Patent Application
20130008449
The present invention relates to patient interface devices for transporting a gas to and/or from an airway of a user, and in particular, to a flexible attachment element for coupling a headgear to a mask of a patient interface device that provides for adjustment in multiple planes.
There are numerous situations where it is necessary or desirable to deliver a flow of breathing gas non-invasively to the airway of a patient, i.e., without intubating the patient or surgically inserting a tracheal tube in their esophagus. For example, it is known to ventilate a patient using a technique known as non-invasive ventilation. It is also known to deliver continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or variable airway pressure, which varies with the patient's respiratory cycle, to treat a medical disorder, such as sleep apnea syndrome, in particular, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or congestive heart failure.
Non-invasive ventilation and pressure support therapies involve the placement of a patient interface device including a mask component on the face of a patient. The mask component may be, without limitation, a nasal mask that covers the patient's nose, a nasal pillow/cushion having nasal prongs that are received within the patient's nares, a nasal/oral mask that covers the nose and mouth, or a full face mask that covers the patient's face. The patient interface device interfaces the ventilator or pressure support device with the airway of the patient, so that a flow of breathing gas can be delivered from the pressure/flow generating device to the airway of the patient. Furthermore, it is known to maintain such devices on the face of a patient by a headgear having one or more straps adapted to fit over/around the patient's head.
A number of smaller, “low profile” masks have been developed and commercially released within the past few years. For many such “low profile” masks, the headgear force vectors necessary to achieve a robust and stable seal against the face of the patient cut a straight line near the corners of a patient's eyes, which can be uncomfortable and distracting. In order to avoid this, many manufacturers incorporate non-adjustable stiffeners into the headgear, allowing for a “dog leg” shape to achieve the necessary force vector while also avoiding the eyes. However, because the human face is so varied in size and shape, such stiffeners often do not provide an optimum fit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a patient interface device that overcomes the shortcomings of conventional such devices. This object is achieved according to one embodiment of the present invention by providing a patient interface device that includes a mask and a headgear component for attaching the patient interface device to the head of a patient. The headgear component includes a strap and an attachment element provided between the mask and the strap. The attachment element has a mask attachment portion coupled to the mask, a strap attachment portion coupled to the strap, and a flexible linkage portion provided between the mask attachment portion and the strap attachment portion. The flexible linkage portion is more flexible than both the mask attachment portion and the strap attachment portion to enable the mask attachment element to flex, bend, and/or twist along multiple axes to conform to particular facial contours of the patient.
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
As used herein, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the statement that two or more parts or components are “coupled” shall mean that the parts are joined or operate together either directly or indirectly, i.e., through one or more intermediate parts or components, so long as a link occurs. As used herein, “directly coupled” means that two elements are directly in contact with each other. As used herein, “fixedly coupled” or “fixed” means that two components are coupled so as to move as one while maintaining a constant orientation relative to each other.
As used herein, the word “unitary” means a component is created as a single piece or unit. That is, a component that includes pieces that are created separately and then coupled together as a unit is not a “unitary” component or body. As employed herein, the statement that two or more parts or components “engage” one another shall mean that the parts exert a force against one another either directly or through one or more intermediate parts or components. As employed herein, the term “number” shall mean one or an integer greater than one (i.e., a plurality).
Directional phrases used herein, such as, for example and without limitation, top, bottom, left, right, upper, lower, front, back, and derivatives thereof, relate to the orientation of the elements shown in the drawings and are not limiting upon the claims unless expressly recited therein.
System 2 adapted to provide a regimen of respiratory therapy to a patient according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is generally shown in
Patient interface device 10 includes a mask 12, which in the exemplary embodiment is nasal mask. However, any type of mask, such as a nasal/oral mask, a nasal pillow/cushion or a full face mask, which facilitates the delivery of the flow of breathing gas to the airway of a patient, may be used as mask 12 while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Mask 12 includes a cushion 14 coupled to a shell 16. Cushion 14 is made of a soft, flexible material, such as, without limitation, silicone, an appropriately soft thermoplastic elastomer, a closed cell foam, or any combination of such materials. In addition, shell 16 is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as, without limitation, polycarbonate or reinforced silicone. An opening in shell 16, to which elbow connector 8 is coupled, allows the flow of breathing gas from pressure generating device 4 to be communicated to an interior space defined by shell 16 and cushion 14, and then to the airway of a patient.
Patient interface device 10 also includes a headgear component 18, which in the illustrated embodiment is a two-point headgear. Headgear component 18 includes a first and a second strap 20, each of which is structured to be positioned on the side of the face of the patient above the patient's ear (only the left side strap 20 is shown). Headgear component 18 further includes a first and a second mask attachment element 22 (one on each side the head of the patient; only the left side mask attachment element 22 is shown). As described in greater detail herein, and as shown in
Mask attachment portion 24 includes a hooked portion 30 at a first end thereof that is structured to be releasably engaged to a post 32 that is provided as part of each side of shell 16 of mask 12. Because hooked portion 30 is releasably engaged to a post 32, it provides for a quick release mechanism for headgear component 18. The present invention also contemplates providing other structures and/or elements for coupling mask attachment portion 24 to patient interface device 10. For example, a hook can be provided at strap attachment portion 26 or a component of ball-and-socket coupling can be provided at strap attachment portion. The present invention also contemplates that mask attachment portion 24 and patient interface device 10 can be formed as a unitary structure.
Strap attachment portion 26 is also made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as, without limitation, the rigid or semi-rigid materials described above, and includes slotted or looped portion 34 at a first end thereof that is structured to receive the end of a strap 20. The present invention contemplates providing other structures and/or elements for coupling a headgear strap 20 to strap attachment portion 26. For example, a hook can be provided at strap attachment portion 26 or a component of ball-and-socket coupling can be provided at strap attachment portion 26. The present invention also contemplates that strap attachment portion 26 and the associated headgear strap can be formed as a unitary structure.
Flexible linkage portion 28 is made of a material that is softer and more flexible than both mask attachment portion 24 and strap attachment portion 26. In the illustrated embodiment, flexible linkage portion 28 may be made a material such as, without limitation, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), silicone, rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane (TPU), structural foam, or vinyl (PVC), and may be mechanically bonded to (e.g., by a strong friction fit or an adhesive) or overmolded onto the second ends of mask attachment portion 24 and strap attachment portion 26. When patient interface device 10 is donned by the patient, mask attachment element 22 is structured to fit under the cheekbone of the patient and flexible linkage portion 28 is able to flex, bend and/or twist along multiple axes to conform to the particular facial contours of the patient to provide an optimal fit. In addition, as seen in
As seen in
In addition, mask attachment portion 42 includes a hooked portion 48 at a first end thereof that is structured to be releasably engaged to a post 32 that is provided as part of each side of shell 16 of mask 12. Strap attachment portion 44 includes a slotted/looped portion 50 at a first end thereof that is structured to receive the end of a strap 20. Thus, when patient interface device 10 having mask attachment element 40 is donned by the patient, mask attachment element 40 is structured to fit under the cheekbone of the patient and flexible linkage portion 46 is able to flex, bend and/or twist along multiple axes to conform to the particular facial contours of the patient to provide an optimal fit.
Both mask attachment element 22 and mask attachment element 40 are passive designs wherein each will return to substantially its original shape when forces applied thereto to cause it to flex, bend or twist are removed.
Flexible linkage portion 66 is made of a material that is softer and more flexible than both mask attachment portion 62 and strap attachment portion 64. In the illustrated embodiment, flexible linkage portion 66 may be made a material such as, without limitation, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), silicone, rubber, silicone rubber, polyurethane (TPU), structural foam, or vinyl (PVC), and may be mechanically bonded to (e.g., by a strong friction fit or an adhesive) or overmolded onto the second ends of mask attachment portion 62 and strap attachment portion 64. In addition, as shown in
Pliable insert 72 may be made of a common pliable metal or metallic compound, such as aluminum, copper, etc, a shape memory alloy (also referred to as SMA, smart metal, memory metal, memory alloy, muscle wire, smart alloy), which is an alloy that “remembers” its original, cold, forged shape, and which returns to that shape after being deformed by applying heat, a shape memory polymer, which has similar characteristics to a shape memory alloy, or an intermetallic compound, such as, without limitation, YAg, YCu, DyCu, CeAg, HoCu, NiTi, CuAlNi, or CuZnAlNi. When patient interface device 10 including mask attachment element 60 is donned by the patient, mask attachment element 60 is structured to fit under the cheekbone of the patient and flexible linkage portion 66 is able to flex, bend and/or twist along multiple axes to conform to the particular facial contours of the patient to provide an optimal fit. In addition, flexible linkage portion 66 will hold and maintain the resulting shape after the forces are removed.
As seen in
In the illustrated embodiment, pliable insert 92 is mechanically coupled to flexible linkage portion 86 by being received and held in pockets 94 and 96 provided on the surface thereof. Other mechanical coupling arrangements are also possible. Alternatively, pliable insert 92 may be provided within flexible linkage portion 86 by, for example, an overmolding process. When patient interface device 10 including mask attachment element 80 is donned by the patient, mask attachment element 80 is structured to fit under the cheekbone of the patient and flexible linkage portion 86 is able to flex, bend and/or twist along multiple axes to conform to the particular facial contours of the patient to provide an optimal fit. In addition, flexible linkage portion 86 will hold and maintain the resulting shape after the forces are removed.
It can thus be appreciated that the present invention provides a device that enables a headgear to provide a robust and stable seal against the face of the patient without interfering with the patient's eyes for a number of different facial sizes and shapes.
In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word “comprising” or “including” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In any device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain elements are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that these elements cannot be used in combination.
Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.
This patent application claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/319,986 filed on Apr. 1, 2010, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB11/50932 | 3/4/2011 | WO | 00 | 9/28/2012 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61319986 | Apr 2010 | US |
