초록 ▼

A breathing assistance apparatus is disclosed, for use with delivery of respiratory gases to a patient. The breathing assistance apparatus includes a patient interface, having a body section adapted to cover the nose, or nose and mouth of a patient and a sealing interface. The sealing interface incl

A breathing assistance apparatus is disclosed, for use with delivery of respiratory gases to a patient. The breathing assistance apparatus includes a patient interface, having a body section adapted to cover the nose, or nose and mouth of a patient and a sealing interface. The sealing interface includes at least an outer sealing member. The outer sealing member is adapted to attach to the body section in a sealing manner and has a substantially thin section in at least its nasal bridge region. The thin section is substantially thinner than the rest of the outer sealing member. The patient interface comprises a mask body and a seal assembly. The seal assembly includes a flexible seal, and a rigid seal clip, the seal assembly being removably attached to the mask body via the rigid seal clip. The mask body and rigid seal clip are profiled to match the contours of a user's face so that the seal has a substantially constant wall depth.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A mask assembly for use as part of an apparatus for supplying a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the mask assembly comprising: a rigid mask body including an inlet through which said flow of respiratory gases are provided to an interior of said mask assembly,a mask seal assembly coupled to sa

1. A mask assembly for use as part of an apparatus for supplying a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the mask assembly comprising: a rigid mask body including an inlet through which said flow of respiratory gases are provided to an interior of said mask assembly,a mask seal assembly coupled to said mask body in use, said mask seal assembly including a mask seal having a molded shape when unpressurized to approximately match contours of a face of the user and in use substantially seal against the face, said mask seal defining an opening adapted in use to place the user in communication with an interior of said mask assembly, said opening comprising an apex in a nasal bridge region of said mask assembly,said mask seal comprising a thin region and a thick region, said thin region extending along an inner periphery of the mask seal and being located in said nasal bridge region and extending downward beyond said apex of said opening, wherein the thin region ends in cheek regions of the mask seal, said thick region comprising a remainder of the inner periphery of said mask seal and including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending along an outer periphery of the mask seal towards the mask body and the second portion extending along an inner edge encircling said opening between said thin region and said opening, in use said inner periphery adapted to be in contact with the face of the user, said thin region inflating under typical CPAP pressure to an elastically stretched condition significantly larger than said molded shape, and the mask seal being formed of a seal material having a strain greater than 0.1 when in said elastically stretched condition. 2. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thin region has a thickness of 0.05 mm-0.2 mm, said seal material having a Shore A hardness of around 40. 3. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seal material is silicone. 4. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mask seal is manufactured by injection molding in a closed mold, a point of injection into the closed mold being in said thin region of said mask seal. 5. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the thick region forms a bead on an inside surface of said mask seal. 6. The mask assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said bead is about 0.5 mm diameter in cross section. 7. A patient interface for use as part of an apparatus for supplying a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the patient interface comprising: headgear, a mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 and comprising at least one fitting adapted to attach said mask assembly to said headgear. 8. An apparatus for supplying a flow of respiratory gases to a user, the apparatus comprising: a blower unit adapted to provide a stream of pressurized gases,a humidifier unit adapted to receive said stream of pressurized gases and to heat and humidify said stream of pressurized gases,a patient interface,a conduit connecting said patient interface and said humidifier unit so that said patient interface receives said stream of pressurized gases after being heated and humidified, said patient interface comprising headgear and a mask assembly as claimed in claim 1 and comprising at least one fitting adapted to attach said mask assembly to said headgear.