Mask with removable headgear connector

A mask system for delivering a supply of air generated by a flow generator at a positive pressure in a therapeutic range of 2-30 cm H2O to a patient's airways to treat sleep disordered breathing, the mask system comprising:

• a mask frame having a bore and a curved interfacing structure, the curved interfacing structure projecting radially from the bore, the mask frame having no built-in or integral headgear attachment points;
• a cushion provided to the mask frame and adapted to seal with the patient's face;
• an elbow assembly adapted to be connected to an air delivery tube to deliver the supply of air to the patient's airways;
• headgear including a pair of upper side straps configured to extend above the patient's ears in use, a pair of lower side straps configured to extend below the patient's ears in use, a rear portion configured to cup the occiput of the patient's head in use, and a pair of lower headgear clips adapted to receive respective ones of the pair of lower side straps;
• and
• a headgear connector having a headgear connector opening, the headgear connector opening being circular, the headgear connector being adapted to engage the curved interfacing structure of the mask frame to removably connect the headgear connector to the mask frame, the bore and the headgear connector opening being concentrically disposed about a common axis when the headgear connector and the mask frame are connected,
• wherein the headgear connector and the mask frame are non-malleable,
• wherein the headgear connector and the mask frame are detachably connected together by translating the mask frame and the headgear connector towards one another along the common axis until a snap-fit connection is established between the headgear connector opening of the headgear connector and the curved interfacing structure of the mask frame,
• wherein the headgear connector includes a pair of lower headgear clip receptacles adapted to be engaged with respective ones of the pair of lower headgear clips to attach respective ones of the pair of lower side straps,
• wherein the mask frame and the headgear connector are constructed to resist movement between the mask frame and the headgear connector when the mask frame and the headgear connector are attached, and
• wherein the headgear connector includes a pair of upper openings adapted to attach to respective ones of the pair of upper side straps.

A mask system for delivering a supply of air generated by a flow generator at a positive pressure in a therapeutic range of 2-30 cm H2O to a patient's airways to treat sleep disordered breathing, the mask system comprising:

• a mask frame having a bore and a curved interfacing structure, the curved interfacing structure projecting radially from the bore, the mask frame having no built-in or integral headgear attachment points;
• a cushion provided to the mask frame and adapted to seal with the patient's face;
• an elbow assembly adapted to be connected to an air delivery tube to deliver the supply of air to the patient's airways;
• a vent for gas washout;
• a headgear connector having a headgear connector opening, the headgear connector opening being circular, the headgear connector being adapted to engage the curved interfacing structure of the mask frame to removably connect the headgear connector to the mask frame, the bore and the headgear connector opening being concentrically disposed about a common axis when the headgear connector and the mask frame are connected;
• and
• headgear configured to be attached to the headgear connector to hold the cushion in a sealing position on the patient's face in use,
• wherein the headgear connector and the mask frame are non-malleable,
• wherein the headgear connector and the mask frame are detachably connected together by translating the mask frame and the headgear connector towards one another along the common axis until a snap-fit connection is established between the headgear connector opening of the headgear connector and the curved interfacing structure of the mask frame, and
• wherein the mask frame and the headgear connector are constructed to resist movement between the mask frame and the headgear connector when the mask frame and the headgear connector are attached.