This invention relates to improvements in patient gas delivery apparatus of the kind used in the analysis and treatment of respiratory disorders. The invention will be described with particular reference to patient gas delivery apparatus used in the treatment of respiratory disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) but it is not intended to be limited thereto.
Patient gas delivery apparatus of the kind having a mask worn by a patient and a gas delivery conduit attached to the mask, is commonly used in the analysis and treatment of respiratory disorders. The gas conduit delivers a gas under pressure to the patient. It is necessary that the gas conduit is detachable from the mask to facilitate cleaning.
Patient gas delivery apparatus typically includes at a minimum, a gas delivery conduit and a nose or full face mask. In some cases it is a clinical requirement that additional components be included, such as means for CO2 washout, for example, vents, anti-asphyxia valves and the like. In some cases, these additional components must be assembled in between the gas delivery conduit and the mask. Problems with prior art assemblies include:
The present invention is directed towards solving or ameliorating one or more of these problems. The invention will be described with reference to a full face mask and an anti-asphyxia valve, though other forms of mask and additional components may be used.
In one form, the invention resides in a patient gas delivery apparatus including a mask adapted for communication with a patient's airways, a gas flow generator and gas delivery conduit means, further including an assembly connected in series between the conduit means and the mask, said assembly being formed in at least two parts connected by interengaging connecting means, said assembly further including means for connection to the mask, wherein connection of the assembly to the mask prevents disengagement of the interengaging connecting means such that said at least two parts of the assembly cannot separate whilst the assembly is connected to the mask.
In a further form of the invention, there is provided an assembly for connection in series between a gas delivery conduit means and a patient mask in a patient gas delivery apparatus, the assembly being formed in at least two parts connected by interengaging connecting means, said assembly further including means for connection to the mask, wherein connection of the assembly to the mask prevents disengagement of the interengaging connecting means such that said at least two parts of the assembly cannot separate whilst the assembly is connected to the mask.
Preferably, the means for connection to the mask includes locking means located on the inner side of the mask, that is in the region of the mask that lies adjacent the patient's face, such that the assembly cannot be disconnected from the mask until the mask has been substantially removed from the patient.
Preferably also, the interengaging means connecting the two parts of the assembly includes detent means on a first of the parts which releasably engage a second of the parts, the detents being held in an engaged position by the mask whilst the assembly is connected to the mask.
Desirably, the mask and conduit are not adapted for direct interconnection without the assembly.
In one preferred form of the invention, the assembly may form a housing for one or more internal components, for example a valve member or a flow sensor.
Further preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In
A conduit end assembly is shown generally at 20, including an elbow part 26 having at one end thereof a combined vent/connector piece 28. The elbow and vent/connector piece together form a housing for an anti-asphyxia valve or other internal components (not shown). At the other end of the elbow is a detachable swivel tube 29 for connection of the gas delivery conduit (not shown).
The mask 10 includes a circular aperture 12 sized to receive a mating portion 22 of the vent/connector piece 28. The mating portion 22 has an annular groove 23 formed therein that receives a locking means 30 in the form of a C-shaped clip attached after mating to the mask. The clip 30 has an outside diameter greater than the width of the aperture 12 and an inner diameter adapted to ensure a snug fit within the annular groove 23. The clip 30 is resilient and can expand sufficiently to allow the clip to be fitted into and removed from the groove 23. As shown in
An exploded view of the anti-asphyxia valve and conduit connector assembly is shown in
The end of the elbow 26 adjacent the mask 10 is fitted with an anti-asphyxia valve arrangement that provides an air passage to the patient in the event of failure of the gas delivery apparatus, consisting of a valve membrane 27 fitted into the end of elbow 26 and vents 31 in the vent/connector piece 28. During proper operation of the gas delivery system, the valve membrane remains in the orientation shown in
Resilient detents 42 on the elbow 26 pass through and engage behind slot-forming formations 44 in the vent/connector piece 28 to provide releasable engagement of the two parts.
The vent/connector piece has a collar 47 that abuts a corresponding surface of the mask 10 to limit the distance that the vent/connector piece can be inserted into the mask aperture 12 (
The other, distal end of elbow 26 has an enlarged diameter portion which receives the swivel tube 29, onto which a flexible gas conduit (not shown) may be fitted. The swivel tube 29 has a pair of flanges 56 and 57 defining an annular groove 58 therebetween. The end of swivel tube 29 is inserted into the elbow 26 until the end flange 57 abuts an inner surface (not shown) within elbow 26. In this position the annular groove 58 is at least partially aligned with an annular groove 61 in the exterior of the elbow, which receives a swivel clip 41.
The swivel clip 41 has an inner diameter only slightly greater than the diameter of the groove 61, to ensure a snug fit within the groove. The clip 41 is resilient to permit sufficient expansion for attachment and removal of the clip from the groove. The groove 61 has slots 59 which receive lugs 62 on the clip. These lugs rotatably engage in the groove 58 between flanges 56 and 57 of the swivel tube. The swivel tube arrangement thus acts as a rotatable coupling between the conduit and the elbow whilst allowing quick attachment and removal of the gas conduit from the elbow regardless of whether the assembly is attached to the mask at the time.
As shown in
The mask frame 11 includes a plurality of recesses 11.1 that provide a first cooperating interlocking structure and the cushion clip 14 includes a plurality of tabs 14.1 that is equal to a number of recesses in the mask frame 11 and provides a second cooperating interlocking structure. The plurality of tabs 14.1 engage a respective recess 11.1 to secure the cushion clip 14 on the mask frame 11.
The mask assembly, in the example shown in
The mask cushion includes a groove 13.1 extending around the periphery thereof and the groove of the cushion receives the rib 15 of frame 11.
The cushion 13 includes an outwardly extending portion 13.2 that provides the groove 13.1 on one side thereof. An opposite side of the outwardly engaging portion 13.2 provides a shoulder 13.3 that engages a flange 14.2 on the cushion clip 14 to retain the cushion 13 on frame 11.
The cushion includes a rearwardly extending portion designated by reference number 13.4. The cushion serves to seal the mask assembly on the patient's face, and is structured to space the mask frame 11 from the patient's face.
The frame 11 includes a first side 11.2 structured to accommodate cushion 13, and a second side 11.3. The cushion clip 14 and frame 11 are configured to cooperate with one another such that the cushion clip 14 is selectively attachable to the frame 11 in a first direction 11.4 defined generally from the first side 11.2 to the second side 11.3 of the frame, to thereby secure the cushion 13 between the cushion clip 14 and the frame 11.
The cushion clip 14 and frame 11 are configured to cooperate with one another such that the cushion clip is selectively detachable from the frame 11 in a second direction 11.5, opposite to the first direction 11.4, defined generally from the second side 11.3 to the first side 11.2 of the frame 11, to thereby allow removal of the cushion 13 from frame 11.
Each tab 14.1 is resiliently movable in a third direction 14.3 that is substantially transverse to the first and second directions 11.4 and 11.5. Tab portions 14.1 move in the direction indicated by arrows 14.3 when the tab portions are snapped or flexed into place within recesses 11.1, and when they are removed therefrom.
While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PP8550 | Feb 1999 | AU | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/164,370, filed Jun. 10, 2002, now allowed, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/498,705, filed Feb. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,034, and related to the following co-pending applications: U.S. application Ser. No. 09/985,457, filed Nov. 2, 2001, and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/985,458, filed Nov. 2, 2001, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
35724 | Wilcox | Jun 1862 | A |
463351 | Elliott | Nov 1891 | A |
715611 | Schenker et al. | Dec 1902 | A |
716530 | Giddens | Dec 1902 | A |
812706 | Warbasse | Feb 1906 | A |
1333075 | Hill et al. | Mar 1920 | A |
1381826 | Hansen | Jun 1921 | A |
1653572 | Jackson | Dec 1927 | A |
1672165 | Lewis | Jun 1928 | A |
1733020 | Jones | Oct 1929 | A |
2029129 | Schwartz | Jan 1936 | A |
2033448 | James | Mar 1936 | A |
2141222 | Pioch | Dec 1938 | A |
2359506 | Battley et al. | Oct 1944 | A |
2371965 | Lehmberg | Mar 1945 | A |
2454103 | Swindersky | Nov 1948 | A |
2638161 | Jones | May 1953 | A |
2823671 | Garelick | Feb 1958 | A |
2832015 | Ortega | Apr 1958 | A |
2893387 | Gongoll et al. | Jul 1959 | A |
2931356 | Schwarz | Apr 1960 | A |
3141213 | Nicholas | Jul 1964 | A |
3189027 | Bartlett, Jr. | Jun 1965 | A |
3474783 | Ulmann | Oct 1969 | A |
3494072 | Olson | Feb 1970 | A |
3523534 | Nolan | Aug 1970 | A |
3535810 | Baehrle | Oct 1970 | A |
3555752 | Bogaert | Jan 1971 | A |
3824999 | King | Jul 1974 | A |
4049357 | Hamisch, Jr. | Sep 1977 | A |
4064875 | Cramer et al. | Dec 1977 | A |
4111197 | Warncke et al. | Sep 1978 | A |
4121580 | Fabish | Oct 1978 | A |
4164942 | Beard et al. | Aug 1979 | A |
4226234 | Gunderson | Oct 1980 | A |
4274404 | Molzan et al. | Jun 1981 | A |
4380102 | Hansson | Apr 1983 | A |
4494538 | Ansite | Jan 1985 | A |
4506665 | Andrews et al. | Mar 1985 | A |
4549334 | Miller | Oct 1985 | A |
4580556 | Kondur | Apr 1986 | A |
4606340 | Ansite | Aug 1986 | A |
4622964 | Flynn | Nov 1986 | A |
4633972 | Derocher | Jan 1987 | A |
4783029 | Geppert et al. | Nov 1988 | A |
4794921 | Lindkvist | Jan 1989 | A |
4807617 | Nesti | Feb 1989 | A |
4809692 | Nowacki et al. | Mar 1989 | A |
4835820 | Robbins, III | Jun 1989 | A |
4841953 | Dodrill | Jun 1989 | A |
4870963 | Carter | Oct 1989 | A |
4875714 | Lee | Oct 1989 | A |
4898174 | Fangrow, Jr. | Feb 1990 | A |
4899614 | Kataumi | Feb 1990 | A |
4974586 | Wandel et al. | Dec 1990 | A |
4997217 | Kunze | Mar 1991 | A |
5003633 | Itoh | Apr 1991 | A |
5005568 | Loescher et al. | Apr 1991 | A |
5136760 | Sano et al. | Aug 1992 | A |
5215336 | Worthing | Jun 1993 | A |
5243971 | Sullivan et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
5253641 | Choate | Oct 1993 | A |
5311862 | Blasdell et al. | May 1994 | A |
5398673 | Lambert | Mar 1995 | A |
5438981 | Starr et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5501214 | Sabo | Mar 1996 | A |
5538001 | Bridges | Jul 1996 | A |
5645049 | Foley et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5647355 | Starr et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5676133 | Hickle et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
5709204 | Lester | Jan 1998 | A |
5724965 | Handke et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5794617 | Brunell et al. | Aug 1998 | A |
5839436 | Fangrow et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
5860677 | Martins et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5896857 | Hely et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
5909732 | Diesel et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
5937851 | Serowski et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5979025 | Horng | Nov 1999 | A |
6082360 | Rudolph et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6119693 | Kwok et al. | Sep 2000 | A |
6189532 | Hely et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6192886 | Rudolph | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6196223 | Belfer et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6240605 | Stevens et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6250375 | Lee et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6256846 | Lee | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6272722 | Lai | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6321421 | Lim | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6381813 | Lai | May 2002 | B1 |
6412487 | Gunaratnam et al. | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6449817 | Hsu | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6463931 | Kwok et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6491034 | Gunaratnam et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6513206 | Banitt et al. | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6520182 | Kwok et al. | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6532961 | Kwok et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
6615832 | Chen | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6796308 | Gunaratnam et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
7207334 | Smart | Apr 2007 | B2 |
20020023649 | Gunaratnam et al. | Feb 2002 | A1 |
20020023650 | Gunaratnam et al. | Feb 2002 | A1 |
20020153012 | Gunaratnam et al. | Oct 2002 | A1 |
20020174868 | Kwok et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20030005935 | Kwok et al. | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20040134497 | Gunaratnam et al. | Jul 2004 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
88122 | Nov 1999 | CA |
297 21 766 | Mar 1998 | DE |
499 00 269.5 | Jan 1999 | DE |
1 027 905 | Aug 2000 | EP |
145309 | Jan 2000 | ES |
2 691 906 | Dec 1993 | FR |
9916 | Aug 1999 | FR |
2080119 | Dec 1998 | GB |
2080120 | Dec 1998 | GB |
2080121 | Dec 1998 | GB |
48-55696 | Oct 1971 | JP |
59-55535 | Apr 1984 | JP |
61-6774786 | May 1986 | JP |
7-2105895 | Apr 1995 | JP |
7-308381 | Nov 1995 | JP |
9-501084 | Feb 1997 | JP |
1105649 | Feb 1999 | JP |
65481 | Aug 2000 | SE |
WO 8001645 | Aug 1980 | WO |
WO 8701950 | Apr 1987 | WO |
WO8701950 | Apr 1987 | WO |
WO 9504566 | Feb 1995 | WO |
WO 9826830 | Jun 1998 | WO |
WO 9848878 | Nov 1998 | WO |
WO 9930760 | Jun 1999 | WO |
WO 0038772 | Jul 2000 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20060107960 A1 | May 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 09498705 | Feb 2000 | US |
Child | 10164370 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10164370 | Jun 2002 | US |
Child | 11322237 | US |