Variable aperture venting for respiratory mask
AssigneeMallinckrodt Inc.
InventorsBruce R. Bowman, Gary L. Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting is provided according to the invention, including a gas supply hose, a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, the mask shell adapted to be connected to the gas supply hose, and an exhaust gas flow volume regulating device which maintains a substantially constant gas flow volume out of the respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside the respiratory mask.
Claims20
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting, comprising:
- a gas supply hose;
- a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, said mask shell adapted to be connected to said gas supply hose;
- and
- a gas flow volume regulating device for substantially maintaining a substantially constant exhaust gas flow volume out of said respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside said respiratory mask,
- wherein said gas flow volume regulating device comprises a hollow elastomeric truncated cone, said hollow elastomeric truncated cone having an internal diameter, an outer aperture, and an inner aperture forming a truncated end of said hollow elastomeric truncated cone, with said hollow elastomeric truncated cone being deformable by a gas pressure within said respiratory mask to change said internal diameter of said hollow elastomeric truncated cone.
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting, comprising:
- a gas supply hose;
- a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, said mask shell adapted to be connected to said gas supply hose;
- and
- a gas flow volume regulating device for substantially maintaining a substantially constant exhaust gas flow volume out of said respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside said respiratory mask,
- wherein said gas flow volume regulating device further comprises an actuator containing an electronically actuated member that is movable in relation to a vent aperture.
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting, comprising:
- a gas supply hose;
- a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, said mask shell adapted to be connected to said gas supply hose;
- and
- a gas flow volume regulating device for substantially maintaining a substantially constant exhaust gas flow volume out of said respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside said respiratory mask,
- wherein said gas flow volume regulating device comprises an actuator containing an electronically actuated member that is movable in relation to a vent aperture and in response to said internal gas pressure.
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting, comprising:
- a gas supply hose;
- a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, said mask shell adapted to be connected to said gas supply hose;
- and
- a gas flow volume regulating device for substantially maintaining a substantially constant exhaust gas flow volume out of said respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside said respiratory mask,
- wherein said gas flow volume regulating device comprises:
- an actuator containing an electronically actuated member that is movable in relation to a vent aperture;
- and
- a pressure sensor.
A respiratory mask having a variable flow venting, comprising:
- a gas supply hose;
- a mask shell adapted to output a gas to a respiratory system of a person, said mask shell adapted to be connected to said gas supply hose;
- and
- a gas flow volume regulating device for substantially maintaining a substantially constant exhaust gas flow volume out of said respiratory mask independent of an internal gas pressure inside said respiratory mask,
- wherein said gas flow volume regulating device comprises:
- an actuator containing an electronically actuated member that is movable in relation to a vent aperture;
- a pressure sensor;
- and
- a controller communicating with said actuator and said pressure sensor in order to vary an effective size of said vent aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.