Suction drainage apparatus

Claim 2

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means, disposed in said second flow path, for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; and a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path; said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening, said flow restrictor sized so that gaseous flow through said flow restrictor is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one half of an atmosphere; a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means; and means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure.

Claim 3

The suction drainage system according to claim 1 wherein said means for providing one-way flow comprise an elastomeric member having an inlet and an outlet, and having two normally abutting opposed surfaces which are separable in response to an application of a positive differential pressure established said elastomeric member from its inlet to its outlet.

Claim 4

The suction drainage system according to claim 1 wherein said suction control chamber includes means for removably attaching said suction control chamber to said means for collecting said drained fluids.

Claim 5

The suction drainage system according to claim 1 wherein said flow restrictor is adjustable.

Claim 6

The suction drainage system according to claim 4 wherein said adjustable flow restrictor includes a threaded bore and a screw which engages said threaded bore.

Claim 7

The suction drainage system according to claim 1 wherein said flow restrictor is an orifice.

Claim 8

The suction drainage system according to claim 1 wherein said means for venting the suction control chamber is sized slightly larger than said flow restrictor, whereby said flow restrictor and said means for venting the suction control chamber will provide in combination an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber.

Claim 9

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; and a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path; said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means; means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure; and pressure monitoring means for providing an indication of the pressure in said suction control chamber, said pressure monitoring means including a hollow tapered tube having first and second ends, said first end having an aperture with communicates with ambient pressure external to said suction control chamber, said second end being open and disposed within said suction control chamber and a movable, pressure responsive indicator disposed in said tube for assuming a position between said first and second tube ends which is proportional to the differential between said ambient pressure and the pressure within said suction control chamber.

Claim 10

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; and a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path; said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means; means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure; and pressure monitoring means for providing an indication of the pressure in said suction control chamber, said pressure monitoring means including a hollow tapered tube having first and second ends, said first end having an aperture with communicates with ambient pressure external to said suction control chamber, said second end being open and disposed within said suction control chamber and a movable, pressure responsive indicator disposed in said tube for assuming a position between said first and second tube ends which is proportional to the differential between said ambient pressure and the pressure within said suction control chamber.

Claim 11

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said means for providing one-way flow comprises an elastomeric member having an inlet and an outlet, and having two normally abutting opposed surfaces which are separable in response to application of a positive differential pressure established across said elastomeric member from its inlet to its outlet.

Claim 12

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said flow restrictor is an adjustable valve means.

Claim 13

The suction drainage system according to claim 10 wherein said adjustable valve means includes a threaded bore and a screw which engages said threaded bore.

Claim 14

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said flow restrictor is an orifice.

Claim 15

The suction drainage system according to claim 12 wherein said orifice is sized so that gaseous flow through said orifice is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one-half an atmosphere.

Claim 16

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said suction control chamber comprises means for removable attaching said suction control chamber to said means for collecting said drained fluids.

Claim 17

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 further including means for precluding said aperture from being occluded by a finger or other like object.

Claim 18

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said pressure responsive indicator is a ball constructed and arranged to move in said tube responsive to said pressure differential.

Claim 19

The suction drainage system according to claim 8 wherein said means for venting said suction control chamber is sized slightly greater than said flow restrictor, whereby said flow restrictor and said means for venting said suction control chamber will provide in combination an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber.

Claim 20

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said means having: a rigid outer canister; a disposable liner receiver inside of said canister, said liner having a cover; and means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of said liner receiver and to the inside of said canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path; said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber is series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; and means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure; and a one-way valve disposed downstream from said means for communicating said negative pressure to the inside of said canister, thereby preventing the loss of vacuum within said canister upon termination of suction from said vacuum source.

Claim 21

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said means having: a rigid outer canister; a disposable liner receiver inside of said canister, said liner having a cover; and means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of said liner receiver and to the inside of said canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path; said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber is series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; and means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure; and a one-way valve disposed downstream from said means for communicating said negative pressure to the inside of said canister, thereby preventing the loss of vacuum within said canister upon termination of suction from said vacuum source.

Claim 22

The suction drainage system according to claim 18 wherein said means for providing one-way flow comprise an elastomeric member having an inlet and an outlet, and having two normally abutting opposed surface which are separable in response to an application of a positive differential pressure established across said elastomeric member from its inlet to its outlet.

Claim 23

The suction drainage system according to claim 18 wherein said flow restrictor is an adjustable valve means.

Claim 24

The suction drainage system according to claim 20 wherein said adjustable valve means includes a threaded bore and a screw which engages said threaded bore.

Claim 25

The suction drainage system according to claim 18 wherein said flow restrictor is an orifice.

Claim 26

The suction drainage system according to claim 22 wherein said orifice is sized so that gaseous flow through said orifice is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one-half an atmosphere.

Claim 27

The suction drainage system according to claim 18 wherein said suction control chamber comprises means for removably attaching said suction control chamber to said means for collecting said drained fluids.

Claim 28

The suction drainage system according to claim 18 wherein said means for venting said suction control chamber is sized slightly greater than said flow restrictor, whereby said flow restrictor and said means for venting said suction control chamber will provide in combination an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber.

Claim 29

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, the means having: a rigid outer canister; a disposable liner receiver inside of the canister, the liner having a cover; and means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of the liner receiver and to the inside of the canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and the means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between the means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in the second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from the means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; and a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in the second flow path; the means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means; and means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure.

Claim 30

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, comprising: means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, the means having: a rigid outer canister; a disposable liner receiver inside of the canister, the liner having a cover; and means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of the liner receiver and to the inside of the canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system; means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and the means for collecting fluids; means for establishing a second flow path between the means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum; means disposed in the second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from the means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber; and a suction control chamber having: inlet and outlet openings connected in series in the second flow path; the means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening; a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening; a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means; and means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure.

Claim 31

A suction control chamber for use in applying suction to a body cavity through a suction collection container, said suction control chamber comprising: an inlet and outlet, said inlet being adapted to be connection in fluid flow communication with said collection container, said outlet being adapted to be connected in fluid flow communicationn with a source of suction; check valve means disposed at the inlet of said suction control chamber to permit one-way flow of fluids from said inlet into said suction control chamber; means for establishing an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber, said means further including a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet of said suction control chamber, said flow restrictor being sized so that gaseous flow through said flow restrictor is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one-half an atmosphere; means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure, said means for venting being sized slightly greater than said flow restrictor; a sterile liquid disposed inside said suction control chamber for providing an indication that gaseous fluids from said check valve means are being discharged through said sterile liquid; and pressure monitoring means disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the pressure therein.

Claim 32

A suction control chamber for use in applying suction to a body cavity through a suction collection container, said suction control chamber comprising: an inlet and outlet, said inlet being adapted to be connection in fluid flow communication with said collection container, said outlet being adapted to be connected in fluid flow communicationn with a source of suction; check valve means disposed at the inlet of said suction control chamber to permit one-way flow of fluids from said inlet into said suction control chamber; means for establishing an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber, said means further including a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet of said suction control chamber, said flow restrictor being sized so that gaseous flow through said flow restrictor is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one-half an atmosphere; means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure, said means for venting being sized slightly greater than said flow restrictor; a sterile liquid disposed inside said suction control chamber for providing an indication that gaseous fluids from said check valve means are being discharged through said sterile liquid; and pressure monitoring means disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the pressure therein.

Claim 33

The suction control chamber according to claim 27 further including means for removably mounting said suction control chamber on said collection container.

Claim 34

The suction control chamber according to claim 27 wherein said check valve means is an elastomeric member having two normally abutting opposed surfaces which are separable in response to a positive pressure differential established across said check valve means.

Claim 35

The suction control chamber according to claim 27 wherein said pressure monitoring means includes: a hollow tapered tube having first and second ends, said first end having an aperture which communicates with ambient pressure external to said suction control chamber, said second end being open and disposed within said suction control chamber; and a movable, pressure responsive indicator disposed in said tube for assuming a position between said first and second tube ends which is proportional to the differential between said ambient pressure and the pressure within said suction control chamber.

Claim 36

The suction control chamber according to claim 30 further including means for precluding said aperture from being occluded by a finger or other object.

Claim 37

The suction control chamber according to claim 30 wherein said pressure responsive indicator is a ball constructed and arranged to move in said tube responsible to said pressure differential.