Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of collecting blood from a body cavity of a patient for partial salvage, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a dual conduit wand having blood inlet for the conduits for receipt of blood from a patient; (b) providing a valve between the conduits for alternately opening the one conduit to waste while the other conduit is closed to salvage and the converse; (c) drawing partial vacuums on both conduits of the wand; (d) placing an end of the wand having blood inlets thereat in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) selectively opening the valve between the two conduits to withdraw waste blood through a waste-carrying conduit for deposit to blood waste while closing the valve to a salvage-carrying conduit; and then alternately opening the valve to withdraw salvage blood through a salvage-carrying conduit for deposit to blood salvage.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of collecting blood from a body cavity of a patient for partial salvage, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a dual conduit wand having blood inlet for the conduits for receipt of blood from a patient; (b) providing a valve between the conduits for alternately opening the one conduit to waste while the other conduit is closed to salvage and the converse; (c) drawing partial vacuums on both conduits of the wand; (d) placing an end of the wand having blood inlets thereat in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) selectively opening the valve between the two conduits to withdraw waste blood through a waste-carrying conduit for deposit to blood waste while closing the valve to a salvage-carrying conduit; and then alternately opening the valve to withdraw salvage blood through a salvage-carrying conduit for deposit to blood salvage.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a multiple conduit wand having at least first and second fluid transfer conduits for handling fluid relative to a patient; (b) providing a valve between the conduits for alternately opening at least a first conduit while maintaining at least a second conduit closed, and the converse; (c) providing a source of fluid flow on at least one conduit of the wand; (d) placing an end of the wand having fluid opening(s) to the conduits in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) selectively operating the valve between the conduits to transfer fluid through the first conduit while closing the valve to the second conduit, and then alternately opening the valve to transfer fluid through the second conduit while closing the valve to the first conduit.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a multiple conduit wand having at least first and second fluid transfer conduits for handling fluid relative to a patient; (b) providing a valve between the conduits for alternately opening at least a first conduit while maintaining at least a second conduit closed, and the converse; (c) providing a source of fluid flow on at least one conduit of the wand; (d) placing an end of the wand having fluid opening(s) to the conduits in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) selectively operating the valve between the conduits to transfer fluid through the first conduit while closing the valve to the second conduit, and then alternately opening the valve to transfer fluid through the second conduit while closing the valve to the first conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the selective operating step includes transferring fluid received into a fluid opening alternately through the first and second conduits, depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the selective operating step includes alternately transferring fluid through the first and second conduits and out through a fluid opening depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the selective operating step includes alternately delivering o withdrawing fluid through the first and second conduits, depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the wand that is provided, provides inlets to the conduits in substantially adjacent relationship to each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the wand that is provided, provides inlets to the conduits in substantially adjacent relationship to each other; wherein the step of selectively opening the valve includes the step of maintaining the valve normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6, including the step of venting the closed conduit and discontinuing the venting to a conduit when the conduit is open.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the wand that is provided, provides inlets to the conduits in substantially adjacent relationship to each other; wherein the step of selectively opening the valve includes the step of maintaining the valve normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit, wherein the step of maintaining the valve includes keeping the valve normally closed across the salvage-carrying conduit and normally open across the waste-carrying conduit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the maintaining step includes spring-biasing the valve in one position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of discontinuing the venting occurs automatically in response to opening the valve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the wand that is provided, provides inlets to the conduits in substantially adjacent relationship to each other; including the steps of depositing waste blood in a waste receptacle and depositing salvage blood in a salvage receptacle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of opening and closing the valve includes moving a flexible diaphragm away from and toward valve closure ports, respectively.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 1-5, including the step of wiping a portion of the valve with an anti-clogging device to prevent valve clogging.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
179 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the wand that is provided, provides inlets to the conduits in substantially adjacent relationship to each other; wherein the step of selectively opening the valve includes the step of maintaining the valve normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit, including the step of venting the closed conduit and discontinuing the venting to a conduit when the conduit is open, wherein the step of maintaining the valve includes maintaining the valve normally closed across the salvage-carrying conduit and normally open across the waste-carrying conduit, wherein the maintaining step includes spring-biasing the valve in one position, including the step of wiping a portion of the valve with an anti-clogging device to prevent valve clogging, wherein the step of discontinuing the venting occurs automatically in response to opening the valve, including the steps of depositing waste blood in a waste receptacle and depositing salvage blood in a salvage receptacle; wherein the steps of opening and closing the valve includes moving a flexible diaphragm away from and toward valve closure ports, respectively.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
147 words
Apparatus for collecting blood from a body cavity of a patient for partial salvage, comprising: (a) a wand having dual conduits, with inlet means for receipt of blood from a patient; (b) valve means between the conduits for alternately opening the one conduit to waste while the other conduit is closed to salvage and the converse; (c) means for connection to a source of partial vacuum on both conduits; (d) one end of the wand having opening means thereat for receiving blood therein upon being placed in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) means for selectively opening the valve means between the two conduits to withdraw waste blood through a waste-carrying conduit for deposit to waste while closing the valve means to a salvage-carrying conduit and then alternately opening the valve means to withdraw salvage blood through a salvage-carrying conduit for deposit to blood salvage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
147 words
Apparatus for collecting blood from a body cavity of a patient for partial salvage, comprising: (a) a wand having dual conduits, with inlet means for receipt of blood from a patient; (b) valve means between the conduits for alternately opening the one conduit to waste while the other conduit is closed to salvage and the converse; (c) means for connection to a source of partial vacuum on both conduits; (d) one end of the wand having opening means thereat for receiving blood therein upon being placed in a body cavity of a patient; and (e) means for selectively opening the valve means between the two conduits to withdraw waste blood through a waste-carrying conduit for deposit to waste while closing the valve means to a salvage-carrying conduit and then alternately opening the valve means to withdraw salvage blood through a salvage-carrying conduit for deposit to blood salvage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient, comprising: (a) a multiple conduit wand having at least first and second fluid transfer conduits for handling fluid relative to a patient; (b) valve means between the conduits for alternately opening at least a first conduit while maintaining at least a second conduit closed, and the converse; (c) means for connection to a source of fluid flow on at least one conduit of the wand; (d) one end of the wand having fluid opening means thereat for fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient; and (e) means for selectively operating the valve means between the conduits to transfer fluid through the first conduit while closing the valve means to the second conduit, and then alternately opening the valve means to transfer fluid through the second conduit while closing the valve means to the first conduit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient, comprising: (a) a multiple conduit wand having at least first and second fluid transfer conduits for handling fluid relative to a patient; (b) valve means between the conduits for alternately opening at least a first conduit while maintaining at least a second conduit closed, and the converse; (c) means for connection to a source of fluid flow on at least one conduit of the wand; (d) one end of the wand having fluid opening means thereat for fluid transfer relative to a body cavity of a patient; and (e) means for selectively operating the valve means between the conduits to transfer fluid through the first conduit while closing the valve means to the second conduit, and then alternately opening the valve means to transfer fluid through the second conduit while closing the valve means to the first conduit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for selectively operating includes means for transferring fluid received into a fluid opening alternately through the first and second conduits, depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for selectively operating includes means for alternately transferring fluid through the first and second conduits and out through a fluid opening depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for selectively operating includes means for alternately delivering or withdrawing fluid through the first and second conduits, depending upon the open position of the valve relative to a conduit.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of any of claims 16-20, wherein said opening means comprise substantially separate inlets in substantially adjacent relationship to each other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said opening means comprise substantially separate inlets in substantialy adjacent relationship to each other, wherein the means for selectively opening the valve means includes means maintaining the valve means normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 21, including means venting a closed conduit and discontinuing the venting to a conduit when the conduit is open.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said opening means comprise substantially separate inlets in substantially adjacent relationship to each other, wherein the means for selectively opening the valve means includes means maintaining the valve means normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit, wherein means maintaining the valve includes means keeping the valve means normally closed across the salvage-carrying conduit and normally open across the waste-carrying conduit.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means maintaining the valve includes means spring-biasing the valve in one position.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for discontinuing the venting includes means for automatically doing so in response to opening the valve means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said opening means comprise substantially separate inlets in substantially adjacent relationship to each other; including a waste receptacle and a salvage receptacle, means connecting the waste-carrying conduit to the waste receptacle for depositing waste blood therein, and means connecting the salvage-carrying conduit to the salvage receptacle for depositing salvage blood therein.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for opening and closing the valve means includes a flexible diaphragm and valve closure ports, and means for moving the diaphragm away from and toward valve closure ports, respectively.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of any one of claims 16-20, including means for preventing clogging of the valve means by wiping a portion of the valve means with an anti-clogging device.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
215 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said opening means comprise substantially separate inlets in substantially adjacent relationship to each other, wherein the means for selectively opening the valve means includes means maintaining the valve means normally closed across one conduit and normally open across the other conduit, including means venting a closed conduit and discontinuing the venting to a conduit when the conduit is open, wherein the means maintaining the valve means includes means keeping the valve means normally closed across the salvage-carrying conduit and normally open across the waste-carrying conduit, wherein the means maintaining the valve means includes means spring-biasing the valve means in one position, wherein the means discontinuing the venting includes means for automatically doing so in response to opening the valve, including means for preventing clogging of the valve means by wiping a portion of the valve means with an anti-clogging device; including a waste receptacle and a salvage receptacle, means connecting the waste-carrying conduit to the waste receptacle for depositing waste blood therein, and means connecting the salvage-carrying conduit to the salvage receptacle for depositing salvage blood therein; wherein the means for opening and closing the valve means includes a flexible diaphragm and valve closure ports, and means for moving the diaphragm away from and toward valve closure ports, respectively.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, including means for connection to a source of vacuum, on at least one of the conduits.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, including means for connection to at least one source of positive pressure fluid on at least one conduit.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 31, including sequencing means to open or close at least one conduit as another conduit is closed or opened.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, including latching means to hold at least one conduit in an opened or closed position.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said valve means includes anti-clogging means for clog prevention.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said valve means includes a diaphragm.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said multiple conduits comprise multiple portions of a single conduit, said portions being separated from communication with each other along their length by separation means traversing the length of the conduit.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said valve means includes a diaphragm, and wherein said diaphragm and separation means are integral with each other.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, including means providing a coating on an inner surface of at least one said conduit, with said coating means comprising an anti-clotting substance.