Headgear for mask assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9504798-B2
Application number	US-201213617274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Jul 8, 2005
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A mask system for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient includes a mask assembly including a frame, a cushion provided to the frame, and optionally an elbow provided to the frame. Headgear is removably attached to the mask assembly to maintain the mask assembly in a desired position on a patient's face. The headgear includes a top strap, crown straps which cooperate to form a round shape adapted to accommodate a crown of the patient's head, and bottom straps.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Headgear for use with a mask assembly, comprising:
a top strap;
a one-piece bottom strap section including bottom straps and a first connector; and
a one-piece crown strap section including a pair of crown straps and a second connector attached to the first connector, the crown straps cooperating to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head, each crown strap including a first end, the first ends of the crown straps being directly attached to one another and to a first end of the top strap, a second end of the top strap being configured to attach to a mask assembly,
wherein, in a flat, pre-assembled state, the crown straps each extend straight from the second connector to the respective first ends of the crown straps.

2. The headgear according to claim 1 , wherein the crown straps are shorter than the bottom straps.

3. The headgear according to claim 1 , wherein the top strap, bottom strap section, and crown strap section are constructed from a substantially flat or 2-dimensional piece of material, and attached to one another to achieve a 3-dimensional form.

4. The headgear according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom straps are straight in the flat, pre-assembled state and an angle defined by the bottom straps in the flat, pre-assembled state is the same as an angle defined by crown straps in the flat, pre-assembled state.

5. A mask system for use between a patient and a structure to deliver a breathable gas to the patient, the mask system comprising:
a mask assembly including a frame and a cushion provided to the frame; and
headgear according to claim 1 .

6. Headgear for use with a mask assembly, comprising:
a top strap;
a one-piece first strap section including a first crown strap, a first bottom strap, and a first connector; and
a one-piece second strap section including a second crown strap, a second bottom strap, and a second connector, the second connector being attached to the first connector and ends of the first and second crown straps being directly attached to one another and to an end of the top strap,
wherein the first and second crown straps cooperate to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head, and
wherein, in a flat, pre-assembled state, the first crown strap extends straight from the first connector to the end of the first crown strap and the second crown strap extends straight from the second connector to the end of the second crown strap.

7. The headgear according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second crown straps are shorter than the first and second bottom straps.

8. The headgear according to claim 6 , wherein the top strap, first strap section, and second strap section are constructed from a substantially flat or 2-dimensional piece of material, and attached to one another to achieve a 3-dimensional form.

9. Headgear for use with a mask assembly, comprising:
a top strap;
a one-piece first cross strap including a first crown strap portion, a first bottom strap portion, and a first connector portion; and
a one-piece second cross strap including a second crown strap portion, a second bottom strap portion, and a second connector portion, the second connector portion being attached to the first connector portion so that the first and second cross straps extend transverse to one another and ends of the first and second crown strap portions being directly attached to one another and to an end of the top strap,
wherein the first and second crown strap portions cooperate to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head, and
wherein, in a flat, pre-assembled state, the one-piece first cross strap and the one-piece second cross strap are each straight along their entire length.

10. The headgear according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second crown strap portions are shorter than the first and second bottom strap portions.

11. The headgear according to claim 9 , wherein the top strap, first cross strap, and second cross strap are constructed from a substantially flat or 2-dimensional piece of material, and attached to one another to achieve a 3-dimensional form.

12. Headgear for use with a mask assembly, consisting essentially of:
a top strap configured to extend over a top of a patient's head;
a one-piece bottom strap section including bottom straps and a first connector; and
a one-piece crown strap section including a pair of crown straps and a second connector attached to the first connector, the crown straps cooperating to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head, each crown strap including a first end, the first ends of the crown straps being directly attached to one another and to a first end of the top strap, a second end of the top strap being configured to attach to a mask assembly,
wherein, in a flat, pre-assembled state, the crown straps each extend straight from the second connector to the respective first ends of the crown straps.

13. The headgear according to claim 12 , wherein the bottom straps are configured to extend below a respective one of the patient's ears to connect to the mask assembly.

14. The headgear according to claim 12 , wherein the connector of the one-piece bottom strap section extends between the bottom straps.

15. The headgear according to claim 12 , wherein the connector of the one-piece crown strap section extends between the crown straps.

16. The headgear according to claim 12 , wherein the top strap, bottom strap section, and crown strap section are constructed from a substantially flat or 2-dimensional piece of material, and attached to one another to achieve a 3-dimensional form.

17. Headgear for use with a mask assembly, comprising:
a top strap;
a bottom strap section including bottom straps and a connector; and
a crown strap section including a pair of crown straps and a connector attached to the connector of the bottom strap section, the crown straps cooperating to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head, each crown strap including a first end, the first ends of the crown straps being directly attached to one another and to a first end of the top strap, a second end of the top strap being configured to attach to a mask assembly,
wherein each of the bottom strap section and the crown strap section is integrally formed from one piece of material and the bottom strap section and the crown strap section are wide angle V-shapes with substantially the same angle.

18. A method for forming headgear for a mask assembly, the method comprising:
forming a one-piece bottom strap section including bottom straps and a first connector;
forming a one-piece crown strap section including a pair of crown straps and a second connector, each crown strap including a first end;
forming a top strap;
attaching the first connector to the second connector;
attaching the first ends of the crown straps directly to one another so that the crown straps cooperate to form a round shape or halo that is adapted to accommodate a crown of a patient's head; and
attaching a first end of the top strap to the first ends of the crown straps, a second end of the top strap being configured to attach to a mask assembly,
wherein, in a flat, pre-assembled state, the crown straps each extend straight from the second connector to the respective first ends of the crown straps.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein forming a bottom strap section an

Assignees

• Carroll Fiona Catherine
• Gibson Joel Edward
• D'Souza Errol Savio Alex
• Marshall Bryony Louise
• Davies Bruce Richard
• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Carroll Fiona Catherine
• Gibson Joel Edward
• D'Souza Errol Savio Alex
• Marshall Bryony Louise
• Davies Bruce Richard

Classifications

• A62B18/084

  Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• A61M16/0683 Primary

  Holding devices therefor · CPC title

• A61M2205/0216

  Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking · CPC title