MASK AND VENT ASSEMBLY THEREFOR

• US 20130152369A1
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kwok, Philip Rodney, Lithgow, Perry David
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/451
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/02 Masks gas-masks for animals A62B18/06; masks for welders A61F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/10 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/02 by first expanding and then shrinking or vice versa, e.g. by using pressure fluids; by making force fits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket

Abstract

A method for attaching a removable, washout vent insert to a CPAP mask, the CPAP mask comprised of a rigid plastics shell having an inlet tube, the rigid plastics shell having an opening bounded by a rim, the vent insert being made of a material more flexible than the rigid plastic shell, the vent insert having a plurality of orifices, the vent insert, in a cross-sectional view, having a recess located at its periphery, includes: squeezing the vent insert along its longitudinal axis; aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening; inserting the vent insert into the opening; and releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening, the vent insert resiliently expanding to engage the rim of the opening.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method for attaching a removable, washout vent insert to a CPAP mask, the CPAP mask comprised of a rigid plastics shell having an inlet tube, the rigid plastics shell having an opening bounded by a rim, the vent insert being made of a material more flexible than the rigid plastic shell, the vent insert having a plurality of orifices, the vent insert, in a cross-sectional view, having a recess located at its periphery, the method comprising:

squeezing the vent insert along its longitudinal axis;

aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening;

inserting the vent insert into the opening;

releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening, the vent insert resiliently expanding to engage the rim of the opening.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each orifice in the vent insert is larger on an inside of the mask than on an outside of the mask.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an inner side of the vent insert is larger than a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an outer side of the vent insert.

22. A method for attaching a washout vent insert to a CPAP mask, the CPAP mask comprised of a rigid plastics shell having an inlet tube, the CPAP mask having an opening bounded by a rim, the vent insert comprising a material more flexible than the rigid plastic shell, the vent insert having a plurality of orifices, the vent insert having a recess located at its periphery, the method comprising:

squeezing the vent insert;

aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening;

inserting at least a portion of the vent insert into the opening;

releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening, the vent insert resiliently expanding to engage the rim of the opening.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each orifice in the vent insert is larger on an inside of the mask than on an outside of the mask.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an inner side of the vent insert is larger than a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an outer side of the vent insert.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein squeezing the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert about an axis that is substantially transverse to its longitudinal axis.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the vent insert resilient expands from a squeezed position to engage the rim of the opening.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein a lower edge of the vent insert is squeezed into the opening, with an upper edge of the vent insert on top of the opening, and part of the rim is received in the recess between the upper and lower edges.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the vent insert includes an elongated, non-round shape.

29. The method of claim 22,

wherein a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an inner side of the vent insert is larger than a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an outer side of the vent insert, wherein squeezing the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert about an axis that is substantially transverse to its longitudinal axis,

wherein the vent insert resilient expands from a squeezed position to engage the rim of the opening,

wherein a lower edge of the vent insert is squeezed into the opening, with an upper edge of the vent insert on top of the opening, and part of the rim is received in the recess between the upper and lower edges, and

wherein the vent insert includes an elongated, non-round shape.

30. A method for attaching a washout vent insert to a CPAP mask, the CPAP mask comprised of a shell having an inlet tube, the shell having an opening bounded by a rim, the vent insert constructed and arranged to be flexible, the vent insert having a plurality of orifices, the vent insert, in a cross-sectional view, having a recess located at its periphery, the method comprising:

squeezing the vent insert;

aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening;

inserting at least a portion of the vent insert into the opening;

releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening, the vent insert resiliently expanding to engage the rim of the opening.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the shell is formed from a relatively more rigid material and a region surrounding or adjacent the plurality of orifices is formed from a relatively more flexible material compared to the relatively more rigid material.

32. A method for attaching a washout vent insert to a CPAP mask, the CPAP mask is comprised of a main body having a rigid plastics shell having an inlet tube, the main body having an opening bounded by a rim, the vent insert having a plurality of orifices, the vent insert having a recess located at its periphery, the method comprising:

temporarily flexing or deforming the vent insert to allow an edge of the rim to enter the recess; and

releasing the vent insert to allow the vent insert to return to an unflexed or undeformed position thereby securing the vent insert relative to the rim.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein temporarily flexing or deforming the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein squeezing the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert about an axis that is substantially transverse to its longitudinal axis.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein releasing the vent insert includes releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening to allow the vent insert to return to its unflexed or undeformed position, thereby securing the vent insert to the main body due to engagement between the rim and the recess.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein each orifice in the vent insert is larger on an inside of the mask than on an outside of the mask.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an inner side of the vent insert is larger than a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an outer side of the vent insert.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein a lower edge of the vent insert is squeezed into the opening, with an upper edge of the vent insert on top of the opening, and part of the rim is received in the recess between the upper and lower edges.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the vent insert includes an elongated, non-round shape.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein temporarily flexing or deforming the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert,

wherein squeezing the vent insert includes squeezing the vent insert about an axis that is substantially transverse to its longitudinal axis, further comprising aligning the vent insert so it is oriented to match the shape of the opening,

wherein releasing the vent insert includes releasing the vent insert once it is within the opening to allow the vent insert to return to its unflexed or undeformed position, thereby securing the vent insert to the main body due to engagement between the rim and the recess,

wherein a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an inner side of the vent insert is larger than a cross-sectional area of each orifice at an outer side of the vent insert,

wherein a lower edge of the vent insert is squeezed into the opening, with an upper edge of the vent insert on top of the opening, and part of the rim is received in the recess between the upper and lower edges, and

wherein the vent insert includes an elongated, non-round shape.