Mask with integral valve

Details Mask with integral valve Mask with integral valve

1998-12-11

2001-03-27

Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Face mask covering a breathing passage

C128S207120

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206003

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to masks for medical purposes and, more particularly, to a mask for reducing gaseous leakage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gas delivery masks are used throughout the medical industry for a variety of applications in which a gas is delivered to a patient. One significant application is the administration of anesthesia to a patient. A typical mask for this purpose is shown in FIG.
1
.
The mask
10
of
FIG. 1
comprises a face plate
12
having an outer seal
14
which interfaces with the patient's face. The mask
10
includes a port
16
through which inhalation gases are conveyed to the patient and exhaled gases are released. A breathing circuit
18
is coupled to the port. The breathing circuit
18
includes a first tube
20
for carrying the inhalation gas and a second tube
22
for carrying the exhalation gas. The first and second tubes
20
and
22
can be connected in a “Y” configuration as shown in
FIG. 1
, or in a concentric configuration where one of the tubes
20
or
22
is disposed within the other of the tubes
20
or
22
.
A problem with any mask of this type, is that the mask
10
may separate from the patient's face. A typical example where the seal is lost between the patient and the mask occurs when the patient is holding the mask to his and her face and then passes out. In this instance, the gases intended for the patient will escape to the area surrounding the patient where they are inadvertently consumed by medical personnel. In the anesthetic field, these gases are often referred to as waste anesthetic gases or WAGs.
Exposure to WAGs can be extremely detrimental to the health of medical care workers. Some of the gases which are considered harmful include nitrous oxide and halogenated gases such as halothane, enflurane, methoxyflurane, trichloroethylene, and chloroform. The affected personnel include nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, obstetricians, gynecologist, operating room technicians, dentists and dental personnel, veterinarians and veterinarian personnel.
In the case of nitrous oxide, a pressure activated valve coupled between the gas source and the first tube
20
, external to the mask
10
, is used to prevent nitrous oxide from being delivered to the first tube
20
, except when pressure caused by the patient's inhalation causes the valve to open. This type of pressure activated valve, however, is expensive and, therefore, not used in many cases.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry to reduce waste anesthesia (or other) gases from entering the environment.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a mask includes a face plate having a port disposed therein for coupling to a gas source, a seal surrounding said face plate for contacting a patient's face during use of the mask, and a valve coupled between the seal and the port. The valve maintains an open position to allow passage of a gas through port when said seal is in contact with the patient's face and maintains a closed position to restrict flow of said gas through the port when said seal is not in contact with the patient's face.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a mask includes a shell having a port through which gases may pass. A manually controllable valve can selectively block or enable gas flow through the port.
The present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art. Potentially dangerous gases are blocked at the mask when the mask is not being used by a patient (or other user). Accordingly, the gases cannot escape into the environment proximate the patient, where they can cause significant harm.


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patent: 5645049 (1997-07-01), Foley et al.
patent: 5651361 (1997-07-01), Dearman et al.
patent: 5913307 (1999-06-01), Taieb et al.
patent: 5944054 (1999-08-01), Saieva
patent: 6016802 (2000-01-01), Jackson

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