Mouthpiece, for delivering pressurized gases to a user

摘要

A novel system is provided for oral delivery of gases pressurized above ambient to a user. The system includes a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a connection tube which connects the mouthpiece to the breathing tube. The connection tube is formed of a material which is more flexible than the material of which the breathing tube is formed and is shorter in length than the breathing tube. For example, the connection tube may be formed from a thin plastic membrane supported over one or more helical supporting ribs. An L-shaped elbow is provided between the mouthpiece and the flexible connection tube and can include a swivel joint. The mouthpiece includes a generally rectangularly-shaped vestibular shield which will overlap a user's teeth and gums when positioned between the teeth and the lips/cheeks of the user's mouth and a gases passageway for allowing connecting of the mouthpiece to a gases supply and for allowing gases to be expelled into the mouth of a user. The vestibular shield has a central portion which extends over a user's front teeth and gums when positioned between the lips and the teeth of the user and outer portions extending from the central portion which extend along and overlap at least a portion of the user's back teeth and gums when positioned between the cheeks and the teeth of the user.