External Fluid Communication Apparatus

Abstract

An external fluid communication apparatus that is placed adjacent to a surface, the fluid communication apparatus including a flexible surrounding sidewall having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion with a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the first end portion is adapted to connect to a fluid source containing a fluid and the second end portion is adapted to feed a consumer of the fluid with the sidewall operationally communicating the fluid from the first end portion to the second end portion, the sidewall further having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface. Further included in the external fluid communication apparatus is a flexible textured matte skin element disposed on the outer surface that is operational to not reflect ambient light.

Claims

1. An external fluid communication apparatus placed adjacent to a surface, said fluid communication apparatus comprising: (a) a flexible surrounding sidewall having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion with a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein said first end portion is adapted to connect to a fluid source containing a fluid and said second end portion is adapted to feed a consumer of the fluid with said sidewall operationally communicating the fluid from said first end portion to said second end portion, said sidewall further having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; and (b) a flexible textured matte skin element disposed on said outer surface that is operational to reduce ambient light reflection.

2. An external fluid communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said flexible textured matte skin has a plurality of protrusions and adjacent valleys that define an elevation distance from said protrusion to said valley, wherein said elevation distance is less than ten percent (10%) of a surrounding sidewall dimension that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis to operationally give a multisided surface that is minimally visually perceptible relative to the surface.

3. An external fluid communication apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said flexible textured matte skin is a plurality of different flesh tone shades to operationally minimize visual perception of said fluid communication apparatus relative to the surface.

4. A nasal cannula placed adjacent to a patients face, said nasal cannula comprising: (a) a flexible surrounding sidewall having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion with a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein said first end portion is adapted to connect to a fluid source containing a fluid and said second end portion is adapted to supply the fluid to the patient, with said sidewall operationally communicating the fluid from said first end portion to said second end portion, said sidewall further having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface; and (b) a flexible textured matte skin element disposed on said outer surface that is operational to reduce ambient light reflection.

5. A nasal cannula according to claim 4 wherein said flexible textured matte skin has a plurality of protrusions and adjacent valleys that define an elevation distance from said protrusion to said valley, wherein said elevation distance is less than ten percent (10%) of a surrounding sidewall dimension that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis to operationally give a multisided surface that is minimally visually perceptible relative to the patient's face.

6. A nasal cannula according to claim 5 wherein said flexible textured matte skin is a plurality of different flesh tone shades to operationally minimize visual perception of said fluid communication apparatus relative to the patient's face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 shows an perspective view of the external fluid communication apparatus that is being used in its normal operating position being placed on the individual consumer of the fluid with the external fluid communication apparatus adjacent to the surface of the individuals face;

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the external fluid communication apparatus that is being used in its normal operating position being placed on the individual consumer of the fluid with the external fluid communication apparatus adjacent to the surface of the individuals face;

[0017] FIG. 3 shows cross section 3-3 from FIG. 1 of the external fluid communication apparatus that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall, the inner and outer surfaces, the flexible textured matte skin element, and the dimension of the surrounding sidewall all resting on the surface;

[0018] FIG. 4 shows cross section 4-4 from FIG. 2 of the external fluid communication apparatus that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall, the inner and outer surfaces, the flexible textured matte skin element, and the dimension of the surrounding sidewall with the perpendicular position shown of the dimension to the longitudinal axis all resting on the surface; and

[0019] FIG. 5 shows view 5-5 from FIG. 2 of the external fluid communication apparatus that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall, the inner and outer surfaces, and the flexible textured matte skin element, all resting on the surface.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS

[0020] 50 External fluid communication apparatus, nasal cannula [0021] 55 Surface, patient's face [0022] 60 Ambient light [0023] 65 Individual consumer [0024] 70 Flexible surrounding sidewall [0025] 75 First end portion of the sidewall 70 [0026] 80 Second end portion of the sidewall 70 [0027] 85 Longitudinal axis of the sidewall 70 [0028] 90 Fluid source [0029] 95 Fluid [0030] 100 Adaption of the second end portion 80 to feed the consumer 65 with the fluid 95 [0031] 105 Operational communication of the fluid 95 from the first end portion 75 to the second end portion 80 [0032] 110 Inner surface of the surrounding sidewall 70 [0033] 115 Outer surface of the surrounding sidewall 70 [0034] 120 Flexible textured matte skin element [0035] 125 Protrusions of the textured matte skin element 120 [0036] 130 Valleys of the textured matte skin element 120 [0037] 135 Elevation distance between the protrusions 125 and the valleys 130 [0038] 140 Dimension of the surrounding sidewall 70 [0039] 145 Perpendicular position of the surrounding sidewall 70 dimension 140 to the longitudinal axis 85 [0040] 150 Multisided surface [0041] 155 Different flesh tone shades [0042] 160 Visually perceptible minimal differential relation from the multisided surface 150 or the external fluid communication apparatus 50 relative to the surface 55

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Starting with FIG. 1 shown is a perspective view of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 that is being used in its normal operating position being placed on the individual consumer 65 of the fluid 95 with the external fluid communication apparatus 50 adjacent to the surface 55 of the individuals 65 face.

[0044] Next, FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 that is being used in its normal operating position being placed on the individual consumer 65 of the fluid 95 with the external fluid communication apparatus 50 adjacent to the surface 55 of the individuals face.

[0045] Continuing, FIG. 3 shows cross section 3-3 from FIG. 1 of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall 70, the inner 110 and outer 115 surfaces, the flexible textured matte skin element 120, and the dimension 140 of the surrounding sidewall 70 all resting on the surface 55.

[0046] Further, FIG. 4 shows cross section 4-4 from FIG. 2 of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall 70, the inner 110 and outer 115 surfaces, the flexible textured matte skin element 120, and the dimension 140 of the surrounding sidewall 70 with the perpendicular position 145 shown of the dimension 140 to the longitudinal axis 85 all resting on the surface 55.

[0047] Moving onward, FIG. 5 shows view 5-5 from FIG. 2 of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 that shows the flexible surrounding sidewall 70, the inner 110 and outer 115 surfaces, and the flexible textured matte skin element 120, all resting on the surface 55.

[0048] Broadly, the present invention is of the external fluid communication apparatus 50 placed adjacent to the surface 55, the fluid communication apparatus 50 including the flexible surrounding sidewall 70 having the first end portion 75 and the opposing second end portion 80 with the longitudinal axis 85 therebetween, see FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular and FIG. 5. Wherein the first end portion 75 is adapted to connect to the fluid source 90 containing the fluid 95 and the second end portion 80 is adapted 100 to feed the consumer 65 of the fluid 95 with the sidewall 70 operationally communicating 105 the fluid 95 from the first end portion 75 to the second end portion 80, the sidewall 70 further having the inner surface 110 and the opposing outer surface 115, also see in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, plus FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. Further included in the external fluid communication apparatus 50 is the flexible textured matte skin element 120 disposed on the outer surface 115 that is operational to reduce ambient light 60 reflection, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, plus FIG. 5.

[0049] As an option for the external fluid communication apparatus 50, wherein the flexible textured matte skin 120 has the plurality of protrusions 125 and the adjacent valleys 130 that define the elevation distance 135 from the protrusion 125 to the valley 130, wherein the elevation distance 135 is less than ten percent (10%) of the surrounding sidewall 70 dimension 140 that is perpendicular 145 to the longitudinal axis 85 to operationally give the multisided surface 150 a minimally visually perceptible 160 image relative to the surface, see FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, plus also see FIG. 5.

[0050] Another option for the external fluid communication apparatus 50, wherein the flexible textured matte skin 120 is a plurality of different flesh tone shades 155 to operationally minimize visual perception 160 of the fluid communication apparatus 50 relative to the surface 55, as best shown in FIG. 5, further FIGS. 3 and 4, and also FIGS. 1 and 2.

CONCLUSION

[0051] Accordingly, the present invention of an external fluid communication apparatus has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though; that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so modifications of the changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained therein.