Mask assembly

Abstract

A respiratory mask for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea using gas pressurized in the range of about 4 to 20 cm H 2 O, the mask comprising a mask body, a flexible inlet tube having a first end coupled to the mask body and second end adapted to extend upwardly over a patient's head in use for connection to an air delivery tube. a cushion supported by the mask body, a harness to support the mask body and cushion on the patient's head, an elongated clip extending from each lateral side of the mask body, each said clip having a slot to receive an engaging strap of the harness, a ball and socket joint including a ball portion and a socket, wherein the ball portion comprises a part-spherical hollow profile, and wherein the ball portion and the socket are selectively attachable to and detachable from one another.

1 . A respiratory mask for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea using gas pressurized in the range of about 4 to 20 cm H 2 O, the mask comprising:
 a mask body;   a cushion supported by the mask body;   a harness to support the mask body and cushion on a patient's head;   a flexible inlet tube having a first end coupled to the mask body and a second end, opposite the first end;   a clip that is pivotably connected to each lateral side of the mask body, each said clip having a slot to receive an engaging strap of the harness;   a forehead support including a slot at each lateral end to receive an engaging strap of the harness, the forehead support including a retaining loop to slidingly receive the flexible air inlet tube;   an adjustment mechanism to vertically adjust the mask body relative to the forehead support;   a ball and socket joint including a ball portion and a socket, the ball and socket joint being provided to the second end of the flexible inlet tube, wherein each of the ball portion and the socket comprises a part-spherical hollow profile, and wherein the ball portion and the socket are selectively attachable to and detachable from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The respiratory mask of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the flexible tube extends above the retaining loop such that the ball and second joint is freely movable, the ball and socket joint being connectable to an air delivery tube adapted for connection to a pressurized air source. 
     
     
         3 . The respiratory mask of  claim 1 , wherein the socket includes a seat or lip against which the ball rests when the ball portion is inserted into the socket. 
     
     
         4 . The respiratory mask of  claim 3 , further comprising the seat and the lip, one of which is located on an edge defining an opening of the socket. 
     
     
         5 . The respiratory mask of  claim 4 , further comprising a small clearance between an outer surface of the ball portion and an inner surface of the socket, the clearance being positioned between the seat and the lip, such that only the seat and the lip contact the outer surface of the ball portion. 
     
     
         6 . The respiratory mask of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a pair of grasping portions at least one of which includes a flexible and resilient spring tab associated with an engagement tab that is selectively lockable with one of a plurality of detents or slots, wherein when the grasping portions are grasped by the user and the spring tab is flexed, the engagement tab is decoupled from the detents or slots, such that the forehead support is vertically movable relative to the mask body, and when the grasping portions are released, the natural spring action of the spring tab acts to couple the engagement tab with the selected slot or detent to lock the forehead support relative to the mask body. 
     
     
         7 . The respiratory mask of  claim 1 , further comprising a second ball and socket joint provided to the first end of the flexible inlet tube, the second ball and socket joint having a second socket formed as part of the mask body and a second ball portion that fits within the second socket. 
     
     
         8 . The respiratory mask of  claim 7 , wherein the second ball portion is connected to the first end of the flexible inlet tube. 
     
     
         9 . The respiratory mask of  claim 8 , wherein the ball portion and the second ball portion comprise polycarbonate. 
     
     
         10 . The respiratory mask of  claim 9 , wherein the socket and the second socket comprise polycarbonate. 
     
     
         11 . A respiratory mask for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea using gas pressurized in the range of about 4 to 20 cm H 2 O, the mask comprising:
 a mask body;   a cushion supported by the mask body;   a harness to support the mask body and cushion on the patient's head;   a clip that is pivotably connected to each lateral side of the mask body, each said clip having a slot to receive an engaging strap of the harness;   a forehead support associated with a slot at each lateral end to receive an engaging strap of the harness;   an adjustment mechanism to adjust the mask body relative to the forehead support;   a ball and socket joint including a ball portion and a socket, wherein the ball portion comprises a part-spherical hollow profile, and wherein the ball portion and the socket are selectively attachable to and detachable from one another.   
     
     
         12 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein the socket includes a seat or lip against which the ball rests when the ball portion is inserted into the socket. 
     
     
         13 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , further comprising the seat and the lip, one of which is located on an edge defining an opening of the socket. 
     
     
         14 . The respiratory mask of  claim 13 , further comprising a small clearance between an outer surface of the ball portion and an inner surface of the socket, the clearance being positioned between the seat and the lip, such that only the seat and the lip contact the outer surface of the ball portion. 
     
     
         15 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a pair of grasping portions each of which includes a flexible and resilient spring tab associated with an engagement tab that is selectively lockable with one of a plurality of detents or slots. 
     
     
         16 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein an inner surface of the ball portion is part spherical and concave. 
     
     
         17 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein the ball portion includes a spherical wall portion having an outer surface to contact an inner surface of the socket, and a concave inner surface having a part-spherical shape. 
     
     
         18 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein the ball portion comprise a first material and the socket comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         19 . The respiratory mask of  claim 18 , wherein the first material is relatively hard compared to the second material, which is relatively more flexible. 
     
     
         20 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein the ball portion comprises polycarbonate. 
     
     
         21 . The respiratory mask of  claim 20 , wherein the socket comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         22 . The respiratory mask of  claim 11 , wherein each of the ball portion and the socket comprises only a portion of a sphere. 
     
     
         23 . A respiratory mask for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea using gas pressurized in the range of about 4 to 20 cm H 2 O, the mask comprising:
 a mask body;   a flexible inlet tube having a first end coupled to the mask body and second end adapted to extend upwardly over a patient's head in use for connection to an air delivery tube;   a cushion supported by the mask body;   a harness to support the mask body and cushion on the patient's head;   an elongated clip extending from each lateral side of the mask body, each said clip having a slot to receive an engaging strap of the harness;   a ball and socket joint including a ball portion and a socket, wherein the ball portion comprises a part-spherical hollow profile, and wherein the ball portion and the socket are selectively attachable to and detachable from one another.   
     
     
         24 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein the socket is formed as an integral part of the mask body and the ball portion is coupled to the first end of the flexible inlet tube. 
     
     
         25 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein the socket includes a seat or lip against which the ball rests when the ball portion is inserted into the socket. 
     
     
         26 . The respiratory mask of  claim 25 , further comprising the seat and the lip, one of which is located on an edge defining an opening of the socket. 
     
     
         27 . The respiratory mask of  claim 26 , further comprising a small clearance between an outer surface of the ball portion and an inner surface of the socket, the clearance being positioned between the seat and the lip, such that only the seat and the lip contact the outer surface of the ball portion. 
     
     
         28 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein an inner surface of the ball portion is part spherical and concave. 
     
     
         29 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein the ball portion includes a spherical wall portion having an outer surface to contact an inner surface of the socket, and a concave inner surface having a part-spherical shape. 
     
     
         30 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein the ball portion comprise a first material and the socket comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         31 . The respiratory mask of  claim 30 , wherein the first material is relatively hard compared to the second material, which is relatively more flexible. 
     
     
         32 . The respiratory mask of  claim 23 , wherein the ball portion comprises polycarbonate. 
     
     
         33 . The respiratory mask of  claim 32 , wherein the socket comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         34 . A respiratory mask for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea using gas pressurized in the range of about 4 to 20 cm H2O, the mask comprising:
 a mask body;   a cushion supported by the mask body;   a harness to support the mask body and cushion on the patient's head;   a ball and socket joint including a ball portion and a socket, wherein the ball portion comprises a part-spherical hollow profile, and wherein the ball portion and the socket are selectively attachable to and detachable from one another.   
     
     
         35 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein the socket is formed as an integral part of the mask body and the ball portion is coupled to the first end of the flexible inlet tube. 
     
     
         36 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein the socket includes a seat or lip against which the ball rests when the ball portion is inserted into the socket. 
     
     
         37 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , further comprising lip formed around an edge of an opening of the socket to retain the ball portion. 
     
     
         38 . The respiratory mask of  claim 36 , further comprising a small clearance between an outer surface of the ball portion and an inner surface of the socket, such that only a portion of an interior surface of the socket contacts the outer surface of the ball portion. 
     
     
         39 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein an inner surface of the ball portion is part spherical and concave. 
     
     
         40 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein the ball portion includes a spherical wall portion having an outer surface to contact an inner surface of the socket, and a concave inner surface having a part-spherical shape. 
     
     
         41 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein the ball portion comprise a first material and the socket comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         42 . The respiratory mask of  claim 41 , wherein the first material is relatively hard compared to the second material, which is relatively more flexible. 
     
     
         43 . The respiratory mask of  claim 34 , wherein the ball portion comprises polycarbonate. 
     
     
         44 . The respiratory mask of  claim 43 , wherein the socket comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         45 . The respiratory mask of  claim 1 , wherein the cushion includes a gusset portion to accommodate for patient physiology and/or movement.