Ventilation device

Abstract

Modular system comprising at least three components: mask body (1), connecting piece (3) with sleeve (4) and hose, wherein at least the two components sleeve (4) and hose are mechanically coded and connectable to one another, wherein the sleeve (4) rotatably connected to the connecting piece (3) is engaged in the direction of a longitudinal axis (38) of the sleeve (4) via a profile (39) in a counter-profile (40) of the connecting piece (3), and wherein the mechanical coding between the sleeve (4) and the hose is realized by an alternatively plug-like or socket-like design of the sleeve (4),wherein, as a sleeve (4), either a first sleeve or at least one second sleeve which is structurally different from the first sleeve can be connected to the connecting piece (3), and wherein, optionally, a first hose or at least one second hose which is structurally different from the first hose can be coupled to one of the sleeves, thereby producing at least two different functional variants, wherein the mechanical coding between the sleeve (4) and the hose ensures a clear assignment of the components sleeve (4) and hose, and wherein the hose is inserted into the sleeve (4).

Description

The invention relates to a modular system at least consisting of the three components: mask body, connecting piece with sleeve and tube, wherein at least two components are coded and can be connected to one another.Breathing masks are used, for example, in connection with respirators in order to guide breathing gas to the patient and to assist in guiding the exhaled breathing gas away. The respirator is typically connected to the respirator machine via the breathing tube.The breathing masks are frequently designed as a modular system in which a multiplicity of individual system components are joined together mechanically. The individual functional modules firstly cover different sizes of the breathing masks and different body configurations of the respective patients; in addition, the modular system can also provide different functionalities.DE 22 27 094 C2 discloses a rotationally movable connecting piece for a tracheotomy mask. The connecting piece can be connected to the mask body via two retaining rings.DE 10 2004 002 125 A1 describes a rotationally movable connecting piece for a respiratory mask, wherein the connecting piece can be connected to the mask body via a retaining ring.DE 10 2005 031 541 A1, which is of the same priority as the present invention, likewise describes a connecting piece for a respiratory mask.U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,673 A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,209 B1 each disclose mechanical codings in order to support a predefined assignment of components.In the area of sleep laboratories or hospitals, the problem arises that a large number of different breathing masks are frequently used, which have to be disassembled and reassembled in order to carry out cleaning or sterilization processes. When simultaneously removing a plurality of breathing masks from the same modular system, special organization measures must therefore be taken in order to ensure correct assembly of the respectively associated components when the individual breathing masks are reassembled and to avoid erroneous replacement of individual functional modules.It is therefore the object of the present invention to design a respiratory mask of the type mentioned in the introduction in such a way that the provision of a modular system having different functional components is supported while ensuring a high level of association reliability.The object is achieved by the combination of features of claim 1.By joining the components together using a coding, both simple assembly and disassembly with few manipulations and also security against replacement are supported. The coding can be realized mechanically and / or physically. A mechanical coding can be provided in such a way that only the components matching a specific function variant or a specific size of the respiratory mask can be joined together in each case. In the case of components not belonging to one another, the mechanical coding prevents assembly, so that a user is signalled that an assembly error would be present if the assembly process were continued.A simple mechanical realization is provided in that the coding is designed as a fit. It is likewise possible to provide the coding by matching the shape and / or the diameters.A high degree of allocation reliability can be achieved by the coding being designed for the rotationally secure connection of the components.Simple production technology is achieved in that the coding is formed from at least one projection and at least one corresponding depression.A clear geometric assignment of the individual components is supported in that the components forming the coding are arranged asymmetrically in a direction of extension.In particular, it is contemplated that the arrangement is realized asymmetrically along a circulatory path.According to another embodiment variant, it is provided that the asymmetrical arrangement is arranged along mutually opposite connecting surfaces of the components.A preferred embodiment consists in that the mechanical coding is arranged in the region of a receptacle for a joint of the connection piece.In particular, it is contemplated that the joint is designed as a swivel joint. A further variant consists in realizing a connection of two components via threads, cones and / or a key-lock principle.A very high degree of mobility with simultaneously high mechanical load capacity is achieved in that the swivel joint is designed as a ball joint.Rapid assembly and disassembly is supported in that the mechanical coding is arranged in the region of a securing ring for fixing the connection piece in the region of a mask body.A compact embodiment is achieved in that the mechanical coding is arranged at least in regions along a circumference of a recess of the mask body receiving the rotary joint.In order to provide a high resistance to tensile loads in an assembled state, it is provided that the mechanical coding is formed at least in regions from web-like ribs and associated bayonet teeth.A further coding variant consists in that the mechanical coding within a modular system is realized by different ball diameters of the ball joints.A further variant for providing defined fits consists in the mechanical coding being formed by circumferential spacer ribs of a receiving element for the ball joint.A modular system for integrating different exhalation systems is achieved in that the mechanical coding is formed by an outer contour of the connection piece.According to a variant, it is thereby envisaged that the mechanical coding is realized by a plug-like configuration of a sleeve of the connection piece.Another embodiment consists in that the mechanical coding is realized by a sleeve-shaped design of a sleeve of the connection piece.In order to provide a module system which can be configured in a simple manner, it also contributes to the mechanical coding being arranged in a transition region of a mask bead to the mask body.In this embodiment variant too, simple production is supported by the mechanical coding being formed by an elastomer-like soft profile and a harder counter-profile corresponding thereto.A system with very high safety comfort is provided in that the coding is designed to assign an emergency release.In particular, it is contemplated that the coding is designed to identify a triggering force of the emergency triggering.A further embodiment variant consists in that the coding is designed to fix the position of a forehead support relative to the mask body.The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a breathing mask designed as a nasal mask in a perspective view, FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the interior of the mask from FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a front view of the exterior of the mask from FIG. 1, FIG. 4 shows the base body of the mask from FIG. 1 in a perspective view, FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of a respirator mask with coding in the region of the articulated connection piece, FIG. 6 shows the respirator according to FIG. 5 with another coding in the region of the articulated connection piece, FIG. 7 is a side view of a mechanically coded connecting element, FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a respirator with emergency triggering for cancelling a mechanical bond, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an encoded securing ring for connecting a ball joint of the connecting piece to the mask base body, FIG. 10 shows a view of a respiratory mask with encoded connection between the mask bead and the mask base body, FIG. 11 shows an embodiment modified from FIG. 10 with a different coding, FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment for realizing a mechanical coding between the mask bead and the mask base body, and FIG. 13 shows a perspective illustration of the mask base body with a view to a connecting element for receiving a forehead support.FIG. 1 shows a respiratory mask designed as a nasal mask, the mask body (1) of which is manufactured from a relatively rigid material and which has a mask bead (2). The mask bead ( 2) serves for bearing against the face of a patient, not shown, and ensures the required sealing. The mask body (1) is connected via an angular connection piece (3) to a sleeve (4) mounted rotatably, which serves for connection to a breathing gas tube, not shown. To ensure secure positioning of the respiratory mask in the head region of a patient, a forehead support (5) is used, which is inserted with a shaft (35) into a holder (36) of the mask body (1). The connecting piece (3) and the mask body (1) are connected to one another via a ball joint (18). The ball joint (18) is supported by a securing ring (31).FIG. 2 shows the interior of the nasal mask from FIG. 1 in a viewing direction from the inside in the direction of a receptacle for the ball joint ( 18), which is not depicted here. Two pressure measuring stubs (9) are arranged in the upper region. Flow openings (7) lead to exhalation gaps (14), not shown. Lead-in slopes (6) are provided for the facilitated lead-in of bayonet teeth (26) of a ball cage (24), not shown. The bayonet teeth (26) together with ribs (11) form a mechanical coding. The ribs (11) are connected to the mask body (1) via webs (8).FIG. 3 enables the view onto the exterior of the mask from FIG. 1 in a viewing direction from the front. An outflow surface ( 10) is of annular configuration. With the aid of ribs (11) and a catch (12), a securing ring (31), not shown here, can be attached and fixed.FIG. 4 shows the basic body of the nasal mask in a perspective view. A centering ring (13) is provided for the attachment of the securing ring (31), exhalation gaps (14) are located on the sides of the centering ring (13) and open toward the outflow surface (10). The centering ring (13) has recesses (15) which prevent incorrect assembly of the securing ring by forming a mechanical coding.FIG. 5 shows a sectional side view of the respirator according to FIG. 1 without the attached forehead support ( 5). The sleeve (4) rotatably connected to the connection piece (3) is snapped into a mating profile (40) of the connection piece (3) via a profile (39) in the direction of a longitudinal axis (38) of the sleeve (4). In the exemplary embodiment shown, the profile (39) encloses the counter profile (40) in an annular manner and latches in the counter profile (40). During assembly, the profile (39) is pushed onto the counter-profile (40) with an insertion bevel (41) and latches in here.According to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5, the sleeve ( 4) is designed as a socket-shaped extension of the connection piece ( 3) and is provided for receiving a plug-shaped connection piece of the respiratory gas tube, not shown. A respiratory gas tube provided with a connection socket would not be able to be slid onto a sleeve (4) which is mechanically coded in this way.FIG. 6 shows an embodiment which is modified in comparison with FIG. 5 and in which the profile (39) is transferred via a tapering (42) into the further region of the sleeve (4). The sleeve (4) thereby has a smaller outer diameter than the connecting piece (3) and serves to be inserted in the form of a plug into a socket-shaped connecting piece of a respiratory gas tube, not shown. Thus, no plug-shaped connecting piece of a respiratory gas hose can be plugged onto such a sleeve (4).Due to the different design of the sleeve (4) in FIGS. 4 and 6, only one breathing gas tube provided with a connector plug can be plugged onto the embodiment according to FIG. 5 and only one breathing gas tube provided with a connector sleeve can be plugged onto the sleeve (4) according to FIG. 6. Unintentional exchange of components is thus reliably prevented by the present mechanical coding.FIG. 7 shows a coupling element ( 43) which can be used for connecting two components, not shown. The coupling (43) has a base element (44) which is provided with mechanical codings on both sides. One of the codings is designed as an inner sleeve (45), onto which only a counter piece designed as an outer sleeve can be placed. The second element has a central element (47) provided with latching tongues (46), which is provided with a side profile (48) as coding. Both the latching tongues (46) with their associated profile and their arrangement and the side profile (48) provide independent codings, so that the coupling (43) can be used for the exchange-proof connection of a plurality of different module elements.According to the embodiment in FIG. 8, the respirator is provided with an emergency release ( 49), which serves for a mechanical separation of at least two components of the respirator. Emergency release (49) is used by a patient in the event of anxiety to provide immediate free access of the airways to the environment. The patient thus does not first have to remove the breathing mask in order to be able to breathe freely. Upon actuation of the emergency release (49), the connecting piece (3) is preferably separated from the mask body (1). This can be effected, for example, by unlocking the securing ring (31), the connecting piece (3) with associated breathing gas tube dropping off the mask body (1) following the unlocking.According to another embodiment, a bayonet lock is released by a pull on the tear line and the mask falls apart. It is also conceivable that a splint is released by a pull on the tear line and that the components are mechanically separated by a further pull. In principle, it is also intended to carry out the decoupling process at other points on the mask body by means of slides or flaps.Mechanical codings can be used in this embodiment to assign different emergency triggers ( 49) to a mask body ( 1). In particular, this serves to use emergency triggerings with different triggering thresholds. The triggering threshold can be selected depending on a respective sensitivity of the respective patient.FIG. 9 shows a perspective illustration of the securing ring ( 31). Spacer ribs (25) allow mounting of the securing ring (31) on the mask body (1) without play or with prestress. In the mounted state, outflow surfaces (28) on the securing ring (31) delimit the exhalation gaps (14) with the outflow surface (10) on the mask body (1). A nose (20) on the securing ring (31) forms the complement of the latching (12) on the mask body (1), so that an additional fastening of the securing ring (31) on the mask body (1) is ensured. A surface segment (19) resting on the outflow surface (10) in the mounted state ensures that no air flows out in the direction of the patient's eyes. Slots (29) between the elements of the ball cage (24) provide easy assembly. Lead-in slopes (27) on the elements of the ball cage (24) also contribute to this.The inner portion of the snap ring (31) is made of hard material (23). The outer region shown in FIG. 8 consists of a soft material ( 22). Knobs (21) improve the grip.In FIG. 9, a receptacle ( 30) for the web of the centering ring ( 13) and bayonet teeth ( 26) for fastening the securing ring ( 31) in the region of the mask body ( 1) can also be seen in particular.FIG. 10 shows a mechanical coding (50) in the transition region between the mask bead (2) and the mask body (1). The mask bead ( 2) is provided with a profile ( 51) designed as a depression, which engages in a mating profile on the mask body ( 1) designed as a projection. Since the mask bead ( 2) is formed from a relatively soft material, the counter profile ( 52) is preferably realized as a rigid element.FIG. 11 shows a modification to FIG. 10, in which the profile ( 51) on the mask bead ( 2) is realized as a projection and the counter-profile ( 52) on the mask body ( 1) is realized as a recess. It is common to both embodiments in FIGS. 10 and 11 that the profile (51) and the counter profile (52) are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a mask longitudinal axis (53). In the modified embodiment in FIG. 12, the profile (52) on the mask bead (2) likewise comprises a projection and the mating profile (52) is realized as a recess. In this case, an asymmetrical arrangement relative to the mask longitudinal axis (53) additionally takes place, wherein the asymmetry is realized by a lateral offset.The perspective illustration in FIG. 13 once again illustrates the mask body ( 1) after removal of the forehead support ( 5) not illustrated in FIG. 13. In the transition region between the outflow surface (10) and the centering ring (13), the arrangement of the exhalation gaps (14) can be seen once again in particular. The exhalation gap (14) has substantially rectangular cross-sectional configurations and run with its longitudinal axes in a circumferential direction of the outflow surface (10). The individual exhalation gaps (14) are separated from one another by spacer elements (32). The spacer elements (32) lead to a mechanical connection between the centering ring (13) and the further material of the mask body (1).The exhalation gaps (14) are preferably arranged in such a way that they run in a region of the centring ring (13) facing the outflow surface (10). As a result, the respiratory gas emerging from the exhalation gaps (14) is guided directly into the region of the outflow surface (10).The effect of the mechanical coding is explained below using the example of the mounting of the securing ring ( 31). The securing ring (31) is positioned together with the connecting piece (3) in the region of the centring ring (13) of the mask body (1). Due to the asymmetrical arrangement of the ribs (11) along a circumferential path, which arrangement can be seen in FIG. 3, for example, and an arrangement of the bayonet teeth (26) corresponding thereto, the bayonet teeth (26) can only be inserted into recesses (37) between the ribs (11) in a single predetermined positioning. This provides the coding.After the bayonet teeth (26) have been introduced into the recesses (37) between the ribs (11), the securing ring (31) is rotated relative to the mask body (1) in such a way that the latching mechanism (12) becomes effective. The latching mechanism ( 12) is preferably designed as a projection of the securing ring ( 31), which engages in a corresponding depression of the mask body ( 1). In principle, however, a reverse configuration is also conceivable. Elastic latching of the latching mechanism (12) is assisted in that the securing ring (31) is formed from a relatively soft material, so that the likewise soft projection of the securing ring (31) can be introduced into the recess of the mask body (1) and can also be rotated out of the latter again.After a rotation of the securing ring (31) relative to the mask body (1) completing the assembly process, the assembly process is completed. The end position of the securing ring (31) is predetermined by a lateral stop of the bayonet teeth (26) on the ribs (11). The bayonet teeth (26) also engage behind the ribs (11), so that the overall arrangement also resists tensile loads.A modular system can generally be provided using diameter coding. The coding is effected mechanically and enables a high-variant and reliable exchangeability. The mask body is realized as a standard part. Different mask beads, exhalation systems, hose connections and joints can be mounted with respectively different functions or functionality via different codings, in particular via the corresponding diameters.

Claims

Modular system at least consisting of the three components: mask body (1), connecting piece (3) with sleeve (4) and hose, wherein at least the two components sleeve (4) and hose are mechanically coded and can be connected to one another, wherein the sleeve (4) rotatably connected to the connecting piece (3) is snapped into a mating profile (40) of the connecting piece (3) via a profile (39) in the direction of a longitudinal axis (38) of the sleeve (4) and wherein the mechanical coding between sleeve (4) and hose is realized by an alternatively plug-like or socket-like design of the sleeve (4), wherein as sleeve (4) optionally a first sleeve or at least one second sleeve which is structurally different from the first sleeve can be connected to the connecting piece (3) and wherein optionally a first hose or at least one second hose which is structurally different from the first hose can be coupled to one of the sleeves and wherein thereby at least two different function variants can be generated, wherein an unambiguous assignment of the components sleeve (4) and hose is achieved by the mechanical coding between sleeve (4) and hose, and wherein the hose is inserted into the sleeve (4).

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