Patent Publication Number: US-2023144588-A1

Title: Ventilator mask and joint thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a ventilator mask and a joint thereof, and more particularly to a ventilator mask using a joint to connect a naso-gastric tube and a sputum suction tube. The ventilator mask can be airtightly fitted to the patient’s face. There is no need to remove the ventilator mask for performing sputum suction. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Patients with respiratory failure use bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) because they are unable to breathe on their own to bring sufficient oxygen to their whole body. 
     BiPAP is a type of noninvasive positive pressure ventilator. It is a pressure-support device driven by air flow and triggered by time cycle. It pushes air into the lungs and helps the lungs open up, allowing more oxygen into the lungs. When a patient is unable to breathe autonomously, or is able to breathe autonomously but unable to achieve required ventilation, BiPAP can provide air flow exceeding or equivalent to the maximum volume of air inhaled by the patient, meeting the patient’s ventilation need. 
     BiPAP is used in postoperative ventilation, respiratory muscle failure, hypoxemia, post-extubation, intubation refusal, spinal injury, end-stage cancer patients, patients with upper respiratory tract obstruction, etc. A flexible tube is connected to either a full-face mask or a nasal mask on the patient’s face. The BiPAP mask is a critical consumable because the machine’s air supply and air delivery to the patient depend on it. Inappropriate material or design may cause uneven sealing and leakage, or cause pressure-induced skin injuries. 
     In clinical practice, patients using BiPAP usually also use naso-gastric tube or oral-gastric tube for the purpose of enteral feeding, medication administration or drainage. However, none of the BiPAP masks used in current clinical practice is designed for the placement of naso-gastric tube or oral-gastric tube, which is usually inserted into the mask from under its edges, causing an imperfect fit. If the mask is worn too loosely, it can cause leakage; if worn too tightly, it can cause pressure-induced injury, leading to pain or wound infection. 
     Furthermore, clinically, both internal medicine and surgical wards can encounter patients who are too weak or unable to voluntarily cough out secretions. In such situations, suctioning will be used to help them evacuate the secretions but the process may affect patients’ oxygenation and improper operation may cause upper respiratory tract injury, infection and hypoxemia. Patients using BiPAP have to remove their mask completely for suctioning, which may reduce oxygen supply and increase the risk of hypoxemia. 
     Literature Review and Theoretical Foundation 
     1. Indications 
     BiPAP is a type of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). Most patients using NIPPV have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are end-stage cancer patients who refuse intubation, and/or have cardiopulmonary-related complications involving congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema caused by hypercapnia and hyponatremia. 
     By delivering positive pressure into the chest, noninvasive positive pressure ventilator may be used in treating moderate to severe acute respiratory failure. It is most effective in treating potential cardiogenic pulmonary edema because the positive end-expiratory pressure setting of the ventilator can prevent collapse of pulmonary air sacs, help to redistribute fluid with the air sacs, improve lung compliance and reduce respiratory pressure. It also improves breathing difficulty and oxygenation in patients with pulmonary edema. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilator is additionally effective in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as positive end-expiratory pressure increases remaining capacity in the lungs. Besides increasing oxygenation, it also opens the airways and decreases the work of breathing. 
     2. Types of Ventilators and Their Objectives 
     The difference between noninvasive positive pressure ventilator and traditional positive pressure ventilator is the replacement of artificial airway with a full-face mask or nasal mask. There are generally two types of noninvasive positive pressure ventilator:
     1. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): The ventilator will maintain the same pressure whether during inspiration or expiration. It continuously delivers air into the airway and lungs, maintaining a certain level of pressure and allowing the lungs to expand, and expanding the body’s ability to absorb oxygen.   2. Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP): The ventilator delivers greater pressure during the patient’s inspiration and smaller pressure during expiration. Besides increasing oxygen absorption, it also facilitates removal of carbon dioxide from the body.   

     Objectives of using noninvasive positive pressure ventilator:
     1. Arterial blood gas analysis: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilator can improve PaO2 in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure, and improve PaCO2 and PH in patients with both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypercapnia respiratory failure.   2. Decreasing work of breathing: It reduces respiratory muscle activity, allowing respiratory muscles to rest so as to improve fatigue.   

     3. Comorbidity 
     Common medical conditions that are simultaneously present when using the ventilator include: Gastric distension, mask leakage, oral dryness, conjunctiva irritation, nasal congestion and facial pressure ulcer. A study of patients in intensive care found that the incidence of pressure ulcer is 28.4%. Most injuries occur in the bony prominences, such as the coccyx, ischium and heel. It is noteworthy that the use of medical equipment, such as endotracheal tube, nasogastric tube, nasal cannula, plaster cast and NIPPV, may also cause pressure-induced injury. In cases where patients have a nasogastric tube temporarily in place to replenish nutrition and are being monitored for gastric distension, a mask that is worn too loose will cause leakage while one that is worn too tight will cause pressure-induced injury, resulting in such patients’ pain and/or wound infection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a ventilator mask and a joint thereof. The ventilator mask can be airtightly fitted to the patient’s face, and the patient’s face won’t be injured by the naso-gastric tube. There is no need to remove the ventilator mask for performing sputum suction. 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a ventilator mask and a joint thereof. The ventilator mask comprises a ventilator mask body and the joint connected to the ventilator mask body. The joint comprises a joint body, an upper cover, and a perforated cover. The joint body has a T shape. The joint body includes a first end portion, a second end portion and a third end portion that communicate with each other. The first end portion is configured to be movably connected to the ventilator mask body. The third end portion is configured to communicate with an oxygen source. An opening is disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion. The upper cover is pivotally connected to the joint body for closing or opening the opening. The perforated cover is disposed on the second end portion. The perforated cover has a through hole for insertion of a tube. 
     Further, the joint body has a pivot groove close to the opening. One side of the upper cover has a pivot shaft corresponding to the pivot groove. The pivot shaft is inserted into the pivot groove so that the upper cover is pivotally connected to the joint body. 
     Further, an inner wall of the joint body has a locking groove close to the opening. A lower surface of the upper cover has a locking member corresponding to the locking groove. When the upper cover closes the opening, the locking member is engaged with the locking groove to secure the upper cover. 
     Further, an upper surface of the upper cover has a pull portion for the upper cover to be opened with a user’s fingers. 
     Further, the first end portion is connected to a connector. The connector is movably connected to the ventilator mask body. The connector has a connecting portion. The connecting portion is detachably connected to the first end portion. Further, the ventilator mask body has a perforation and a coupling portion at the perforation. The connector is configured to fit the coupling portion. The connector is detachably connected to the coupling portion. 
     Further, the first end portion has a flange and a plurality of elastic hooks close to the flange. The elastic hooks are made of an elastic material and are elastically deformable. The elastic hooks each have a hook portion spanning the flange, so that the flange and the elastic hooks constitute a snap-fit structure for the joint body to be movably connected to the ventilator mask body. Further, the ventilator mask body has a perforation and an engaging portion at the perforation. When another end of each elastic hook is pressed, the hook portion of each elastic hook is lifted upward, and the first end portion is directly inserted into the perforation of the ventilator mask body until the first end portion is stopped by the flange. At this time, the another end of each elastic hook is released, and the hook portion of each elastic hook is elastically returned downward to snap the engaging portion against the flange so that the first end portion is movably connected to the engaging portion. 
     Further, the perforated cover is made of an elastic material and has a plurality of slits. The slits communicate with the through hole. When the tube has a diameter greater than that of the through hole, the vicinity of the through hole can be elastically deformed through the slits for the tube to pass through the through hole. 
     According to the above technical features, the following effects can be achieved:
     1. For a patient using a naso-gastric tube, the naso-gastric tube extends out of the ventilator mask body from the perforation of the ventilator mask body, and then the naso-gastric tube is inserted through the joint body and the perforated cover, such that the ventilator mask body can be airtightly fitted to the patient’s face, so as to prevent the patient’s face from being injured by the naso-gastric tube.   2. When it is necessary to suction sputum for the patient, the upper cover is opened, and the sputum suction tube can be directly inserted through the opening of the joint body and the perforation of the ventilator mask body to enter the nasal cavity or oral cavity of the patient for performing sputum suction. There is no need to remove the ventilator mask body 40 for performing sputum suction.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is another perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded view of the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, showing that the valve plate is disposed inside the joint body; 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of the present invention; 
         FIGS.  6 - 12    are schematic views of the present invention applied to a PHILIPS mask when in use; and 
         FIGS.  13 - 16    are schematic views of the present invention applied to a ResMed mask when in use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  3   ,  FIG.  4   ,  FIG.  5   , and  FIG.  6   . A ventilator mask according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a joint coupled to a ventilator mask body  40 . The joint includes a joint body  10 , an upper cover  20 , and a perforated cover  30 . 
     The joint body  10  is T-shaped. The joint body  10  includes a first end portion  11 , a second end portion  12  and a third end portion  13  that communicate with each other. The first end portion  11  is movably connected to the ventilator mask body  40 . The third end portion  13  is configured to communicate with an oxygen source. An opening  14  is disposed between the first end portion  11  and the second end portion  12 . 
     The upper cover  20  is pivotally connected to the joint body  10  for closing or opening the opening  14 . 
     The perforated cover  30  is disposed on the second end portion  12 . The perforated cover  30  has a through hole  31  for insertion of a tube. 
     In a structural embodiment, the joint body  10  has a pivot groove  15  close to the opening  14 . One side of the upper cover  20  has a pivot shaft  21  corresponding to the pivot groove  15 . The pivot shaft  21  is inserted into the pivot groove  15  so that the upper cover  20  is pivotally connected to the joint body  10 . 
     In a structural embodiment, the inner wall of the joint body  10  has a locking groove  16  close to the opening  14 . The lower surface of the upper cover  20  has a locking member  22  corresponding to the locking groove  16 . When the upper cover  20  closes the opening  14 , the locking member  22  is engaged with the locking groove  16  to secure the upper cover  20 . 
     The upper surface of the upper cover  20  has a pull portion  23 , which can be pulled by fingers to open the upper cover  20  easily and effortlessly. 
     In a structural embodiment, the first end portion  11  is connected to a connector  50 . The connector  50  is movably connected to the ventilator mask body  40 . The connector  50  has a connecting portion  51 . The connecting portion  51  is detachably connected to the first end portion  11 , so as to facilitate assembly or disassembly of the connector  50  at the first end portion  11 . 
     In a structural embodiment, the first end portion  11  has a flange  17  and a plurality of elastic hooks  18  close to the flange  17 . The elastic hooks  18  are made of an elastic material and can be elastically deformed. The elastic hooks  18  each have a hook portion spanning the flange  17 . The flange  17  and the elastic hooks  18  form a snap-fit structure for the joint body  10  to be movably connected to the ventilator mask body  40 . 
     In a structural embodiment, a valve plate  19  is provided at the junction of the first end portion  11 , the second end portion  12  and the third end portion  13 . One end of the valve plate  19  is fixed. The valve plate  19  is made of an elastic material and can be elastically deformed to close the junction of the first end portion  11 , the second end portion  12  and the third end portion  13 . The oxygen supplied from the oxygen source can push the valve plate  19  open in only one direction to enter the first end portion  11  and the second end portion  12 . The valve plate  19  has a non-return effect. 
     In a structural embodiment, the perforated cover  30  is made of an elastic material and has a plurality of slits  32 . The slits  32  communicate with the through hole  31 . When a tube with a diameter greater than the through hole  31 , the vicinity of the through hole  31  can be elastically deformed through the slits  32  for the tube to pass through the through hole  31 . 
     The foregoing description relates to the components and assembly of the present invention. Next, the use characteristics and effects of the present invention are described below. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  6    and  FIG.  7   . In this embodiment, the ventilator mask body  40  is selected from PHILIPS masks. For a patient using a naso-gastric tube, the naso-gastric tube  60  extends out of the ventilator mask body  40  from a perforation  41  of the ventilator mask body  40 , and then the naso-gastric tube  60  is inserted through the joint body  10  and the through hole  31  of the perforated cover  30 . 
     The ventilator mask body  40  has a coupling portion  42  at the perforation  41 . The connector  50  is configured to fit the coupling portion  42 . The connector  50  is insertedly, detachably connected to the coupling portion  42 , so that the joint body  10  is connected to the ventilator mask body  40 . 
     The third end portion  13  is connected to an elastic breathing tube to communicate with the oxygen source, such as a BiPAP ventilator, so that the oxygen from the oxygen source can be supplied to the patient through the joint body  10  and the ventilator mask body  40 . 
     Accordingly, the ventilator mask body  40  can be airtightly fitted to the patient’s face, so as to prevent the patient’s face from being injured by the naso-gastric tube  60 . 
     Please refer to  FIG.  8   ,  FIG.  9   , and  FIG.  10   . When it is necessary to suction sputum for the patient, the upper cover  20  is opened, and the sputum suction tube  70  can be directly inserted through the opening  14  of the joint body  10  and the perforation  41  of the ventilator mask body  40  to enter the nasal cavity or oral cavity of the patient for performing sputum suction. There is no need to remove the ventilator mask body  40  for performing sputum suction. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  11   . After performing sputum suction, the upper cover  20  is opened, and a cotton swab is used to clean the sputum/dirt remaining in the joint body  10 , so as to provide a hygienic effect. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  12   . The joint body  10  of the present invention and the coupling portion  42  of the ventilator mask body  40  can be rotated together for adjusting the air supply angle of the joint body  10 . 
     Please refer to  FIG.  13   ,  FIG.  14   , and  FIG.  15   . In this embodiment, the ventilator mask body  40  is selected from ResMed masks. First, the connector  50  is removed from the joint body  10 . Similarly, the naso-gastric tube  60  extends out of the ventilator mask body  40  from the perforation  41  of the ventilator mask body  40 , and then the naso-gastric tube  60  is inserted through the joint body  10  and the through hole  31  of the perforated cover  30 . 
     The ventilator mask body  40  has an engaging portion  43  at the perforation  41 . When the other end of the elastic hook  18  is pressed, the hook portion of the elastic hook  18  is lifted upward, and the first end portion  11  can be directly inserted into the perforation  41  of the ventilator mask body  40  until it is stopped by the flange  17 . At this time, the other end of the elastic hook  18  is released, and the hook portion of the elastic hook  18  is elastically returned downward to snap the engaging portion  43  against the flange  17 . The first end portion  11  is movably connected to the engaging portion  43 , so that the joint body  10  can be connected to the ventilator mask body  40  easily. 
     Similarly, the third end portion  13  is connected to an elastic breathing tube to communicate with the oxygen source, such as a BiPAP ventilator, so that the oxygen from the oxygen source can be supplied to the patient through the joint body  10  and the ventilator mask body  40 . 
     Accordingly, the ventilator mask body  40  can be airtightly fitted to the patient’s face, so as to prevent the patient’s face from being injured by the naso-gastric tube  60 . 
     Please refer to  FIG.  16   . Because the elastic hook  18  and the engaging portion  43  are elastically buckled on the flange  17 , the joint body  10  can rotate relative to the perforation  41  of the ventilator mask body  40  so that the air supply angle of the joint body  10  can be adjusted freely. 
     Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.