Swivel elbow for mask assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878117-B2
Application number	US-92214006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2006
Priority date	Jun 16, 2005
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A swivel elbow for a mask assembly includes an elbow adapted to be provided to the mask assembly and a swivel detachably connected to the elbow. The elbow includes a plurality of spaced apart rings that provide a controlled clearance between the elbow and an interior surface of the swivel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A swivel elbow for a mask assembly to supply pressurized breathable gas, comprising:
an elbow adapted to be provided to the mask assembly; and
a swivel detachably connected to the elbow,
wherein the elbow includes a plurality of spaced apart rings that provide a controlled clearance between the elbow and an interior surface of the swivel, the controlled clearance being configured to control a leak rate of the pressurized breathable gas from the mask assembly and between the elbow and the swivel,
wherein the leak rate is a non-zero leak rate.

2. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein one of the elbow and the swivel includes a radially extending protrusion that locks in place within a groove provided in the other of the elbow and the swivel with a snap-fit.

3. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the elbow includes three spaced apart rings.

4. A mask assembly for a patient, comprising: a frame; a cushion provided to the frame; and a swivel elbow according to claim 1 provided to the frame.

5. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the controlled clearance is about 0.05-0.3 mm between the elbow and the swivel.

6. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein each of the rings includes a width of about 1 mm.

7. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the rings are spaced apart from one another by about 1.2 mm.

8. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the elbow includes greater than three of the spaced apart rings.

9. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the elbow includes less than three of the spaced apart rings.

10. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the controlled clearance controls leak without significantly increasing rotational resistance.

11. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the controlled clearance reduces leak rate and controls variation in leak rate between the elbow and the swivel.

12. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the rings maintain uniform wall sections throughout the elbow.

13. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the elbow includes an inlet conduit, and the plurality of spaced apart rings are provided to the inlet conduit.

14. The swivel elbow according to claim 13 , further comprising a collar provided to the inlet conduit, the collar positioned downstream from the plurality of spaced apart rings.

15. The swivel elbow according to claim 14 , wherein the swivel includes a front face surface that engages the collar.

16. The swivel elbow according to claim 13 , wherein the inlet conduit does not include a collar provided thereto.

17. The swivel elbow according to claim 13 , wherein the inlet conduit comprises a plurality of resiliently deformable tabs having protrusions to detachably connect the inlet conduit to the swivel.

18. The swivel elbow according to claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of resiliently deformable tabs are separated by notches disposed around an end of the inlet conduit.

19. The swivel elbow according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurized breathable gas leaks from the mask assembly at an overall leak rate and the leak rate through the swivel elbow forms part of the overall leak rate.

Assignees

• Crumblin Geoffrey
• Edwards Craig David
• Judson Daniel Robert
• Marshall Bryony Louise
• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Crumblin Geoffrey
• Edwards Craig David
• Judson Daniel Robert
• Marshall Bryony Louise

Classifications

• A61M16/08

  Bellows; Connecting tubes {(having means for taking samples G01N1/22); Water traps; Patient circuits} · CPC title

• A61M2205/42

  Reducing noise · CPC title

• A61M16/0816

  Joints or connectors · CPC title

• A61M16/0825

  with ball-sockets · CPC title

• A61M16/0683

  Holding devices therefor · CPC title