초록 ▼

A patient interface for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a sealing portion (210) including a nose tip engagement portion (212) adapted to form a seal with the patient's nose tip, an upper lip engagement portion (213) adapted to form a seal with the patient's upper lip and/or base of t

A patient interface for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a sealing portion (210) including a nose tip engagement portion (212) adapted to form a seal with the patient's nose tip, an upper lip engagement portion (213) adapted to form a seal with the patient's upper lip and/or base of the patient's nares, and nostril engagement flaps (214) adapted to form a seal with the patient's nares. The nose tip engagement portion (212), the upper lip engagement portion (213), and the nostril engagement flaps (214) are all structured to extend or curve outwardly from a supporting wall defining an air path.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A patient interface for delivering breathable gas at a continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance of a patient's airways including at least an entrance of the patient's nares, throughout the patient's respiratory cycle, while the patient is sleeping, to ame

1. A patient interface for delivering breathable gas at a continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance of a patient's airways including at least an entrance of the patient's nares, throughout the patient's respiratory cycle, while the patient is sleeping, to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, the patient interface comprising: a sealing portion including a nose tip engagement portion adapted to form a seal with the patient's nose tip, an upper lip engagement portion adapted to form a seal with the patient's upper lip and/or base of the patient's nares, and nostril engagement flaps adapted to form a seal with the patient's nares;headgear structured to maintain the sealing portion in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining said positive pressure at the entrance to the patient's nares; anda plenum chamber defined by a supporting wall and configured to be pressurized at said positive pressure,wherein the nose tip engagement portion and the upper lip engagement portion are structured to extend or curve outwardly from the supporting wall,wherein the nostril engagement flaps are cantilevered from the supporting wall so that the nostril engagement flaps flex outwardly away from each other when engaged with the patient's nose, andwherein at least one of the headgear and the supporting wall is configured to limit the extent to which the nostril engagement flaps flex and prevents an angle between the nostril engagement flaps from reaching 180°. 2. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of nozzles positioned on the sealing portion and adapted to engage with a patient's nares in use. 3. A patient interface according to claim 2, wherein each nozzle has a curved outer surface, that gradually increases in width from a top of the nozzles to a bottom of the nozzles. 4. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion comprises a cushion and a membrane on an upper surface of the cushion. 5. A patient interface according to claim 4, wherein the membrane hooks over an outer edge of the cushion. 6. A patient interface according to claim 4, further comprising a stem provided to the sealing portion, the stem having one or more locking bumps supporting a bottom surface of the cushion. 7. A patient interface according to claim 4, further comprising a lower membrane on a lower surface of the cushion. 8. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising a suspension system to support the sealing portion and decouple and/or absorb forces from the sealing portion and other components of the patient interface. 9. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein the nose tip engagement portion is generally flat or planar along its length. 10. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein the upper lip engagement portion is generally curved along its length. 11. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein a non-patient contacting side of the nose tip engagement portion includes a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of a non-patient contacting side of the upper lip engagement portion. 12. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein a patient contacting side of the nose tip engagement portion includes a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of a patient contacting side of the upper lip engagement portion. 13. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising a malleable wire provided to one or more portions of the sealing portion. 14. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting portion to support the sealing portion, the supporting portion including a nose tip portion structured to support the nose tip engagement portion of the sealing portion and/or nostril portions structured to support the nostril engagement flaps of the sealing portion. 15. A patient interface according to claim 14, wherein one or more regions of the supporting portion include ridges or thickened sections to provide additional support. 16. A patient interface according to claim 14, wherein the supporting portion includes a wall section having a front thickened portion and a rear thickened portion formed on each side of the supporting portion. 17. A patient interface according to claim 16, wherein the front thickened portion and the rear thickened portion provide varying degrees of support to the sealing portion. 18. A patient interface according to claim 16, wherein the front thickened portion and the rear thickened portion vary in thickness. 19. A patient interface according to claim 16, wherein the front thickened portion is adapted to transfer a headgear load into a pinch force on the sides of a patient's nose. 20. A patient interface according to claim 14, further comprising a support membrane, the support membrane including the supporting portion and a stem. 21. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a bellows connected to the support membrane and a short tube connected to the bellows. 22. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a ball and a socket connector connected between the support membrane and a flexible tube for delivering air to the patient. 23. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a hybrid elbow and ball joint connected between the support membrane and a flexible tube for delivering air to the patient, the hybrid elbow and ball joint including: an elbow assembly including a swivel connector adapted to connect to the support membrane, and a socket connector; and a ball assembly, the ball assembly including a ball adapted to mate with the socket connector, and a swivel connector adapted to connect to the flexible tube. 24. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a thin membrane connected between the support membrane and an elbow assembly, a swivel connector connected to the elbow assembly, and a flexible tube connected to the swivel connector, the flexible tube for delivering air to the patient. 25. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising an angled elbow and ball joint assembly adapted to connect to the support membrane, the angled elbow and ball joint assembly comprising a ball, an angled elbow connected to the ball and a swivel connector connected to the angled elbow. 26. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a ball and socket assembly adapted to connect between the support membrane and a flexible tube for delivering air to the patient, the ball and socket assembly comprising a swivel ring adapted to connect to the support membrane, a ball adapted to connect to and rotate within the swivel ring, a ball joint portion connected to the ball, and a connector adapted to connect to the flexible tube. 27. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising an interface adapted to connect between the support membrane and a flexible tube for delivering air to the patient, the interface including a first aperture and a second aperture extending in substantially opposite directions, the flexible tube connected to one of the apertures and a plug connected to the other one of the apertures. 28. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising a connector on the support membrane, the connector including a pair of apertures, a headgear connecting cradle adapted to connect the headgear to the connector, and an elbow including a pair of lugs adapted to connect to the pair of apertures on the connector. 29. A patient interface according to claim 20, further comprising an elbow assembly adapted to connect between the support membrane and a flexible tube for supplying gas to the patient, the elbow assembly including a swivel ring adapted to connect to the support membrane, an elbow connected to the swivel ring, a connector adapted to connect to the flexible tube, and a plurality of vent grooves in the elbow, the vent grooves having a plurality of different lengths. 30. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising one or more perforations or cutting lines formed in the sealing portions allowing sizing of the sealing portion to the patient. 31. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising at least one stabilizing portion formed in the sealing portion, the stabilizing portion being located in the nose tip engagement portion and in a corner of the nose portions. 32. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising two thickened corner regions formed on the sealing portion, wherein the thickened corner regions are positioned on each side of the upper lip engagement portion, the thickened corner regions adapted to seal with the patient at regions of the patient's nose adjacent the nasal labial creases. 33. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising headgear connectors provided to the sealing portion. 34. A patient interface according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing portion connection portion connected to the sealing portion, a swivel connection portion for connecting to a swivel ring, and a spring portion disposed between the sealing portion connection portion and the swivel connection portion. 35. An apparatus for treating a respiratory disorder, the apparatus comprising: a patient interface according to claim 1;a source of air at positive pressure; andan air delivery conduit fluidly connecting the source to the patient interface. 36. A patient interface according to claim 1, wherein the nose tip engagement portion is adapted to avoid contact with the patient's nasal bridge when the patient interface is engaged with the patient's face. 37. A patient interface for delivering breathable gas at a continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance of a patient's airways including at least an entrance of the patient's nares, throughout the patient's respiratory cycle, while the patient is sleeping, to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, the patient interface comprising: a sealing portion including a nose tip engagement portion adapted to form a seal with the patient's nose tip, an upper lip engagement portion adapted to form a seal with the patient's upper lip and/or base of the patient's nares, and nostril engagement flaps adapted to form a seal with the patient's nares;headgear structured to maintain the sealing portion in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining said positive pressure at the entrance to the patient's nares; anda plenum chamber defined by a supporting wall and configured to be pressurized at said positive pressure,wherein the nose tip engagement portion and the upper lip engagement portion are structured to extend or curve outwardly from the supporting wall,wherein the nostril engagement flaps are cantilevered from the supporting wall so that the nostril engagement flaps flex outwardly away from each other when engaged with the patient's nose, the outward flexing of the nostril engagement flaps being limited so that a maximum angle between the nostril engagement flaps is less than 180°.