US 12,220,533 B2
Interface assemblies for respiratory therapy
Abby Rebecca Farrow, Auckland (NZ); Peter David Alexander Bearne, Auckland (NZ); Dana Willfroth, Auckland (NZ); Jae Yun Lim, Auckland (NZ); Matthew James Pedersen, Auckland (NZ); Roheet Patel, Auckland (NZ); Birgit Wuestenhagen, Auckland (NZ); and Paul Mathew Freestone, Auckland (NZ)
Assigned to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
Appl. No. 15/734,541
Filed by Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
PCT Filed Jun. 4, 2019, PCT No. PCT/NZ2019/050063
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 2, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/235939, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 12, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/680,333, filed on Jun. 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0228830 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 16/06 (2006.01); A61M 16/08 (2006.01); A61M 16/10 (2006.01); A61M 16/20 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/0683 (2013.01) [A61M 16/0622 (2014.02); A61M 16/0816 (2013.01); A61M 16/1095 (2014.02); A61M 16/208 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0216 (2013.01); A61M 2205/42 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seal for a respiratory mask comprising:
an oral sealing portion configured to seal around a user's mouth, and a nasal sealing portion configured to seal on a lower surface of a user's nose and be fully positioned below a bridge of the user's nose, wherein the nasal sealing portion comprises:
a first upward extension and a second upward extension, wherein each of the first and the second upward extensions has an internal wall configured to engage with a lateral side of the user's nose, and an external wall configured to provide structure to the nasal sealing portion, the internal and external walls being joined along an upper edge of the seal, wherein the external walls comprise:
a pocket located in each of the first upward extension and the second upward extension and defined by the external wall, the pocket formed by an internal step on an interior surface of the external wall, and having a wall thickness that is less than a thickness of a surrounding portion of the external wall, an outer surface of a region of the external wall containing and immediately surrounding the pocket being smooth and continuous; and
a thickened rib at least partially defining an upper edge of the pocket and extending along an upper portion of the external wall, wherein the thickened rib is proximate to but spaced from the upper edge of the seal, wherein the thickened rib has a wall thickness that is greater than the wall thickness of the pocket, wherein the thickened rib extends from a rear end of the external wall towards a front end of the seal; and
suspension members that provide mechanical rigidity and structure to hold a shape of the first and the second upward extensions when the seal is worn by the user, wherein the thickened rib extends from each of a respective one of the suspension members to provide additional support to the seal.