Mouthpiece

• US 9,802,021 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Inventors: Tebbutt, Adam Alexander, Neal, Blair Albert, Gradon, Lewis George, McAuley, Alastair Edwin, Haycock, Mark Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis, LaToya M
• Application Number:
  US14/834,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20150359984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/049 Mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0493 with means for protecting the tube from damage caused by the patient's teeth, e.g. bite block
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0495 with tongue depressors
• 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 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise

Abstract

A mouthpiece having a vestibular shield overlapping a user'"'"'s teeth and gums, a gases passageway extending through the vestibular shield allowing for the passage of the gases through the mouthpiece and an extra oral sealing member is associated with the gases passageway. The passageway in use causes gases to be diffused when exiting from the gases passageway. The mouthpiece may have a noseflap to seal the user'"'"'s nose or provide a passageway for the user'"'"'s nasal passages. The mouthpiece may have an adjustment arrangement to alter a distance between the vestibular shield and the extra-oral sealing member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying breathing gases from a gases supply to a user through a breathing circuit to provide an elevated internal pressure in the user'"'"'s airways, the apparatus comprising:

a first portion configured to contact the user at a first location, the first portion defining an opening that accommodates a flow of breathing gases;

a second portion configured to contact the user at a second location;

an adjustment mechanism that permits adjustment of the second portion relative to the first portion along an adjustment axis to a selected one of a plurality of discrete adjustment positions such that the apparatus can be adjusted to the user'"'"'s facial contours, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises;

an adjuster comprising a circular portion, a pair of cantilever extensions coupled to the circular portion, and a pair of adjustment protrusions extending in a radial direction relative to the circular portion, wherein the adjustment protrusions are diametrically opposed from one another;

a plurality of indentations that define the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is configured to engage a selected one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in the selected one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions, and wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is deflectable in the radial direction to permit the adjustment protrusions to be disengaged from the selected one of the plurality of indentations and moved to another one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in another one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

a pair of slots defined by one of the first portion and the second portion, each of the slots having a length that extends in a direction parallel to the adjustment axis and wherein the length terminates at a lengthwise end surface that defines a closed end of the slot, wherein the pair of slots are spaced apart in a circumferential direction and are more closely spaced in the circumferential direction than the pair of adjustment protrusions;

a pair of retention protrusions, wherein each of the pair of retention protrusions is received within a respective one of the pair of slots, wherein the retention protrusions contact the lengthwise end surface of a respective one of the pair of slots such that the lengthwise end surface blocks the protrusion from further movement to limit movement of the second portion relative to the first portion in the direction of the adjustment axis to maintain engagement of the first portion and the second portion;

an elbow connector configured to connect the breathing circuit to the apparatus, wherein the elbow connector comprises a swivel joint;

an outlet vent that permits expired gases from the patient to be expelled from the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are each constructed at least in part of a polycarbonate material.

3. An apparatus for supplying breathing gases from a gases supply to a user through a breathing circuit to provide an elevated internal pressure in the user'"'"'s airways, the apparatus comprising:

a first portion configured to contact the user at a first location, the first portion defining an opening that accommodates a flow of breathing gases;

a second portion configured to contact the user at a second location;

an adjustment mechanism that permits adjustment of the second portion relative to the first portion along an adjustment axis that extends in an anteroposterior direction relative to the user to a selected one of a plurality of discrete adjustment positions such that the apparatus can be adjusted to the user'"'"'s facial contours, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises;

an adjuster comprising a circular portion, a pair of cantilever extensions coupled to the circular portion, and a pair of adjustment protrusions spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction and each extending in a radial direction relative to the circular portion;

a plurality of indentations that define the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is configured to engage a selected one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in the selected one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions, and wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is deflectable in a radial direction to permit the adjustment protrusions to be disengaged from the selected one of the plurality of indentations and moved to another one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in another one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

a first retention protrusion and a second retention protrusion on one of the first portion and the second portion;

a first retention slot and a second retention slot on the other one of the first portion and the second portion, each of the first retention slot and the second retention slot having a length that extends in a direction parallel to the adjustment axis and terminates at a lengthwise end surface that defines a closed end of the slot;

wherein the first retention protrusion is received within and slides along the first retention slot and the second retention protrusion is received within and slides along the second retention slot during the movement of the second portion relative to the first portion, wherein the first retention protrusion and the second retention protrusion contact the lengthwise end surface of a respective one of the first retention slot and the second retention slot such that the lengthwise end surface blocks the respective first retention protrusion and the second retention protrusion from further movement to maintain engagement of the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the first retention protrusion and the second retention protrusion are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and are more closely spaced in the circumferential direction than the pair of adjustment protrusions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adjustment protrusions are diametrically opposed from one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises at least one alignment protrusion on one of the first portion and the second portion and at least one alignment slot on the other one of the first portion and the second portion, wherein the at least one alignment protrusion is received within and slides along the at least one alignment slot during the movement of the second portion relative to the first portion to maintain rotational alignment of the first portion and the second portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one alignment protrusion comprises a first alignment protrusion and a second alignment protrusion and wherein the at least one alignment slot comprises a first alignment slot and a second alignment slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an elbow connector configured to connect the breathing circuit to the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the elbow connector comprises a swivel joint.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an outlet vent that permits expired gases from the patient to be expelled from the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first portion and the second portion are each constructed at least in part of a polycarbonate material.

11. An apparatus for supplying breathing gases from a gases supply to a user through a breathing circuit to provide an elevated internal pressure in the user'"'"'s airways, the apparatus comprising:

a first portion configured to contact the user at a first location, the first portion defining an opening that accommodates a flow of breathing gases;

a second portion configured to contact the user at a second location;

an adjustment mechanism that permits adjustment of the second portion relative to the first portion along an adjustment axis to a selected one of a plurality of discrete adjustment positions such that the apparatus can be adjusted to the user'"'"'s facial contours, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises;

an adjuster comprising a circular portion defining a diameter, a first semicircular portion on a first side of the diameter and a second semicircular portion on a second side of the diameter, wherein the first semicircular portion and the second semicircular portion confront one another and cooperate to define the circular portion, a pair of cantilever extensions coupled to the circular portion, and a pair of adjustment protrusions extending in a radial direction relative to the circular portion;

a plurality of indentations that define the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is configured to engage a selected one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in the selected one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions, and wherein each of the pair of adjustment protrusions is deflectable in a radial direction to permit the adjustment protrusions to be disengaged from the selected one of the plurality of indentations and moved to another one of the plurality of indentations to secure the first portion and the second portion in another one of the plurality of discrete adjustment positions;

a first pair of radial protrusions spaced apart in a circumferential direction and located between the pair of adjustment protrusions within the first semicircular portion on the first side of the diameter of the circular portion; and

a second pair of radial protrusions spaced apart in the circumferential direction and located between the pair of adjustment protrusions within the second semicircular portion on the second side of the diameter of the circular portion opposite the first side, wherein each of the first and second pair of radial protrusions are more closely spaced in the circumferential direction than the pair of adjustment protrusions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first pair of radial protrusions and the second pair of radial protrusions are diametrically opposed from one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an elbow connector configured to connect the breathing circuit to the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the elbow connector comprises a swivel joint.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an outlet vent that permits expired gases from the patient to be expelled from the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first portion and the second portion are each constructed at least in part of a polycarbonate material.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circular portion of the adjuster further comprises a pair of elongated apertures extending in a direction parallel to the adjustment axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the elongated apertures are diametrically opposed from one another.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the elongated apertures are open at each end.