Opus Ballcap Headgear Mod

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
BadBreath
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:40 pm
Location: Southern Oregon

Opus Ballcap Headgear Mod

Post by BadBreath » Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:24 pm

I’ve found a ball cap to be extremely comfortable and stable as headgear, and my ComfortLite2 mask with ball cap mod has become my favorite, maintaining AHI’s below 2. Check it out:

viewtopic.php?t=21772

My Opus mouth guard mod (shown here: viewtopic.php?t=22248) is my backup, and while I prefer its nasal pillows, the AHI’s are slightly higher and I tire of having something in my mouth all night. I found myself wishing I could use the Opus pillows with the ball cap headgear. So…here is my Opus ball cap headgear mod. This is essentially the ComfortLite2 with the slightly more flexible and comfortable Opus nasal pillows.


You will need:

The Opus mask assembly without the headgear.

The Velcro hose strap that came with the Opus.

A “one-size-fits-all” baseball cap with an elastic band or a Velcro adjustment strap, (so nothing impacts your head while lying on your back.) If you think a hat will be too warm you can use a cloth visor (with a stiff brim and an elastic or Velcro headband) as well.

A “baster” from Wal-Mart sku #07853. ($2.00)Image

Two o-rings ¾” I.D. X 1” O.D. (50 cents at hardware store.)Image


First flatten the cap’s brim. Make a .75” (3/4”) diameter hole in the brim, centered in the middle and 11/16” from the front of the cap (where the brim meets the cap) to the hole’s rear edge, or 1-1/32” to the center of the hole. I would suggest using a ¾” drill bit at high speed. Now make two short 3/4” vertical slits on the top of the cap towards the front, one on either side of the center stitching.

Image

Remove the squeeze bulb from the baster and cut the tube in half with a hacksaw at the “¼ oz/7ml” marking. Using a file or sandpaper smooth the resulting edges on the inside and outside. At the large end roughen the inside of the tube with the file or sandpaper. Wash thoroughly and dry.
Image
Image

Remove the Opus hose from the swivel elbow that holds the nasal pillows. With hard pressure and a twisting motion insert the end of the elbow that had the hose attached into the large end of the tube where you roughened the inside. The swivel portion of the elbow should be pointing toward a flat side of the tube.
Image

Place an o-ring over the smaller end of the tube and slide it down. Slide the smaller end of the tube up through the hole in the brim of the ball cap, with the elbow facing the back of the cap. Slide the second o-ring over the small end of the tube and push both o-rings against the top and bottom of the brim, respectively. The o-rings will maintain the length adjustment of the tube.

Attach the end of the hose that you removed from the elbow to the small end of the tube. Run the hose strap through the two slits in the front top of the hat and attach the hose to the hat using the hose strap. (Skip the slits and hose strap if using a visor or if you just prefer it to hang freely.)

Attach the nasal pillows to the elbow and aim them upward. Put the pillows on your nose and slide the cap over your head. Adjust the length by moving the tube up or down through the hole in the brim, and when satisfied sandwich the brim between the o-rings to maintain the adjustment. There will be some flexibility in adjusting the angle of the tube as well, and the tube can rotate slightly in the hole to balance the pillows on your nostrils. For the best fit I have found that you should shorten the length of the tube until it exerts uncomfortable pressure on your nose, then adjust the angle away from your nose to relieve the pressure while maintaining the upward force on the pillows.

For side sleepers you can sharply bend the outside edges of the brim downward so they are inside of the line of your cheekbones. They bend easily and you won’t have to cut the brim, which will undermine the stability of the brim as a platform.

Image

With this mod to the Opus my AHI's are now consistently below 2. The flexibility of the elbow joint minimizes leaks when moving around, but like always with the Opus pillows I find I have to clean them and my nares around 3am to maintain the seal, so I keep alchohol free baby wipes at my bedside.

Let me know if this works for you.


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rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:38 am

Ya done it again, Denny!!

Another great mod from a three-time Lab Rat Award winner who really should be hired by a mask manufacturer!

Here's another plaque to add to your collection --

Image


LINKS to Lab Rat Trophy awards
viewtopic.php?t=15104

User avatar
BadBreath
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:40 pm
Location: Southern Oregon

Post by BadBreath » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:45 pm

Thank you RG for the positive feedback. My wife says I am becoming addicted to Lab Rat awards! I might be, since the documentation has taken much more time than the modifications themselves.

I am extremely happy with the ball cap as headgear and think any one who has a nasal pillow or prong system that hangs down from their forehead should consider it. If the system has a rigid down tube or support, or one can be added to the circuit, the ball cap or visor as replacement headgear would add comfort and stability. Just at first glance, with some adaptations it should also work for the Breeze, the Twilight NP/Aura/Headrest, and the Adam Circuit.

The result is an integrated mask and headgear that maintains size adjustments and is easy to put on and take off. (And no embarassing pantyhose for the guys who have to share their hotel rooms with other manly men.)

I am also working on a two hole version for the cannula style interfaces like the Bravo and NasalAireII, in order to get the hoses off your face and increase stability and resistance to leaks caused by overhead hose pulling or side sleeping.

As a side note, I have always been a tech junkie and fully immerse myself whether it is computers, motorcycles, stereo and home theater systems or, obviously, CPAP interfaces. It has been a key for me, along with this forum, for finding a positive way to adjust to my newly aquired nightime lifestyle.


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RosemaryB
Posts: 1443
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:19 pm

Post by RosemaryB » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:46 pm

Wow, Denny! I'm impressed with this. When I get some time to do more modifications on masks I'm going to try the cap with the CL2. What RG said about you working as a mask designer crossed my mind when I saw that you had posted another mod. I'd just read about your Bravo/NAII experiment on the other thread.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Alternate Mask: Headrest. Pressure 9.0. Aussie Hose, padacheeks, AHI: 0.0 on 12/26/07. Pillow-stuffed backpack=side sleeping & lower AHI.
- Rose

Thread on how I overcame aerophagia
http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t3383 ... hagia.html

Thread on my TAP III experience
http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t3705 ... ges--.html