Mask with anti-asphyxia valve

• US 20060076017A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smart, Gregory S., Lithgow, Perry D., Gunaratnam, Michael K., Crumblin, Geoffrey, Kwok, Philip R., Walker, Adrienne Mary Claire
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/205.240
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• 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 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7771 Bi-directional flow valves

Abstract

An anti-asphyxia valve includes at least one flap having a first portion adapted for mounting to the housing and a second portion adapted to flex between a first open position allowing gas to pass from the patient side to the housing interior through the at least one port, and from the blower side through the at least one port, to atmosphere when a difference in gas pressure in the housing interior and atmosphere is below a predetermined operating threshold, and a second forcibly closed position substantially occluding the at least one port when the difference in gas pressure between the housing interior and atmosphere is substantially equal to or above the operating threshold.

Claims

1. A full face mask for a patient comprising:

a frame defining a breathing chamber;

an elbow coupled to the frame, said elbow including a housing having an interior defining a blower side and a patient side, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere; and

an anti-asphyxia valve including at least one flap having a first portion adapted for mounting to the housing and a second portion adapted to flex between a first open position allowing gas to pass from the patient side to the housing interior through the at least one port, and from the blower side through the at least one port, to atmosphere when a difference in gas pressure in the housing interior and atmosphere is below a predetermined operating threshold, and a second forcibly closed position substantially occluding the at least one port when the difference in gas pressure between the housing interior and atmosphere is substantially equal to or above the operating threshold.

2. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion completely occludes the at least one port in the closed position.

3. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a gas inlet in the form of a first substantially frusto-conical portion adapted to frictionally engage a flexible conduit in fluid communication with the structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient and a gas outlet in the form of a second substantially frusto-conical portion adapted to engage a mask or a flexible or rigid conduit in fluid communication with the mask.

4. The mask as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frusto-conical portions taper from a smaller distal end to a larger proximal end relative to the housing of the inlet valve.

5. The mask as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the gas inlet or gas outlet includes a snap-engageable swivel portion adapted to engage the mask or flexible conduit.

6. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is comprised of two housing parts which are releasably engageable with one another.

7. The mask as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing parts engage by way of bayonet style fittings.

8. The mask as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inlet and outlet are respectively provided on one of the two housing parts.

9. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is of unitary construction.

10. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of ports spaced about the periphery thereof and the second portion of the flap includes a like plurality of flaps.

11. The mask as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing includes three pairs of ports and the second portion of the flap includes three flaps each adapted to close adjacent pairs of the ports.

12. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the flap is a single flap which is adapted to occlude each said at least one port in the second position.

13. The mask as claimed in claim 12, wherein the single flap includes at least one of perforations, ribs, pleats and folds.

14. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are integrally formed.

15. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are initially formed from separate components that are later attached to each other.

16. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a rim adapted to assist in mounting the flap to the housing.

17. The mask as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rim is an external rim of rectangular cross-section which is adapted to engage an internal recess of substantially similar cross-section in the housing.

18. The mask as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first portion includes a substantially cylindrical portion between the rim and the second portion.

19. The mask as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of the rim and the substantially cylindrical portion is tapered.

20. The mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the flap preferably terminates in an internal orifice.

21. The mask as claimed in claim 20, wherein the orifice includes a one-way valve adapted to only allow gas flow through the orifice in a direction towards the patient.

22. A full face mask for a patient comprising:

a frame defining a breathing chamber;

an elbow coupled to the frame, said elbow including a housing having an interior defining a blower side and a patient side, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere; and

an anti-asphyxia valve,

wherein the flap is substantially round in cross-section.

23. The mask as claimed in claim 22, wherein the housing is manufactured from plastics material.

24. The mask as claimed in claim 23, wherein the plastics material is polycarbonate.

25. The mask as claimed in claim 22, wherein the flap is manufactured from a flexible elastomeric material.

26. The mask as claimed in claim 25, wherein the elastomeric material is silicone rubber.

27. The mask as claimed in claim 22, wherein the operating threshold is about 2 cm H₂O.

28. The mask as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first portion of the at least one flap is fixed relative to the housing in the first open position and the second forcibly closed position.

29. A full face mask for a patient comprising:

a frame defining a breathing chamber;

an elbow coupled to the frame, said elbow including a housing having an interior defining a blower side and a patient side, at least one port to provide fluid communication between the housing interior and atmosphere; and

an anti-asphyxia valve having a substantially conic section.

30. The mask as claimed in claim 29, wherein the valve has at least one flap adapted to evert between a first position to open the port and a second forcibly closed position to close the port.