Ball joint for providing flexibility to a gas delivery pathway
AssigneeNellcor Puritan Bennett LLC
InventorsBrian Woodard, Ngee Lee, Edward M. Geiselhart, Chris Houghton, Benjamin K. Sun, Shiv Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for adjusting a gas delivery mask is provided. The system may include a first housing portion, a first rim flexibly coupled to the first housing portion by a flexible member, a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion, a second rim associated with the second housing portion, and a ball rotatably disposed between the first and second rims and having a gas passageway extending therethrough. The ball may be maintained in contact with both the first and second rims by a resiliency of the flexible member.
Claims20
A system for providing flexibility in a gas delivery pathway of a mask apparatus, comprising:
- a first housing portion;
- a first rim defined by a seal ring and flexibly coupled to the first housing portion by a flexible member, said flexible member comprising a flexible support ring configured to support the seal ring in the first housing portion;
- wherein the flexible support ring comprises a circular ring with inner and outer layers to form a U-shaped cross-section, said U-shaped cross-section configured to provide a resilient force;
- a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion;
- a second rim associated with the second housing portion;
- and
- a ball rotatably disposed between the first and second rims and maintained in contact with both the first and second rims by a resiliency of the flexible member, the ball having a gas passageway extending therethrough.
A gas delivery mask apparatus, comprising:
- a first gas delivery conduit;
- a second gas delivery conduit;
- and
- a joint coupling the first gas delivery conduit with the second gas delivery conduit, the joint including:
- a first housing portion;
- a first rim defined by a seal ring and flexibly coupled to the first housing portion by a flexible member, said flexible member comprising a flexible support ring configured to support the seal ring in the first housing portion;
- wherein the flexible support ring comprises a circular ring with inner and outer layers to form a U-shaped cross-section, said U-shaped cross-section configured to provide a resilient force;
- a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion;
- a second rim associated with the second housing portion;
- and
- a ball rotatably disposed between the first and second rims and maintained in contact with both the first and second rims by a resiliency of the flexible member, the ball having a gas passageway extending therethrough.
A system for providing flexibility in a gas delivery pathway of a mask apparatus, comprising:
- a first housing means;
- a first sealing means flexibly coupled to the first housing means by a flexible support means;
- wherein the flexible support means comprises a circular ring with inner and outer layers to form a U-shaped cross-section, said U-shaped cross-section configured to provide a resilient force;
- a second housing means coupled to the first housing means;
- a second sealing means associated with the second housing means;
- and
- a ball means rotatably disposed between the first and second sealing means and maintained in contact with both the first and second sealing means by a resiliency of the flexible support means, the ball means having a gas passageway extending therethrough.
A breathing facilitation system for facilitating or affecting a subject's breathing, comprising:
- a gas source configured to deliver gas;
- an adjustable mask apparatus;
- and
- one or more gas delivery conduits configured to deliver gas from the gas source to a subject via the adjustable mask apparatus;
- wherein the adjustable mask apparatus comprises a gas pathway flexibility system, comprising:
- a first housing portion;
- a first rim defined by a seal ring and flexibly coupled to the first housing portion by a flexible member, said flexible member comprising a flexible support ring configured to support the seal ring in the first housing portion;
- wherein the flexible support ring comprises a circular ring with inner and outer layers to form a U-shaped cross-section, said U-shaped cross-section configured to provide a resilient force;
- a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion;
- a second rim associated with the second housing portion;
- and
- a ball rotatably disposed between the first and second rims and maintained in contact with both the first and second rims by a resiliency of the flexible member, the ball having a gas passageway extending therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.