Vent system for patient interface
Summary
USPTO granted ResMed Pty Ltd patent US12594397B2 for a vent system used in patient interface devices such as CPAP or BiPAP masks. The invention covers a vent structure with a housing containing an inlet, outlet, exhaust gas orifice, and a moveable membrane that elastically deforms in response to pressure differentials to regulate exhaust gas flow. The patent contains 46 claims.
What changed
USPTO granted patent US12594397B2 to ResMed Pty Ltd for a vent system designed for patient interface devices. The invention describes a vent housing with a moveable membrane positioned between first and second ends, creating a flow passage that changes cross-section based on pressure differences between the interior and exterior sides of the membrane to regulate gas exhaust.
For medical device manufacturers producing respiratory therapy equipment, this patent establishes intellectual property boundaries around pressure-responsive vent membrane technology. Companies developing similar flow-regulation mechanisms for CPAP, BiPAP, or other positive airway pressure devices should conduct freedom-to-operate analyses to assess potential infringement risks before commercializing comparable products.
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Apr 8, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Vent system for patient interface
Grant US12594397B2 Kind: B2 Apr 07, 2026
Assignee
RESMED PTY LTD
Inventors
Michael Christopher Hogg, Luke Andrew Stanislas
Abstract
A vent structure may include a vent housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, at least one exhaust gas orifice, and a membrane having a first end and a second end spaced apart, the membrane having a moveable portion between the first end and the second end. The moveable portion may be spaced radially from a membrane-facing surface inside of the vent housing to form an exhaust gas flow passage therebetween to allow exhaust gas to flow from the pressurised volume through the exhaust gas flow passage to atmosphere via the exhaust gas orifice. The moveable portion may be elastically deformable and configured to move radially relative to the membrane-facing surface in response to pressure differences between an interior side of the membrane and an exterior side of the membrane to change a cross-sectional area of the exhaust gas flow passage and regulate the vent flow of gas.
CPC Classifications
A61M 16/0666 A61M 16/208 A61M 16/0683 A61M 16/0816 A61M 16/06 A61M 16/16 A61M 2205/42
Filing Date
2020-02-26
Application No.
17433835
Claims
46
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