Sealing nasal cannula
AssigneeCardinal Health 205, Inc.
InventorsGeoffrey P. Sleeper, David J. Palkon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrally molded ventilation interface includes a hollow bellows-like structure and two nasal prongs extending from a top surface of the bellows. A pair of headgear strap flanges can also be molded integrally with the ventilation interface. The nasal prongs provide a first sealing interface between an outer surface of the nasal prongs and an inner surface of the patient's nares. The bellows provides a second sealing interface between a top surface of the bellows-like structure and a bottom surface of a patient's nose. The headgear strap flanges provide a third sealing interface between the ventilation interface and a mustache region of the patient's face as well as a bottom surface of the patient's nose.
Claims22
A ventilation interface comprising:
- a nasal cannula body, the nasal cannula body comprising:
- a pair of nasal prongs located on a top portion of the nasal cannula body to create a first sealing interface between the nasal cannula body and a nose;
- and
- a bellows-like structure integrally molded in a portion of the nasal cannula body, wherein the bellows-like structure is configured to contact a bottom surface of the nose to create a second sealing interface between the nasal cannula body and the nose.
A ventilation interface comprising:
- a nasal cannula body;
- and
- a pair of barrel shaped prongs located on a top portion of the nasal cannula body, the barrel shaped prongs having a largest diameter at a midsection of each of the prongs and smaller diameters at first and second ends of each of the prongs and providing a large sealing surface between an outer surface of the prongs and an inner surface of a patient's nares,
- wherein the largest diameter of the barrel shaped prongs is configured to fit substantially entirely within the patient's nares such that the largest diameter of the prongs compresses in a radial direction and applies substantially uniform pressure across the outer surface of the prongs and the inner surface of the patient's nares.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.