NZ787138B2 - Patient interface - Google Patents

Abstract

seal-forming structure (3130) for a patient interface, the seal-forming structure comprising a patient-contacting outer membrane (3139) configured to engage the patient’s facial skin to form a seal with at least one opening (3132) formed through the outer membrane (3139), the opening configured to provide sealed delivery of the flow of air at a continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to one or both of the patient’s nares. The seal forming structure includes an undercushion layer (3135) configured to support an inferior portion (3141) against the patient’s lip superior and having alar sealing portion supports (3137) that correspond to two alar sealing portions (3131) in lateral portions (3142) of the seal-forming structure (3130) to support the alar sealing portions (3131) between corresponding ones of the patient’s nasal ala and nasolabial sulcus. A superior portion (3140) of the seal-forming structure is configured to engage the patient’s nose inferior to the patient’s pronasale to form a seal against the patient’s nose proximal to the tip of the patient’s pronasale, the superior portion (3140) not being supported by the undercushion layer and wherein the outer membrane (3139) comprises a thickened region (3134) at each lateral portion (3142) that is thicker than the remainder of the outer membrane (3139).

Claims (8)

1. A seal-forming structure for a patient interface configured to provide sealed delivery of a flow of air at a continuously 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, wherein the patient interface is configured to maintain a therapy pressure in a range of about 4 cmH2O to about 30 cmH2O above ambient air pressure in use, throughout the patient’s respiratory cycle, while the patient is sleeping, to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, the seal-forming structure comprising: an outer membrane configured to form a seal with the inferior periphery of the patient’s nose, the outer membrane having an inferior portion to form a seal with the patient’s lip superior, and the outer membrane having two alar sealing portions, each alar sealing portion being shaped and dimensioned to seal between corresponding ones of the patient’s nasal ala and nasolabial sulcus; at least one opening formed through the outer membrane, the opening configured to provide sealed delivery of the flow of air at the continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to one or both of the patient’s nares; an undercushion layer configured to support the inferior portion against the patient’s lip superior and having alar sealing portion supports that correspond to each of the alar sealing portions to support the alar sealing portions between corresponding ones of the patient’s nasal ala and nasolabial sulcus; a superior portion configured to engage the patient’s nose inferior to the patient’s pronasale to seal against the patient’s nose proximal to the pronasale, the superior portion not being supported by the undercushion layer; and a lateral portion on each lateral side of the seal-forming structure configured to seal with a corresponding ala of the patient’s nose, wherein the outer membrane comprises a thickened region at each lateral portion that is thicker than the remainder of the outer membrane. P1218NZ3 / 506207NZDIV2

2. The seal-forming structure of claim 1, wherein the undercushion layer extends partially around a periphery of the outer membrane.

3. The seal-forming structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein the undercushion layer terminates at each lateral side at the alar sealing portion supports.

4. The seal-forming structure of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in use the seal-forming structure does not extend beyond the patient’s septal cartilage.

5. The seal-forming structure of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in use the seal-forming structure does not extend beyond the patient’s alar cartilage.

6. The seal-forming structure of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising one opening formed through the outer membrane to provide sealed delivery of the flow of air at the continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to both of the patient’s nares.

7. The seal-forming structure of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: two openings formed through the outer membrane to provide sealed delivery of the flow of air at the continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to a corresponding one of the patient’s nares; and a columella engagement portion between the openings to engage the columella of the patient’s nose.

8. A patient interface for sealed delivery of a flow of air at a continuously 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, wherein the patient interface is configured to maintain a therapy pressure in a range of about 4 cmH2O to about 30 cmH2O above ambient air pressure in use, throughout the patient’s respiratory cycle, while the patient is sleeping, to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, said patient interface comprising: a plenum chamber pressurised at a pressure above ambient pressure in use; the seal forming structure of any one of claims 1 to 7, the seal forming structure having a plenum chamber connection portion attached to the plenum chamber; and P1218NZ3 / 506207NZDIV2 a positioning and stabilising structure to maintain the seal forming structure in sealing contact with an area surrounding the entrance to the patient’s airways while maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the entrance to the patient’s airways. ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3 ResMed Ref: P1218NZ3