Patent ID: 9539407
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: A61M

Claim:
1. A nebulizer dispenser comprising: a T-piece; a body sealingly coupled to the T-piece, the body configured to contain a liquid medication; a breathing piece sealingly coupled to the T-piece; and a ball-and-socket joint coupled between the T-piece and one of the breathing piece and the body, the ball-and-socket joint configured to allow rotational motion of the T-piece with respect to the one of the breathing piece and the body in a pitch axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis, wherein the ball-and-socket joint comprises a ball and a socket, the ball having (i) a first circumferential ridge, a second circumferential ridge, and a plurality of ribs transverse to the first and second ridges, the first ridge and the ribs having top surfaces forming a common spherical surface, and (ii) a recessed surface defined by the first and second ridges and the ribs, the recessed surface recessed from the spherical surface, wherein the top surfaces of the first ridge and the ribs are configured to engage an inner surface of the socket so as to form a seal to restrict fluid flow between the ball and the socket, wherein a top surface of the second ridge is raised above the recessed surface and coincident with the spherical surface.