Headgear tubing for a patient interface

Abstract

A patient interface for treating sleep disorder breathing includes a textile tube that also provides support for the seal forming structure. The textile tube includes an inner and outer layer that are joined along seams to form an air chamber or passageway. The textile tube can be pre-shaped so that the textile tube resiliently returns to a pre-determined shape prior to the introduction of pressurized air.

1 . A patient interface comprising:
 a plenum chamber pressurisable to a therapeutic pressure of at least 6 cmH 2 O above ambient air pressure, said plenum chamber including a plenum chamber inlet port sized and structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by a patient,   a seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to form a seal with a region of the patient's face surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways, said seal-forming structure having a hole therein such that the flow of air at said therapeutic pressure is delivered to at least an entrance to the patient's nares, the seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to maintain said therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber throughout the patient's respiratory cycle in use;   a positioning and stabilising structure to provide a force to hold the seal-forming structure in a therapeutically effective position on a head of a patient, the positioning and stabilising structure comprising:
 at least one gas delivery tube to deliver the flow of air to the entrance of the patient's airways via the seal-forming structure, the at least one gas delivery tube being constructed and arranged to contact, in use, at least a region of the patient's head superior to an otobasion superior of the patient's head; 
 wherein the at least one gas delivery tube includes an inner textile layer and an outer textile layer, wherein the inner textile layer and the outer textile layer are joined along a first longitudinal edge at a first joint and along a second longitudinal edge at a second joint; 
 wherein between the first joint and the second joint the outer textile layer is spaced from the inner textile layer; 
 wherein the outer textile layer is thermoformed to have a predetermined shape and the inner textile layer is not thermoformed; and 
 wherein the outer textile layer supports its own weight between the first joint and the second joint such that the outer textile layer remains spaced from the inner textile layer when not supported by pressurized air. 
   
     
     
         2 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer has different material properties than the outer textile layer. 
     
     
         3 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , the inner textile layer comprises an interior textile membrane, wherein during use when pressurized with air, the interior textile membrane is configured to permit air transfer through the interior textile membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer comprises a conformable inner textile membrane, and the outer textile layer comprises a conformable outer textile membrane, wherein the outer textile layer is thicker than the inner textile layer. 
     
     
         5 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer has a substantially planar cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer is floppy. 
     
     
         7 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer is secured to the outer textile layer, wherein the outer textile layer imparts tension onto the inner textile layer. 
     
     
         8 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer comprises an exterior textile sheet and an interior textile membrane, wherein the interior textile membrane is configured to resist the transfer of air through the exterior textile sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas delivery tube is configured to extend continuously from a right side of the patient, along the parietal bone, to a left side of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas delivery tube includes an air supply conduit, wherein when the patient interface is worn by the patient the air supply conduit is located adjacent the parietal bone. 
     
     
         11 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer textile layer comprises an exterior textile sheet and an interior textile membrane, wherein a conformable sheet is sandwiched between the exterior textile sheet and the interior textile membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer is joined to the outer textile layer at a joint, wherein a width of the joint is varied along a length of the at least one gas delivery tube. 
     
     
         13 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer textile layer has an interior surface, wherein the interior surface of the outer textile layer has a positive curvature between the first joint and the second joint. 
     
     
         14 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer has a zero curvature between the first joint and the second joint. 
     
     
         15 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer and the outer textile layer are joined together without stitching. 
     
     
         16 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer comprises an inner interior textile membrane, wherein the outer textile layer includes an outer interior textile membrane, wherein the outer interior textile membrane of the outer textile layer and the inner interior textile membrane of the inner textile layer are joined together along edges of the at least one gas delivery tube, wherein the inner interior textile membrane and the outer interior textile membrane join the inner textile layer to the outer textile layer and form an air impermeable membrane between the inner textile layer and the outer textile layer. 
     
     
         17 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner textile layer and the outer textile layer are joined at a first edge by a first joint and at a second edge by a second joint, and spaced from each other between the first joint and the second joint, wherein rigidizers are not utilized along the inner textile layer between the first joint and the second joint. 
     
     
         18 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein during use and pressurized by air the inner textile layer expands away from the outer textile layer. 
     
     
         19 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer textile layer includes a conformable material, wherein the conformable material is thermoformed to a pre-determined non-planar cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         20 . The patient interface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas delivery tube is thermoformed in a predetermined shape such that a first arm that extends along a first plane, and an upper portion that extends along a second plane that is substantially orthogonal to the first plane without external force or pressure.