WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A respiratory interface comprising an inflating soft compliant seal member adapted to cover a nose and a mouth of a user, the seal member comprising a sealing portion that is adapted to contact a face of the user, the sealing portion comprising a rolled perimetric edge and a sealing flange that extends inwardly from the perimetric edge, the sealing flange comprising an extended surface that has one end connected to the rolled perimetric edge, a support member secured to the seal member, the support member being more rigid than the seal member, the support member comprising a support member perimetric edge, the rolled perimetric edge of the sealing portion extending outward beyond the support member perimetric edge and a generally vertical medial plane dividing the interface into a right half and a left half, the interface being more flexible about the generally vertical medial plane than about any generally horizontal plane that extends through the interface.

2. The interface of Claim 1, wherein the rolled perimetric edge of the sealing portion extends beyond the support member perimetric edge around an entire length of the support member perimetric edge.

3. The interface of any of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the sealing flange extends radially inwardly from substantially all of the rolled perimetric edge of the seal member.

4. The interface of any of Claims 1-3, wherein the seal member further comprises an enclosing portion that connects to the sealing portion proximate the rolled perimetric edge of the sealing member, the enclosing portion being secured to the support member.

5. The interface of Claim 4, wherein the sealing portion of the seal member is substantially more flexible than the enclosing portion of the seal member.

6. The interface of any of Claims 1-5, wherein the rolled perimetric edge of the seal member in plan view is defined by a plurality of radii R\ and the rolled perimetric edge in section comprises a thickness t and an inside radius R2, a generally horizontal plane extends through a first upper connection for headgear and a second upper connection for headgear and an upper portion of the rolled perimetric edge of the seal member is defined above the generally horizontal plane, and wherein the entire upper portion of the perimetric edge satisfies (1) 4 < (R2/t) < 7 and (2) (¾/¾) < 10.

7. The interface of any of Claims 1-6, wherein a point of first contact is positioned along at least a portion of the sealing flange such that the sealing flange is adapted to contact the face of the user before the rolled perimetric edge.

8. The interface of any of Claims 1-7, wherein the support member comprises a plurality of individually displaceable members that are positioned between an attachment for a headgear assembly and the seal member such that the displaceable members can transfer forces from the headgear assembly to the seal member.

9. A respiratory interface comprising an inflating soft compliant seal member adapted to cover a nose and a mouth of a user, the seal member comprising a sealing portion that is adapted to contact a face of the user, the sealing portion comprising a rolled perimetric edge and a sealing flange that extends inwardly from the perimetric edge, the sealing flange comprising an extended surface that has one end connected to the rolled perimetric edge, a support member secured to the seal member, the support member being more rigid than the seal member, the interface defining a chamber, an airflow inlet extending into the chamber and a flow diverter positioned within the chamber proximate the airflow inlet, the flow diverter causing at least a portion of an airflow from the airflow inlet to be diffused radially within the interface.

10. The interface of Claim 9, wherein the diffused airflow is directed radially over at least a portion of the sealing flange.

11. The interface of any of Claim 9 and Claim 10, wherein the airflow inlet extends into the interface at an angle between about 0° and about 70° from vertical.

12. The interface of any of Claim 9-11, wherein the flow diverter comprises a partition wall.

13. The interface of any of Claim 9-11, wherein the flow diverter comprises a swirling structure.

14. The interface of any of Claims 1-13 in combination with a headgear assembly that is connected to the support member of the interface.

15. A headgear assembly used to secure a respiratory interface to a head, the headgear assembly comprising a first strap portion, the first strap portion comprising a lower rear region, the lower rear region being adapted to be located on or below an external occipital protraberance, the lower rear region extending forward and upward to a first side region and a second side region, the first side region extending superolaterally from the lower rear region, the second side region extending superolaterally from the

lower rear region, each of the first and second side regions being adapted to extend rearward of a mastoid process and over an ear, the first side region comprising a first arched portion and the second side region comprising a second arched portion, the first arched portion and the second arched portion being connected by a top strap, the top strap being adapted to extend over the head from above the ears, a first termination portion extending forward from the first arched portion and a second termination portion extending forward from the second arched portion.

16. The headgear assembly of Claim 15, wherein the top strap is adapted to be positioned forward of a crown of the head and the lower rear region is adapted to be positioned below the crown of the head such that the crown of the head is captured between the top strap and the lower rear region.

17. The headgear assembly of Claim 15 or 16, wherein at least a portion of the first strap portion is semi-rigid.

18. The headgear assembly of any of Claims 15-17, wherein the top strap comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being attached to each other with a connector.

19. The headgear assembly of any of Claims 15-17 further comprising a first inelastic connecting strap and a second inelastic connecting strap, the first inelastic connecting strap and the second inelastic connecting strap being securable to an interface.

20. The headgear assembly of Claim 19 further comprising a first elastic connecting strap and a second elastic connecting strap, the first elastic connecting strap and the second elastic connecting strap being securable to the interface.

21. The headgear assembly of Claim 20, wherein the first inelastic connecting strap and the first elastic connecting strap extend in parallel between the first termination portion and the interface and the second inelastic connecting strap and the second elastic connecting strap extend in parallel between the second termination portion and the interface.

22. The headgear assembly of any of Claims 19-21 further comprising a third inelastic connecting strap and a fourth inelastic connecting strap, the third inelastic connecting strap and the fourth inelastic connecting strap extending between the first strap portion and the interface.

23. The headgear assembly of any of Claims 15-17 further comprising a first lower connecting strap and a second lower connecting strap extending away from the first strap portion, at least a portion of the first and second lower connecting straps being semirigid whereby the first and second lower connecting straps are adapted to present laterally outward or forward when the lower rear region is positioned on the head such that the first lower connection strap and the second lower connecting strap are less likely to tangled behind the head when the headgear assembly is positioned on the head.

24. The headgear assembly of Claim 23, wherein the first lower connecting strap and the second lower connecting strap are connected to the lower rear region and the semi-rigid portion is proximate a connection between the first lower connecting strap, the second lower connecting strap and the lower rear region.

25. The headgear assembly of any of Claims 15-24 in combination with an interface, the interface comprising a support member and a seal member, the seal member being connected to the support member, the headgear assembly being connected to the support member.

26. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 14 or 25 further comprising an adjustment line, an upper sliding connection between the adjustment line and an upper portion of the interface, a lower sliding connection between the adjustment line and a lower portion of the interface, a left sliding connection between the adjustment line and a left side portion of the headgear assembly, a right sliding connection between the adjustment line and a right side portion of the headgear assembly, the adjustment line connecting the upper sliding connection, the left sliding connection, and the right sliding connection and the lower sliding connection.

27. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 26 further comprising an adjustment mechanism attached to the adjustment line such that a length of the adjustment line can be altered whereby a tension in an assembly of the headgear assembly and the interface can be altered

28. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 27, wherein the adjustment mechanism alters the length of the adjustment line to provide a predetermined level of tension between the interface and the headgear assembly.

29. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 14 or 25, wherein the interface is connected to the headgear assembly with a tensioning component, the tensioning component cooperating with a locking element such that the tensioning component provides an elastic connection between the interface and the headgear assembly during fitting of the headgear assembly and interface while the locking element creates an inelastic connection between the interface and the headgear assembly following fitting of the headgear assembly and interface.

30. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 29, wherein the tensioning component comprises a line with an adjustable length and the locking element comprises a clasp.

31. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 14 or 25, wherein the support member of the interface comprises attachments for the headgear assembly.

32. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 14 or 25, wherein the headgear assembly connects to the interface at a first connection point, the headgear assembly being configured such that adjusting a tension of the headgear assembly takes place at or forward of the first connection point .

33. The headgear assembly and interface of Claim 32, wherein fastening of the headgear assembly to the interface does not comprise a strap that creates tension by being bent back toward the headgear assembly from the first connection point.

34. The headgear assembly and interface of any of Claim 32 and Claim 33, wherein the first connection point comprises a post and the headgear assembly comprises at least one corresponding aperture that engages with the post.

35. A method of securing an interface and headgear assembly to a head, the headgear assembly being moveably and elastically connected to an upper portion of the interface, the method comprising placing the interface on a face using a first hand, gripping a rear portion of the headgear assembly with a second hand and raising the rear portion of the headgear assembly over the head, pulling the rear portion of the headgear assembly down over a back of the head until a top strap of the headgear assembly is seated on a top of the head, releasing the headgear assembly from the second hand and releasing the interface from the first hand such that the elastically connected headgear assembly and interface substantially remain in position without being held by the first hand or the second hand, securing an inelastic lower strap to the interface and securing an inelastic upper strap to the interface such that the interface and headgear assembly are inelastically connected.

36. The method of Claim 35, wherein an elastic component extends between the headgear assembly and the interface assembly to provide the elastic connection between the headgear assembly and the interface, the method further comprising orienting the interface with the elastic component between the upper portion of the interface and the headgear assembly such that the headgear assembly and the interface can be correctly oriented relative to the face.

37. The method of any of Claim 35 and Claim 36, wherein the interface comprises a seal with an inwardly extended flange, the flange comprises a recess that is adapted to receive a chin, the method further comprising position the chin within the recess while placing the interface on the face using the first hand.

38. The method of Claim 37, wherein the chin is positioned within the recess prior to the interface being brought into contact with a nose.