The present invention relates to a nasal assembly used for treatment, e.g., of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV).
Some nasal assemblies used in the treatment of SDB are designed for insertion into the nasal passages of the patient. Air or other breathable gas is supplied by a blower and passed along a flexible conduit to the nasal assembly.
The nasal assembly generally includes a relatively rigid shell, e.g., a frame, and a pair of nozzles (which may be in the form of nasal pillows, nasal prongs, cannula, or nasal puffs) that are mounted on the rigid shell and structured to be inserted into the nasal passages of the patient. The nozzles are usually held in place using a headgear assembly, the relatively rigid shell and headgear assembly being joined using some form of connector.
One form of known nasal assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,832 (Trimble et al.). Trimble discloses a nasal puff assembly 20 that includes a nasal puff 22 adapted to be worn adjacent the nose of a patient, together with a harness assembly 24 adapted to be worn over the head of the patient. The harness assembly 24 is designed to operatively hold puff 22 adjacent and partially within the nasal passages of the patient.
The puff 22 is in the form of a generally Y-shaped rigid hollow plenum chamber 28 together with a pair of laterally spaced apart nares elements 30. Adjustability of the nares elements 30 may be provided by rotatably mounting the elements 30 to the plenum chamber 28 and mounting the elements 30 in slots permitting selective lateral positioning of the elements 30 with respect to each other. Also, the harness assembly 24 may be adjusted to adjust the fit and seal of the nares elements 30 during use. That is, the force required to maintain a sufficient seal is directly associated with the force required to maintain a desired fit. Thus, adjustment of the fit or stability of the nasal assembly directly affects the seal, which can adversely affect patient comfort.
Other examples of nasal pillows or cannula mounted to rigid shells are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,724,965 and 6,431,172.
A nasal mask assembly manufactured by Viasys, i.e., Spiritus, includes a plenum chamber with a pair of adjacent or laterally spaced nares elements. A harness assembly is engaged with the plenum chamber to adjust the fit and seal of the nares elements during use. Similar to Trimble, adjustment of the fit or stability of the nasal assembly directly affects the seal, which can adversely affect patient comfort.
A nasal mask assembly manufactured by InnoMed, i.e., Nasal Aire, includes a plenum chamber with a pair of adjacent or laterally spaced nares elements. The nares elements are structured to engage within the mucosal surfaces or internal passages of the patient's nose to maintain the nasal mask assembly on the patient's face and to provide a seal. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,506.
A nasal mask assembly manufactured by Stevenson Industries (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,455), i.e., CPAP-Pro, includes a dental anchor, a platform, and air supply tubes having nasal pads, wherein the platform supports the air supply tubes. The dental anchor is sized to be engaged between the teeth in the patient's mouth so as to retain the assembly in place.
PCT Application Publication No. WO 00/13751 discloses a device that includes gas delivery elements positioned into engagement with the patient's nose by a mouthpiece fitted to the patient's teeth.
A common problem with known nasal assemblies, such as those discussed above, is patient comfort. For example, the prongs tend to irritate the patient's nose due to the tension applied by the headgear assembly that pulls the rigid shell and prongs towards the patient's nose.
Another problem is achievement of a sealing fit with the patient's nasal passages without sacrificing patient comfort.
Another problem is irritation of the inside of the patient's nostrils caused by contact with the prongs, e.g., an edge thereof.
Another problem is irritation of the inside of the patient's nostrils caused by air jetting (air flow irritation) from the prongs.
Another problem is adjustment of the nasal assemblies relative to the nose and/or head of the patient so as to accommodate various shapes and angles of patient's noses.
Still another problem is the direct association between sealing and stability forces that can affect patient comfort.
One aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that provides more comfort to the patient.
Another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that provides an effective seal with the patient's nasal passages. Preferably, the nasal assembly is a nozzle assembly including nozzles which comfortably come into contact with the external rim of the nares and avoid the sensitive internal passages (e.g., mucosal surfaces or internal passages) of the nasal passage.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that does not rely on tension from the headgear assembly to provide an effective seal between the nozzles and the patient's nasal passages.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that is unobtrusive.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that is easy to use.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that maintains a headgear adjustment setting.
Another aspect is to provide a vent having a profile that is configured to provide improved performance.
Still another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that helps decouple sealing and stability forces. Specifically, one aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that is structured such that the stability forces that act to maintain the nasal assembly on the patient's face are separated or at least better distinguished from the sealing forces that act to maintain a seal between the nasal assembly and the patient's face.
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed towards a nasal assembly that provides a greater range of movement for nozzles of the nasal assembly.
Another aspect of the invention provides a nasal assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient. The nasal assembly includes a frame having a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body, each side frame member including an integrally formed first connector portion. A nozzle assembly includes a gusset or base portion and a pair of nozzles. The nozzle assembly is coupled with the main body of the frame with the pair of nozzles structured to sealingly engage with nasal passages of a patient's nose in use. A pair of inlet conduits are structured to deliver breathable gas into the frame and nozzle assembly for breathing by the patient. A pair of second connector portions are removably and rotatably connected to respective first connector portions of the frame. The second connector portions are in communication with the inlet conduits via angle connectors. A headgear assembly is removably connected to at least one of the second connector portions and the angle connectors so as to maintain the frame and the nozzle assembly in a desired adjusted position on the patient's face.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a nasal assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient comprises a frame having a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body; a patient interface provided to the main body of the frame; an elbow structured to deliver breathable gas into the frame and patient interface for breathing by the patient, the elbow being structured to be removably connected to each lateral side of the frame; and a plug structured to be removably connected to each lateral side of the frame. The positions of the plug and elbow may be selectively interchanged.
Still another aspect is to provide a nasal assembly including a baffle provided to the frame.
Yet another aspect of the invention is to provide a nasal assembly including a vent provided to the frame that allows for the exit of exhaled gas.
Other aspects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, principles of this invention.
The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings:
The following includes descriptions of several illustrated embodiments of the present invention. Each illustrated embodiment includes features that may be used with and/or in the other embodiments, or with the embodiments and/or components described in U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 10/781,929, as would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In the embodiment of
As shown in
Alternatively or in addition, as shown in
These and other illustrated embodiments may provide for improved decoupling of the air delivery tube 606 and/or swivel elbow 612 from the cushion assembly 604. In addition, these and other embodiments provide a choice of tube routing, which can be either up or down or on the left or right hand sides of the cushion assembly 604. As such, these embodiments may be perceived as less obtrusive and is significantly lighter, and including relatively few parts, which facilitates manufacture, assembly and cleaning.
The swivel elbow 612 may be provided with a quick release mechanism (not shown). The swivel elbow 612, as shown in
The seal ring 614 is structured such that it cooperates with the geometry of the elbow swivel 612. In addition, the seal ring 614 may be connected to the ring 610 of the yoke 608. The seal ring 614 may be permanently connected to the ring 610, e.g., via co-molding. For example, the swivel stop 631 in
The plug 622 may be press fit into the seal ring 614. The plug 622 can also be designed to be press fit into the frame. The plug 622 may be made from hard polymer, for example, polypropylene. A recess (not shown) may be provided to remove the plug 622. The plug functions to seal the frame and cushion assembly on the side opposing the air delivery tube. The plug 622 is large enough for patients to handle, even with reduced manual dexterity.
The tubing 606 may be permanently attached to the end of the swivel elbow 612. However, a push-on friction connection may also be suitable. The tube length may be between 200 mm and 400 mm, preferably 250 and 350 mm, for example, or any other length which will not interfere with the patient's face.
As shown in
Further, the headgear and/or yoke may be provided with a tube retention feature to control the tube position. For example, simple VELCRO® straps may be provided along some portion of the headgear to restrain movement of the air delivery tube.
In the example shown in
Main body 12 of retainer 12 can be formed of any suitable material, such as a Breath-O-prene™. The Breath-O-prene™ may be provided with an underside fabric layer if desired for added comfort. All materials used in constructing retainer 10 are available from Accumed Technologies, Inc.
The nasal assemblies described above and below have several advantages. For example, the nasal assemblies are unobtrusive due to their small overall size and weight. The nasal assemblies provide a high level of comfort due to the minimal force applied to the patient's nose—and contact with the bridge can be eliminated. The nasal assemblies are easy to use and include minimal parts and adjustments, e.g., the inlet conduits can be easily adjusted to extend upwardly over the head of the patient or downwardly below the chin of the patient. The pressurized supply can be easily connected to and disconnected from the connectors without altering the headgear setting. Also, the nasal assemblies allow for greater nozzle range of motion to accommodate a wide range of patients. That is, the nozzles can be rotated with respect to the patient's face by rotating the frame relative to the headgear assembly. Further, strap tension need not be as high as the area of contact with the face is less. The headgear provides stability, e.g., the yokes help maintain the mask assembly's position on the face. The adjustment of the headgear is designed such that the force required to tighten the straps is not applied to the patient's face, e.g., the straps can be pulled in opposite directions above the head to counteract one another. It is relatively easy to find balance between performance and comfort. In addition, the weight, noise level, and/or number of parts of the mask assembly is reduced.
An Appendix including additional drawings and depictions of various aspects of preferred embodiments of the invention is included in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/529,696, filed Dec. 16, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. To the extent that any drawing in the labeled Figures or the Appendix includes dimensions, those dimensions are exemplary only and may be changed without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
Second, as shown in
First end 56 preferably includes a counter bore 62. In this example, the counter bore has a depth in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 mm or more, and is preferably about 0.5 mm. The diameter is between 2.5 and 5 mm and preferably between 3 and 4 mm. The counter bore 62 has an inside radius of curvature of about 0.1 to 0.2 mm or more, and is preferably about 0.15 mm. As such, it may be possible to reduce or eliminate the flash point from the air path thus preventing significant noise creation. With silicone molding, flash may occur at sharp edges. Therefore, the radius helps to prevent flash. However, a radius that is too large may lead to undesirable noise. Counter bore 62 may be provided to facilitate manufacturing, e.g., in the compression molding process.
A portion 64 is provided adjacent counter bore 62. Portion 64 should preferably have a cylindrical cross-sectional shape, i.e., a substantially straight profile, and forms a transition between the conical central portion 60 and counter bore 62. Portion 64 as formed should have a length of about 0.4 to 0.8 mm or more, and preferably is about 0.6 mm. As such, the hole diameter size for flow can be easily controlled. The minimum hole diameter, e.g., may range from about 1-3 mm, but is preferably about 1.65-1.85 mm, and preferably about 1.75 mm. The diameter at the interior of the conical section may be larger, e.g., in the range of about 3-4 mm or more, and preferably about 3.0-3.6 mm, or about 3.3 mm.
The dimensions shown on
For example, the frame 616 includes a main body 627 and a side frame member 629 provided on each lateral side of the main body 627. Each side frame member 629 includes an integrally formed first connector portion 618. As illustrated, the main body 627 includes a vent 625 in the form of one and preferably a plurality of vent apertures 690 to allow passage of exhaled gas. Each vent aperture 690 may be formed by a separate tube that extends through the main body 627, as best shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 616 includes five vent apertures 690. However, the frame 616 may have any suitable number vent apertures 690. Also, the vent apertures 690 may be spaced apart from one another in any suitable manner, e.g., equally or unequally spaced apart from one another.
Similar to the frames described above, the frame 616 is constructed of a substantially rigid material, e.g., plastic or polycarbonate. The rigid construction enables the frame 616 to be produced with a consistent vent shape and dimension (without rough edges, flash, or damage to the vent apertures), which results in providing a frame 616 with consistently low vent noise and a consistent flow rate.
Additionally, the vent apertures 690 are provided along the entire length of the main body 627 of the frame 616. This arrangement increases the length of the vent path, which reduces the turbulence in the vent apertures 690 and creates a more laminar flow from the vent apertures 690. Thus, less noise is generated from the vent apertures 690.
However, the vent 625 in the main body 627 of the frame 616 may have any other suitable structure to allow for the exit of exhaled gas. For example, the main body 627 may include a porous surface, a mesh material, etc.
Further, the nozzle assembly and/or its associated cushion could be replaced with a nasal mask and/or nasal cushion 501. See, e.g.,
While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, while the invention has particular application to patients who suffer from OSA, it is to be appreciated that patients who suffer from other illnesses (e.g., congestive heart failure, diabetes, morbid obesity, stroke, barriatric surgery, etc.) can derive benefit from the above teachings. Moreover, the above teachings have applicability for use with patients and non-patients alike.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/259,406, filed Apr. 23, 2004, now allowed, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/926,213, filed Nov. 2, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,162, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/101,657, filed Apr. 8, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,150, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/560,610, filed Apr. 9, 2004, and 60/632,193, filed Dec. 2, 2004, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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