Headgear Assembly

• US 20110072553A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ho, Peter Chi Fai
• Application Number:
  US11/849,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072553A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/171.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor

Abstract

A headgear assembly for attaching an object to a head of a user is defined by first and second beams adapted wrap around the back of a user'"'"'s neck and/or head. The first and second beams are generally planer and are adapted to be disposed in a first plane responsive to being stretched flat. The first beam has a first radius of curvature defined in the first plane, and the second has a second radius of curvature defined in the first plane in a same direction as the first radius of curvature. A first member coupling the first beam with the second beam. When donned by the user, the headgear assembly assumes a generally spherical shape that conforms to the back of the human head.

Claims

1. A headgear assembly for attaching an object to a head of a user comprising:

a first beam adapted to wrap around a back of a user'"'"'s neck or a back of a user'"'"'s head, wherein the first beam is generally planer and is adapted to be disposed in a first plane responsive to being stretched flat, and wherein the first beam has a first radius of curvature defined in the first plane;

a second beam adapted to wrap around a back of a user'"'"'s neck or a back of a user'"'"'s head, wherein the second beam is generally planer and is adapted to be disposed in the first plane responsive to being stretched flat, and wherein the second beam has a second radius of curvature defined in the first plane in a same direction as the first radius of curvature; and

a first member coupling the first beam with the second beam.

2. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein (a) the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are substantially the same, or (b) the first radius of curvature is greater than the second radius of curvature.

3. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first beam has a first length, the second beam has a second length, and wherein (a) the first length is substantially the same as the second length, or (b) the first length is greater than the second length.

4. The headgear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second member coupling the first beam with the second beam.

5. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first beam, the second beam, and the first member are defined as a unitary structure.

6. The headgear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member adapted to be selectively coupled to the first beam, the second beam, the first member, or any combination thereof.

7. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first beam, the second beam, the first member is defined by an expandable material or a semi-rigid material.

8. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first member is also disposed in the first plane responsive to being stretched flat.

9. The headgear assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first coupling member attached to a first end of the first beam; and

a second coupling member attached to a first end of the second beam, wherein the first and the second coupling portions are linear, wherein the first end of the first beam and the second end of the second beam are disposed in one side of the headgear assembly, and wherein the first and the second beams are configured such that the first and the second coupling members are not parallel to one another responsive to the headgear assembly being stretched flat.

10. The headgear assembly of claim 1, wherein a centerline separates a first half of the headgear assembly from a second half of the headgear assembly, and wherein the first beam, the second beam, or both are symmetrical about the centerline.

11. The headgear assembly of claim 1, further comprising coupling members attached to an end of the first beam, the second beam, or both, wherein the coupling members are generally strait.

12. The headgear assembly of claim 11, further comprising an adjusting mechanism associated with the coupling members adapted to adjust a length of the coupling members.

13. The headgear assembly of claim 11, wherein the coupling members are rotatably attached to the ends of the first beam, the second beam, or both.

14. The headgear assembly of claim 11, further comprising a patient interface connector operatively coupled to each coupling member.

15. The headgear assembly of claim 14, wherein the patient interface connector is movable along a length of the coupling member to which the patient interface connector is coupled.

16. The headgear assembly of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the coupling members is defined by an expandable material.

17. The headgear assembly of claim 16, wherein the expandable material is an elasticized fastening material.

18. The headgear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cross strap spanning between two portions of the first beam.