Patent ID: 9636476
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61M,A62B,Y10T

Claim:
1. A mask assembly suitable for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, comprising: a mask configured to provide pressurized air to a patient in the range of 3 to 20 cmH2O throughout the patient's respiratory cycle, the mask including a soft, face-contacting portion and a rigid shell; a pair of upper headgear attachment points; a pair of lower headgear attachment points; and a headgear assembly configured to hold the mask in position on the patient's face during treatment, comprising: wherein each of the pair of elongated upper straps and each of the pair of elongated lower straps include a loop material positioned along an external surface thereof and a hook material configured to releasably attach to the loop material to attach the pair of elongated upper straps and the pair of elongated lower straps to the mask, wherein the pair of elongated upper straps are dimensioned to extend above the patient's ears in use, wherein the pair of elongated lower straps are dimensioned to extend below the patient's ears and across the patient's facial skin, wherein the loop material of each of the pair of elongated upper straps and each of the pair of elongated lower straps includes a connection region adapted to attach to the hook material of a corresponding strap, the connection region being wider than the hook material such that when the hook material is attached to the loop material, in use, the loop material at each connection region is configured to shield the patient's facial skin from contact with the hook material, wherein a leading end of each of the pair of elongated upper straps is configured to pass through a corresponding one of the pair of upper headgear attachment points and be doubled-back on itself to attach the hook material to the loop material to secure the headgear assembly to the mask, wherein the loop material of each of the pair of elongated lower straps is configured to pass through a corresponding one of the pair of lower headgear attachment points and doubled-back on itself to attach the hook material to the loop material to secure the headgear assembly to the mask, and wherein each connection region of each elongated lower strap is adapted to engage the patient's facial skin.