A mask assembly includes a mask frame including a lower portion and a neck extending from the lower portion, a cushion provided to the mask frame and adapted to contact a patient's face, a forehead support assembly provided to the neck of the mask frame, the forehead support assembly including a forehead support and a forehead pad provided to the forehead support, and an elbow assembly provided to the mask frame. The neck includes a pair of side walls spaced apart from one another along an entire length of the neck, the side walls providing an open space therebetween along the entire length of the neck that opens towards a front side of the mask assembly. The pair of side walls comprise an upper converging section wherein the pair of side walls converge towards one another in a downward direction.

A filtering device 10 that includes a housing 12 having a plurality of subsections 32, 34, and 36 where each subsection is adapted to receive a filter element 26, 28, and 30. An inlet 18 is disposed at a first location on the housing 12, and an upstream air distribution system is placed in fluid communication with the inlet 18 and with each of the subsections 32, 34, and 36. A downstream air distribution system is located in fluid communication with each subsection 32, 34, and 36, and an outlet 20 in fluid communication with the downstream air distribution system. The upstream and downstream air distribution systems are constructed to cause the same airflow velocity through each subsection. Using such a construction, overall product service life may be increased while minimizing pressure resistance of the total filter.

A leak control system (26) for an evacuation system (12) of an insufflation system (1), for controlling leakage of insufflating gas from a vessel (5) of a subject being insufflated. An evacuation conduit (20) connects a Venturi vacuum creating device (14) to the vessel (5) through a pressure relief valve (27) operable from a closed state to an open state in response to a pressure drop across the pressure relief valve (27) in the direction of the arrow A exceeding a predefined pressure drop value. The vacuum creating device (14) is operable in response to a signal from a pressure sensor (10) detecting pressure in the cavity (5) exceeding a predefined pressure value for applying a vacuum to the evacuating conduit (20) to increase the pressure drop across the pressure relief valve (27) to the predefined pressure drop value, for in turn operating the pressure relief valve (27) into the open state. On the pressure in the vessel (5) being reduced below the predefined pressure value, the vacuum creating device (14) is deactivated, and the pressure relief valve (27) transitions into the closed state, thereby preventing further leakage of insufflating gas though the Venturi vacuum creating device (14).

A gas delivery conduit adapted for fluidly connecting to a respiratory gases delivery system in a high flow therapy system, the gas delivery conduit includes a first connector adapted for connecting to the respiratory gases delivery system, a second connector adapted for connecting to a fitting of a patient interface, tubing fluidly connecting the first connector to the second connector where the first connector has a gas inlet adapted to receive the supplied respiratory gas, one of electrical contacts and temperature contacts integrated into the first connector. The gas delivery conduit further can include a sensing conduit integrated into the gas delivery conduit, where the first connector of the gas delivery conduit is adapted to allow the user to couple the first connector with the respiratory gases delivery system in a single motion.

A single respiratory cycle flow limitation detection method is disclosed. A patient gas delivery signal is received from one or more sensors in pneumatic communication with a ventilation source and a patient ventilation interface to a patient airway. The patient gas delivery signal is representative of a measure of therapeutic gas being delivered to the patient airway at a given time instant, and spans the single patient respiratory cycle. A second derivative of the patient gas delivery signal is generated and a total number of zero crossings therein are counted. These zero crossings are representative of an inflection change in the patient gas delivery signal. A flow limitation indication corresponding to the identified flow limitation is generated when there are at least two zero crossings in the second derivative of the patient gas delivery signal. An angle of deformation representing early, late, or mid-cycle obstruction onsets is generated.

A nebulizer assembly for a respiratory device is provided having a housing defining a chamber. The housing also has a nebulizer port configured to receive a nebulizer to discharge atomized medication into the chamber. An outlet of a handle is coupled to the inlet of the housing. A hose is coupled to an inlet of the handle. A patient interface is coupled to the outlet of the housing. Air flows from the hose to the patient interface via the handle and the housing. The air mixes with the atomized medication within the chamber.

A washout vent formed of or treated with hydrophobic or hydrophilic material, or a vent coated with hydrophobic or hydrophilic material, reduces noise and/or minimizes or precludes the formation of blockage in the vent pathway due to outflow of gas from a respiratory mask. One or the other or combinations of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials may be used to repel or wick moisture away to minimize or preclude moisture buildup on vent surfaces and/or clogging of vent pathways, particularly when using humidified air. Sintered porous plastic hydrophobic or hydrophilic materials are utilized and the porosity may be varied integrally within the vent membrane or by forming the vent from layers of materials having different porosities.

A method of providing a breath to a human patient. The patient has a patient connection connected, by a patient circuit, to a ventilator having a first ventilator connection and a different second ventilator connection. Each of the first and second ventilator connections are in fluid communication with the patient circuit. The method includes identifying, with the ventilator, initiation of an inspiratory phase of the breath, delivering a bolus of oxygen to the first ventilator connection before or during the inspiratory phase, and delivering breathing gases comprising air to the second ventilator connection during the inspiratory phase. The ventilator isolates the bolus of oxygen delivered to the first ventilator connection from the breathing gases delivered to the second ventilator connection.

A shroud for a mask system includes a retaining portion structured to retain a frame, a pair of upper headgear connectors each including an elongated arm and a slot at the free end of the arm adapted to receive a headgear strap, and a pair of lower headgear connectors each adapted to attach to a headgear strap. The retaining portion, the upper headgear connectors, and the lower headgear connectors are integrally formed as a one piece structure.

A respiratory device may include an inlet port and an outlet port. A fluid pathway may extend between the inlet port and the outlet port. A filter housing may be positioned between the inlet port and the outlet port. A filter may be positioned within the filter housing. A first pressure port may be positioned on an inlet side of the filter housing. A second pressure port may be positioned on an outlet side of the filter housing. The first pressure port and the second pressure port may extend parallel to the fluid pathway. A pressure transducer may be coupled to the first pressure port and the second pressure port and configured to measure a pressure drop between the first pressure port and the second pressure port.