Larynx mask having a connector

Abstract

A larynx mask is provided that comprises a dorsal cover plate with an inflatable cuff integrally formed thereon and a tube connecting connector having an insertion section for connecting to an insertion tube. Two separate lumens are provided in the region of the insertion section, these being the esophageal lumen and a respiration lumen. These two lumens are separated from each other by a separating and supporting, wall. The separating and supporting wall extends from the insertion section to the tip of the larynx mask. While the esophageal lumen opens into an esophageal outlet at the proximal end of the mask, the respiration lumen opens in the ventral direction and is closed in the proximal direction close to the tip of the mask. Such a larynx mask is produced in one piece by way of injection of molding and is reinforced by the separating or supporting wall to prevent kinking.

Claims

1. A larynx mask formed as a single piece comprising: (i) a dorsal cover plate with a circumferential inflatable cuff formed thereon; (ii) a tube connecting connector having an insertion section for connecting to at least one insertion tube; (iii) a respiration lumen and an oesophageal lumen; (iv) a separating and supporting wall formed substantially centrally on the cover plate, wherein the separating and supporting wall extends longitudinally in a ventral direction from the cover plate; (v) a circumferential adhesive or welding wall positioned on the cover plate, the circumferential adhesive or welding wall extending longitudinally in a ventral direction from the cover plate towards a lower edge of the cuff, and being thickened relative to a wall of the cuff; and (vi) a circumferential adhesive or welding edge formed on the lower edge of the cuff and extending in a dorsal direction towards the circumferential adhesive or welding wall, wherein in an area of the insertion section of the tube connecting connector, the separating and supporting wall forms a bi-luminal tube separating the respiration lumen from the oesophageal lumen, and the separating and supporting wall extends downwardly from the dorsal cover plate in a ventral direction less far from the cover plate than the circumferential adhesive or welding wall.

2. The larynx mask of claim 1 formed by injection molding.

3. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein the separating and supporting wall extends perpendicular to the dorsal cover plate.

4. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein the separating and supporting wall extends to an oesophageal outlet, which is formed by an opening in the dorsal cover plate and extends over the inflatable cuff.

5. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the respiration lumen is larger than a cross-section of the oesophageal lumen in an area of the insertion section.

6. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein the insertion section is limited by a projection that narrows a cross-section of the insertion section and serves as a stop for the at least one insertion tube.

7. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein the separating and supporting wall and the circumferential adhesive or welding wall extend parallel to one another.

8. The larynx mask of claim 1, wherein the circumferential adhesive or welding wall delimits a respiration chamber below the dorsal cover plate.

9. A larynx mask formed as a single piece comprising: (i) a dorsal cover plate with a circumferential inflatable cuff formed thereon; (ii) a tube connecting connector having an insertion section for connecting to at least one insertion tube; (iii) a respiration lumen and an oesophageal lumen each in functional contact with the at least one insertion tube; (iv) a separating and supporting wall formed substantially centrally on the cover plate, wherein the separating and supporting wall extends longitudinally in a ventral direction from the cover plate and extends from the tube connecting connector to an oesophageal outlet, above the cuff; (v) a circumferential adhesive or welding wall positioned on the cover plate, the circumferential adhesive or welding wall extending longitudinally in a ventral direction from the cover plate towards a lower edge of the cuff, and being thickened relative to a wall of the cuff; and (vi) a circumferential adhesive or welding edge formed on the lower edge of the cuff and extending in a dorsal direction towards the circumferential adhesive or welding wall, and wherein the dorsal cover plate, the tube connecting connector, the respiration lumen, the oesophageal lumen, and the separating and supporting wall are all made from the same material, and the separating and supporting wall extends downwardly from the dorsal cover plate in a ventral direction less far from the cover plate than the circumferential adhesive or welding wall.

10. The larynx mask of claim 9 formed by injection molding.

11. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein the separating and supporting wall extends perpendicular to the dorsal cover plate.

12. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein the oesophageal outlet is formed by an opening in the dorsal cover plate and extends over the inflatable cuff.

13. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein a cross-section of the respiration lumen is larger than a cross-section of the oesophageal lumen in an area of the insertion section.

14. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein the insertion section is limited by a projection that narrows a cross-section of the insertion section and serves as a stop for the at least one insertion tube.

15. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein the separating and supporting wall and the circumferential adhesive or welding wall extend parallel to one another.

16. The larynx mask of claim 9, wherein the circumferential adhesive or welding wall delimits a respiration chamber below the dorsal cover plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings a preferred example of an embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown and is explained with the aid of the following description.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective overall view of a larynx mask in accordance with the invention looking at the dorsal cover plate;

(3) FIG. 2 again shows a perspective overall view of the same larynx mask, but looking at the ventrally arranged cuff;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a vertical view of the larynx mask on the ventral side;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the larynx mask in the direction of the course of the oesophageal lumen;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through the larynx mask in the area of an insertion section looking towards the proximal end and the oesophageal outlet 6;

(7) FIG. 6 again shows a cross-section through the same larynx mask in the central area of the longitudinal extent of the larynx mask whereby the direction of viewing is again towards the proximal end; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows the same cross-section at the same point, but looking towards the distal end of the larynx mask.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows the larynx mask which is denoted overall with 1. An insertion tube is attached to this larynx mask but is not shown in the drawing. However, for this a tube connecting connector 2 is used. This tube connecting connector 2 transits into a cover plate 3 and cuff 5 also formed thereon in one piece. The entire larynx mask 1 from the tube connecting connector 2 on the distal end to the tip 4 on the proximal end of the larynx mask is produced in one piece and accordingly all of the same synthetic material. In FIG. 1 the circumferential cuff 5 can be seen which is reduced in diameter by an oesophageal outlet 6 only on the proximal end at the tip 4 whereas at the distal end the cuff 5 passes through under the tube connecting connector 2. At the proximal end the oesophageal outlet 6 passes over the cuff 5 in a type of channel.

(10) The cuff 5 is produced by open injection molding. In particular, in the cross-sections shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, but also in FIG. 2, a circumferential thickened adhesive, welding wall 13, practically following the peripheral edge of the cover 3, can be seen, while at the same time the lower edge of the cuff 5, here still shown as open, is also provided with a circumferential adhesive, welding edge 15. Only through adhering or welding the adhesive, welding edge 15 to the corresponding circumferential adhesive, welding wall 13 is the closed circumferential cuff 5 produced. This cuff 5 is inflated and deflated via a ventilation connection 8 which is on the ventral side of the tube connecting connector 2. This ventilation connection 8 can be clearly seen in FIGS. 2-4.

(11) The circumferential adhesive or welding wall 13 delimits a respiration chamber 7 below the cover plate 3.

(12) As has already been stated an insertion tube, which is not shown here, is introduced into the tube connecting connector 2. This insertion tube advantageously, but not necessarily, consists of a single plastic tube with two lumens which in terms of shape and size are matched to the lumens present in the larynx mask. To make this connection of the larynx mask to the insertion tube as simple as possible, the tube connecting connector 2 has a plug section 16 which can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 4. The plug section 16 is not divided into two lumens, as preferably an insertion tube is inserted here which has two lumens in the same form as in the insertion section 12 following on from the plug section 16. This insertion section 12 runs at least approximately under the area in which the two lumens 10 and 11 extend over the cuff 5. Although in FIG. 4 it appears as if these areas pass under the cuff 5, this is only due to illustration in which the ventral side is shown facing upwards instead of the dorsal side.

(13) Following the plug section 16 of the tube connecting connector 2 there is, as has been stated, an insertion section 12. In this area two separate lumens can be seen which are both closed in this area, namely the oesophageal lumen 10 and the respiration lumen 11. This is most clearly seen in FIG. 5. Running between these two lumens 10 and 11 at least approximately perpendicularly to the cover 3 is a separating and supporting wall 9. Through this separating and supporting wall which passes through the larynx mask in around the middle, the larynx mask is provided overall with increased rigidity which counteracts any kinking.

(14) In an advantageous embodiment the separating and supporting wall 9 can have a sack-like intermediate chamber which is closed until near to the tip and which can accommodate a reinforcing element.

(15) The thickened adhesive, welding wall 13, which is not in cross-section in FIG. 5, increases the rigidity of the larynx mask. It can be clearly seen that the cuff is not yet closed by welding or adhesion and accordingly the adhesive and/or welding edges 15 can be seen. After the end of the insertion section 12, the oesophageal lumen 10 continues to be closed, while the respiration lumen 11 opens into a practically U-shaped channel as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Both figures show the same cross-section at the same point, but in FIG. 6 the view is directed towards the proximal end. The separating and supporting wall 9 remains unchanged through the absence of the ventral wall section of the respiration lumen 11. In these figures it can also be seen that the diameter of the two lumens, namely the oesophageal lumen 10 and the respiration lumen 11, and therefore also the separating and supporting wall 9 runs downwards from the cover plate 3 in the ventral direction less far than the circumferential adhesive or welding wall 13. The end of this adhesive or welding wall 13 spans a plane and this plane is neither pierced by the two lumens 10 and 11 nor by the wall 9.

(16) In this way a relatively large respiration chamber 7 remains under the two lumens 10 and 11 and the separating and supporting wall 9. It can be seen that after the insertion section 12 from where the respiration lumen 11 opens out this space directly merges with the respiration chamber 7. In FIG. 6 which shows the diametric section through the larynx mask looking towards the proximal end, it can be seen that the oesophageal lumen 10 is open towards the oesophageal outlet 6, while the respiration lumen 11 is limited in the proximal direction by the adhesive or welding wall 13.

(17) As has already been stated the insertion tube is not shown here. Preferably, in cross-section such an insertion tube will be shaped like the tube connecting connector 2 in the cross-section area in accordance with FIG. 5. However, this is not obligatory. For example, an adapter, into which two individual tubes open which together form an insertion tube 2, can be inserted into the plug area 16 up to the projection 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(18) 1. Larynx mask

(19) 2. Tune connecting connector

(20) 3. Cover plate

(21) 4. Tip of the larynx mask

(22) 5. Cuff

(23) 6. Oesophageal outlet

(24) 7. Respiration chamber

(25) 8. Cuff ventilation connection

(26) 9. Separating and supporting wall

(27) 10. Oesophageal lumen

(28) 11. Respiration lumen

(29) 12. Insertion section

(30) 13. Adhesive, welding wall

(31) 14. Projection

(32) 15. Adhesive, welding edge

(33) 16. Plug area