Patent ID: 8851075

Claim:
A mask system comprising: a mask component including one or more openings for gas washout; and a vent component provided to the mask component, the vent component including a plurality of tracks or grooves along a vent component outer surface of the vent component adapted to guide gas washout, the vent component being adapted to cover the one or more openings in the mask component so that gas washout escapes along the plurality of tracks or grooves between a mask component outer surface of the mask component and the vent component, wherein each of the plurality of tracks or grooves in combination with the mask component outer surface provide a vent flow passage therebetween that extends from an outlet of the one or more openings to a corresponding exit orifice of a plurality of exit orifices along an edge of the vent component adapted to be in communication with atmosphere, wherein the plurality of exit orifices are substantially linearly aligned along the edge of the vent component.