Breathing mask and a sealing lip device for a breathing mask

Abstract

An elastomeric cushion for a breathing mask is configured for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a 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. The elastomeric cushion includes a sealing lip with an elastomeric wall configured to form a seal with the patient's face. An elastomeric wall thickness of the sealing lip is varied so that when the sealing lip sealingly engages the patient's face, a portion of the seal at the patient's nose bridge is formed by a relatively thin-walled portion of the sealing lip and other portions of the seal are formed by relatively thick portions of the sealing lip.

1 . An elastomeric cushion for a breathing mask configured for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a 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, the elastomeric cushion having zones of differing load-bearing capability, wherein a first zone includes a zenith of the cushion, a second zone is positioned opposite the first zone and a pair of intermediate zones extend between the first and second zones, the elastomeric cushion comprising:
 a peripherally extending shell engaging portion configured to secure the elastomeric cushion to a shell of the breathing mask;   a peripheral wall extending from the shell engaging portion and defining a plenum chamber, a portion of the peripheral wall in the first zone being more collapsible that portions of the peripheral wall in the second zone and the intermediate zones so that the cushion is pivotable around an axis that is between the first zone and the second zone and extends through the pair of intermediate zones; and   an engagement surface defining an opening to the breathing chamber and being configured to engage the patient's face, the peripheral wall extending from the shell engaging portion to the engagement surface,   wherein portions of the engagement surface in the first zone and the second zone have a relatively thin elastomeric wall compared to elastomeric walls of the portions of the elastomeric surface in the pair of intermediate zones.   
     
     
         2 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the engagement surface in the first zone is configured to engage a bridge of the patient's nose. 
     
     
         3 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the shell engaging portion is configured to be secured to the shell of the breathing mask by way of a projection and groove system, the projection and groove system comprising a plurality of projections interlocking with a plurality of receiving grooves around a periphery of the shell and a periphery of the cushion. 
     
     
         4 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the peripheral wall in the first zone comprises a bellows structure. 
     
     
         5 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the engagement surface in the second zone is configured to engage the patient's upper lip or a region between the patient's nose and upper lip. 
     
     
         6 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the elastomeric walls of the peripheral wall taken along a line from the shell engaging portion to the engagement surface has a varied thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the engagement surface in the first zone is configured to engage a bridge of the patient's nose,
 wherein the shell engaging portion is configured to be secured to the shell of the breathing mask by way of a projection and groove system, the projection and groove system comprising a plurality of projections interlocking with a plurality of receiving grooves around a periphery of the shell and a periphery of the cushion,   wherein the portion of the peripheral wall in the first zone comprises a bellows structure,   wherein the portion of the engagement surface in the second zone is configured to engage the patient's upper lip or a region between the patient's nose and upper lip, and   wherein a cross-section of the elastomeric walls of the peripheral wall taken along a line from the shell engaging portion to the engagement surface has a varied thickness.   
     
     
         8 . A patient interface for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance to the patient's airways including at least an entrance of a patient's nares, said patient interface comprising:
 the elastomeric cushion of  claim 1 ;   the patient interface shell configured to be secured to the shell engaging portion of the elastomeric cushion, the patient interface comprising a central aperture adapted to receive the flow of breathable gas; and   headgear configured to support the patient interface on the patient's head and maintain the elastomeric cushion in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the entrance to the patient's airways.   
     
     
         9 . The patient interface of  claim 8 , wherein the plenum chamber is defined by the patient interface shell in conjunction with the peripheral wall of the elastomeric cushion, and the plenum chamber is pressurized at a pressure above ambient pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The patient interface of  claim 8 , further comprising a gas washout vent located on the patient interface shell, and wherein the patient interface shell is comprised of a hard and transparent material. 
     
     
         11 . An elastomeric cushion for a breathing mask configured for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a 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, the elastomeric cushion being configured to form a seal with the patient's face and comprising:
 a first zone comprising a portion of an elastomeric wall configured to sealingly engage a bridge of the patient's nose;   a second zone comprising a second portion of the elastomeric wall configured to sealingly engage the patient's face at a location opposite the first zone; and   a pair of intermediate zones comprising portions of the elastomeric wall configured to sealingly engage the patient's face between the first and second zones,   wherein the portions of the elastomeric wall in the first zone, the second zone and the pair of intermediate zones are configured so that portions of the seal in the first and second zone are formed by relatively thin elastomeric walls and portions of the seal in the pair of intermediate zones are formed by relatively thick elastomeric walls.   
     
     
         12 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 11 , wherein the relatively thick portions of the elastomeric wall in the pair of intermediate zones has a higher load bearing capability than the relatively thin portions of the elastomeric wall in the first and second zones. 
     
     
         13 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 11  further comprising a bellows structure overlapping the first zone and configured to increase a degree of flexibility of the portion of the elastomeric wall in the first zone. 
     
     
         14 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 13 , wherein the bellows structure overlaps portions of the intermediate zones. 
     
     
         15 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 11 , wherein the first zone, the second zone and the pair of intermediate zones together define an opening in the elastomeric cushion. 
     
     
         16 . A patient interface for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance to the patient's airways including at least an entrance of a patient's nares, said patient interface comprising:
 a patient interface shell with a central aperture adapted to receive the flow of breathable gas;   the elastomeric cushion of  claim 11 ; and   a plenum chamber defined by the elastomeric cushion and the patient interface shell, the plenum chamber being pressurized at a pressure above ambient pressure.   
     
     
         17 . The patient interface of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric cushion and the patient interface shell are secured together by a projection and groove system, the projection and groove system comprising a plurality of projections interlocking with a plurality of receiving grooves around a periphery of the shell and a periphery of the cushion. 
     
     
         18 . The patient interface of  claim 17  further comprising headgear configured to support the patient interface on the patient's head and maintain the elastomeric cushion in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the entrance to the patient's airways. 
     
     
         19 . The patient interface of  claim 18 , further comprising a gas washout vent located on the patient interface shell. 
     
     
         20 . The patient interface of  claim 19 , wherein the shell is comprised of a hard and transparent material. 
     
     
         21 . An elastomeric cushion for a breathing mask configured for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a 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, the elastomeric cushion comprising:
 a sealing lip with an elastomeric wall configured to form a seal with the patient's face, an elastomeric wall thickness of the sealing lip being varied so that when the sealing lip sealingly engages the patient's face, a portion of the seal at the patient's nose bridge is formed by a relatively thin-walled portion of the sealing lip and other portions of the seal are formed by relatively thick portions of the sealing lip.   
     
     
         22 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 21  further comprising:
 a peripherally extending shell engaging portion configured to secure the elastomeric cushion to a shell of the breathing mask; and 
 an intervening portion between the shell engaging portion and the sealing lip, the intervening portion comprising a bellows structure configured to increase a degree of flexibility of a nasal bridge engaging portion of the elastomeric cushion. 
 
     
     
         23 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 22 , wherein the bellows structure is positioned between a nose bridge engaging portion of the sealing lip and the shell engaging portion. 
     
     
         24 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 23 , wherein a portion of the bellows structure extends beyond the nose bridge engaging portion of the sealing lip. 
     
     
         25 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 24 , wherein an elastomeric wall thickness of the nasal bridge engaging portion of the elastomeric cushion varies from the shell engaging portion to the sealing lip to form an elastomeric thin-wall portion adjacent a hinge of the bellows structure that promotes a hinged motion around the hinge. 
     
     
         26 . A patient interface for sealed delivery of a flow of breathable gas at a positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance to the patient's airways including at least an entrance of a patient's nares, said patient interface comprising:
 a patient interface shell with a central aperture adapted to receive the flow of breathable gas;   the elastomeric cushion of  claim 21 ; and   a plenum chamber defined by the elastomeric cushion and the patient interface shell, the plenum chamber being pressurized at a pressure above ambient pressure.   
     
     
         27 . The patient interface of  claim 26  further comprising headgear configured to support the patient interface on the patient's head and maintain the elastomeric cushion in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the entrance to the patient's airways. 
     
     
         28 . The patient interface of  claim 27 , further comprising a gas washout vent located on the shell. 
     
     
         29 . The patient interface of  claim 28 , wherein the shell is comprised of a hard and transparent material. 
     
     
         30 . The elastomeric cushion of  claim 22 , wherein a cross-section of elastomeric walls of the peripheral wall taken along a line from the shell engaging portion to sealing lip has a varied thickness.