flexibility in one direction such that variations in patient physiology can be accommodated in use, said support structure being attached to the pair of straps and in use attaching the strap assembly and the nasal seal engagement structure. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A nasal mask assembly for nasal CPAP therapy of a patient comprising:
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(i) a frame including a first alignment indicator, an aperture and a channel having an inner wall, an outer wall and a channel floor; (ii) a silicone nasal seal selectively and repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the frame, the seal having a face-contacting side and a non-face contacting side, the non-face contacting side being engagable between the inner and outer walls of the frame, the nasal seal including a second alignment indicator on an outer surface of the nasal seal adapted to align with the first alignment indicator on the frame as the seal and frame are engaged with one another; (iii) a rotatable elbow provided to the frame and including one or more vent openings open to atmosphere for gas washout of exhaled carbon dioxide, the elbow being adapted to connect to a gas delivery tube in order to supply pressurized air to the entrance of the patient'"'"'s airway; (iv) a headgear assembly including relatively flexible headstraps; and (v) a stiffening support structure extending from the frame to assist in the stabilization of the nasal seal, the stiffening support structure being formed of a relatively more rigid material in comparison to the relatively flexible headstraps, said stiffening support structure having a degree of flexibility in one direction such that variations in patient physiology can be accommodated, said stiffening support structure being stiffer in another direction generally orthogonal to the one direction to resist vertical rotation of the frame due to the weight of the mask frame and/or components supported by the frame, said stiffening support structure arranged to be positioned adjacent the cheek regions in use, said stiffening support structure having on an inside surface thereof, a layer of relatively soft and flexible material arranged between the patient'"'"'s cheek and the stiffening support structure in use, and said layer of relatively soft and flexible material having the same general shape as the stiffening support structure. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A nasal mask assembly for nasal CPAP therapy of a patient comprising:
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(i) a frame including a first alignment indicator, an aperture and a channel having an inner wall, an outer wall and a channel floor; (ii) a silicone nasal seal selectively and repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the frame in such a manner that, upon engagement, the seal forms a secure seal with the frame and is retained in releasable engagement with the frame without an additional retaining device, the seal having a face-contacting side and a non-face contacting side, the non-face contacting side being engagable between the inner and outer walls of the frame, the nasal seal including a second alignment indicator on an outer surface of the nasal seal adapted to align with the first alignment indicator on the frame as the seal is fitted to the frame; (iii) a rotatable elbow provided to the frame and including one or more vent openings open to atmosphere for gas washout of exhaled carbon dioxide, the elbow being adapted to connect to a gas delivery tube in order to supply pressurized air to the entrance of the patient'"'"'s airway; (iv) a headgear assembly including relatively flexible headstraps; and (v) a stiffening support structure to assist in the stabilization of the nasal seal, the stiffening support structure being formed of a relatively more rigid material in comparison to the relatively flexible headstraps, said stiffening support structure arranged to be positioned adjacent the cheek regions in use, said stiffening support structure having on an inside surface thereof, a layer of relatively soft and flexible material arranged between the patient'"'"'s cheek and the stiffening support structure in use, wherein an end of the stiffening support structure, remote from the frame, includes a connector element adapted to be coupled with a free end of one of the headstraps, wherein the connector element is formed in one piece with the stiffening support structure and includes a crossbar, and wherein the free end of the one of the headstraps includes a strap loop wrapped around the crossbar. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A mask assembly for CPAP therapy of a patient comprising:
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(i) a frame including an aperture; (ii) at least one silicone seal selectively and repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the frame, the seal having a face-contacting side; (iii) a rotatable elbow provided to the frame and including a plurality of vent openings open to atmosphere for gas washout of exhaled carbon dioxide, the elbow being adapted to connect to a gas delivery tube in order to supply pressurized air to at least one airway of the patient; (iv) a headgear assembly including relatively flexible headstraps; and (v) a stiffening support structure extending from the frame to assist in the stabilization of the at least one silicone seal, the stiffening support structure being formed of a relatively more rigid material in comparison to the relatively flexible headstraps, said stiffening support structure having a degree of flexibility in a first direction such that variations in patient physiology can be accommodated, said stiffening support structure being stiffer in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction to resist vertical rotation of the frame due to the weight of the mask frame and/or components supported by the frame, said stiffening support structure arranged to be positioned adjacent the cheek regions in use, said stiffening support structure having on an inside surface thereof a layer of relatively soft and flexible material arranged between the patient'"'"'s cheek and the stiffening support structure in use, wherein the mask assembly does not include a chin strap and does not include a forehead support. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A mask assembly for treatment of a patient having a sleeping disorder, said assembly including:
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(i) a frame; (ii) a silicone seal selectively and repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the frame in such a manner that, upon engagement, the seal forms a secure seal with the frame; (iii) a rotatable elbow provided to the frame and including a plurality of vent openings open to atmosphere for gas washout of exhaled carbon dioxide, the elbow being adapted to connect to a gas delivery tube in order to supply air pressurized in the range of 4-20 cm H2O to the entrance of the patient'"'"'s airway; (iv) a headgear assembly including relatively flexible headstraps; and (v) a stiffening support structure to assist in the stabilization of the silicone seal, the stiffening support structure being formed of a relatively more rigid material in comparison to the relatively flexible headstraps, said stiffening support structure arranged to be positioned adjacent the cheek regions in use, said stiffening support structure having on an inside surface thereof a layer of relatively soft and flexible material arranged between the patient'"'"'s cheek and the stiffening support structure in use, wherein an end of the stiffening support structure, remote from the frame, includes a connector element adapted to be coupled with a free end of one of the headstraps, wherein the connector element is formed in one piece with the stiffening support structure and includes a slot, and wherein the free end of the one of the headstraps is threaded through the slot. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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Specification