Patent ID: 8424530

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 a first end; (ii) a nasal pillows stabilising and support assembly comprising a rigid or semi-rigid support frame defining a structure to which the tube is connected via a swivel elbow, and a stabilising element arranged on each side of the support frame to extend in use over a cheek of the patient; (iii) a nasal pillows arrangement to receive the supply of air and direct 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 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 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 portion having a reduced cross sectional area with respect to the wider second end; (iv) an adjustable nasal pillows retaining assembly constructed and arranged to retain the nasal pillows arrangement in a sealing relationship with the entrance to a patient's airways, the nasal pillows retaining assembly comprising: an adjustable top strap structured to pass over a top portion of the patient's head and a rear strap structured to pass over a rear portion of the patient's head; and a pair of side straps, each side strap being associated with a corresponding said stabilising element.