Mask apparatus

A mask apparatus for enclosing a selected area of a patient's face adjacent at least the patient's nose or mouth comprising:

• a body member formed to enclose a space and to confront a selected area of a patient's face to enclose said space adjacent thereto;
• a flexible means carried by said body member and extending thereon to lie adjacent a peripheral extent of the selected area of a patient's face;
• peripheral seal means associated with said flexible means and operable to engage the patient's face in sealing engagement therewith to at least partially enclose said space;
• said flexible means being deformable upon engagement of said seal means with the patient's face in a manner to conform said seal means closely to the portions of the patient's face in contact therewith;
• said flexible means including a flexible wall forming chamber means and a plurality of interengagable elements confined within said chamber means;
• vacuum drawing means which is cooperable with said chamber means and is selectively operable to draw a partial vacuum therein such that relatively greater pressure acting on external surfaces of said flexible wall moves said interengagable elements into mechanical interengagement to thereby maintain said seal means in closely conforming relation with the patient's face;
• and
• adhesive means which is effective to maintain said mutual interengagement of said interengagable elements upon release of the partial vacuum within said chamber means.