NOZZLE

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nozzle which is adapted to be taken in the mouth and which is connectable to a respirator (12) and adapted to permit passage of air between the respirator and the lungs of a patient, whereby the nozzle includes a base member (2) which is adapted to be disposed in the mouth between the teeth (4) and whereby the nozzle further includes a shield (5) which is adapted to sealingly engage the lips and surrounding face portions from the outside. For preventing the shield (5) from loosing its sealingly engagement from the outside with the lips and surrounding face portions while asleep, the base member (2) is individually adapted to the patient's teeth (4) by having tooth impressions (8) adapted to the teeth such that the base member (2) retains said teeth (4) in said impressions (8) when the patient is asleep.

Description: Nozzle . The present invention relates to a nozzle which is adapted to be taken in the mouth and which is con- nectable to a respirator and adapted to permit passage of air between the respirator and the lungs of a pa- tient, whereby the nozzle includes a base member which is adapted to be disposed in the mouth between the teeth and whereby the nozzle further includes a shield which is adapted to sealingly engage the lips and surroun¬ ding face portions from the outside. A nozzle of the abovementioned type is substan¬ tially already known from e.g. US-A-4 495 945. The nozzle according to this publication however, has that drawback that the mouth of the patient can open while asleep, whereby the grip about the nozzle ceases and air may leak out. Hereby, there is an obvious risk of loosing the major part of the air from the respirator. US-A-3 774 618 relates to a nozzle which is kept in position by means of a strap which is tightened around the head of the patient. This strap holds the nozzle in the intended position, but does not prevent the mouth of the patient from opening when the patient relaxes in the sleep. Consequently, there is also here an obvious risk for air from the respirator leaking out. The problem with air leakage has actually been so great that one has been forced to make surgical ope¬ rations in the throat of the patient for supplying air from the respirator in this way. However, for obvious reasons, such an operation give rise to many problems. The object of the present invention is therefore, at first hand, to see to that the patient is supplied with air from the respirator the natural way, i.e. through the mouth, without the risk of leakage while asleep, instead of making any surgical operations in the throat. This is arrived at according to the inven¬ tion substantiallv while the nozzle has obtained the characterizing features of claim 1. The above and remaining characterizing features will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which fig- 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of separated base member and shield forming part of a nozzle according to the invention; fig. 2 is a plan view of base member and shield when connected together; and fig- 3 is a section through the nozzle in operating position. The nozzle with these features sees to that the risk of air leakage, i.e. the risk of so called dead- space, is eliminated without the necessity of surgical operations in the patient's throat. The nozzle illustrated in the drawings is adapted to be taken in the mouth and connected to a respirator. The nozzle is adapted to be used by patients which du¬ ring the nights, while asleep, tend to get a deficit of oxygen (PO ^ -deficit) in the blood or excess of oxygen (P0 ? -excess) because of e.g. bad lungs, wrong or blocked signals from the brain or other reasons giving wrong blood gases. For connection of the respirator and for al¬ lowing air passage between the respirator and the lungs of the patients, the nozzle has an opening or coupling of any suitable construction. Especially from fig. 3 it is apparent that the nozzle 1 also comprises a base member 2 which is adapted to be disposed in the mouth 3 between the teeth 4 of the patient, and a shield 5 which is adapted to sealingly engage the lips 6 and surrounding portions 7 of the face of the patient from the outside and prevent leakage of air beside the shield. The -base member 2 of the nozzle 1 is individually adapted to the patient's teeth 4 in the upper as well as lower jaw for obtaining a locking of the teeth in the base member. Thus, the base member 2 prevents opening of the patient's mouth 3 during sleep when the muscles of the patient relax, to such an extent that the shield 5 looses its sealing function. Individual adaptation of the base member 2 to the patient's teeth 4 is accomp¬ lished by providing the base member with exact impres¬ sions 8 of the teeth. These impressions 8 in the base member are obtained in a manner already known and are therefore not further described. It is essential however, that the impressions 8 are designed such that the pa¬ tient must bite to move the teeth into the impressions and that the base member can be removed from the teeth only by overcoming a certain resistance when removing, said base member by hand. Thus, the impressions 8 in the base member 2 must be adapted to the patient's teeth 4 such that the base member is secured in posi¬ tion when the patient is asleep. By manufacturing the base member 2 of a special rubber or plastic material with a dull surface, the achievement of the object is facilitated. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the base member 2 is individually adapted to all teeth 4 in the patient's upper and lower jaws, but of course, other embodiments are also possible, e.g. a base member only for the front teeth and molars in the upper and lower jaws. According to the present embodiment of the inven- tion, the shield 5 and base member 2 are provided as two separate members which are connectable to each other. These may be -locked by means of a sleeve or agglutinated. Hereby, the shield 5 is disposable at various distances from the tooth impressions 8 in the base member 2 for individual adaptation of the position of the shield in relation to shape and/or thickness of the patient's lips 6 and surrounding face portions 7. Thus, the shield 5 may be positioned with sufficient sealing against the lips 6 and surrounding face portions 7 without e.g. squee- zing the lips between the shield 5 and base member 2. However, if desired, it is also possible to manufacture shield 5 and base member 2 in one piece. In the embodi¬ ment shown however, the shield 5 is threadable onto a tube 9 protruding from the base member 2 between the impressions 8 for the teeth in the upper and lower jaws, said tube 9 defining the opening 10 for permitting air passage between a respirator and the patient's lungs and to which a hose 11 from the respirator 12 is connec¬ ted. The respirator 12 is also connected to e.g. the electric mains via a conduit 13. In order to facili¬ tate the threading of the shield 5 onto the tube 9 on the base member 2 as well as its setting in correct operating position, the shield also has a tubular por¬ tion 14 which is thread onto the tube 9. For permitting fixation of the shield 5 at various locations along the tube 9, said tube 9 and the tubular portion 14 have suitable lock means for this purpose, e.g. a correspon- ding toothing 15 on each member. In use, the nozzle 1 is applied such that the base member 2 is put into the mouth 3 of the patient, whereafter the patient bites in said base member such that the teeth 4 are pressed down into the impressions 8 in the base member. The teeth can now be withdrawn from the base member 2 if the patient generates a cer¬ tain force for this purpose. Thereafter, the shield 5 is thread onto the tube 9 on the base member 2 and moved therealong until it sealingly engage the patient's lips 6 and surrounding face portions 7. In this position, the shield 5 is kept in position by means of the tubu¬ lar portion 14 and the toothing 15 thereon and on the tube 9. The hose 11 to the respirator 12 is fastened to the tube 9 and the respirator is switched on. It is obvious for a skilled person that the pre¬ sent invention can be modified within the scope of the following claims without departing from the idea and purpose of the invention. Thus, the base member and the shield to the nozzle can be manufactured in a suitable material and given a design and size suitable for the purpose. Respirator coupling and eventual lock means can also be designed as desired or required for the pur¬ pose.

Claims: Claims : 1. Nozzle which is adapted to be taken in the mouth and which is connectable to a respirator (12) and adapted to permit passage of air between the respi¬ rator and the lungs of a patient, whereby the nozzle includes a base member (2) which is adapted to be dis¬ posed in the mouth between the teeth (4) and whereby the nozzle further includes a shield (5) which is adap¬ ted to sealingly engage the lips and surrounding face portions from the outside, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the base member (2) is individually adapted to the patient's teeth (4) by having tooth impressions (8) adapted to the teeth such that the base member (2) retains said teeth (4) in said impressions (8) when the patient is asleep in order to prevent the shield (5) from loosing its sealingly engagement with the lips and surrounding face portions while asleep. 2. Nozzle according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the tooth impressions (8) of the base member (2) are individually adapted to all teeth (4) of the patient. 3. Nozzle according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the shield (5) and base mem¬ ber (2) consist of two interconnectable members, where¬ by the shield (5) is disposable at various distances from the tooth impressions (8) in the base member (2) for individual adaptation of the position of the shield (5) relative to the patient's lips (6) and surrounding face portions (7) . 4. Nozzle according to claim 3 . c h a r a c - t e r i z e d i n that the shield (5) is threadable onto a tube (9) protruding from the base member (2) and to which a hose (11) from the respirator (12) is connec¬ table, whereby the shield (5) is fixable at various locations along the tube.

Inventors: BRANTBY ROLF, BRANTBY, ROLF
Applicants: FOERENINGEN LIM
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A61M16
IPC codes: A61M16