Face mask for patient breathing

A mask for directing air to the facial area of a patient comprising:

• a mask body in the form of a conduit, a seal connected to an outlet end of said mask body for contacting such patient's face in a sealing relationship, said seal being soft and pliable for patient comfort, and a vent tube connected to an inlet end of said mask body to supply air to said mask body, wherein said mask body is relatively flexible compared with said vent tube so that lateral stresses on said mask body are initially accommodated by distortion of said mask body rather than on breaking the sealing relationship between the seal and such patient's face, and wherein said seal includes a mask body flange extending radially outwardly from outlet end of said mask body, thereby forming an outer circumferential edge, and a soft and flexible patient face flange connected to said outer circumferential edge and extending radially inwardly from said outer circumferential edge.

A mask for directing air to the facial area of a patient comprising:

• a mask body in the form of a conduit;
• a seal connected to an outlet end of said mask body for contacting such patient's face in a sealing relationship, said seal being soft and pliable for patient comfort;
• and a frame mounted for movement along said mask body, said frame having an opening through which said mask body extends, where movement of said frame toward said outlet end of said mask body and into contact with said seal causes said frame to press said seal against such patient's face.

A mask for directing air to the facial area of a patient comprising:

• a mask body in the form of a conduit;
• a seal connected to an outlet end of said mask body for contacting such patient's face in a sealing relationship, a vent tube connected to an inlet end of said mask body to supply air to said mask body and to act as an exit for air exhaled by such patient, said vent tube including a ball and socket connection to said mask body and an exit air vent located to direct exhaled air away from such patient's face;
• and wherein said ball and socket connection includes an inner shell and an outer shell, and spacers separating said inner and outer shells.

A mask for directing air to the facial area of a patient comprising:

• a mask body in the form of a conduit;
• a seal connected to an outlet end of said mask body for contacting such patient's face in a sealing relationship, a vent tube connected to an inlet end of said mask body to supply air to said mask body and to act as an exit for air exhaled by such patient, where said vent tube includes a ball and socket connection to said mask body and an exit air vent located to direct exhaled air away from such patient's face, wherein said ball and socket connection includes an inner shell and an outer shell, and spacers separating said inner and outer shells, wherein said spacers are protuberances on said inner shell, wherein a space between said separated inner and outer shells define an exit path for exhaled air to move to said exit air vent, wherein the exit path for exhaled air to move to the exit air vent is different from the path of air supplied to said mask, and wherein the flow of exhaled air through the exit air path is controlled by an annular ridge on said inner shell.