Cushion for patient interface

• US 8,613,280 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davidson, Aaron Samuel, Hitchcock, Robin Garth, Eves, Matthew, Worboys, David John, Lynch, Susan Robyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louis, LaToya M
• Application Number:
  US13/676,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.25, 12820621-20626, 128/206.28, 128/207.13
• US Class Current: 128/206.24
• 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: A62B 18/08 Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A cushion for a patient interface that delivers breathable gas to a patient includes a base wall structured to be connected to a frame, an underlying support cushion extending away from the base wall towards the patient'"'"'s face in use, and a membrane provided to substantially cover at least a portion of the underlying cushion. The membrane is adapted to form a continuous seal on the patient'"'"'s face. The underlying cushion has a spring-like connection with the base wall. The underlying cushion and/or base wall define a spring constant that varies along a length of the seal.

Claims

1. A cushion for a patient interface that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion including nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions, the cushion defining, at least in part, a breathing cavity, the cushion comprising:

a face-contacting membrane including nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions forming a continuous sealing structure to form a continuous seal on nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions of the patient'"'"'s face, the membrane having an inner edge that defines a triangular-shaped aperture; and

a support structure to support the face-contacting membrane, the support structure including;

a base wall; and

an underlying cushion connected to the base wall, the underlying cushion, in a cross-sectional view, extending from the base wall and toward the breathing cavity to provide support for the face-contacting membrane, the underlying cushion including side of nose, upper cheek and lower cheek regions, such that the underlying cushion and the face-contacting membrane form at least a double-walled construction at least in the side of nose, upper cheek and lower cheek regions of the cushion, said at least double-walled construction being configured such that the underlying cushion is positioned to restrain movement of the face-contacting membrane,

wherein, in a cross-sectional view, a widest point of the cushion is an external surface of the underlying cushion or face-contacting membrane, and the base wall is internally offset, with respect to the widest point of the cushion,

wherein the cushion has only a single-walled construction formed by the face-contacting membrane in a majority of the chin region so as to allow the face-contacting membrane to readily flex in the chin region of the cushion without restraint due to the underlying cushion.

2. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein a first cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion in the nasal bridge region of the cushion is different than a second cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion in the lower cheek regions of the cushion.

3. The cushion according to claim 2, wherein the underlying cushion includes a nasal bridge region such that the underlying cushion is continuous at least along the upper cheek, side of nose and nasal bridge regions of the underlying cushion.

4. The cushion according to claim 3, wherein the first cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion and the second cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion vary by varying an underlying cushion offset relative to the base wall.

5. The cushion according to claim 4, wherein the face-contacting membrane, in the nasal bridge region, includes a contoured portion that curves inwardly and terminates at the inner edge of the face-contacting membrane, the contoured portion being configured to follow a contour or curvature of the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region.

6. The cushion according to claim 5, wherein the face-contacting membrane, in the nasal bridge region, includes sloping side portions, the sloping side portions being configured to move when the face-contacting membrane is engaged with the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region so as to conform to the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region.

7. The cushion according to claim 6, wherein the face-contacting membrane in the nasal bridge region of the cushion has a height that is greater than a height of the face-contacting membrane in the side of the nose region and/or the upper cheek region of the cushion.

8. The cushion according to claim 6, wherein:

the underlying cushion is movable when the cushion is worn and a force is exerted on the cushion,

the underlying cushion is movable from an initial position towards a space exterior of the cushion when the force is applied, and

the underlying cushion is adapted to resiliently move back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion.

9. The cushion according to claim 8, wherein the cushion is adapted to exert a spring force when the force is exerted on the cushion such that the underlying cushion resiliently moves back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion.

10. The cushion according to claim 9, wherein the first and second cross-sectional configurations of the base wall and the underlying cushion vary so as to provide a spring constant in the nasal bridge of the cushion that is different than a spring constant in the lower cheek regions of the cushion.

11. The cushion according to claim 1, wherein the face-contacting membrane in the nasal bridge region of the cushion has a height that is greater than a height of the face-contacting membrane in the side of nose region of the cushion.

12. A cushion for a patient interface that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion including nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions, the cushion defining, at least in part, a breathing cavity, the cushion comprising:

a face-contacting membrane including nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions forming a continuous sealing structure to form a continuous seal on nasal bridge, side of nose, upper cheek, lower cheek and chin regions of the patient'"'"'s face, the membrane having an inner edge that defines a triangular-shaped aperture; and

a support structure to support the face-contacting membrane, the support structure including;

a base wall; and

an underlying cushion connected to the base wall, the underlying cushion, in a cross-sectional view, extending from the base wall and toward the breathing cavity to provide support for the face-contacting membrane, the underlying cushion including side of nose, upper cheek and lower cheek regions, such that the underlying cushion and the face-contacting membrane form at least a double-walled construction at least in the side of nose, upper cheek and lower cheek regions of the cushion, said at least double-walled construction being configured such that the underlying cushion is positioned to restrain movement of the face-contacting membrane,

wherein, in a cross-sectional view, a widest point of the cushion is an external surface of the underlying cushion or face-contacting membrane, and the base wall is internally offset, with respect to the widest point of the cushion,

wherein;

the underlying cushion includes an inwardly curved portion that extends into and curves inwardly toward the breathing cavity in a spaced-relationship with respect to the face-contacting membrane,

the face-contacting membrane, from front view, covers the inwardly curved portion of the underlying cushion,

the inwardly curved portion of the underlying cushion terminates at a free end of the underlying cushion, the free end of the underlying cushion being disposed within the breathing cavity, and

the inwardly curved portion of the underlying cushion extends along the side of nose, upper cheek and lower cheek regions of the underlying cushion and terminates such that the inwardly curved portion of the underlying cushion is absent in a majority of the chin region of the cushion so as to allow the chin region of the face-contacting membrane to flex toward the breathing cavity in the chin region of the cushion.

13. The cushion according to claim 12, wherein the inwardly curved portion of the underlying cushion terminates at a transition portion spanning the chin region and the lower cheek region of the cushion.

14. The cushion according to claim 13, wherein the transition portion is in the lower cheek region of the cushion.

15. The cushion according to claim 13, wherein the transition portion is in the chin region of the cushion.

16. The cushion according to claim 12, wherein a first cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion in the nasal bridge region of the cushion and a second cross-sectional configuration of the base wall and the underlying cushion in the lower cheek regions of the cushion vary from one another by varying an underlying cushion offset.

17. The cushion according to claim 16, wherein:

the underlying cushion is movable when the cushion is worn and a force is exerted on the cushion,

the underlying cushion is movable from an initial position towards a space exterior of the cushion when the force is applied, and

the underlying cushion is adapted to resiliently move back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion, and

wherein the cushion is adapted to exert a spring force when the force is exerted on the cushion such that the underlying cushion resiliently moves back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion.

18. A full-face cushion for a patient interface that delivers breathable gas to a patient, the cushion including a nasal bridge region, a pair of side of nose regions, a pair of upper cheek regions, a pair of lower cheek regions and a chin region, the cushion defining, at least in part, a breathing cavity, the full-face cushion comprising:

a continuous face-contacting membrane having an inner edge defining an aperture adapted to receive a patient'"'"'s nose and mouth, said face-contacting membrane having a nasal bridge region, a pair of side of nose regions, a pair of upper cheek regions, a pair of lower cheek regions and a chin region which together form a continuous sealing structure; and

a support structure for the face-contacting membrane, comprising;

a continuous side wall having, in a cross-sectional view, a top portion and a bottom portion; and

a pair of underlying cushions joined in the nasal bridge region of the cushion and extending from the top portion of the side wall, each of said underlying cushions terminating at a free end to provide support for the face-contacting membrane in the nasal bridge region, side of nose regions, upper cheek regions and lower cheek regions of the cushion, the pair of underlying cushions extending, in a cross-sectional view, away from the side wall and toward the breathing cavity such that at least the free ends of the pair of underlying cushions are disposed within the breathing cavity,

wherein the face-contacting membrane extends, in a cross-sectional view, from the top portion of the side wall to the inner edge of the face-contacting membrane in a spaced-relationship with the pair of underlying cushions to, from front view, cover the pair of underlying cushions,

wherein, in a cross-sectional view, a widest point of the cushion is an external surface of the support structure or face-contacting membrane, and the bottom portion of the side wall is continuously and inwardly offset with respect to the external surface,

wherein the height difference between an apex of the face-contacting membrane and an apex of the pair of underlying cushions is greatest in the nasal bridge region of the cushion, and

wherein the pair of underlying cushions is absent in a majority of the chin region of the cushion such that a portion of the face-contacting membrane is unrestrained by the pair of underlying cushions in at least a portion of the chin region so as to allow the face-contacting membrane to readily flex toward the breathing cavity in the at least a portion of the chin region.

19. The cushion according to claim 18, wherein a first cross-sectional configuration of the side wall and the pair of underlying cushions in the nasal bridge region of the cushion is different than a second cross-sectional configuration of the side wall and the pair of underlying cushions in the lower cheek regions of the cushion.

20. The cushion according to claim 19, wherein the first cross-sectional configuration of the side wall and the pair of underlying cushions and the second cross-sectional configuration of the side wall and the pair of underlying cushions vary by varying an underlying cushion offset.

21. The cushion according to claim 20, wherein the face-contacting membrane and the pair of underlying cushions form at least a double-walled construction at least in the nasal bridge region, side of nose regions and upper cheek regions of the cushion.

22. The cushion according to claim 21, wherein the face-contacting membrane, in the nasal bridge region, includes a contoured portion that curves inwardly and terminates at the inner edge of the face-contacting membrane, the contoured portion being configured to follow a contour or curvature of the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region.

23. The cushion according to claim 22, wherein the face-contacting membrane, in the nasal bridge region, includes sloping side portions, the sloping side portions being configured to move when the face-contacting membrane is engaged with the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region so as to conform to the patient'"'"'s nasal bridge region.

24. The cushion according to claim 23, wherein:

the side wall extends laterally beyond a first exterior portion of the cushion,

the side wall is movable when the cushion is worn and a force is exerted on the cushion,

the side wall is movable from an initial position towards a space exterior of the cushion when the force is applied, and

the side wall is adapted to resiliently move back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion.

25. The cushion according to claim 24, wherein at least a portion of the side wall includes a spring configuration that, at least in part, defines displacement of the cushion with respect to the force exerted on the cushion.

26. The cushion according to claim 25, wherein the cushion is adapted to exert a spring force when the force is exerted on the cushion such that the side wall is adapted to resiliently move back into the initial position when the force is no longer exerted on the cushion.

27. The cushion according to claim 26, wherein the first and second cross-sectional configurations of the side wall and the pair of underlying cushions vary so as to provide a spring constant in the nasal bridge region of the cushion that is different than a spring constant in the lower cheek regions of the cushion.

28. The cushion according to claim 27, wherein the face-contacting membrane, in the nasal bridge region, has a substantially flat portion in elevation view.

29. The cushion according to claim 18, wherein the face-contacting membrane and the pair of underlying cushions form at least a double-walled construction at least in the nasal bridge region, side of nose regions and upper cheek regions of the cushion such that the pair of underlying cushions is positioned to restrain movement of the face-contacting membrane.

30. The cushion according to claim 18, wherein each of said underlying cushions is continuous along a respective upper cheek region and a respective lower cheek region of the cushion, and each of said underlying cushions terminates proximate a transition between the chin region and the respective lower cheek region of the cushion.