Patent ID: 8770197

Claim:
A locking clip for removably coupling a frame and a headgear assembly of a respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient, the locking clip comprising: a main body providing a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a front end portion adapted to be inserted into a front opening of a slot of the frame and the rear portion adapted to be removably coupled to the headgear assembly; and a pair of resiliently flexible spring arms, each spring arm including a finger grip portion adapted to be manually manipulated by the patient to release the locking clip from the frame, each spring arm including a locking tab portion positioned to interlock with a locking flange provided within an interior of the slot, said locking flange being positioned rearward of the front opening of the slot to removably couple the locking clip to the frame, and the finger grip portion being exterior of the slot and positioned forward of the front opening of the slot when the locking tab portion is interlocked with the locking flange, wherein the front end portion and the rear portion are disposed at an angle with respect to one another such that the front end portion extends within a first plane and the rear portion extends within a second plane disposed at an angle to the first plane, and the locking tab portion of each spring arm is flexible within the first plane of the front end portion.