Patent Application
20060081248
The present invention relates to a novel mask for delivery of oxygen to a patient, and more particularly to a mask which can be used to replace conventional oxygen masks and nasal cannulae oxygen delivery systems.
Conventional oxygen masks comprise tent like structures which are strapped over the nose and mouth of the patient, often using an elastic band or bands behind the patient's ears or head. Oxygen is fed from a supply through a tube into the bottom portion of the mask at the front of the patient. Many problems exist with such masks, including the fact that many patients find them claustrophobic, the mask must be removed for the patient to speak or eat, thereby discontinuing therapy, and the face mask creates irregular and inefficient infusion of oxygen by the patient since exhaled air from the patient is mixed with oxygen in the mask. Oxygen masks can only be used for oxygen flows greater than 4 litres/minute because exhaled gas accumulates in the mask, and, at lower flow rates interferes with delivery of oxygen-enriched air to the patient.
Conventional nasal cannulae oxygen delivery systems employ an oxygen delivery tube with tubular, open ended nasal prongs at the delivery end of the tube for insertion into a patient's nasal passages. The oxygen delivery tube and nasal cannulae are supported in position by a tube wrapped about the patient's ears or head, making the system both difficult to handle and uncomfortable since it applies downward pressure on the patient's ears when the patient is in a seated position. As well, patients often get nose bleeds from the dryness of the oxygen supplied through the nasal cannulae. Patients also get sores on the ears, face and nose due to the direct contact of the oxygen tubing with the skin. Nasal cannulae can only deliver flows of 0.5 to 4 litres/minute.
Of background interest is Ketchedjian, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,470 issued Jun. 19, 2001 which describes and illustrates an oxygen delivery apparatus comprising a headset to which is pivotally attached, for rotation in one plane, a flexible arm carrying tubular members for passing oxygen to a patient's mouth. The apparatus is also provided with a carbon dioxide monitoring system.
McCombs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,473 issued May 23, 2000 describes a somewhat similar apparatus, for non-medical purposes, intended to dispense concentrated oxygen to users, the apparatus comprising an oxygen delivery nozzle attached by an arm extending from a flexible head band, to bathe the user's nose and mouth with oxygen, when in use. Laid-open German Application DE 43 07 754 A1, published Apr. 7, 1994, teaches a system for controlled supply or removal of respiratory air from a user, which system incorporates a mask body held by a rigid air tube over the mouth and/or nose of the user, the air tube being pivotally adjustable in one plane, to enable proper positioning of the mask.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,907 of Cotabish issued Aug. 15, 1972 describes and illustrates a fresh air respirator, for use for example by miners, which comprises a cup, supported by pivotable arms in front of the face of the user, a stream of air being conducted to the cup to provide fresh air around the user's nose and mouth.
The applicant has developed a number of lightweight oxygen delivery systems for patients, as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,675,796 issued Jan. 13, 2004, 6,595,207 issued Jul. 22, 2003 and 6,450,166 issued Sep. 17, 2002. Also, applicant's U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D449,376 issued Aug. 16, 2003 and D449,883 issued Oct. 30, 2001 illustrate designs for such devices. All of these references feature oxygen diffuser devices, designed to create a turbulent oxygen flow, to be situated during use in front of the nose and mouth of a patient, and being held in that area by means of a mount such as a head band, to which is secured a rigid, but bendable oxygen delivery tube. The subject matter of each of these references is incorporated herein by reference.
Other references of general background interest include U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,869 of Zidulka issued Aug. 11, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,221 of Rennie issued Apr. 19, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,715 of Landis et al. issued Nov. 18, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,067 of Koch et al. issued Aug. 4, 1984 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,363 of Hart issued Dec. 16, 1977, all of which describe and illustrate different types of head mounted apparatus for delivering oxygen or other gases to a patient.
Most of these prior art devices intended for delivery of oxygen to a patient do not provide the ease of usage, both by health care workers and the patient, and reliability against unintended removal or dislodgement from position, as is required to permit widespread use by the health care profession.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more versatile, reliable and practical system for delivery of oxygen to patients.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved mask for delivery of oxygen to a patient. The mask comprises a body having a peripheral portion, when in use to sit comfortably on a patient's face, a central portion, and bridge portions extending between the central portion and the peripheral portion and integral therewith. The central portion has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is oriented towards the patient's face, when the mask is in position, and is contoured so as to sit at a location spaced over the patient's nose and mouth. The inner surface of the central portion is provided with a wall circumscribing a base. The wall and base are of generally concave configuration and circumscribe a centrally positioned oxygen delivery aperture which extends through the central portion between the inner surface and the outer surface. The wall and base are configured so as to act as an oxygen diffuser to direct the flow of oxygen generally towards the patient's nose and mouth when the mask is in use. Means are provided on opposite sides of the peripheral portion, for securing a flexible strap means to extend behind the patient's head to hold the mask in position when in use. Also, means are associated with the aperture and of the central portion releasably to secure in position an oxygen delivery tube.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the mask additionally includes the oxygen delivery tube. It is releasably securable to the outer surface of the central portion of the mask so as to communicate with the oxygen delivery aperture. As well, a baffle is provided, the baffle being constructed so as to be releasably seated over the oxygen delivery aperture on the inner surface of the central portion of the mask. The inner surface of the baffle is configured so as to assist, during use of the mask, in creating turbulence in an oxygen flow leaving the oxygen delivery aperture and assist in mixing oxygen with ambient air and thereby avoid a direct flow of oxygen towards the patient's face.
In a yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the mask is further provided with an oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor tube releasably securable to the outer surface of the central portion of the mask, so as to communicate through the oxygen delivery aperture with an area above the inner surface of the central portion during use of the mask for passage of air within the mask to an oxygen/dioxide monitor. The baffle is constructed so as to be releasably seated over the oxygen delivery aperture on the inner surface of the central portion of the mask. The baffle has a concave shaped wall and is configured and positioned so as to assist during use of the mask in creating turbulence in an oxygen flow leaving the oxygen delivery aperture and assist in mixing oxygen with ambient air and thereby avoid a direct flow of oxygen toward a patient's face. A carbon dioxide intake is positioned within the concave shaped wall of the baffle, the carbon dioxide intake communicating with the carbon dioxide monitor tube.
It is preferred that the bridge portions of the mask, from a top of the mask to a bottom of the mask, are configured in an inverted “Y” shape so that openings are provided towards the bottom and on both sides of the mask for unobstructed access to, and viewing of a patient's mouth and others parts of the patient's face.
The oxygen delivery mask of the present invention provides an extremely easy to use, comfortable, reliable and efficient mask for delivery of oxygen to a patient. As well, since this mask construction does not provide complete enclosure over the patient's nose and mouth, zthere is no chance of claustrophobia.
These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon referring to the drawings in which:
While the invention will be described in conjunction with illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In the following description similar features in the drawings have been given similar reference numerals.
Turning to
Integrally formed on inner surface 32 of central portion 16, is a triangular wall 34, extending about a base 36 which circumscribes circular aperture 28. This wall 34 and base 36 are of generally concave configuration, with one of the apexes of the triangle formed by wall 34 being oriented towards top 8 of mask 2 and the other two apexes oriented towards bottom 10. This wall and base form a diffuser 38 which has a similar function to the diffuser construction described and illustrated in applicant's earlier patents and applications referred to previously herein.
In the embodiment of mask illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an oxygen delivery tube 40 is secured in a rigid elbow 42, elbow 42 being rotatably secured by an appropriate, conventional securing means such as frictional engagement in aperture 28 or its snapping into an undercut 44 about aperture 28 on the outer surface 30, so that it can pivot about the circumference of aperture 28 (
In the alternative embodiment of mask 2 illustrated in
In this embodiment, baffle 64 has a hollow post 66 the hollow center communicating with an opening 68 on the inside of baffle 64, and with the oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor passageway 62 and tube 60.
Head 70 of the baffle 64 circumscribes the opening 68, the head being of a concave shape formed by wall 72. This head 70 fills a significant part of the interior of diffuser 38. Wall 72 extends outwardly beyond the edges of wall 34, and generates the necessary oxygen turbulence to provide an effective plume of oxygen for delivery to the nose and mouth area of the patient when the mask 2 is in position. At the same time however, an effective oxygen/carbon dioxide monitoring of the patient's exhaled breath is permitted through the oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor opening 68 within head 70.
In tests which have been done and proven the efficacity of the mask design according to the present invention, it has been determined that patients find the mask according to the present invention to be far more comfortable than conventional oxygen masks. Unlike conventional masks, users cannot feel oxygen being delivered to their nose and mouth area, and enjoy the compactness of the mask. Technically, lower flow rates of oxygen to a patient through the mask of the present invention can be achieved, with as much or greater oxygen concentration in the air being delivered to the patient, as compared to conventional oxygen masks. In this manner, the mask according to the present invention provides both comfort and efficiency to patients which providing optimal blood oxygen saturation in a cost effective manner. Flow rates ranging from 0.5 litres to 15 litres per minute have proven suitable providing a far greater range of possible flow rates than available through conventional oxygen delivery devices.
As well, the mask design of the present invention allows a patient to drink, eat, be suctioned and speak, without removal of the mask. Also, exhaled air does not collect in the area in front of the patient's nose and mouth and interfere with the mask's operation, as in the case of conventional oxygen masks, since exhaled air easily passes to the surrounding environment through the spaces between the bridge portions and the peripheral portion of the mask.
Thus, there has been provided in accordance with the invention a patient oxygen delivery system that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with illustrated embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the invention.
