Universal fitting headgear

• US 6,805,117 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ho, Peter, Jaffre, Marcel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MITAL B
• Application Number:
  US10/283,526
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.22, 128/206.13, 128/206.27, 128/207.17, 128/207.11, 128/204.11, 128/201.23
• US Class Current: 128/201.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor

Abstract

A universally fitting headgear that is readily adjustable to a variety of different sized patients and that couples a patient interface device to an airway of the patient. The headgear includes a headpiece that fits on the user'"'"'s heal in a cap-like fashion. The circumference of the headpiece is adjustable so that a single sized headgear can be fit to a number of different sized patient'"'"'s. The headpiece includes adjustment straps which adjustably connect to each other on the sides of the patient'"'"'s head. The headpiece further includes connecting straps to adjustably connecting the headgear to a patient interface device, such as a gas delivery mask. The headgear of the present invention fits a wide range of head sizes and shapes, is easy to use, and provides increased stability.

Claims

1. An adjustable headgear comprising:

a headpiece adapted to fit over a portion of a patient'"'"'s head, the headpiece having a front edge portion positionable along a front portion of such a patient'"'"'s head and a rear edge portion positionable along a rear portion of such a patient'"'"'s head;

a front adjustment strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece;

a rear adjustment strap attached to the rear edge portion of the head piece, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap are connectable together and adjustable to adjust the headpiece to fit a patient'"'"'s head, wherein the headpiece, the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap define a cap that fits over such a patient head, the cap having a perimeter that extends around a circumference of a patient'"'"'s head, and wherein adjustment of the front adjustment strap with respect to the rear adjustment strap controls a circumference of the perimeter of the cap;

a rear joint piece attached to and extending from the rear edge portion of the headpiece; and

a lower connecting strap attached to the rear joint piece and adapted to releasably connect the headgear to a patient interface device.

2. The adjustable headgear of claim 1, further comprising a first upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

3. The adjustable headgear of claim 2, further comprising a second upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

4. The adjustable headgear of claim 2, wherein the upper and the lower connecting straps each include a fastening system adapted to adjustably and releasably connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

5. The adjustable headgear of claim 4, wherein the fastening system on each upper and lower connecting strap includes a loop fastener portion on the exterior surface of the upper and the lower connecting straps, and a hook tab portion disposed at an end portion of the upper and the lower connecting straps, wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through a connecting element of the patient interface device and securing to the loop fastener portion.

6. The adjustable headgear of claim 1, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap each include a fastening system adapted, to adjustably connect the front adjustment strap to the rear adjustment strap.

7. The adjustable headgear of claim 6, wherein the fastening system on the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap includes (1) a connecting element disposed on one of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap and (2) a loop fastener portion and a first hook tab portion disposed on a remaining other of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap, wherein the loop fastener portion is disposed on an exterior surface of the front or the rear adjustment strap, wherein the first hook tab portion is disposed at a first location on the front or the rear adjustment strap, and wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through the connecting element and securing to the loop fastener portion.

8. The adjustable headgear of claim 1, further comprising a second hook tab portion disposed at a second location on the front or the rear adjustment strap.

9. The adjustable headgear of claim 1, further comprising a connection element attached to the headpiece or the front edge portion and adapted to releasably connect a conduit to the headgear.

10. An adjustable headgear and patient interface assembly comprising:

a patient interface device adapted to fit over a portion of the face of a patient and having connector elements on opposite sides thereof; and

an adjustable headgear comprising;

a headpiece adapted to fit over a portion of a patient'"'"'s head, the headpiece having a front edge portion positionable along a front portion of such a patient'"'"'s head and a rear edge portion positionable along a rear portion of such a patient'"'"'s head;

a front adjustment strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece;

a rear adjustment strap attached to the rear edge portion of the head piece, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap are connectable together and adjustable to adjust the headpiece to fit a patient'"'"'s head, wherein the headpiece, the front adjustment strap, and the rear adjustment strap define a cap that fits over such a patient head, the cap having a perimeter that extends around a circumference of a patient'"'"'s head, and wherein adjustment of the front adjustment strap with respect to the rear adjustment strap controls a circumference of the perimeter of the cap;

a rear joint piece attached to and extending from the rear edge portion of the headpiece; and

a lower connecting strap attached to the rear joint piece and adapted to releasably connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a first upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

12. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a second upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the upper and the lower connecting straps each include a fastening system adapted to adjustably and releasably connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the fastening system on each upper and lower connecting strap includes a loop fastener portion on the exterior surface of the upper and the lower connecting straps, and a hook tab portion disposed at an end portion of the upper and the lower connecting straps, wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through a connecting element of the patient interface device and securing to the loop fastener portion.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap each include a fastening system adapted to adjustably connect the front adjustment strap to the rear adjustment strap.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the fastening system on the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap includes (1) a connecting element disposed on one of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap and (2) a loop fastener portion and a first hook tab portion disposed on a remaining other of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap, wherein the loop fastener portion is disposed on an exterior surface of the front or the rear adjustment strap, wherein the first hook tab portion is disposed at a first location on the front or the rear adjustment strap, and wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through the connecting element and securing to the loop fastener portion.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising a second hook tab portion disposed at a second location on the front or the rear adjustment strap.

18. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a connection element attached to the headpiece or the front edge portion and adapted to releasably connect a conduit to the headgear.

19. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the patient interface device is a nasal mask or nasal/oral mask.

20. A system for delivering a breathing gas to a patient comprising:

gas flow generating device that produces a flow of gas;

a conduit having a first end portion operatively coupled to the gas flow generating device and a second end portion, wherein the conduit carries the flow of gas from the gas flow generating device during operation of the system;

a patient interface device coupled to the second end portion of the conduit, the mask comprising having connector elements on opposite sides thereof; and

an adjustable headgear comprising;

a headpiece adapted to fit over a portion of a patient'"'"'s head, the headpiece having a front edge portion positionable along a front portion of such a patient'"'"'s head and a rear edge portion positionable along a rear portion of such a patient'"'"'s head;

a front adjustment strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece;

a rear adjustment strap attached to the rear edge portion of the head piece, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap are connectable together and adjustable to adjust the headpiece to fit a patient'"'"'s head, wherein the headpiece, the front adjustment strap, and the rear adjustment strap define a cap that fits over such a patient head, the cap having a perimeter that extends around a circumference of a patient'"'"'s head, and wherein adjustment of the front adjustment strap with respect to the rear adjustment strap controls a circumference of the perimeter of the cap;

a rear joint piece attached to and extending from the rear edge portion of the headpiece; and

a lower connecting strap attached to the rear joint piece and adapted to releasably connect the headgear to a patient interface device.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a first upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a second upper connecting strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece and adapted to connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the upper and the lower connecting straps each include a fastening system adapted to adjustably and releasably connect the headgear to the patient interface device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the fastening system on each upper and lower connecting strap includes a loop fastener portion on the exterior surface of the upper and the lower connecting straps, and a hook tab portion disposed at an end portion of the upper and the lower connecting straps, wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through a connecting element of the patient interface device and securing to the loop fastener portion.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap each include a fastening system adapted to adjustably connect the front adjustment strap to the rear adjustment strap.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the fastening system on the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap includes (1) a connecting element disposed on one of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap and (2) a loop fastener portion and a first hook tab portion disposed on a remaining other of the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap, wherein the loop fastener portion is disposed on an exterior surface of the front or the rear adjustment strap, wherein the first hook tab portion is disposed at a first location on the front or the rear adjustment strap, and wherein each hook tab portion is adapted for threading through the connecting element and securing to the loop fastener portion.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a second hook tab portion disposed at a second location on the front or the rear adjustment strap.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising a connection element attached to the headpiece or the front edge portion and adapted to releasably connect a conduit to the headgear.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the patient interface device is a nasal mask or nasal/oral mask.

30. An adjustable headgear comprising:

headpiece having a front edge portion positionable along a front portion of such a patient'"'"'s head and a rear edge portion positionable along a rear portion of such a patient'"'"'s head;

a front adjustment strap attached to the front edge portion of the headpiece;

a rear adjustment strap attached to the rear edge portion of the head piece, wherein the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap are connectable together and adjustable to adjust the headpiece to fit a patient'"'"'s head, wherein the headpiece, the front adjustment strap and the rear adjustment strap define a cap that is sized, configured and arranged so as to encircle a patient'"'"'s cranium above ear-level and cover a majority of such a patient'"'"'s head responsive to the headgear being donned by the patient, wherein the cap has a perimeter that extends around a circumference of a patient'"'"'s head, and wherein adjustment of the front adjustment strap with respect to the rear adjustment strap controls a circumference of the perimeter of the cap; and

a lower connecting strap having a first end operatively attached to the a rear adjustment strap and a second end adapted to releasably connect the headgear to a patient interface device.