US 11,752,292 B2
Automatically adjusting headgear for patient interface
Mark Arvind McLaren, Auckland (NZ); Jeroen Hammer, Auckland (NZ); Vitaly Kapelevich, Auckland (NZ); and Brett John Huddart, Auckland (NZ)
Assigned to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
Filed by Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Auckland (NZ)
Filed on May 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/735,634.
Application 17/735,634 is a continuation of application No. 16/666,198, filed on Oct. 28, 2019, granted, now 11,331,449.
Application 16/666,198 is a continuation of application No. 14/786,942, granted, now 10,456,546, issued on Oct. 29, 2019, previously published as PCT/NZ2014/000074, filed on Apr. 24, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/945,727, filed on Feb. 27, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/871,789, filed on Aug. 29, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/866,926, filed on Aug. 16, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/866,953, filed on Aug. 16, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/815,624, filed on Apr. 24, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0331542 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A61M 16/06 (2006.01); A61M 16/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/0683 (2013.01) [A61M 16/0616 (2014.02); A61M 16/0666 (2013.01); A61M 16/0816 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0216 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0244 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0283 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0294 (2013.01)] 43 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A patient interface, comprising:
a mask and headgear for securing the mask to a user's face;
the headgear comprising:
an elastic portion configured to provide a retraction force;
a non-elastic portion configured to be inelastic in comparison to the elastic portion; and
a restriction mechanism connected to the non-elastic portion and to the elastic portion, the restriction mechanism configured to require a first resistance force to permit elongation of the headgear and to have a second resistance force in response to retraction of the headgear,
wherein the restriction mechanism comprises a directional lock arrangement comprising a lock member having a lock position and a release position,
wherein the non-elastic portion comprises a core member, and the core member passes through the directional lock arrangement,
wherein the elastic portion comprises an elastic strap of tubular construction including an interior passage that accommodates the core member such that the core member can move within the elastic portion, the elastic strap comprising a braid of multiple individual strands or yarns that are relatively inelastic, and a biasing arrangement that biases the strap to a compressed position, the biasing arrangement comprising one or more elastic fibers within the braid; and
wherein the retraction force tends to move the core member through the directional lock arrangement such that, in use, the lock member transitions from the lock position to the release position and the restriction mechanism has the second resistance force.