Adjustable patient interface for a breathing assistance system

An adjustable patient interface for a breathing assistance system, comprising:

• a cushion configured to contact a patient's face, the cushion having a perimeter;
• a shell configured to support the cushion;
• and
• a cushion adjustment system for adjusting the shape of the cushion, the cushion adjustment system including a plurality of adjustment elements disposed at locations along the perimeter of the cushion, each adjustment element configured to allow manual adjustment of a distance between a region of the cushion corresponding to that adjustment element and the shell without replacing or exchanging any component of the cushion adjustment system;
• wherein the shell includes a plurality of connection portions configured to interface with an adjustment element;
• a particular adjustment element includes a plurality of cushion locking members;
• and
• a particular connection portion includes a shell locking member configured to interlock with one of the cushion locking members to prevent movement of the particular adjustment element relative to the particular connection portion in a first direction but not in a second direction generally opposite the first direction;
• and
• a seal between each shell locking member and corresponding cushion locking members, the seal configured to reduce or prevent gas flow between an area inside the patient interface and an area outside the patient interface.

An adjustable breathing assistance system, comprising:

• a cushion including:
• a face contacting portion configured to contact a patient's face;
• an adjustment portion including one or more cushion connection portions configured to interact with one or more shell connection portions of a shell to adjustably couple the cushion to the shell;
• and
• at least one sliding member;
• wherein each cushion connection portion corresponds to a region of the face contacting portion;
• and
• wherein a particular cushion connection portion may be manually adjusted relative to a particular shell connection portion to adjust the distance between a region of the face contacting portion corresponding to the particular cushion connection portion and the shell without replacing or exchanging any cushion connection portions or shell connection portion;
• and
• a seal between each cushion connection portion and corresponding shell connection portion, the seal configured to reduce or prevent gas flow between an area inside the patient interface and an area outside the patient interface.

A method for adjusting a patient interface for a breathing assistance system, comprising:

• holding a patient interface including:
• a cushion configured to contact a patient's face, the cushion having a perimeter;
• a shell configured to support the cushion;
• and
• a cushion adjustment system including a plurality of adjustment elements corresponding to different regions of the cushion located along the perimeter of the cushion, each adjustment element being positioned in a first position relative to the shell such that each region of the cushion is located at a particular distance from the shell;
• and
• a seal provided for each adjustment element, the seals configured to reduce or prevent gas flow between an area inside the patient interface and an area outside the patient interface;
• manually activating a lever in a first direction such that at least one adjustment element may be manually adjusted in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• manually adjusting the shape of the cushion by moving one or more particular adjustment elements from the first position relative to the shell to a second position closer to the shell to adjust a distance between a region of the cushion corresponding to the one or more particular adjustment elements and the shell.

An adjustable patient interface for a breathing assistance system, comprising:

• face contacting means for interfacing with a patient's face, the face contacting means having a perimeter;
• support means for supporting the face contacting means;
• adjustment means for adjusting the shape of the face contacting means, the adjustment means including a plurality of adjustment elements disposed at locations along the perimeter of the face contacting means, each adjustment element configured to allow manual adjustment of a distance between a region of the face contacting means corresponding to that adjustment element and the support means without replacing or exchanging any of the adjustment elements;
• locking means configured to prevent movement of the face contacting means relative to the support means in a first direction but not in a second direction generally opposite the first direction;
• and
• a seal provided for each adjustment element, the seals configured to reduce or prevent gas flow between an area inside the patient interface and an area outside the patient interface.