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Mechanical user control of fluid input module

  • US 10,328,224 B2
  • Filed: 03/14/2016
  • Issued: 06/25/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for use with a tracheal ventilation tube and a suction source, the apparatus comprising:

  • (a) a cleaning catheter, which is insertable into the ventilation tube, and which comprises;

    (i) an elongate, flexible, tubular main body;

    (ii) an inflatable element, which is mounted to the main body and is expandable into contact with an inner surface of the ventilation tube;

    (iii) a distal suction orifice at a distal portion of the cleaning catheter;

    (iv) a suction lumen arranged along the main body in fluid communication with the distal suction orifice; and

    (v) a fluid-delivery lumen arranged along the main body in fluid communication with an interior of the inflatable element;

    (b) a pressurized fluid source; and

    (c) an input module, which is coupled to the cleaning catheter, and which comprises;

    (i) a flow regulator, which is (A) shaped so as to define a suction port coupleable in fluid communication with the suction source, and a fluid port coupled in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source, and (B) configured to assume at least a base activation state and an inflation/suction activation state; and

    (ii) a mechanical user control element, which is configured to mechanically and non-electrically set the activation states of the flow regulator,wherein the flow regulator is configured, when in the inflation/suction activation state, to (a) effect fluid communication between the suction port and the suction lumen, and (b) effect inflation of the inflatable element by fluid communication between the fluid port and the inflatable element via the fluid-delivery lumen, andwherein the mechanical user control element comprises one or more user-interface elements, a single one of which is arranged to set the flow regulator in the inflation/suction activation state to activate both the suction and the inflation of the inflatable element.

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