Patent ID: 8171934

Claim:
A forehead pad, comprising: (a) a coupling portion; and (b) a contact portion comprising: (1) a patient contacting surface having a generally rectangular and concave shape in a non-deflected state, the patient contacting surface having a longitudinal axis extending from a first end of the contact portion to a second end of the contact portion opposite the first end of the contact portion, and wherein the patient contacting surface is configured to contact a patient's forehead such that the concave shape faces such a patient's forehead responsive to the forehead pad being placed against such a patient, and (2) four side walls, each of which is integral with the patient contacting surface such that one side wall extends from each side of the patient contacting surface, wherein the four side walls and the patient contacting surface define a single, continuous inner cavity, wherein the contact portion is formed from a substantially deformable material such that the four side walls are deformable and deflectable upon contact with the patient's forehead, wherein the continuous inner cavity does not include any support structure therein, wherein the four side walls include a first side wall provided at the first end of the contact portion and a second side wall provided at the second end of the contact portion, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are closed and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the patient contacting surface, wherein the four side walls further include a third side wall and a fourth side wall each being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient contacting surface and extending from the first side wall to the second side wall and downwardly from the patient contacting surface, wherein an orifice is defined generally at a central location in each of the third side wall and the fourth side wall such that the third side wall and the fourth side wall each include an open central portion and first and second closed end portions provided adjacent the open central portion on opposite sides of the open central portion, and wherein each orifice extends into the inner cavity to allow a central portion of the forehead pad to deform more readily than other portions of the forehead pad responsive to a force being applied to the patient contacting surface.