Patent Application
20140290663
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to respiratory patient interface devices, and, in particular, to a respiratory patient interface device including a modular hub interface having a minimal profile.
2. Description of the Related Art
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 cushion that rests beneath the patient's nose (such as a “pillows” style nasal cushion having nasal prongs that are received within the patient's nares or a “cradle” style nasal cushion that rests beneath and covers 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 through tubing, so that a flow of breathing gas can be delivered from the pressure/flow generating device to the airway of the patient. It is known to maintain such devices on the face of a wearer by a headgear having one or more straps adapted to fit over/around the patient's head.
For such patient interface devices, a key engineering challenge is to balance patient comfort against mask stability. This is particularly true in the case of treatment of OSA, where such patient interface devices are typically worn for an extended period of time. Known mask assemblies, for example, typically include a cushion member designed to comfortably form a seal with the patient's face, and a hub which is joined to the cushion member and structured to receive the tubing or conduit. The hub is typically made of relatively hard material, whereas the cushion member is soft to promote patient comfort. However, known hubs tend to be excessively large, such that the hub extends outwardly from the patient's face farther than desired, making for an undesirably bulky assembly. The hub also extends laterally outwardly with respect to the cushion perimeter. If the hub extends too far, and/or if the hub-to-cushion member interface is not ideal, patient comfort is compromised. In addition, hub/cushion assemblies are often limited with respect to the type of elbow connections and/or frame members they can be employed with.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a patient interface device that overcomes the shortcomings of conventional patient interface devices. This object is achieved according to one embodiment of the invention by providing a patient interface device including a modular hub having a minimal profile.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of delivering a flow of breathing gas that does not suffer from the disadvantages associated with conventional techniques. This object is achieved by providing a method that includes delivering a flow of breathing gas to a patient using a patient interface device having a cushion member and a modular hub with a minimal profile.
In one embodiment, a patient interface device is provided that includes a cushion member and a modular hub. The cushion member includes a first side, a second side, and a first outer perimeter. The first side is structured to form a seal with a patient's face for delivering a flow of breathing gas to the patient. The modular hub is attached to the second side of the cushion member, and includes a receiver and a second outer perimeter. The second outer perimeter of the modular hub is disposed inward of the first outer perimeter of the cushion member when the patient interface device is viewed from a front elevation perspective.
The patient interface may further include a frame member having a fluid coupling device. The receiver is structured to connect the modular hub to the fluid coupling device. The fluid coupling device may be an elbow, wherein the receiver of the modular hub is structured to provide a snap fit connection with the elbow, thereby removably securing the modular hub and the cushion member to the frame member.
In another embodiment, a method of delivering a flow of breathing gas to a patient is provided that includes generating the flow of breathing gas, delivering the flow of breathing gas to a patient interface device, and forming a seal between the patient's face and the first side of the cushion member. The patient interface device has a cushion member and a modular hub. The cushion member includes a first side, a second side, and a first outer perimeter. The modular hub is attached to the second side of the cushion member, and includes a receiver and a second outer perimeter. The second outer perimeter of the modular hub is disposed inward of the first outer perimeter of the cushion member when the patient interface device is viewed from a front elevation perspective.
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the 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, “attached” and “directly coupled” mean 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.
A system 2 adapted to provide a regimen of respiratory therapy to a patient according to one exemplary embodiment is generally shown in
In
In accordance with one non-limiting example embodiment of the invention, shown and described with reference to
Referring to
It will be appreciated, therefore, that the design of cushion member 10 and modular hub 20 of patient interface 8 is intended to have a minimum profile for providing maximum stability and comfort. More specifically, modular hub 20 does not extend laterally outwardly beyond outer perimeter 16 of cushion member 10 (best shown in the front elevation view of
In addition to the aforementioned minimum profile attributes of patient interface 8, modular hub 20 is also provided with a relatively soft perimeter edge 60 (
Preferably, the interface 50 between modular hub 20 and cushion member 10 is generally seamless, as shown for example, in
Accordingly, patient interface device 8 provides a modular design, which can be readily employed with a wide variety of frame members (e.g., without limitation, frame member 30 of
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. 61/549,430 filed on Oct. 20, 2011, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2012/055558 | 10/12/2012 | WO | 00 | 4/11/2014 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61549430 | Oct 2011 | US |
