Designing a new mask - could use some input from users

[j03g29r79]

Hi Everybody,

I am a design engineer, and I was wondering if each of you could spare a moment to help me with a company project.

We are designing a new CPAP full face mask, with a goal of accommodating as many users as possible by optimizing sealing, fit, and comfort. I’m currently collecting data on facial dimensions to validate our cushion sizes.

If you could use a ruler to measure your own face, using the attached picture as a guide, and provide your age and dimensions on a reply post, I would greatly appreciate it (no names are necessary).

I only need two dimensions: 1) length from the “indent” of the nose bridge to the “indent” between the lower lip and chin, and 2) width of the corners of the mouth. The measurement should be taken at the deepest point on each feature. Again, please refer to the guide picture.

Thanks in advance for your help! The picture is below.

[harry33]

an important issue is the appearance of the person wearing your mask, try to make it look non medical and attractive, suggesting perhaps an astronaurt
many CPAP mask wearers fear their partner will no longer find them sexually attractive in bed

1) 2 and 3/4 inches

2) 2 inches

I take a nose only medium size mask

it should help if your FF mask tucks under the chin to encourage the wearer to not relax in sleep and allow the jaw to open wide as this breaks the airseal

study the comfortgell nose only mask, the hookup for the straps to the mask is bad design, the plastic soon breaks, however the resizing feature is very good

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi Everybody,

I am a design engineer, and I was wondering if each of you could spare a moment to help me with a company project.

We are designing a new CPAP full face mask, with a goal of accommodating as many users as possible by optimizing sealing, fit, and comfort. I’m currently collecting data on facial dimensions to validate our cushion sizes.

If you could use a ruler to measure your own face, using the attached picture as a guide, and provide your age and dimensions on a reply post, I would greatly appreciate it (no names are necessary).

I only need two dimensions: 1) length from the “indent” of the nose bridge to the “indent” between the lower lip and chin, and 2) width of the corners of the mouth. The measurement should be taken at the deepest point on each feature. Again, please refer to the guide picture.

Thanks in advance for your help! The picture is below.

Do we get a free mask for our research contribution? (Doesn't hurt to ask, does it? )

Age: 52
1 - from indent on nose bridge to indent on chin = 4"
2 - width of mouth = 2"

I just started using a FFM, and I'm enjoying my improved therapy. Anything you can do to make a FFM more comfortable would be a good thing. Best of luck in your venture. I hope many of us can benefit from it.

[katcw]

nose indent to indent below lips: 2 7/8"
width of mouth: 2 1/4"
F, age 61

Does the mask have to go from the nose indent down? Could it be designed to go from lower on the nose (i.e. just above nostrils?) If that is possible, I think it would make the mask more comfortable. Also, make it easier to read while wearing the mask.

Just my 2 cents....

[midnightdweary]

1. 4 1/16 " (that's 4 and 1 sixteenth)
2. 2 7/8 " (that's 2 and seven eighths)
age: 70

Also, some of us have our ears not positioned very well. The straps across the top of mine create soreness by the Swift LT. I tried to use it for 2 months, but finally gave up.

Ease of use is the important thing. I like my Micro, because once the straps are adjusted, one does not have to change them anymore.

[BlackSpinner]

Why only those measures? What about us with flat noses and receding chins? My full face mask just can't seem to handle that very well. It either leaks at the nose or below the mouth.
I strongly suggest you include people with "oriental" shaped faces.

[Cassandra]

nose to chin: 3.75"
mouth width: 2.25"
age: 38

[Necro]

1 distance down the nose 4 1/4"

2 distance across mouth 2 5/8"

3 Male / 45 yrs old

I would also like to volunteer to try the masks!
I'm a full face user and have tryed several masks with mixed results.
right now Im using the Quattro I have some issues with it but far less than with the others.
I have tryed nasal masks (Comfortgel) but I sleep with my mouth open.

[DreamStalker]

By all means everyone should feel free to participate and help this "engineer" out.

We get a few of these "engineers" dropping by to collect data for their term projects a few times a year. They occasionally misrepresent themselves as "engineers" for mask manufacturers when they are actually students. Some past threads in no particular order ...

viewtopic/t44380/viewtopic.php?p=164985#p164985

viewtopic.php?p=119953#p119953

viewtopic/t44380/viewtopic.php?p=7369#p7369

viewtopic.php?p=207949#p207949

Again feel free to help them out but don't expect to have a custom mask developed for you or even a free trial.

And my advice for this OP is to contact Johnny Goodman (forum owner) as he may be able and willing to provide the facial data requested from the data from his mask fitting tool. A greater number of data will result in more significant statistics.

[DannyP]

From Indent of Nose to Indent of Chin---4 & 1/4 Inches. Mouth from corner to corner---2 & 1/2 Inches. I am Interested in a free trial and I Mouth breathe a lot with my Nasal Pillows. Good Luck in the new Mask Design.

[Uncle_Bob]

Why only those measures? What about us with flat noses and receding chins? My full face mask just can't seem to handle that very well. It either leaks at the nose or below the mouth.
I strongly suggest you include people with "oriental" shaped faces.

ditto

i suggest the designer take a look at the cpap.com size guide

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-mask-sizing.php?

[tattooyu]

Age: 36
Measurement 1: 3.375"
Measurement 2: 2"

Here's my friend Paul's measurements (a CPAPer) as well for a large sample.

Age: 33
Measurement 1: 3.75"
Measurement 2: 2"


I think what FF mask designer tend to forget is not just the distances, but that people's cheekbones structures and fat deposits are very different. Just because the distance between those points on two users' faces are the same, doesn't mean the same mask will fit them. However, it would be nice to have choices in frame width as well.

Examples:

FRAMES
Narrow, Average, Wide

CUSHIONS
Small, Medium, Large

They could be coded as such. Let's say you're designing a mask called the "Full-O-Fit" ( ). Once person might be a FOF001AM (average frame, medium cushion), and another might be FOF001AS (average frame, small cushion). Now, I don't know how that would work logistically when designing a mask, but is seems to me there is much more variation in face shape than mask manufacturers care to deal with.

[TSSleepy]

Age 41
4 & 3/8ths inches
2 & 3/4ths inches

[j03g29r79]

Thank you everybody for your data and comments, please keep 'em coming! I am keeping everyone's suggestions in mind as I go. As several users have mentioned, the challenge is to accommodate as many facial geometries as possible, balancing comfort with effective sealing.

And please also note I am a professional design engineer at a company that specializes in these kinds of products - not a student as somebody suggested. This mask is a reality and not a research project. You may be surprised that a lot of professional development companies don't gather enough "real world" users for feedback before rushing a product out into the market; this is what I'm trying to address. So again, I greatly appreciate the help and I will take note of those who offer their help for evaluating future prototypes. I am not sure if/under what conditions my company will approve such a trial, but it would be obviously beneficial for me to have unbiased end-users with no previous experience with the product evaluating it "hands-on".

[BleepingBeauty]

So again, I greatly appreciate the help and I will take note of those who offer their help for evaluating future prototypes. I am not sure if/under what conditions my company will approve such a trial, but it would be obviously beneficial for me to have unbiased end-users with no previous experience with the product evaluating it "hands-on".

Right ON!