Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
An occluder apparatus for obstructing the flow of blood in a blood vessel having an interior comprising: an elongated hollow tubular body having a leading end size for reception in said blood vessel; means for inserting said body through the wall of said blood vessel to extend said leading end into the interior of said blood vessel; an inflatable diaphragm carried in a collapsed, deflated condition within the interior of said body; means for conducting an inflating fluid from an external source into fluid communication with the interior of said diaphragm to effect expansion thereof; and diaphragm release enabling means comprising a pair of elongated opening means extending longitudinally in said body for releasing said diaphragm in an inflated state from said body into flexible occluding engagement with the interior wall of said blood vessel about substantially the full circumference of a transverse section thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
An occluder apparatus for obstructing the flow of blood in a blood vessel having an interior comprising: an elongated hollow tubular body having a leading end size for reception in said blood vessel; means for inserting said body through the wall of said blood vessel to extend said leading end into the interior of said blood vessel; an inflatable diaphragm carried in a collapsed, deflated condition within the interior of said body; means for conducting an inflating fluid from an external source into fluid communication with the interior of said diaphragm to effect expansion thereof; and diaphragm release enabling means comprising a pair of elongated opening means extending longitudinally in said body for releasing said diaphragm in an inflated state from said body into flexible occluding engagement with the interior wall of said blood vessel about substantially the full circumference of a transverse section thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 1 in which said opening means for releasing said diaphragm are substantially oppositely disposed in lateral alignment for releasing said diaphragm upon inflation substantially coincidently through both of said opening means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 1 including means forming a partition extending transversely of the interior of said body defining longitudinal fluid-conducting passage means therein; and means forming fluid openings in the wall of said body to place said passage means in fluid communication with the exterior of said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 3 including mutually spaced plates defining said partition and forming a passage for conducting said inflating fluid to said diaphragm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 1 in which said diaphragm, when inflated, defines a generally toroidally-shaped cushion portion for engaging the interior wall of said blood vessel about substantially the full circumference thereof and has a membrane portion filling the region interior of said cushion portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 1 including means on the exterior of said body for securing said body with respect to said blood vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 6 in which said securing means comprises sutures and laterally disposed flange means extending from the exterior of said body, said flange means providing means for attaching said body to the wall of said blood vessel via said sutures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 1 including piercing means at the leading end of said body for incising the wall of said blood vessel to effect penetration of said blood vessel wall by said body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 8 in which said piercing means are removably attached to said body to enable their withdrawal from said body following penetration of said vessel wall and prior to inflation of said diaphragm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 8 in which said piercing means comprises a generally conical plug carried by the leading end of said body, the apex of said plug forming a point to effect penetration of the wall of said blood vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 9 in which said piercing means comprises a hollow plug formed of expandable material which, in an expanded condition, defines a generally conical exterior shape, the apex of which forms a point to effect penetration of the wall of said blood vessel, and means forming a passage extending through said body to communicate the interior of said plug with an external source of inflating fluid, whereby said plug can be alternatively expanded by said inflating fluid into a piercing configuration, or collapsed into a condition for removal from said body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 11 in which said passage-forming means comprises a line extending longitudinally through said body and having one end connected to said plug and the other end extending to the exterior of said blood vessel, whereby, upon collapse of said plug, withdrawal of said line effects withdrawal of said plug from said body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 8 in which said piercing means comprises angularly disposed cutting blades carried at the leading end of said body, and arranged for incising the wall of said blood vessel to effect penetration by said body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 9 in which said piercing means comprises a plurality of cutting blades articulately mounted in an assembly that includes means for extending said blades both longitudinally and radially with respect to the leading end of said body to dispose said blades in inclined, angularly spaced relation for incising the wall of said blood vessel and for radially retracting said blades to effect withdrawal thereof from said blood vessel following penetration thereof by said body and prior to inflation of said diaphragm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 14 in which said assembly comprises a support rod extending substantially axially through the interior of said body and attaching said blades at the leading end thereof and an actuating sleeve concentric with said support rod attaching said blades at the other end thereof, and means for moving said rod and said sleeve with respect to each other for expanding or retracting said blades.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 15 in which said assembly includes a sheath concentrically disposed along the length of said sleeve and said rod and being adapted to receive said blades in their retracted position; and means on said sheath exposed at the rearward end of said sleeve and said rod and being adapted to receive said blades in their retracted position; and means on said sheath exposed at the rearward end of said body for enabling the withdrawal of said assembly from the interior of said body prior to inflation of said diaphragm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 3 in which said fluid passage means includes means at an end opposite said wall openings connecting said passage means with at least one fluid source exteriorly of said body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 in which said passage means connects at said end with a source of myocardial fluid for supplying said fluid to said blood vessel on a proximate side of said diaphragm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 in which said passage means connects at said end with a pressure monitor for monitoring the internal pressure of said blood vessel on a side of said diaphragm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 in which said passage means connects at said end with a heart-lung machine for circulating blood to said blood vessel on a side of said diaphragm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 including means for separately connecting said one end of said fluid passage means to both a source of myocardial fluid and to a pressure monitor; and valve means for connecting said fluid passage means with said myocardial fluid and said pressure monitor,
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
107 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 in which said partition means comprises a partition plate extending chordally across the interior of said tubular body to divide said interior into parallel longitudinally-extending fluid-conducting passages; first opening-forming means in the wall of said body on one side of said diaphragm release-enabling means for fluidly communicating one of said passages with said blood vessel on the proximal side of said diaphragm and second opening-forming means in the wall of said body on the other side of said diaphragm release-enabling means for fluidly connecting the other of said passages with said blood vessel on the distal side of said diaphragm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 17 including means for separately connecting said one end of said fluid passage means to both a source of myocardial fluid and to a pressure monitor; and valve means for connecting said fluid passage means with said myocardial fluid and said pressure monitor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 20 including valve means in said passage means for selectively admitting blood supply from said heart-lung machine to said passage means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 22 including means at an end of said one passage for connecting said one passage to a source of myocardial fluid for circulation through said first opening-forming means with said blood vessel on the proximal side of said diaphragm.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 22 including means at an end of said one passage for connecting said one passage to a pressure monitor for monitoring the internal pressure of said blood vessel on the proximal side of said diaphragm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
55 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 22 including means at an end of said one passage for connecting said one passage to a source of myocardial fluid and to a pressure monitor, and valve means operable with said connecting means for connecting said passage to said source of myocardial fluid and to said pressure monitor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 27 including means at an end of said other passage for connecting said other passage to a heart-lunch machine; and valve means in said other passage for selectively circulating blood from said heart-lung machine to said blood vessel on the distal side of said diaphragm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 22 including means at an end of said other passage for connecting said other passage to a heart-lung machine to circulate blood from said heart-lung machine to said blood vessel on the distal side of said diaphragm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The occluder apparatus according to claim 29 including valve means in said other passage for selectively circulating blood from said heart-lung machine to said blood vessel on the distal side of said diaphragm.