US5254086A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical lavage apparatus and methods
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Filing: 1992-07-31
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Granted: 1993-10-19
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Expires: 2012-07-31
Abstract
Abstract A medical lavage apparatus for body cavities comprising a housing having parallel irrigation and aspiration cylinders with captive plungers extending in bores thereof from a first end and pairs of check-valves positioned in parallel, smaller, offset cylinders located at second ends such that reciprocal movement of the each plunger in each cylinder performs the function of a one-way pump. The plungers are held captive and aligned by guide-stops proximally disposed in each cylinder. Each plunger comprises a seal disposed at the distal end thereof which inhibits communication between the pairs of check-valves in each cylinder when the plunger is fully seated in the cylinder. Novel jam-free dome shaped, slit check-valves are disposed to be the pair of check-valves in the aspiration cylinder in one embodiment and in irrigation cylinders as well in other embodiments. The dome shaped valves are described for use in other medical fluid control applications, as well. A septum formed of intersecting semi-circular-in-cross-section baffles joins the adjacent outer ends of the irrigation and aspiration check-valve cylinders so as to allow full fluid streams flowing from these outer ends to flow together at an angle. The septum and associated irrigation and aspiration check-valve cylinders are enclosed in a common exchange tube which leads to a common patient tube connecting nozzle. A special patient tube securing attachment is disposed on the connecting nozzle.
Inventors
- 👤 Darrel Palmer
- 👤 William R. Houghton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:26
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M39/00; A61M39/10; A61M39/12; A61M1/00; A61M1/71; A61M1/77; A61M1/772; A61M39/22; A61M39/24; A61M1/64; A61M1/67; A61M2039/242; A61M2039/2426
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A liquid and physiological debris aspirating apparatus comprising: an aspirating syringe comprising an aspirating cylinder and an aspirating plunger, the cylinder being associated with a liquid and debris influent port and a liquid and debris effluent port; at least one of said ports comprising a one-way physiological debris-passing slit valve comprising a dome-shaped diaphragm having a convex surface and a concave surface, the diaphragm comprising at least one curvilinear slit disposed between the convex and concave surfaces and comprising normally closed contiguously abutting slit edge surfaces which remain contiguous responsive to pressure applied to the convex surface of the diaphragm and which slit edge surfaces separate from each other responsive to pressure applied top the concave side of diaphragm due to manual manipulation of the aspirating plunger in respect to the aspirating cylinder to open the diaphragm to accommodate flow of liquid and physiological debris between the separated slit edge surfaces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A liquid and physiological debris aspirating apparatus comprising: an aspirating syringe comprising an aspirating cylinder and an aspirating plunger, the cylinder being associated with a liquid and debris influent port and a liquid and debris effluent port; at least one of said ports comprising a one-way physiological debris-passing slit valve comprising a dome-shaped diaphragm having a convex surface and a concave surface, the diaphragm comprising at least one curvilinear slit disposed between the convex and concave surfaces and comprising normally closed contiguously abutting slit edge surfaces which remain contiguous responsive to pressure applied to the convex surface of the diaphragm and which slit edge surfaces separate from each other responsive to pressure applied top the concave side of diaphragm due to manual manipulation of the aspirating plunger in respect to the aspirating cylinder to open the diaphragm to accommodate flow of liquid and physiological debris between the separated slit edge surfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
171 words
A medical lavage apparatus for irrigating and aspirating a body cavity of a patient comprising: a liquid irrigation cylinder and plunger, the irrigation cylinder comprising a liquid influent port and a liquid effluent port; liquid and physiological debris aspiration cylinder and plunger, the aspiration cylinder comprising a liquid and debris influent port and a liquid and debris effluent port; a one-way valve disposed at at least one of the liquid and debris influent and effluent ports, said one-way valve comprising an elastomeric bulbous-shaped slit valve having memory comprising at least one curvilinear slit comprising normally closed contiguously opposed directly abutting lips comprising lip edges which lip edges are separated by pressure applied to one side of the bulbous slit wave, the pressure being caused by manual manipulation of the aspirating plunger, to open the slit lips counter to the memory thereby accommodating flow of liquid and debris through the open lips, the memory closing the lip edges again into said contiguously closed opposed directly abutting disposition when said pressure is removed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
171 words
A medical lavage apparatus for irrigating and aspirating a body cavity of a patient comprising: a liquid irrigation cylinder and plunger, the irrigation cylinder comprising a liquid influent port and a liquid effluent port; liquid and physiological debris aspiration cylinder and plunger, the aspiration cylinder comprising a liquid and debris influent port and a liquid and debris effluent port; a one-way valve disposed at at least one of the liquid and debris influent and effluent ports, said one-way valve comprising an elastomeric bulbous-shaped slit valve having memory comprising at least one curvilinear slit comprising normally closed contiguously opposed directly abutting lips comprising lip edges which lip edges are separated by pressure applied to one side of the bulbous slit wave, the pressure being caused by manual manipulation of the aspirating plunger, to open the slit lips counter to the memory thereby accommodating flow of liquid and debris through the open lips, the memory closing the lip edges again into said contiguously closed opposed directly abutting disposition when said pressure is removed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A medical lavage apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of said one-way elastomeric bulbous-shaped slit valves is disposed in both the liquid and debris influent port and the liquid and debris effluent port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A medical lavage apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of said one-way elastomeric bulbous-shaped slit valves is disposed at one of the liquid influent and liquid effluent ports of the irrigation cylinder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A medical lavage apparatus according to claim 2 wherein one of said one-way elastomeric bulbous-shaped slit valves is disposed at both of the liquid influent and liquid effluent ports of the irrigation cylinder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A medical lavage apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a nozzle with a single liquid flow passageway for the effluent of the irrigation cylinder and the influent of the aspirating cylinder and a clamp by which a liquid and debris flow tube to the patient is releasibly clamped to the nozzle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
129 words
A lavage apparatus comprising: a source of medical irrigating fluid; one piston/cylinder by which medical irrigating liquid from the source is selectively introduced into a body cavity of a medical patient; a second piston/cylinder defining a flow path by which liquid and physiological debris is aspirated from said body cavity and discarded; at least one rounded normally closed one-way slit valve diaphragm disposed in said flow path, the diaphragm comprising at least one curved slit comprising normally closed opposed contiguous slit edges which become more tightly closed when pressure is applied to the diaphragm in one direction and which slit edges yawn apart to define an opening when pressure is applied to the diaphragm in another direction to accommodate facile flow of liquid and physiological debris through the opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
129 words
A lavage apparatus comprising: a source of medical irrigating fluid; one piston/cylinder by which medical irrigating liquid from the source is selectively introduced into a body cavity of a medical patient; a second piston/cylinder defining a flow path by which liquid and physiological debris is aspirated from said body cavity and discarded; at least one rounded normally closed one-way slit valve diaphragm disposed in said flow path, the diaphragm comprising at least one curved slit comprising normally closed opposed contiguous slit edges which become more tightly closed when pressure is applied to the diaphragm in one direction and which slit edges yawn apart to define an opening when pressure is applied to the diaphragm in another direction to accommodate facile flow of liquid and physiological debris through the opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A lavage apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the diaphragm comprise two of said curved slits, which slits intersect near an apex of the rounded diaphragm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-10-18 | 1997-04-19 | 1997-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-10-18 | 2001-04-19 | 2001-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-10-18 | 2005-04-19 | 2005-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |