Nasal cannula

Claim 2

A nasal cannula designed for contact with the philtrum Of a patient''s upper lip, comprising: a hollow main tubular member having at least one open end for receiving fluid to be supplied to the patient; a pair of spaced, hollow nasal extensions communicating with the interior of the member and extending upwardly away from the member for directing fluid into the nostrils of the patient; a lip plate secured to the member at a location centered on a line extending midway between the extensions, the lip plate having curved upper and curved lower surfaces extending in arcuate paths away and down from the member, both said upper and lower surfaces extending in a direction opposite to that of said nasal extensions and tapering to a free end, said free end having a width of approximately the width of the patient''s philtrum, the lip plate being flexible and the free end being spaced from the member to permit the free end to move relative to the member; and means connected to the member for urging the upper surface of the free end of the lip plate into contact with the patient''s philtrum to reduce side to side slipping of the nasal cannula relative to the patient''s upper lip and to flex the lip plate so that the member moves relative to the free end to permit adjustment of the orientations of the nasal extensions in the patient''s nostrils.

Claim 3

A cannula according to claim 1 wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the lip plate are approximately circular in curvature and each describes an angle of approximately 90* of arc.

Claim 4

A nasal cannula comprising: a hollow main tubular portion having at least one open end; a first hollow nasal extension communicating with the interior of the main tubular portion: a second hollow nasal extension spaced from the first extension and communicating with the interior of the main tubular portion; and a lip plate integrally formed with the main tubular portion at a location approximately centered between the nasal extensions, said plate having an upper surface extending in a curved path away from the main tubular portion and downwardly in a direction opposite to that of the nasal extensions, said lip plate having an arcuate length sufficient to position said upper surface away from the main tubular portion for engagement with the philtrum of a patient, said lip plate being flexible for permitting rotary motion of the tubular portion to enable the tubular portion to move away from the philtrum and properly position the nasal extensions in the patient''s nostrils, said plate being approximately trapezoidal in outline, the minor base of the trapezoidal lip plate having a width generally equal to the distance across the philtrum on the patient''s upper lip for reducing side to side movement of the nasal cannula relative to the patient''s lip.

Claim 5

A nasal cannula comprising: a hollow main tubular portion having at least one open end; a first hollow nasal extension communicating with the interior of the main tubular portion: a second hollow nasal extension spaced from the first extension and communicating with the interior of the main tubular portion; and a lip plate integrally formed with the main tubular portion at a location approximately centered between the nasal extensions, said plate having an upper surface extending in a curved path away from the main tubular portion and downwardly in a direction opposite to that of the nasal extensions, said lip plate having an arcuate length sufficient to position said upper surface away from the main tubular portion for engagement with the philtrum of a patient, said lip plate being flexible for permitting rotary motion of the tubular portion to enable the tubular portion to move away from the philtrum and properly position the nasal extensions in the patient''s nostrils, said plate being approximately trapezoidal in outline, the minor base of the trapezoidal lip plate having a width generally equal to the distance across the philtrum on the patient''s upper lip for reducing side to side movement of the nasal cannula relative to the patient''s lip.

Claim 6

A cannula according to claim 3 wherein the upper surface of the lip plate is approximately circular in curvature and describes an angle of approximately 90* of arc, the lip plate has a gradually decreasing width from the fixed end at the point of juncture with the main tubular portion to the free end thereof, the free end having a width generally equal to the width of the patient''s philtrum for limiting the amount of contact between the nasal cannula and the patient''s upper lip.

Claim 7

A nasal cannula designed for contact with the philtrum of a patient''s upper lip, comprising: a hollow tubular member having at least one open end for receiving fluid to be supplied to the patient; a pair of spaced, hollow nasal extensions communicating with the interior of the member and extending upwardly away from the member for directing fluid into the nostrils of the patient; a lip plate secured to the member at a location centered on a line extending midway between the extensions, the lip plate having an upper surface extending away from the member in an arcuate path to a free end, the upper surface at the free end being directed downwardly and having a width of approximately the width of thE patient''s philtrum, the lip plate being flexible and the upper surface at the free end being spaced from the member to permit flexure of the lip plate, said lip plate being trapezoidal in shape and having a major base secured to the member and a minor base at the free end thereof having said width of approximately the width of the patient''s philtrum; and means connected to the member for urging the free end of the lip plate into contact with the patient''s philtrum to flex the lip plate and position the nasal cannula on the patient''s upper lip with the nasal extensions positioned in the patient''s nostrils at the proper angular orientation, said urging means being designed for maintaining the free end of the lip plate in contact with the patient''s philtrum to reduce side to side slipping of the nasal cannula relative to the patient''s upper lip.

Claim 8

A nasal cannula designed for contact with the philtrum of a patient''s upper lip, comprising: a hollow tubular member having at least one open end for receiving fluid to be supplied to the patient; a pair of spaced, hollow nasal extensions communicating with the interior of the member and extending upwardly away from the member for directing fluid into the nostrils of the patient; a lip plate secured to the member at a location centered on a line extending midway between the extensions, the lip plate having an upper surface extending away from the member in an arcuate path to a free end, the upper surface at the free end being directed downwardly and having a width of approximately the width of thE patient''s philtrum, the lip plate being flexible and the upper surface at the free end being spaced from the member to permit flexure of the lip plate, said lip plate being trapezoidal in shape and having a major base secured to the member and a minor base at the free end thereof having said width of approximately the width of the patient''s philtrum; and means connected to the member for urging the free end of the lip plate into contact with the patient''s philtrum to flex the lip plate and position the nasal cannula on the patient''s upper lip with the nasal extensions positioned in the patient''s nostrils at the proper angular orientation, said urging means being designed for maintaining the free end of the lip plate in contact with the patient''s philtrum to reduce side to side slipping of the nasal cannula relative to the patient''s upper lip.