Headgear
First Claim
1. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
- a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask;
wherein a portion of each strap adjacent the back portion and extending approximately half a length of the strap has a first width and the attachment portion of each strap has a second width substantially narrower than the first width.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing is constructed from a composite including polyurethane foam. It includes a back portion (40) with upper and lower straps (20, 30) connected to the back portion. The straps have relatively narrow strap ends (26) the lower straps are displaced downward with respect to the back portion. A quick release mechanism (50) near the front of the face attaches the headgear to the mask. Additional components can be attached to the straps to alter their elasticity and stiffness.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask;
wherein a portion of each strap adjacent the back portion and extending approximately half a length of the strap has a first width and the attachment portion of each strap has a second width substantially narrower than the first width.
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2. The headgear of claim 1, wherein each lower strap angles downward from the back portion at a position near the back portion to displace a length of each lower strap outboard from the angled portion downward with respect to the back portion.
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3. The headgear of claim 2, wherein at least one of the straps is constructed of an extensible material and a generally inextensible material is attached to that strap to make the strap generally inextensible in a direction of its length.
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4. The headgear of claim 3, wherein the headgear is formed of a composite having a first layer, to be positioned against the head of the patient, constructed from a polyester/nylon fabric, a second, middle layer constructed from an hypoallergenic breathable polyurethane foam and a third layer constructed from loop material adapted to engage and attach to a hook material.
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5. The headgear of claim 1, wherein, at least one of the straps is constructed of an anisotropic material such that the strap is generally inextensible in a direction along its length and extensible in a direction along its width.
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6. The headgear of claim 1, wherein the second width is narrower than the first width by approximately 1 cm.
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7. The headgear of claim 1, wherein the second width is narrower than the first width by at least 1 cm.
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8. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask;
wherein each lower strap angles downward from the back portion at a position near the back portion to displace a length of each lower strap outboard from the angled portion downward with respect to the back portion.
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9. The headgear of claim 8, wherein a portion of each lower strap outboard from the angled portion is lower than a lowest portion of a central region of the back portion.
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10. The headgear of claim 9, wherein at least one of the straps is constructed of an extensible material and a generally inextensible material is attached to that strap to make the strap generally inextensible in a direction of its length.
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11. The headgear of claim 10, wherein the headgear is formed of a composite having a first layer, to be positioned against the head of the patient, constructed from a polyester/nylon fabric, a second, middle layer constructed from an hypoallergenic breathable polyurethane foam and a third layer constructed from loop material adapted to engage and attach to a hook material.
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12. The headgear of claim 9, wherein, at least one of the straps is constructed of an anisotropic material such that the strap is generally inextensible in a direction along its length and extensible in a direction along its width.
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13. The headgear of claim 8, wherein the length of each lower strap outboard from the angled portion is displaced downward with respect to the back portion by approximately 1 cm.
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14. The headgear of claim 8, wherein the length of each lower strap outboard from the angled portion is displaced downward with respect to the back portion by at least 1 cm.
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15. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask;
wherein at least one of the straps is constructed of an extensible material and a material generally inextensible in at least one direction is attached to that strap to make the strap generally inextensible in a direction of its length.
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16. The headgear of claim 15, wherein the generally inextensible material is attached to a side of the strap.
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17. The headgear of claim 15, wherein the generally inextensible material is attached to at least one edge of the strap.
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18. The headgear of claim 17, wherein the generally inextensible material is attached to both edges of the strap and a central portion of the strap between both edges is left free of the generally inextensible material such that the strap remains extensible in a direction of its width.
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19. The headgear of claim 18, wherein the generally inextensible material also stiffens the strap.
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20. The headgear of claim 15, wherein the generally inextensible material also stiffens the strap.
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21. The headgear of claim 15, wherein the generally inextensible material is stitching applied to the strap.
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22. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a pair of connected straps adapted for attaching to the mask;
wherein at least one of the straps is constructed of an anisotropic material such that the strap is generally inextensible in a first direction and extensible in a second direction generally normal to the first direction.
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23. The headgear of claim 22, wherein the first direction is along a length of the strap and the second direction is along a width of the strap.
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24. The headgear of claim 22, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask.
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25. The headgear of claim 24, wherein the entire headgear is formed from a unitary piece of the anisotropic material such that each strap is generally inextensible in a direction of its length and extensible in a direction of its width and the back portion is generally inextensible in a horizontal direction and extensible in a vertical direction.
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26. The headgear of claim 22, wherein the entire headgear is formed from a unitary piece of the anisotropic material such that each strap is generally inextensible in a direction of its length and extensible in a direction of its width.
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27. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a pair of connected straps adapted for attaching to the mask;
wherein the headgear is formed of a composite having a first layer, to be positioned against the head of the patient, constructed from a polyester/nylon fabric, a second, middle layer constructed from an hypoallergenic breathable polyurethane foam and a third layer constructed from loop material adapted to engage and attach to a hook material.
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28. The headgear of claim 27, wherein the composite is constructed of BREATH-A-PRENE®
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29. The headgear of claim 27, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated upper straps connected to the back portion oh opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion, the upper straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask; and
a pair of elongated lower straps connected to the back portion below the upper straps on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions connected at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask.
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30. The headgear of claim 29, wherein the composite is constructed of BREATH-A-PRENE®
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31. A quick release mechanism for connecting a headgear to a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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an elongated hook portion having a first portion adapted to releasably attach to a first loop portion of the headgear to attach the quick release mechanism to the headgear;
a release cord attached to the hook portion near a first end of the hook portion; and
a loop portion attached to a second end of the hook portion opposite the first end of the hook portion, the loop portion being adapted to engage a mask and releasably attach to a second portion of the hook portion to attach the quick release mechanism to mask;
wherein the hook portion is adapted to release from the headgear when the release cord is pulled, thereby separating the mask from the first loop portion of the headgear.
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32. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a back portion; and
a pair of elongated first straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
each first strap having a loop portion positioned along an external surface of its length and a hook portion at a free end thereof for releasably attaching to the loop portion to attach the strap to the mask;
wherein a width of the strap along the loop portion to which the hook portion releasably attaches is sufficiently wider than the hook portion that when the hook portion is attached to the loop portion, the strap shields a user'"'"'s face from contact with the hook portion.
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33. The headgear of claim 32, wherein the width of the strap along the loop portion to which the hook portion releasably attaches is wider than the hook portion by approximately 1 cm.
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34. The headgear of claim 32, wherein the width of the strap along the loop portion to which the hook portion releasably attaches is wider than the hook portion by at least 1 cm.
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35. A headgear for securing and positioning a mask suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising:
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a back portion;
a pair of elongated first straps connected to the back portion on opposing sides of the back portion and extending away from the back portion;
the lower straps having attachment portions positioned at free ends thereof for attaching to the mask;
wherein each first strap angles downward from the back portion to position the attachment portions lower with respect to the back portion.
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36. The headgear of claim 35, wherein the attachment portions are positioned lower with respect to the back portion by approximately 1 cm.
Specification