System for controlling fluid and suction pressure

Claim 2

Apparatus for aspirating fluid and any solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising a source of suction pressure, controller means having an inlet and an outlet, first conduit means connected between said controller inlet and the source of suction pressure, second conduit means connected to the controller outlet and having an end through which the fluid to be aspirated from the operating field enters, means for selectively controlling the flow of the suction pressure from the source to said controller means to produce suction pressure at the end of said second conduit means, and means connected between said source of suction pressure and said controller means for removing the fluid aspirated from the operating field from said controller means while removing the suction pressure from said second conduit means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for selectively controlling the flow of the suction pressure includes means for selectively producing two different rates of suction flow.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means connected in said second conduit means for filtering particulate material from the aspirated fluid.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means connected in said second conduit means for selectively restricting the flow rate of the aspirated fluid to said controller means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said flow rate restricting means includes means having two different sized orifice openings, and means for selecting one of said orifice openings to achieve the desired flow rate.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising Means connected in said second conduit means for sensing the pressure differential of the fluid between said one end of said second conduit means and said controller means and for closing the suction pressure flow in said second conduit means when the pressure differential sensed exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for supplying fluid under pressure including a third conduit means having an outlet end at which the pressurized fluid is produced, said means for selectively controlling the flow of suction pressure to said controller means also selectively controlling the flow of pressurized fluid at the outlet end of said third conduit means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said means for selectively controlling the flow of suction pressure and the flow of pressurized fluid operates to provide fluid under pressure from said third conduit means at the same time that the fluid in said controller means is being removed.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said means for selectively controlling the flow of suction pressure and the flow of fluid under pressure operates to provide suction pressure at said end of said second conduit and pressurized fluid at said outlet end of said third conduit means at the same time.

Claim 11

Apparatus for aspirating fluid and any solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising a source of suction pressure, controller means having an inlet and an outlet, first conduit means connected between said controller inlet and the source of suction pressure, second conduit means connected to the controller outlet and having an end through which the fluid to be aspirated from the operating field enters, means for selectively controlling the flow of the suction pressure from the source to said controller means to produce suction pressure at the end of said second conduit means, and means for supplying fluid under pressure including a third conduit means having an outlet end at which the pressurized fluid is produced, said means for selectively controlling the flow of suction pressure to said controller means also selectively controlling the flow of pressurized fluid at the outlet end of said third conduit means to provide suction pressure at said end of said second conduit and pressurized fluid at said outlet end of said third conduit means at a first pressure level at the same time and also operates in another mode to provide pressurized fluid from said outlet of said third conduit means at a second pressure level.

Claim 12

Apparatus for aspirating fluid and any solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising a source of suction pressure, controller means having an inlet and an outlet, first conduit means connected between said controller inlet and the source of suction pressure, second conduit means connected to the controller outlet and having an end through which the fluid to be aspirated from the operating field enters, means for selectively controlling the flow of the suction pressure from the source to said controller means to produce suction pressure at the end of said second conduit means, and means for supplying fluid under pressure including a third conduit means having an outlet end at which the pressurized fluid is produced, said means for selectively controlling the flow of suction pressure to said controller means also selectively controlling the flow of pressurized fluid at the outlet end of said third conduit means to provide suction pressure at said end of said second conduit and pressurized fluid at said outlet end of said third conduit means at a first pressure level at the same time and also operates in another mode to provide pressurized fluid from said outlet of said third conduit means at a second pressure level.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said means to selectively control the flow of suction pressure operates to remove the contents from the controller means while removing the suction pressure from said second conduit means.

Claim 14

Apparatus for supplying fluid to and aspirating fluid and solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising in combination an instrument for removing material from a larger mass, an aspirating passage and a fluid supply passage formed in said instrument, suction pressure fluid supply means, pressurized fluid supply means, first conduit means connected between said source of suction pressure fluid and said aspirating passage of said instrument, second conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said fluid supply passage, means for selectively controlling the flow in said first and second conduit means to selectively provide suction pressure fluid in said aspirating passage and pressurized fluid in said fluid supply passage, means located in the flow path of said first conduit means for sensing the differential pressure between the outlet of the aspirating passage and the suction pressure of the source, means operated by said sensing means for closing said first conduit means when said differential pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, and means for clearing material from said first conduit means without losing the suction pressure in said aspirating passage.

Claim 15

Apparatus for supplying fluid to and aspirating fluid and solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising in combination an instrument for removing material from a larger mass, an aspirating passage and a fluid supply passage formed in said instrument, suction pressure fluid supply means, pressurized fluid supply means, first conduit means connected between said source of suction pressure fluid and said aspirating passage of said instrument, second conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said fluid supply passage, means for selectively controlling the flow in said first and second conduit means to selectively provide suction pressure fluid in said aspirating passage and pressurized fluid in said fluid supply passage, means located in the flow path of said first conduit means for sensing the differential pressure between the outlet of the aspirating passage and the suction pressure of the source, means operated by said sensing means for closing said first conduit means when said differential pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, and means for clearing material from said first conduit means without losing the suction pressure in said aspirating passage.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 12 Further comprising first container means in the path of said second conduit means between said pressurized fluid supply means and said fluid supply passage into which the pressurized fluid is applied, and respective means in said first and said second conduit means to adjust the suction pressure and the pressure of the fluid in said first container means respectively.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising means for also operating said selective controlling means to apply pressurized fluid from the outlet of said first container means at the same time that suction pressure is removed from said first conduit means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 12 further comprising means located in the flow path of said first conduit means for selectively restricting the flow of the suction pressure.

Claim 19

Apparatus for supplying fluid to and aspirating fluid and solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising in combination an instrument for removing material from a larger mass, an aspirating passage and a fluid supply passage formed in said instrument, suction pressure fluid supply means, pressurized fluid supply means, first conduit means connected between said source of suction pressure fluid and said aspirating passage of said instrument, means for applying fluid under pressure to said first conduit means including third conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said first conduit means, second conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said fluid supply passage, means for selectively controlling the flow in said first and second conduit means to selectively provide suction pressure fluid in said aspirating passage and pressurized fluid in said fluid supply passage and means for clearing material from said first conduit means without losing the suction pressure in said aspirating passage.

Claim 20

Apparatus for supplying fluid to and aspirating fluid and solid material entrained therein from an operating field comprising in combination an instrument for removing material from a larger mass, an aspirating passage and a fluid supply passage formed in said instrument, suction pressure fluid supply means, pressurized fluid supply means, first conduit means connected between said source of suction pressure fluid and said aspirating passage of said instrument, means for applying fluid under pressure to said first conduit means including third conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said first conduit means, second conduit means connected between said pressurized fluid supply means and said fluid supply passage, means for selectively controlling the flow in said first and second conduit means to selectively provide suction pressure fluid in said aspirating passage and pressurized fluid in said fluid supply passage and means for clearing material from said first conduit means without losing the suction pressure in said aspirating passage.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said selectively operated flow control means operates to remove suction pressure from said first conduit means when fluid under pressure is supplied from said third conduit means to said first conduit means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said means for applying fluid under pressure to said first conduit means supplies gas under pressure.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said means for applying fluid under pressure to said first conduit means includes means for supplying a liquid.