IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,318,544
Granted Patent B2
US 12,318,544 · App. 18/198,476 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Elbow assembly

Inventors: Lachlan Richard Goldspink (Sydney, AU); Robert Anthony Paterson (Hornsby Heights, AU); Shiva Kumar Shanmuga Sundara (Sydney, AU); Skye Kimberley Short (Sydney, AU); Hargopal Verma (Sydney, AU)
Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd
A61M16/0816A61M16/0057A61M16/06A61M16/0616A61M16/0683A61M16/0825A61M16/20A61M16/0069A61M2202/0225A61M2205/42F16L27/04
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,318,544
App. No.
18/198,476
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An elbow assembly for a patient interface includes a swivel component adapted to connect to a patient interface and an elbow component adapted to connect to an air circuit. The swivel component is coupled to the elbow component by a ball and socket joint and a hinge joint which allows the elbow component to pivot relative to the swivel component about a single axis.

Claims (38)

1. An elbow assembly for a patient interface, the elbow assembly comprising:

a member configured to connect to the patient interface,

wherein the member includes a plurality of vent holes for gas washout;

a diffuser material positioned adjacent an outlet end of each of the plurality of vent holes; and

a diffuser cover provided to the member and configured to retain the diffuser material,

wherein the diffuser cover is configured to redirect exhaust gas passing through the diffuser material radially outwardly,

wherein the member includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a base wall between the inner and outer walls, and wherein the plurality of vent holes are provided along the base wall.

2. The elbow assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall form a channel configured to receive the diffuser material.

3. The elbow assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the diffuser cover is connected to the member to retain the diffuser material within the channel.

4. The elbow assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the diffuser cover includes a top wall and spaced apart side walls each including a clip configured to secure the diffuser cover to the member.

5. The elbow assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the spaced apart side walls form openings therebetween configured to allow exhaust gas to vent radially outwardly.

6. The elbow assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vent holes includes at least 20 vent holes.

7. The elbow assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vent holes includes a contour or taper along its length.

8. The elbow assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the member is a swivel member, the swivel member configured to allow rotation of the elbow assembly relative to the patient interface.

9. The elbow assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the swivel member is configured to allow 360° free rotation of the elbow assembly relative to the patient interface about a swivel axis.

10. The elbow assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the swivel member is configured to form a hard-to-hard connection with the patient interface.

11. The elbow assembly according to claim 8 , further comprising an elbow component configured to connect to an air circuit, wherein the swivel member and the elbow component, when coupled, provide a flow path therethrough from the air circuit to the patient interface.

12. A patient interface for providing positive pressure therapy to a patient to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, the patient interface comprising:

a frame assembly;

a seal-forming structure provided to the frame assembly and configured to form a seal with a patient's face; and

the elbow assembly according to claim 1 .

13. An elbow assembly for a patient interface, the elbow assembly comprising:

a member configured to connect to the patient interface,

wherein the member includes a plurality of vent holes for gas washout;

a diffuser material positioned adjacent an outlet end of each of the plurality of vent holes; and

a diffuser cover provided to the member and configured to retain the diffuser material,

wherein the diffuser cover is configured to redirect exhaust gas passing through the diffuser material radially outwardly,

wherein the member is a swivel member, the swivel member configured to allow rotation of the elbow assembly relative to the patient interface, and

wherein the swivel member includes a pair of spring arms configured to connect to the patient interface.

14. The elbow assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising an elbow component configured to connect to an air circuit, wherein the swivel member and the elbow component, when coupled, provide a flow path therethrough from the air circuit to the patient interface.

15. The elbow assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the swivel member is configured to allow 360° free rotation of the elbow assembly relative to the patient interface about a swivel axis.

16. The elbow assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the swivel member is configured to form a hard-to-hard connection with the patient interface.

17. The elbow assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the diffuser cover includes a top wall and spaced apart side walls each including a clip configured to secure the diffuser cover to the member.

18. The elbow assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the spaced apart side walls form openings therebetween configured to allow exhaust gas to vent radially outwardly.

19. A patient interface for providing positive pressure therapy to a patient to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing, the patient interface comprising:

a frame assembly;

a seal-forming structure provided to the frame assembly and configured to form a seal with a patient's face; and

the elbow assembly according to claim 13 .

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF REGISTERED NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded May 17, 2023
From: RESMED LIMITED
To: RESMED PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 063672/0982 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: GOLDSPINK, LACHLAN RICHARD; SHANMUGA SUNDARA, SHIVA KUMAR; SHORT, SKYE KIMBERLEY; VERMA, HARGOPAL
To: RESMED LIMITED
Reel/Frame 063673/0222 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: PATERSON, ROBERT ANTHONY
To: RESMED LIMITED
Reel/Frame 063673/0356 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16878846 · May 20, 2020
Continuation 15759893
Provisional Application 62222435 · Sep 23, 2015
Provisional Application 62376718 · Aug 18, 2016
Related Publication 20230285708A1 · Sep 14, 2023
References Cited (85)
US 4322098A · Warshawsky · 1982 [cited by applicant]
US 4782832A · Trimble et al. · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4944310A · Sullivan · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 6532959B1 · Berthon-Jones · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6581594B1 · Drew et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6907882B2 · Ging et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7866944B2 · Kenyon et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8353293B1 · Fuhrman · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8636479B2 · Kenyon et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8638014B2 · Sears et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8733349B2 · Bath et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8887726B2 · Schulz et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 10675430B2 · Goldspink et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20040035419A1 · Serowski · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040112385A1 · Drew · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20070175480A1 · Gradon et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080047561A1 · Fu · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080276937A1 · Davidson · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20090044808A1 · Guney et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090050156A1 · Ng · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100000534A1 · Kooij et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100229866A1 · Sullivan · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120067349A1 · Barlow et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120266884A1 · Ho · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130199538A1 · Lockhart · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130247915A1 · Haibach · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130327336A1 · Burnham · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140083430A1 · Matula, Jr. et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140150798A1 · Fong · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150013678A1 · McAuley et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150352308A1 · Cullen · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160008558A1 · Huddart · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160310688A1 · Rothermel · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170065786A1 · Stephenson · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170269460A1 · Fagerkvist · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180236200A1 · Goldspink et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180250485A1 · Zhan · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190001094A1 · Liu · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200353198A1 · Goldspink et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 1672265A1 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
FR 832864A · 1938 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008507305A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009501577A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009539497A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012526592A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013116409A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014131790A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014520576A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 9804310 · 1998 [cited by applicant]
WO 9834665 · 1998 [cited by applicant]
WO 0078381 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2000078381A1 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
WO 2004073778 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
WO 2004096332A1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
WO 2005063328 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
WO 2006074513 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO 2006130903 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009052560 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009108995A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010135785 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011022751A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2012171072A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013006899A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013020167A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013170290A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014165906A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015006826A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015088362 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016041019A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016141430A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016149769A2 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017049356A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017049358A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017049360A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017049361A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
West, John B., “Respiratory Physiology”, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 9 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/AU2016/050892, mailed Nov. 17, 2016, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion for PCT/AU2016/050892, mailed Nov. 17, 2016, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion for PCT/AU2016/050892,mailed Oct. 5, 2017, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/AU2016/050892, mailed Dec. 14, 2017, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report mailed May 3, 2019 in European Application No. 16847655.4, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Reasons for Rejection mailed Aug. 31, 2020 in Japanese Application No. 2018-533974, with English translation, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Reasons for Rejection mailed Oct. 17, 2022 in Japanese Application No. 2021-032494, with English translation, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Patent Examination Report 1 mailed Jun. 8, 2023 in New Zealand Application No. 780172, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Patent Examination Report 1 (corrected) mailed Jun. 8, 2023 in New Zealand Application No. 779824, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]