Breathing mask arrangement as well as an application device and a forehead support device for same

A respiratory mask assembly for providing respiratory therapy to a patient, the respiratory mask assembly comprising:

• a frame including a main body and a forehead support extending from the main body, the forehead support including a pair of upper headgear holding members, and the frame further including a conduit carrier portion having an insert opening;
• a pair of lower headgear holding members configured to be provided to the main body of the frame;
• a mask releasably coupled with the frame, the mask including a body portion and a sealing portion, and
• the mask forming a mask internal space pressurizable to a therapeutic pressure above ambient pressure,
• wherein the body portion includes a circular inlet opening structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by the patient,
• wherein the body portion includes an inside surface exposed to said therapeutic pressure in use and an outside surface exposed to ambient pressure, and the main body of the frame includes a wall outside the mask internal space,
• the sealing portion is constructed and arranged to form a seal with a patient's nose, the sealing portion including a hole therein adapted to receive the patient's nose such that the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure is delivered to the patient's nose, the sealing portion including an upper lip region adapted to pass along an upper lip of the patient,
• wherein the sealing portion comprises an elastomer material and the body portion does not comprise an elastomer material;
• a positioning and retaining arrangement structured and arranged to releasably couple the mask to the frame,
• the positioning and retaining arrangement comprising at least one positioning member provided to the frame, wherein the at least one positioning member structured and arranged to extend posteriorly from the main body of the frame and into the body portion of the mask such that the body portion covers the at least one positioning member when the mask and the frame are coupled to one another, and
• the positioning and retaining arrangement further comprising a mask retainer part provided to the body portion of the mask and a frame retainer part provided to the frame, wherein the frame retainer part is structured and arranged to engage over and behind the mask retainer part to releasably retain the mask to the frame;
• a respiratory gas conduit member structured to connect to a respiratory gas conduit to deliver the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure to the mask internal space, and the respiratory gas conduit member is mounted within the insert opening of the conduit carrier portion of the frame;
• headgear to maintain the respiratory mask assembly in position on a patient's head, the headgear including upper bands adapted to connect to the upper headgear holding members of the frame and lower bands adapted to connect to the lower headgear holding members, and the upper bands adapted to be routed over respective ones of a patient's ears and the lower bands adapted to be routed under respective ones of the patient's ears;
• and
• a plurality of outlet openings for discharge of gas from the mask internal space to ambient atmosphere.

A respiratory mask assembly for providing respiratory therapy to a patient, the respiratory mask assembly comprising:

• a frame including a pair of upper headgear holding members, and the frame further including a conduit carrier portion having an insert opening;
• a pair of lower headgear holding members provided to the frame;
• a mask releasably coupled with the frame, the mask including a body portion and a sealing portion, and
• the mask forming a mask internal space pressurizable to a therapeutic pressure above ambient pressure,
• wherein the body portion includes a circular inlet opening structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by the patient,
• wherein the body portion includes an inside surface exposed to said therapeutic pressure in use and an outside surface exposed to ambient pressure, and the frame includes a side wall arranged along the outside surface of the body portion so that the side wall is outside the mask internal space,
• the sealing portion is constructed and arranged to form a seal with a patient's nose and mouth, the sealing portion including a hole therein adapted to receive the patient's nose and mouth such that the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure is delivered to the patient's nose and mouth,
• wherein the sealing portion comprises an elastomer material and the body portion does not comprise an elastomer material;
• a positioning and retaining arrangement structured and arranged to releasably couple the mask to the frame,
• the positioning and retaining arrangement comprising at least one positioning member provided to the frame, wherein the at least one positioning member structured and arranged to extend posteriorly from the frame and into the body portion of the mask such that the body portion covers the at least one positioning member when the mask and the frame are coupled to one another, and
• the positioning and retaining arrangement further comprising a mask retainer part provided to the body portion of the mask and a frame retainer part provided to the frame, wherein the frame retainer part is structured and arranged to engage over and behind the mask retainer part to releasably retain the mask to the frame;
• a respiratory gas conduit member structured to connect to a respiratory gas conduit to deliver the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure to the mask internal space, and the respiratory gas conduit member is mounted within the insert opening of the conduit carrier portion of the frame;
• headgear to maintain the respiratory mask assembly in position on a patient's head, the headgear including upper bands adapted to connect to the upper headgear holding members of the frame and lower bands adapted to connect to the lower headgear holding members, and the upper bands adapted to be routed over respective ones of a patient's ears and the lower bands adapted to be routed under respective ones of the patient's ears;
• and
• a plurality of outlet openings for discharge of gas from the mask internal space to ambient atmosphere.

A respiratory mask assembly for providing respiratory therapy to a patient, the respiratory mask assembly comprising:

• a frame including a main body and a pair of upper headgear holding members;
• a pair of lower headgear holding members configured to be provided to the frame;
• a mask releasably coupled with the frame, the mask including a body portion and a sealing portion, and
• the mask forming a mask internal space pressurizable to a therapeutic pressure above ambient pressure,
• wherein the body portion includes a circular inlet opening structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by the patient,
• wherein the body portion includes an inside surface exposed to said therapeutic pressure in use and an outside surface exposed to ambient pressure, the frame including a wall arranged along the outside surface of the body portion, and the frame in its entirety being arranged outside the mask internal space,
• wherein the body portion includes a plurality of outlet openings for discharge of gas from the mask internal space to ambient atmosphere,
• wherein the frame includes a first opening having a closed shape that is configured and arranged to expose the plurality of outlet openings when the mask and the frame are coupled to one another,
• the sealing portion is constructed and arranged to form a seal with a patient's nose and mouth, the sealing portion including a hole therein adapted to receive the patient's nose and mouth such that the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure is delivered to the patient's nose and mouth,
• wherein the sealing portion comprises an elastomer material and the body portion does not comprise an elastomer material;
• a positioning and retaining arrangement structured and arranged to releasably couple the body portion of the mask to the main body of the frame in a substantially fixed, substantially non-adjustable position to resist adjustable movement between the body portion of the mask and the main body of the frame,
• the positioning and retaining arrangement comprising a pair of positioning members provided to the frame, wherein the pair of positioning members are structured and arranged to protrude from the frame and into respective receiving portions provided in the body portion of the mask when the mask and the frame are coupled to one another, and
• the positioning and retaining arrangement further comprising a mask retainer part provided to the body portion of the mask and a frame retainer part provided to the frame, wherein the frame retainer part is structured and arranged to engage behind the mask retainer part to releasably retain the mask to the frame;
• a respiratory gas conduit member structured to connect to a respiratory gas conduit to deliver the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure to the mask internal space, and the respiratory gas conduit member is configured to communicate with the mask through the circular inlet opening of the body portion;
• and
• headgear to maintain the respiratory mask assembly in position on a patient's head, the headgear including upper bands adapted to connect to the upper headgear holding members of the frame and lower bands adapted to connect to the lower headgear holding members, and the upper bands adapted to be routed over respective ones of a patient's ears and the lower bands adapted to be routed under respective ones of the patient's ears.