Patent ID: 8042546

Claim:
A nasal pillows mask assembly to provide a supply of air at positive pressure to the entrance of an airway of a patient for treatment of sleep disordered breathing comprising: (i) a tube operatively connected to receive a supply of air at positive pressure at one end, and delivering air to a nasal pillows assembly at the other end; (ii) a nasal pillows stabilising and support assembly comprising a rigid or semi-rigid support frame defining a structure to which the air delivery conduit is connected via a swivel elbow, and a pair of stabilising elements arranged on either side of the support frame to extend in use over the cheeks of the patient; (iii) a nasal pillows arrangement connected to the frame via a tongue and groove arrangement and defining in conjunction with the frame a chamber that receives the supply of air and directs it to the nares of the patient, the nasal pillows arrangement being moulded in one piece from a silicone material and comprising: a pair of nasal pillows, and a base portion; each of the nasal pillows having a first concave portion connected at a first end to a central wall portion of the base portion and structured to allow for relative movement with respect to the base portion, and an anatomically-shaped second portion connected to a second end of the first concave portion, the second portion having a narrower first end that enters the nasal passage of the patient's nose in use and a wider second end, the second portion defining a surface upon at least a portion of which sealing occurs with a patient's nares on the underside of the nostrils in an area about the rim of the nostril openings in use, the first concave portion having a reduced cross sectional area with respect to the wider second end; the base portion further comprising an upper lip contacting cushion portion adjacent the central wall portion, the central wall portion being configured to direct the nasal pillows at an alar angle with respect to one another, (iv) an adjustable nasal pillows retaining assembly constructed and arranged to retain the nasal pillow arrangement in a sealing relationship with the entrance to a patient's airways, the nasal pillows retaining assembly comprising: a rear portion formed from a soft and flexible strap material and including an adjustable top strap arrangement structured to pass over a top portion of the patient's head and an adjustable rear strap arrangement structured to pass over a rear portion of the patient's head; and a pair of side straps, each side strap being structured to extend from the rear portion and being joined to a corresponding stabilising element; wherein the adjustable top strap arrangement includes first and second top strap portions structured to pass over the top of the patient's head and a top strap buckle arrangement adjustably coupling together the top strap portions, and the rear strap arrangement includes first and second rear strap portions and a rear strap buckle arrangement adjustably coupling together the first and second rear strap portions.