Continuous positive airway pressure headgear

• US 6,470,886 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Bernadette J. Jestrabek-Hart Trust
• Original Assignee: Creations Co.
• Inventors: Jestrabek-Hart, Bernadette
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US09/536,002
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.13, 128/206.27, 128/207.11, 128/207.13, 128/207.17, 128/207.18
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0625 Mouth

Abstract

The present invention is a CPAP Headgear for assisting in the treatment of sleep apnea. The present invention uses a standard CPAP respiratory mask with air supplied under pressure by an air blower or other source. The present invention generally includes an improved Headgear, preferably having a head cover, a Lip Strap, and Clips and/or Extenders to hold the CPAP respiratory mask in place. The head cover designed with two side portions, each encircling an ear with an open area where the ear will fit and thereby stay a distance from the ear with material that goes upwards toward the top of the head, one side separating into 2 straps that connect across the top of the head to the second side. Another strap comes from the back of the left side that encircles the ear and around the nape of the neck to the right side that encircles the right ear, up and through, and back over toward the left, connecting upon itself, thereby connecting the two headpieces together across the nape of the neck. The Lip Strap extends from both lower sides in front of the ears and is attached from one side of the Headgear to the other, and is placed below and on the lower lip cooperating to help keep the wearer'"'"'s lower lip against the teeth, thereby inhibiting the escape of air from the wearer'"'"'s mouth, while allowing the chin to relax, and allowing the teeth to be apart as the wearer sleeps. The Clip is a bent hook that attaches to the side strap from the headgear to the respiratory mask attachment and allows the headgear to be removed and replaced easily without losing the adjustments. The Extenders are attachments that are part of a mask or can be or a bent wire attached to an existing respiratory mask. The Extenders drop/lower the attachment where the Headgear is to fasten to the respiratory mask to an area blow the mask. The Extenders primary function is to make the respiratory mask more comfortable to wear, and they may take the place of the Clip. The open Extender allows the Headgear to be removed and replaced easily without losing adjustments.

Claims

1. A continuous positive airway pressure system comprising:

a head gear for attachment to a wearer'"'"'s head comprising;

a first ear section having an aperture for receiving a first ear, an inner edge surrounding and defining the aperture for encircling the first ear; and

a second ear section having an aperture for receiving a second ear, an inner edge surrounding and defining the aperture for encircling the second ear;

an attachment system extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving over a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a nape extension extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving around the nape of the neck; and

the continuous positive airway pressure system further comprising;

a lip strap extending between said first ear section and said second ear section over the wearer'"'"'s lower lip, the lip strap having a first end looping through the aperture of said first ear section and the lip strap having a second end looping through the aperture of said second panel ear section.

2. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 1, wherein the attachment system comprises a first upper extension extending from the first ear section and a second upper extension extending from the second ear section and connecting together generally midway between the first ear section and second ear section.

3. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 2, wherein the first upper extension has a distal end and the second upper extension has a distal end, and wherein the first upper extension distal end is split into two straps that connect to said second upper extension distal end.

4. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 3, wherein the two straps of the distal end of the first upper extension are crossed over each other and attached to the distal end of the second upper extension.

5. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 1, wherein the lip strap has a center between the first end and the second end, and the system further comprising a respiratory mask for covering the wearer'"'"'s nose attached to the head gear, a plurality of elongated extenders attached to the respiratory mask and each of said plurality of extenders having an extender end extending to near the center of the lip strap and a strap connecting said extender end to the headgear.

6. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 2, further comprising a respiratory mask for covering the wearer'"'"'s nose attached to the head gear, and wherein the mask is attached by straps extending from the mask to said first upper extension and from the mask to said second upper extension.

7. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 6 wherein said first ear section, second ear section, first upper extension, and second upper extension are non-elastic.

8. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 1, wherein the lip strap further has a pad of leather on an inside surface of the lip strip for contacting the wearer'"'"'s lower lip.

9. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 1 further comprising a respiratory mask for covering the wearer'"'"'s nose attached to the head gear, wherein the respiratory mask has side edges, and the system further comprises a clip connecting the first ear section to one of said side edges, and a clip connecting the second ear section to one of said side edges.

10. A continuous positive airway pressure system comprising:

a head gear for attachment to a wearer'"'"'s head comprising;

a first ear section having an aperture for receiving a first ear; and

a second ear section having an aperture for receiving a second ear;

an attachment system extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving over a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a nape extension extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving around the nape of the neck; and

the continuous positive airway pressure system further comprising;

a lip strap extending between said first ear section and said second ear section over the wearer'"'"'s lower lip, and the lip strap having first and second ends and a center; and

a respiratory mask for covering the wearer'"'"'s nose attached to the head gear, and a plurality of elongated extenders attached to the respiratory mask and each of said plurality of extenders having an extender end extending to near the center of said lip strap and a strap connecting said extender end to the headgear.

11. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 10, wherein the strap connecting said extender end to the headgear attaches to one of said first ear section and said second ear section.

12. A continuous positive airway pressure system comprising:

a head gear for attachment to a wearer'"'"'s head comprising;

a first ear section having an aperture for receiving a first ear, an inner edge surrounding and defining the aperture for encircling the first ear, and a front portion for being positioned in front of the wearer'"'"'s first ear; and

a second ear section having an aperture for receiving a second ear, an inner edge surrounding and defining the aperture for encircling the second ear, and a front portion for being positioned in front of the wearer'"'"'s second ear;

an attachment system extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving over a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a nape extension extending between the first ear section and the second ear section for curving around the nape of the neck; and

the continuous positive airway pressure system further comprising;

a respiratory mask for covering the wearer'"'"'s nose attached to the head gear, and wherein the mask is attached by a strap extending from the mask to said first ear section and by a strap extending from the mask to said second ear section; and

a lip strap extending between said first ear section and said second ear section over the wearer'"'"'s lower lip to keep the lower lip against the wearer'"'"'s teeth, the lip strap having a first end and a second end, the first end attaching to the front portion of the first ear section below the strap attaching the respiratory mask to the first ear section, and the second end attaching to the front portion of the second ear section below the strap attaching the respiratory mask to the second ear section.

13. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 12 wherein the attachment system comprises a first upper extension extending from the first ear section and a second upper extension extending from the second ear section and connecting together between the first ear section and second ear section, and wherein said first ear section, second ear section, first upper extension, and second upper extension are non-elastic.

14. A continuous positive airway pressure system as in claim 13 wherein said first upper extension has a distal end that is split into two straps that connect to said second upper extension.