US5507734A — Drainage device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 186 words

Apparatus for draining bodily fluids comprising: a. collection chamber for collecting fluids from a body cavity, said collection chamber including an inlet for fluid communication with the body cavity; b. suction control chamber for regulating the degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber; and c. seal chamber for preventing passage of ambient into the collection chamber and including: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm; 3) a first chamber disposed between said collection chamber and said small arm compartment and being configured and dimensioned for preventing ambient from passing into said collection chamber when said collection chamber has a relatively high level of negative pressure; and 4) a second chamber disposed between said first chamber and said collection chamber and configured so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber will enter into said second chamber and thereafter return to said first chamber instead of passing to said collection chamber.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 186 words

Apparatus for draining bodily fluids comprising: a. collection chamber for collecting fluids from a body cavity, said collection chamber including an inlet for fluid communication with the body cavity; b. suction control chamber for regulating the degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber; and c. seal chamber for preventing passage of ambient into the collection chamber and including: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm; 3) a first chamber disposed between said collection chamber and said small arm compartment and being configured and dimensioned for preventing ambient from passing into said collection chamber when said collection chamber has a relatively high level of negative pressure; and 4) a second chamber disposed between said first chamber and said collection chamber and configured so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber will enter into said second chamber and thereafter return to said first chamber instead of passing to said collection chamber.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first chamber is formed adjacent said opening and is dimensioned and configured so as to substantially contain the entire volume of a predetermined amount of sealing fluid disposed in said seal chamber at the juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first chamber is configured so that any sealing fluid passing into said first chamber is diverted in a direction other than the direction of normal flow so that entering fluid will circulate in and be collected within said first chamber.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 99 words

The apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising: a. wall member positioned within said small arm and separating said first chamber from the remainder of said small arm, said wall member having an aperture; and b. valve means being dimensioned and configured for opening and substantially closing said aperture, said valve means being open when the collection chamber suction is at said preset level of suction and otherwise said valve means tending to substantially close said aperture in response to any fluid entering into said first chamber from said juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said valve means comprises a ball dimensioned and configured so as to be adapted for seating with and substantially closing said aperture.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said aperture includes a notch so as to permit the sealing fluid to enter into said first chamber when said ball valve seats upon and substantially closes said opening whereupon the sealing fluid is diverted within said first chamber generally transverse to the direction of normal suction flow.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said remaining portion of said small arm is constricted so as to retain said ball valve movably between said constriction and said aperture.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said remaining portion of said small arm is smaller in cross sectional area than that of said first chamber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second chamber is comprised of a sloping lower surface so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber into said second chamber will return to said first chamber.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second chamber is further comprised of a wall, having an uppermost position and separating said second chamber from said collection chamber, and an opening in the uppermost position in said wall.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 177 words

A method of draining bodily fluids from a body cavity comprising the steps of: a. collecting fluids from the body cavity in a collection chamber; b. regulating the degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber with a suction control chamber; c. preventing passage of ambient into the collection chamber with a seal chamber comprising: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm, wherein sealing fluid is disposed in said seal chamber at the juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments d. substantially containing sealing fluid exiting the small arm's one end in a first chamber located between said collection chamber and said small arm compartment; and e. returning sealing fluid that passes from said first chamber into a second chamber, which is disposed so as to separate said first chamber from said collection chamber, back into said first chamber.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 177 words

A method of draining bodily fluids from a body cavity comprising the steps of: a. collecting fluids from the body cavity in a collection chamber; b. regulating the degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber with a suction control chamber; c. preventing passage of ambient into the collection chamber with a seal chamber comprising: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm, wherein sealing fluid is disposed in said seal chamber at the juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments d. substantially containing sealing fluid exiting the small arm's one end in a first chamber located between said collection chamber and said small arm compartment; and e. returning sealing fluid that passes from said first chamber into a second chamber, which is disposed so as to separate said first chamber from said collection chamber, back into said first chamber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of diverting fluid entering into said first chamber in a direction other than the direction of normal flow so that entering fluid will circulate in and be collected within said first chamber.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 123 words

A seal chamber, for preventing passage of ambient into a collection chamber of a drainage device, comprising: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm; 3) a first chamber disposed so as to separate said collection chamber and said small arm compartment for containing fluid passing from said small arm compartment; and 4) a second chamber disposed so as to separate said first chamber from said collection chamber, being configured so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber into said second chamber will return to said first chamber.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 123 words

A seal chamber, for preventing passage of ambient into a collection chamber of a drainage device, comprising: 1) a large arm compartment having a suction inlet at one end; 2) a small arm compartment at one end having an opening communicating with said collection chamber and communicating at its other end with the other end of said large arm; 3) a first chamber disposed so as to separate said collection chamber and said small arm compartment for containing fluid passing from said small arm compartment; and 4) a second chamber disposed so as to separate said first chamber from said collection chamber, being configured so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber into said second chamber will return to said first chamber.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

The seal chamber according to claim 13 wherein said first chamber is formed adjacent said opening and is dimensioned and configured so as to substantially contain the entire volume of a predetermined amount of sealing fluid disposed in said seal chamber at the juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

The seal chamber according to claim 13 wherein said first chamber is configured so that any sealing fluid passing into said first chamber is diverted in a direction other than the direction of normal flow.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 101 words

The seal chamber according to claim 13 further comprising: a. wall member positioned within said small arm and separating said first chamber from the remainder of said small arm, said wall member having an aperture; and b. a valve means being dimensioned and configured for opening and substantially closing said aperture, said valve means being open when the collection chamber suction is at said preset level of suction and otherwise said valve means tending to substantially close said aperture in response to any fluid entering into said first chamber from said juncture of said large arm and said small arm compartments.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said valve means comprises a ball dimensioned and configured so as to be adapted for seating with and substantially closing said aperture.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The seal chamber according to claim 17 wherein said aperture includes a notch so as to permit the sealing fluid to enter into said first chamber when said ball valve seats upon and substantially closes said opening.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The seal chamber according to claim 18 wherein said remaining portion of said small arm is smaller in cross sectional area than that of said first chamber.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said second chamber is comprised of a sloping lower surface so that sealing fluid passing from said first chamber into said second chamber will return to said first chamber.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said second chamber is comprised of a wall, having an uppermost position and separating said second chamber from said collection chamber, and a opening in the uppermost position in said wall, for preventing fluid from passing into said collection chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-04-16	1999-10-16	2000-04-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-04-16	2003-10-16	2004-04-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-04-16	2007-10-16	2008-04-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Drainage device

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