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.

A siphon elbow for pivotally connecting a first pipe and a second pipe in fluid communication. A first elongated body has a bore extending therethrough and a partially spherical indentation within the bore. A second elongated body has a bore extending therethrough and a generally spherical extension on a first end that pivotally engages the partially spherical indentation of the first elongated body. An internal locking system is disposed in at least one of the bores and locks the second elongated body into an operating configuration in which an angle formed between the first elongated body and the second elongated body is less than 180-degrees. Pivoting of the second elongated body from an installation configuration in which the angle is approximately 180-degrees to the operating configuration activates the internal locking system.

A bathtub drain connection system includes a first drain pipe configured to couple to a drain opening of a bathtub and a second drain pipe configured to mount to a floor structure. A drain connector is extends between the first drain pipe and the second drain pipe so that the first drain pipe and the second drain pipe are coupled in fluid communication. The drain connector is configured to allow the first drain pipe to be disposed offset relative to the second drain pipe and in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the floor structure.

A bathtub drain connection system includes a first drain pipe configured to couple to a drain opening of a bathtub and a second drain pipe configured to mount to a floor structure. A drain connector is extends between the first drain pipe and the second drain pipe so that the first drain pipe and the second drain pipe are coupled in fluid communication. The drain connector is configured to allow the first drain pipe to be disposed offset relative to the second drain pipe and in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the floor structure.

A flexible annular cartridge for joining and sealing a bell and spigot pipe joint, wherein the outer contour of the cartridge is approximately frustoellipsoidal, the cartridge composed of an annular member having outer and inner surfaces and opposite first and second ends, with a plurality of pipe gripping members positioned on the inner surface; a flexible annular gasket having outer and inner surfaces, opposite first and second ends, and a circumferentially extending sealing lip projecting inwardly from the gasket inner surface, in which the annular member first end engages the flexible annular gasket second end; and a backup ring having a hardness that exceeds the hardness of the gasket, in which the backup ring engages the gasket at the gasket first end. Methods are provided for using the cartridge, as well as a pipe joint that contains the cartridge.

A flexible annular cartridge for joining and sealing a bell and spigot pipe joint, wherein the outer contour of the cartridge is approximately frustoellipsoidal, the cartridge composed of an annular member having outer and inner surfaces and opposite first and second ends, with a plurality of pipe gripping members positioned on the inner surface; a flexible annular gasket having outer and inner surfaces, opposite first and second ends, and a circumferentially extending sealing lip projecting inwardly from the gasket inner surface, in which the annular member first end engages the flexible annular gasket second end; and a backup ring having a hardness that exceeds the hardness of the gasket, in which the backup ring engages the gasket at the gasket first end. Methods are provided for using the cartridge, as well as a pipe joint that contains the cartridge.

Modular conduit systems in which a plurality of tubular link components are interconnected to form a continuous conduit. Each adjacent pair of tubular link components has a ball-and-socket joint that enables the pair of tubular link components to be pivoted with respect to each other. The ball-and-socket joint consists of a ball attached to a first one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components and a socket attached to a second one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components, where the ball is positioned within the socket. The amount of friction between the ball and the socket is adjustable, so that the amount of force required to pivot the pair of tubular link components with respect to each other, which is dependent upon the amount of friction between the ball and the socket, is variable.

Modular conduit systems in which a plurality of tubular link components are interconnected to form a continuous conduit. Each adjacent pair of tubular link components has a ball-and-socket joint that enables the pair of tubular link components to be pivoted with respect to each other. The ball-and-socket joint consists of a ball attached to a first one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components and a socket attached to a second one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components, where the ball is positioned within the socket. The amount of friction between the ball and the socket is adjustable, so that the amount of force required to pivot the pair of tubular link components with respect to each other, which is dependent upon the amount of friction between the ball and the socket, is variable.

Provided are a method for determining the disposition position of a spherical joint for coupling exhaust pipes to each other in an exhaust system, and an exhaust system, which enable engine vibrations to be more effectively damped. Inthepresent invention, strain gauges are attached at a plurality of locations in an exhaust system (1), simulated vibrations which simulate engine vibrations are imparted to the upstream-side end of the exhaust system (1), and bending strain is measured at each strain gauge. On the basis of the bending strain measured at each strain gauge, detected is a position at which generated is a bending moment that is equal to or greater than or equal to a torque amount which generates a maximum static friction force between a spherical inner-circumferential surface (26) and a spherical outer-circumferential surface (27) of a spherical joint (2) which come into contact with each other, and the detected position is determined to be the disposition position for the spherical joint (2).

A ball swivel of the configuration typically utilized for pool cleaners includes male and female portions featuring an interposed stopper to reduce friction and prevent the male and female portions from binding under load, while improving sealing and continuing to allow rotational and pivotal motion.