Forehead and nose bridge pad for CPAP interface

• US 8,235,045 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karen Leigh Moore
• Original Assignee: Karen Leigh Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Karen Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Skorupa, Valerie L
• Application Number:
  US12/288,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20090107507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.24, 128/206.21, 128/206.23, 128/206.25, 128/206.26, 128/207.11, 128/207.13, 128/207.17, 2/9, 217/3, 226/7, 226/8, 227/2, 241/1, 242/4, 246/0, 245/2, 244/6, 242/8, 241/4, 218/21, 218/22, 218/23, 218/1, 220/7, 602 41- 79
• US Class Current: 128/206.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

The invention is a method for padding CPAP face and full face masks forehead and nose bridge area to prevent skin irritation, discomfort, indentions, allergies and ulcers. The pad is attached to the forehead part of the CPAP face mask by way of pockets sewn into the body of the pad. The pad protects the forehead area of the wearer as well as the nose bridge by way of a flap of material that fits between the seal of the mask and the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area distributing the pressure from the mask seal.

Persons with sleep apnea rely on CPAP therapy to prevent the obstruction in order to continue to breathe while sleeping. The CPAP masks appear medical and strange, especially to a new user of the device. By making the CPAP mask more comfortable with soft padding and also preventing marks and sores, it is more likely that the person will continue their therapy and improve their health. The invention is designed to be colorful, soft and comforting to help people with sleep apnea continue to get the necessary therapy.

Claims

1. A padding for a CPAP interface to cover a forehead part on a CPAP mask, said padding comprising:

a forehead pad comprising;

an exterior fabric material comprising distal ends, a slit in each of said distal ends, long sides extending between said distal ends, with corner notches in said exterior fabric material to form end flaps and long flaps extending between said end flaps, wherein said end flaps are folded to form opposing pockets at said ends and an opening therebetween, and said long flaps are folded to overlap at least portions of said end flaps, and wherein said notches reduce bulk exterior fabric material where said flaps are folded, and further wherein said slits in said distal ends of said exterior fabric material extend along said folds of said end flaps, said slits allowing mask straps of the CPAP mask to pass therethrough, and further through said pockets secure the forehead pad to the CPAP mask, and

an interior padding layer, said flaps being folded around said interior padding layer so that said interior padding layer is within said exterior fabric material.

2. A padding for a CPAP interface to cover a forehead part on a CPAP mask, said padding comprising:

a forehead pad comprising;

an exterior fabric material comprising distal ends, long sides extending between said distal ends, with corner notches in said exterior fabric material to form end flaps and long flaps extending between said end flaps, wherein said end flaps are folded to form opposing pockets at said ends and an opening therebetween, and said long flaps are folded to overlap at least portions of said end flaps, and wherein said notches reduce bulk exterior fabric material where said flaps are folded, and

an interior padding layer, said flaps being folded around said interior padding layer so that said interior padding layer is within said exterior fabric material, and

a downwardly depending nose bridge protector flap formed of a fabric material attached to a lower edge of the forehead pad along a lower one of said long flaps and extending between said end flaps, said nose bridge protector flap being sized and configured to tuck into a mask seal of the CPAP mask for providing padding between the mask seal and a wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area to reduce the risk that bruising or ulcers will occur on the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area.

3. The padding of claim 2, wherein said exterior fabric material comprises a decorative soft outer surface.

4. The padding of claim 2, wherein edges of said end flaps and said long flaps are secured.

5. The padding of claim 2, wherein said nose bridge protector flap is attached to said forehead pad by stitching.

6. The padding of claim 2, wherein said nose bridge protector flap is of sufficient thickness and density to distribute pressure across the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area without compromising the seal against the wearer'"'"'s face.

7. The padding of claim 2, wherein said nose bridge protector comprises:

an upper end that tapers to a reduced width portion, and

an enlarged terminal end depending downwardly from said reduced width portion, wherein said enlarged terminal end tucks into the mask seal of the CPAP mask so as to be captured in the mask seal.

10. The padding of claim 2, wherein edges of said end flaps and said long flaps are secured.

8. A padding for a CPAP interface to cover a forehead part on a CPAP mask, said padding comprising:

a forehead pad comprising;

a forehead padding body formed from an exterior fabric material having a decorative side, said exterior fabric material having terminal ends that fold inwardly along folds and attach along edges to form pockets at distal ends of said forehead padding body and an opening therebetween to accommodate a forehead part of a CPAP mask, said exterior fabric material having slits cut along said folds to accommodate straps of the CPAP mask,

an interior padding layer within said pockets and extending therebetween, and

a nose bridge protector flap formed from a material having a decorative side, said nose bridge protector flap depending downwardly from said forehead padding, said nose bridge protector flap being sized and configured to tuck into a mask seal of the CPAP mask for providing padding between the mask seal and a wearer'"'"'s nose bridge to reduce the risk that bruising and ulcers will occur.

9. The padding of claim 8, wherein said exterior fabric material and said nose bridge protector flap material comprise a decorative soft outer surface.

11. The padding of claim 8, wherein said nose bridge protector flap is of sufficient thickness and density to distribute pressure across the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area without compromising the seal against the wearer'"'"'s face.

12. The padding of claim 8, wherein said nose bridge protector comprises:

an upper end that tapers to a reduced width portion, and

an enlarged terminal end depending downwardly from said reduced width portion, wherein said enlarged terminal end tucks into the mask seal of the CPAP mask so as to be captured in the mask seal.

13. A combination, comprising:

a CPAP facial mask having a seal and straps for holding the seal against a wearer'"'"'s face, the CPAP facial mask having a forehead part, and

a forehead pad covering said forehead part of said mask, said forehead pad comprising;

an exterior fabric material having distal ends, said exterior fabric material being folded along said distal ends and attach along edges to form pockets at said distal ends and an opening therebetween for attachment to said forehead part of said mask, said exterior fabric material further having slits in said distal ends where said exterior fabric material is folded, said straps of said mask extending through said slits, and

a padding layer, said folded exterior fabric material being folded around said padding layer so that said padding layer is within said exterior fabric material.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein said exterior fabric material comprises a decorative soft outer surface.

15. The combination of claim 13, further comprising:

a downwardly depending nose bridge protector flap formed of a fabric material attached to a lower edge of the forehead pad along and extending between said pockets, said nose bridge protector flap being sized and configured to tuck into a mask seal of the CPAP mask for providing padding between the mask seal and a wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area to reduce the risk that bruising or ulcers will occur on the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein said nose bridge protector flap is secured to said forehead pad.

17. The combination of claim 15, wherein said nose bridge protector flap is of sufficient thickness and density to distribute pressure across the wearer'"'"'s nose bridge area without compromising the seal against the wearer'"'"'s face.

18. The combination of claim 15, wherein said nose bridge protector comprises:

an upper end that tapers to a reduced width portion, and

an enlarged terminal end depending downwardly from said reduced width portion, wherein said enlarged terminal end tucks into the mask seal of the CPAP mask so as to be captured in the mask seal.