Patent ID: 7870859
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: A61M,A62B

Abstract:
1. A facial seal adapted to be coupled to a mask shell, the facial seal comprising: a mask attaching portion adapted to be coupled to a mask shell; a patient contacting portion adapted to contact a face of a human user or be disposed proximate to a face of a user responsive to the facial seal being donned by such a user, and wherein the patient portion is distal from the mask shell attaching portion; and a wall portion extending between the mask shell attaching portion and the patient portion structurally supporting the patient portion relative to the mask shell attaching portion and defining a cavity adapted to receive at least a portion of such a user's nose, wherein the mask shell attaching portion, the patient portion, and the wall portion are all part of a single, unitary solid structure formed from a pliable gel substance that recoils back to substantially its original shape when not stressed and has a resiliency defined as a Shore 00 durometer of less than about 10, wherein the seal is also formed from a selectively formable substance that is adapted to be molded by a compressive force acting on the patient portion from a first pattern into a second pattern and to retain the second pattern responsive to being so molded and even after the compressive force is removed, wherein the selectively formable substance includes a combination of the gel substance and a stiffening agent.