Textile Patient Interface with Stiffened Portion for Customizable Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory therapy systems, particularly patient interfaces and RPT devices, face challenges such as discomfort, poor fit, and reduced compliance due to obtrusive, aesthetically undesirable, and difficult-to-use designs. Additionally, current systems often require complex setups and maintenance, which can deter patient adherence to therapy.
Innovation Solution
The development of a patient interface that incorporates a plenum chamber, a seal-forming structure, and a positioning and stabilizing structure, which are designed to be comfortable, easy to use, and adaptable to different face shapes. This interface allows for the option of leaving the mouth uncovered and enables breathing from ambient air without a continuous flow of pressurized air, enhancing patient comfort and compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a patient interface is designed with a seal-forming structure to maintain therapeutic pressure, then therapy effectiveness is improved, but comfort and ease of use deteriorate due to obtrusive design
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface uses a flexible textile construction including a headgear and seal-forming structure made from soft, breathable material that can conform to the patient's face contours. This flexible membrane approach maintains the seal-forming function while dramatically improving comfort and aesthetics compared to rigid traditional masks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines different textile materials with varying properties - using stiffer textile in specific portions to maintain structural integrity and seal effectiveness, while using softer textile in other portions for comfort and breathability. This composite textile construction resolves the contradiction between maintaining therapeutic pressure and ensuring comfort.
2Reliability
If a patient interface uses complex positioning and stabilizing structures to ensure proper fit, then therapy reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The headgear incorporates adjustable straps and flexible positioning elements that can be dynamically configured to fit different patient head shapes and sizes. The textile construction allows for elastic deformation and adaptive positioning, eliminating the need for complex rigid adjustment mechanisms while maintaining proper fit and therapy reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile headgear serves multiple functions simultaneously - it positions the seal-forming structure, stabilizes the interface on the patient's face, provides comfort through breathable material, and allows for easy adjustment. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple components into a single integrated textile construction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a patient interface is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, then patient compliance is improved, but manufacturing precision and structural integrity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The textile construction uses stiffer textile material in specific local portions where structural integrity is needed for seal-forming and pressure maintenance, while using softer, more comfortable textile material in other portions for aesthetic and comfort reasons. This localized differentiation of material properties allows the interface to meet both compliance and structural requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a patient interface comprising a plenum chamber, a seal-forming structure, and a positioning and stabilizing structure, as well as the method of operating the patient interface. The patient's interface is configured to leave a patient's mouth uncovered or if the seal-forming structure is configured to seal around a patient's nose and mouth, the patient interface is configured to allow the patient to breath from the ambient in an absence of the flow of pressurized. The positioning and stabilizing structure includes headgear, and the seal-forming structure and at least a portion of the headgear is formed from a one piece construction of textile material. In another embodiment, the seal-forming structure and/or the positioning and stabilizing structure includes an adaptive portion that adjusts based on usage conditions. In another embodiment, the positioning and stabilizing structure, the seal-forming structure and/or the plenum chamber includes and/or is formed of a textile material, and the textile material includes at least one magnetic thread constructed of magnetic material to provide a magnetic interaction between a first part of the patient interface and a second part of the patient interface. In another embodiment, a stiffener is coupled to the plenum chamber, the seal-forming structure, and/or the positioning and stabilizing structure. In another embodiment, at least one of the plenum chamber and the seal-forming structure includes a textile material; and wherein the textile material includes a surface structure that limits adhesion of debris. A UV cleaning receptacle of the patient interface is also disclosed.