Nasal and oral cannula having two capabilities and method of producing same

A nasal and oral cannula having a pair of nares and a pair of mouthpieces with a contiguous flow path between the pair of nares and the pair of mouthpieces, the nasal and oral cannula manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• assembling a cannula mandrel assembly comprising separable engageable parts including a facepiece mandrel and a pair of mouthpiece/nasal mandrels, an intermediate section of the facepiece mandrel being provided with a pair of spaced apart conical through holes for each receiving a remote free end of one of the mouthpiece/nasal mandrels and allowing the facepiece mandrel to slide along the pair of mouthpiece/nasal mandrels, and each of the mouthpiece/nasal mandrels having a tapering conical section which forms a stop which prevents further sliding movement of the facepiece mandrel along the pair of mouthpiece/nasal mandrels and while also avoiding flow of a polymeric material between the facepiece mandrel and the mouthpiece/nasal mandrels;
• heating the cannula mandrel assembly to a desired temperature;
• providing an uncured polymeric material in flowable state;
• applying at least one coating of the polymeric material to the cannula mandrel assembly to provide a desired material thickness coating on the cannula mandrel assembly;
• at least partially curing the coating of the polymeric material on the cannula mandrel assembly to form the cannula;
• disassembling the cannula mandrel assembly by first sliding both the facepiece mandrel and the formed cannula along the mouthpiece/nasal mandrels toward the remote free ends of the mouthpiece/nasal mandrels until the facepiece mandrel and the partially cured cannula are completely removed from the pair of mouthpiece/nasal mandrels;
• and then withdrawing the facepiece mandrel from the formed cannula.

A nasal and oral cannula having a first and second nares and first and second curved mouthpieces with a contiguous flow path between the first and second nares and the first and second curved mouthpieces, the nasal and oral cannula comprising:

• a main body having opposed end openings and defining a single internal compartment;
• the first nare, for insertion into a nostril of a patient, being coupled to the main body and communicating with the internal compartment, and the first nare having an inlet/outlet opening at a free end thereof;
• the second nare, for insertion into a second nostril of the patient and spaced from the first nare, being coupled to the main body and communicating with the internal compartment, and the second nare having an inlet/outlet opening at a free end thereof;
• the first curved mouthpiece being coupled to the main body and communicating with the internal compartment, and the first curved mouthpiece having an inlet/outlet opening at a free end thereof;
• the second curved mouthpiece, spaced from the first curved mouthpiece, being coupled to the main body and communicating with the internal compartment, and the second curved mouthpiece having an inlet/outlet opening at a free end thereof;
• and
• the curvature of the first and second curved mouthpieces in combination with an excess length of the first and second curved mouthpieces results in extra length of the first and second curved mouthpiece and facilitates trimming of an excess portion of free ends of the first and second curved mouthpieces so that the openings, of both the first and second curved mouthpieces, can be aligned substantially normal to an inhalation/exhalation path of the patient and thereby increase the sensitivity of the cannula.