Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A disposable irrigation control valve assembly, comprising: a housing defining a plurality of valve chambers, each of said valve chambers having an elongated cylinder, a piston and means for reciprocating movement of said piston within said valve chamber, each of said valve chambers being further provided with an inlet orifice connectable to a source of vacuum or irrigation fluid and a second orifice formed in the cylinder wall and connected to a common conduit, the piston for each valve assembly being of a defined length relative to the length of the valve cylinder to allow for reciprocating movement of the pistons within their respective cylinders, each piston being further provided with an aperture, the size and shape of which being determined by the relative distance between the inlet and second orifices within the valve cylinder wall and, upon reciprocating movement of each piston within its respective cylinder, allowing for communication between the inlet and second orifices in said cylinder wall through the aperture in said pistons; and a common conduit formed in the value assembly at right angles relative to the cylinders of said valve body and communicating with each cylinder in said valve body through the second orifice in the cylinder wall thus allowing for simultaneous suction and irrigation, the common conduit having means for attaching a surgical probe permitting said simultaneous suction and irrigation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
A disposable irrigation control valve assembly, comprising: a housing defining a plurality of valve chambers, each of said valve chambers having an elongated cylinder, a piston and means for reciprocating movement of said piston within said valve chamber, each of said valve chambers being further provided with an inlet orifice connectable to a source of vacuum or irrigation fluid and a second orifice formed in the cylinder wall and connected to a common conduit, the piston for each valve assembly being of a defined length relative to the length of the valve cylinder to allow for reciprocating movement of the pistons within their respective cylinders, each piston being further provided with an aperture, the size and shape of which being determined by the relative distance between the inlet and second orifices within the valve cylinder wall and, upon reciprocating movement of each piston within its respective cylinder, allowing for communication between the inlet and second orifices in said cylinder wall through the aperture in said pistons; and a common conduit formed in the value assembly at right angles relative to the cylinders of said valve body and communicating with each cylinder in said valve body through the second orifice in the cylinder wall thus allowing for simultaneous suction and irrigation, the common conduit having means for attaching a surgical probe permitting said simultaneous suction and irrigation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said surgical probe includes a pair of probe attachment members disposed at either end of said common conduit, wherein said housing being adapted for attachment of a probe to said housing at either one of said pair of probe attachment members to accommodate clinician preference.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the aperture in the piston is of an essentially oval shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
108 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the piston being further characterized as having a plurality of seals, one seal being positioned on the piston above the aperture to preclude fluid flow into the upper portion of the cylinder, a second seal positioned below the aperture in the piston to prevent the fluid communication between the inlet and outlet orifice of the cylinder prior to depression of the piston within the chamber and a third seal positioned below the second seal to prevent fluid flow from the chamber upon depression of the cylinder upon the establishment of fluid communication between the inlet and outlet orifices of said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said surgical probe to the common means for readily interchanging a first surgical probe attached to said housing with a second surgical probe to allow a clinician to use a single housing with a plurality of surgical probes for various surgical procedures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing is symmetrical about a plane containing a wall that separates the valve chambers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said second orifice is axially offset from the inlet orifice.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said common conduit is of an essentially hourglass shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for attaching the surgical probe to the common conduit is adapted for connection to one of a plurality of interchangeable probes.