Nasal mask and system using same

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides an improved respiratory mask that reliably and comfortably seals a user's face by providing a nasal mask assembly that includes a seal member defined from a unitary piece of elastomeric material.
The seal member includes a nose receiving cavity, a first end portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion.
A first opening is defined in the first end portion to receive at least a portion of a nose of a patient such that nares of the patient communicate with the receiving cavity.
The seal member also includes a neck portion defined in the second end portion and a second opening defined in the neck portion to provide an inlet for breathing gas from an external source and an outlet for the patient's expelled gases.
Because the seal member is formed from a relatively flexible material, the seal member of the present invention includes a structural reinforcement area on the side walls of the seal member contoured to the shape of a patient's face.
The reinforcement area comprises a saddle shaped contoured area on each side of the seal member.
Each saddle shaped area has an upper and a lower protrusion portion for providing supporting contact with the face.
The nasal mask assembly also includes a collar coupled to the neck portion.
The collar includes a plurality of headgear attachment points spaced apart from the seal member.
In addition, the nasal mask assembly includes a conduit coupling member coupled to either the neck portion of the seal member and the collar for use in attaching the nasal mask assembly to a ventilator or pressure support device.
Additionally, a system for delivering a flow of gas to a patient is provided that includes a gas flow generating device capable of producing a flow of gas and a conduit having a first end portion operatively coupled to the gas flow generating device and a second end portion.
The conduit carries the flow of gas from the gas flow generating device.
The system includes a nasal mask assembly as described above operatively coupled to the second end portion of the conduit