PATIENT INTERFACE
A patient interface for delivery of a supply of pressurised air or breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways comprising: a cushion member that includes a retaining structure and a seal-forming structure permanently connected to the retaining structure; a frame member attachable to the retaining structure; and a positioning and stabilising structure attachable to the frame member.
1 . A patient interface to deliver pressurized gas to a patient to treat sleep disordered breathing, the patient interface comprising:
a seal-forming structure having a nasal opening to provide pressurized gas to both nares of the patient and a plenum chamber formed in one piece, the plenum chamber including a plenum connection region, and the seal-forming structure is configured to seal around an inferior periphery of the patient's nose and at or near the tip of the patient's nose;
a frame releasably attachable to the plenum connection region;
a connection port formed in one piece with the frame; and
a gas delivery tube permanently joined to the frame at the connection port, the gas delivery tube comprising:
a helical coil comprised of a plurality of adjacent coils, each coil separated by a width and having an outer surface defining a coil diameter; and
a web of material coaxial to the helical coil attached to the helical coil between adjacent ones of the plurality of adjacent coils and having at least one fold extending radially outward between adjacent ones of the plurality of adjacent coils, the at least one fold defined by a predetermined fold line.
2 . The patient interface of claim 1 , wherein a vertex of the at least one fold defines a fold diameter,
wherein when the gas delivery tube is in a neutral state the coil diameter being substantially equal to the fold diameter and the adjacent coils are separated from each other in the neutral state, and
wherein the gas delivery tube comprises one of three different states: a neutral state wherein the gas delivery tube comprises a neutral length, an extended state wherein the gas delivery tube is extended along its longitudinal axis to an extended length that is greater than the neutral length, and a compressed state wherein the gas delivery tube is compressed along its longitudinal axis to a compressed length that is less than the neutral length.
3 . The patient interface of claim 2 , wherein the web of material comprises the at least one fold extending radially outward along at least one lengthwise portion of the gas delivery tube.
4 . The patient interface of claim 3 , wherein the web of material has a slope angle that increases from the helical coil to the vertex of the at least one fold when the gas delivery tube is in the neutral state.
5 . The patient interface of claim 4 , wherein the web of material has an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile about the predetermined fold line.
6 . The patient interface of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined fold line is spaced evenly between adjacent ones of the plurality of adjacent coils.
7 . The patient interface of claim 6 , wherein the width separating adjacent ones of the plurality of adjacent coils is substantially equal to a width of the helical coil when the gas delivery tube is in the neutral state.
8 . The patient interface of claim 7 , wherein the helical coil comprises a greater proportion of a superficial surface area of the gas delivery tube than the at least one fold of the web of material.
9 . The patient interface of claim 8 , wherein an outer portion of the helical coil has a rounded profile.
10 . The patient interface of claim 9 , wherein the helical coil has a greater thickness than the web of material.
11 . The patient interface of claim 10 , wherein the web of material has a substantially uniform thickness.
12 . The patient interface of claim 11 , wherein the helical coil comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and/or
wherein the web of material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).
13 . The patient interface of claim 12 , wherein the gas delivery tube is permanently joined to the frame at the connection port by insert molding the frame to the gas delivery tube.
14 . The patient interface of claim 13 , wherein the web of material and the helical coil are bonded to form a uniform and continuous inner surface of the gas delivery tube.
15 . The patient interface of claim 14 , wherein the at least one fold extends radially outward between alternating ones of the plurality of adjacent coils.
16 . The patient interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal-forming structure includes a recessed portion to receive the tip of the patient's nose.
17 . The patient interface of claim 16 , wherein the seal-forming structure comprises a compliant region located above the recessed portion, the compliant region being thin and flexible relative to a remainder of the seal-forming structure.
18 . The patient interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal-forming structure further comprises a nasal sling structured and positioned to engage the patient's columella and prevent the patient's nose from extending through the nasal opening.
19 . The patient interface of claim 18 , wherein the nasal sling divides the nasal opening into a pair of nare ports, each of the pair of nare ports corresponding to one of the patient's nares.
20 . The patient interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal-forming structure comprises foam, gel, soft plastic, thermoplastic elastomer, and/or low durometer silicone.