Breathing assistance apparatus
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Limited
InventorsChristopher John Robertson, Nicholas Charles Alan Smith, Lewis George Gradon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mouthpiece for oral delivery for oral delivery of CPAP treatment has a vestibular shield for location between the teeth and lips/cheeks of a wearer. The vestibular shield is formed from a very supple material and is dimensioned to extend laterally into the buccal vestibule and vertically to overlap the gums. A gases pathway is provided through the vestibular shield and may include a hard plastic insert through the shield. A connection for connecting the mouthpiece to a breathing circuit is provided which reduces the transfer of forces caused by movement therebetween.
Claims37
A mouthpiece for delivering positive pressure gases to the oral cavity of a user comprising:
- a generally rectangularly-shaped vestibular shield having an inner surface and an outer surface, said vestibular shield having a predetermined height which will overlap a user's upper and lower teeth and gums when positioned in the mouth vestibule of a user, said vestibular shield having a central portion which will extend over a user's front teeth and gums when said central portion of said vestibular shield is positioned between the lips and the teeth of the user, and outer portions extending from said central portion which extend along and overlap at least a portion of the user's back teeth and gums when said outer portions of said vestibular shield are positioned between the cheeks and the teeth of the user, said vestibular shield in use sealing against the inner walls of the lips and/or cheeks of a user's mouth;
- and gases passageway means extending from said outer surface of said vestibular shield to said inner surface of said vestibular shield to allow said gases to flow through said mouthpiece;
- and a gases outlet adapted to expel said gases from said gases passageway means into the oral cavity of a user.
A mouthpiece comprising:
- a vestibular shield having an inner surface and an outer surface, said vestibular shield having a predetermined height which will overlap a user's teeth and gums when positioned in the mouth vestibule of a user;
- gases passageway means extending from said outer surface of said vestibular shield to said inner surface of said vestibular shield for allowing for the passage of gases through said mouthpiece;
- and
- extra-oral sealing means associated with said gases passageway means which may be adjusted into one of two configurations, a first configuration when said mouthpiece is inserted into a user's mouth with said extra-oral sealing means substantially unengaged with a user's face, and a second configuration when said mouthpiece is positioned in a user's mouth with said extra-oral sealing means substantially engaged with and compressed against a user's face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.