# US 11,439,780 B2 · Patient interface systems for ensuring effective seal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,780 B2 - Document ID: US11439780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/580,237 - Filed: 2019-09-24 - Published: 2020-01-16 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: ResMed Pty Ltd - Applicants: ResMed Pty Ltd - Inventors: Matthew Eves; Adam Francis Barlow; Gerard Michael Rummery - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439780B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/0057: {Pumps therefor} - A61M 16/0611: {with a gusset portion} - A61M 16/0666: {Nasal cannulas or tubing (devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02)} - A61M 16/0683: {Holding devices therefor} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A patient interface system for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a patient interface configured to sealingly engage the patient's face. A mechanism may be provided to ensure that an effective seal is maintained between the patient interface and the patient's face by preventing, reducing, minimizing or limiting effects of disruptive forces, such as tube drag, on the patient interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A patient interface for delivering pressurized gas to a patient, comprising: a patient contacting side of the patient interface adapted to, in use, sealingly engage the patient's face by a compressive force; a non-patient contacting side opposite the patient contacting side; and a chamber extending from a seal-side portion on the patient contacting side to a non-seal side portion on the non-patient contacting side, the chamber including a predetermined amount of fluid, wherein, in use, the fluid flows between the seal-side portion of the chamber and the non-seal side portion of the chamber in accordance with a magnitude of the compressive force, wherein the seal-side portion includes an upper inner wall and an upper outer wall, the upper inner wall being configured to directly contact the patient's face in use, wherein the upper inner wall has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the upper outer wall to facilitate the flow of the fluid between the seal-side portion of the chamber and the non-seal side portion of the chamber, and wherein the non-seal side portion includes a lower inner wall, and wherein the upper inner wall forms a continuous wall structure with the lower inner wall, the upper inner wall and the lower inner wall being formed of a same material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein a material of the upper inner wall is elastic and is configured to elastically expand as fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein the non-seal side portion includes a lower outer wall comprising a material that is elastic, and the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion is configured to elastically expand as fluid flows from the seal-side portion to the non-seal side portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The patient interface of claim 3, wherein the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the lower inner wall of the non-seal side portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion when the magnitude of the compressive force decreases. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The patient interface claim 1, wherein the patient interface is a nasal cushion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein the fluid is flowable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein an aperture is formed through the patient interface to communicate the pressurized gas to the patient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The patient interface of claim 1, wherein the smaller thickness of the upper inner wall provides the upper inner wall with increased flexibility as compared to the upper outer wall to facilitate expansion and contraction of the seal-side portion of the chamber as the fluid flows between the seal-side portion of the chamber and the non-seal side portion of the chamber. ### Claim 10 A patient interface for delivering pressurized gas to a patient, comprising: a patient contacting side of the patient interface adapted to, in use, sealingly engage the patient's face by a compressive force; a non-patient contacting side opposite the patient contacting side; and a chamber extending from a seal-side portion on the patient contacting side to a non-seal side portion on the non-patient contacting side, the chamber including a predetermined amount of fluid, wherein the fluid flows between the seal-side portion of the chamber and the non-seal side portion of the chamber in accordance with a magnitude of the compressive force, wherein the seal-side portion includes an upper inner wall and an upper outer wall, the upper inner wall comprising a material that is elastic, wherein, in use, the material of the upper inner wall is configured to elastically expand as fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion, wherein the non-seal side portion includes a lower inner wall and a lower outer wall, the lower outer wall comprising a material that is elastic, and wherein the upper inner wall forms a continuous wall structure with the lower inner wall, the upper inner wall and the lower inner wall being formed of a same material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion when the magnitude of the compressive force decreases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein the upper inner wall has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the upper outer wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein, in use, the material of the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion is configured to elastically expand as fluid flows from the seal-side portion to the non-seal side portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The patient interface of claim 13, wherein the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the lower inner wall of the non-seal side portion to facilitate elastic expansion of the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion of the chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein the patient interface is a nasal cushion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein the fluid is flowable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein an aperture is formed through the patient interface to communicate the pressurized gas to the patient. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The patient interface of claim 10, wherein, in use, the material of the upper inner wall is configured to elastically expand and contract as fluid flows to and from the seal-side portion of the chamber. ### Claim 19 A method of sealing a patient interface with a patient's face, the patient interface configured to deliver pressurized gas to the patient, the patient interface comprising a patient contacting side adapted to sealingly engage the patient's face, a non-patient contacting side opposite the patient contacting side, and a chamber filled with a predetermined amount of fluid that extends from a seal-side portion of the chamber on the patient contacting side of the patient interface to a non-seal side portion of the chamber on the non-patient contacting side of the patient interface, the method comprising: engaging the patient contacting side of the patient interface with the patient's face thereby applying a compressive force to the patient interface; forming at least a partial seal between the patient interface and the patient's face; and expanding the seal-side portion of the chamber by causing fluid to flow from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion of the chamber in response to a decrease in the compressive force, wherein the seal-side portion includes an upper inner wall and an upper outer wall, the upper inner wall comprising a material that is elastic, wherein, in use, the material of the upper inner wall is configured to elastically expand as fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal-side portion, wherein the non-seal side portion includes a lower inner wall and a lower outer wall, the lower outer wall comprising a material that is elastic, and wherein the upper inner wall forms a continuous wall structure with the lower inner wall, the upper inner wall and the lower inner wall being formed of a same material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein an amount of fluid that flows to the seal-side portion of the chamber is in accordance with a magnitude of the decrease in compressive force. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the upper inner wall has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the upper outer wall. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the material of the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion is configured to contract as fluid flows from the non-seal side portion to the seal side portion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the lower outer wall of the non-seal side portion has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the lower inner wall of the non-seal side portion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein patient interface is a nasal cushion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid is flowable. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein, in use, the material of the upper inner wall is configured to elastically expand and contract as fluid flows to and from the seal-side portion of the chamber.