PATIENT INTERFACE DEVICE INCLUDING DEFORMABLE NASAL PRONG

摘要

A nasal prong (16) is structured to be situated on a nasal cushion (20) of a patient interface device that is in fluid communication with a source of breathing gas (32) to provide a flow of gas to an airway of a patient. The nasal prong includes a resilient seal apparatus (36) structured to be deformable between a free state and a deformed state from among a plurality of deformed states. At least a portion of the seal apparatus that is received in a nostril of the patient (44) moves toward the free state and to compressively and sealingly engage the nostril in a second deformed state. A flow channel (52) extends through the seal apparatus, the flow channel being structured to be in fluid communication with the source of breathing gas and to provide the flow of breathing gas into the nostril.

主权项

1. A nasal prong structured to be situated on a nasal cushion of a patient interface device the nasal prong comprising:
a resilient seal apparatus that is structured to be deformable between a free state and a deformed state from among a plurality of deformed states in response to a force applied to the seal apparatus and being further structured to return from the deformed state in a direction generally toward the free state upon removal of the force, at least a portion of the seal apparatus that is in a first deformed state and that is received in a nostril of the patient being structured to move toward the free state and to compressively and sealingly engage the nostril in a second deformed state that is generally between the first deformed state and the free state, the seal apparatus comprising a quantity of fluid and an elastic enclosure, the fluid being in a liquid state and being retained within the enclosure; and a flow channel extending through the seal apparatus, the flow channel being structured to be in fluid communication with the source of breathing gas and to provide the flow of breathing gas into the nostril.