Interchangeable mask assembly

A respiratory mask assembly for providing respiratory therapy to a patient, the respiratory mask assembly comprising:

• a main body;
• a cushion component including a sealing portion,
• wherein the sealing portion is constructed and arranged to form a seal with a patient's nose;
• a cushion retainer configured to releasably couple the cushion component to the main body,
• wherein the cushion retainer comprises a separate and distinct peripheral component from the main body,
• wherein the cushion retainer is relatively harder than the cushion component,
• wherein the cushion retainer is attachable to the cushion component to form a unit that as a whole is subsequently releasably coupled to the main body,
• wherein the cushion retainer includes a cushion retainer part structured and arranged to engage behind a retainer part provided to the main body to releasably couple the cushion retainer to the main body, wherein the cushion retainer is releasably coupled to the main body in a substantially fixed, substantially non-adjustable position to resist adjustable movement between the cushion retainer and the main body when the cushion retainer is coupled to the main body, wherein the cushion component and the cushion retainer form at least a portion of a breathing chamber pressurizable to a therapeutic pressure,
• wherein the cushion retainer includes an opening structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by the patient, and
• wherein the cushion retainer is configured to releasably couple the cushion component to the main body while allowing the flow of air to the cushion component;
• a gas washout vent component configured to releasably couple with the main body, the gas washout vent component configured to washout gas from the breathing chamber to ambient atmosphere,
• wherein the main body includes a lower opening having a closed shape and an upper opening having a closed shape that is spaced apart and superior to the lower opening,
• wherein the upper opening is configured to receive the cushion retainer when the cushion retainer is releasably coupled with the main body,
• wherein the gas washout vent component is releasably coupled to the main body at the lower opening, and the lower opening is configured to allow the gas washout vent component to communicate with the breathing chamber when the gas washout vent component is releasably coupled to the main body,
• wherein the gas washout vent component comprises a separate and distinct peripheral component from the main body, the cushion component, and the cushion retainer,
• wherein the gas washout vent component is configured to engage the main body along an entire perimeter of the lower opening, and
• wherein, when the gas washout vent component is released from the main body, the gas washout vent component is thereby separated from the cushion component and the cushion retainer;
• headgear to maintain the respiratory mask assembly in position on a patient's head, the headgear including upper side straps and lower side straps;
• and
• a pair of lower headgear connectors, each of the pair of lower headgear connectors configured to connect a respective one of the lower side straps to the main body.