SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING PRESSURE

• US 20140100539A1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Coulthard, Richard Daniel John, Locke, Christopher Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,265,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/96 Suction control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3341 stabilising pressure or flow to avoid excessive variation

Abstract

Subject matter relating to pressure regulation is described. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for regulating pressure may include a supply chamber, a control chamber, and a charging chamber. The supply chamber may have a supply port adapted for coupling to a supply lumen, and the control chamber may have a control port adapted for coupling to a feedback lumen. The charging chamber can be fluidly coupled to the supply chamber through a charging port. A regulator valve within the control chamber can operate to control fluid communication through the charging port based on a differential between pressure in the control chamber and a target pressure.

Claims

1. A reduced-pressure treatment system comprising:

a dressing;

a supply chamber fluidly coupled to the dressing through a supply lumen;

a control chamber fluidly coupled to the dressing through a feedback lumen;

a charging chamber fluidly coupled to the supply chamber through a port; and

a regulator valve within the control chamber and operable to reciprocate within the control chamber to control fluid communication through the port based on a differential between a control pressure in the control chamber and a therapy pressure.

2. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, further comprising a reduced-pressure source fluidly coupled to the charging chamber.

3. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein a first pressure in the charging chamber is less than a second pressure in the supply chamber.

4. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein a first pressure in the charging chamber is less than a second pressure in the supply chamber, and the second pressure in the supply chamber is less than ambient pressure.

5. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein the regulator valve comprises a piston and an elastic member adapted to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

6. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein:

the control chamber is divided into a region of ambient pressure and a region of control pressure;

the feedback lumen is fluidly coupled to the region of control pressure; and

the regulator valve comprises a piston and an elastic member adapted to bias the piston against the ambient pressure.

7. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein:

a piston divides ambient pressure from a region of the control pressure;

the feedback lumen is fluidly coupled to the region of control pressure; and

an elastic member is disposed in the control chamber and engaged to the piston.

8. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein the supply lumen and the feedback lumen are disposed within a single tube fluidly coupled to the dressing.

9. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein:

the supply lumen and the feedback lumen are disposed within a single tube fluidly coupled to the dressing;

the supply lumen is fluidly coupled to a first port in the supply chamber; and

the feedback lumen is fluidly coupled to a second port in the control chamber.

10. The reduced-pressure treatment system of a claim 1, wherein:

the charging chamber comprises a piston opposing a closed end;

an elastic member is operably engaged to the piston;

the piston defines a wall of the supply chamber; and

the port is a passage through the piston.

11. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein the control pressure is measured through the feedback lumen.

12. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein the regulator valve comprises an elastic member calibrated to the therapy pressure.

13. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1, wherein:

a piston divides an ambient pressure from the control pressure in the control chamber;

an elastic member is disposed in the control chamber and engaged to the piston to bias the piston against the ambient pressure;

the supply lumen and the feedback lumen are disposed within a single tube fluidly coupled to the dressing;

the supply lumen is fluidly coupled to a first port in the supply chamber;

the feedback lumen is fluidly coupled to the control pressure through a second port in the control chamber;

a first pressure in the charging chamber is less than a second pressure in the supply chamber; and

the second pressure in the supply chamber is less than the ambient pressure.

14. A method of regulating therapeutic pressure, the method comprising:

placing a manifold in a sealed environment proximate to a tissue site;

fluidly coupling the manifold to a supply chamber through a supply lumen;

fluidly coupling the manifold to a control chamber through a control lumen;

fluidly coupling the supply chamber to a charging chamber;

reducing a charging pressure in the charging chamber below a therapy pressure;

regulating fluid communication between the supply chamber and the charging chamber based on a differential between a control pressure in the control chamber and the therapy pressure; and

delivering a supply pressure from the supply chamber to the manifold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the supply lumen and the control lumen are disposed in a tube fluidly coupled to the manifold.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein regulating fluid communication between the supply chamber and the charging chamber comprises:

opening a port between the supply chamber and the charging chamber if the control pressure exceeds the therapy pressure; and

closing the port if the therapy pressure exceeds the control pressure.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein regulating fluid communication between the supply chamber and the charging chamber comprises:

actuating a valve to open a port between the supply chamber and the charging chamber if the control pressure exceeds the therapy pressure; and

actuating the valve to close the port if the therapy pressure exceeds the control pressure.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the therapy pressure is about −

125 mm Hg; and

the charging pressure is reduced to about −

150 mm Hg.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein reducing the charging pressure comprises compressing and expanding the charging chamber.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein regulating fluid communication between the supply chamber and the charging chamber comprises:

providing a seal between the control pressure and ambient pressure in the control chamber;

coupling a valve body to the seal, the valve body movable with the seal and having an end adapted to engage a port between the supply chamber and the charging chamber;

coupling an elastic member to the valve body to bias the seal against the ambient pressure; and

calibrating the elastic member to the therapy pressure;

whereby the elastic member actuates the valve body to open the port if the control pressure exceeds the therapy pressure, and actuates the valve body to close the port if the therapy pressure exceeds the control pressure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein calibrating the elastic member comprises compressing the elastic member.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising fluidly isolating the charging chamber and the supply chamber from ambient pressure.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a supply chamber having a supply port adapted for coupling to a supply lumen;

a control chamber having a control port adapted for coupling to a feedback lumen;

a charging chamber fluidly coupled to the supply chamber through a charging port; and

a regulator valve within the control chamber and operable to move within the control chamber to control fluid communication through the charging port based on a differential between a control pressure in the control chamber and a target pressure.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises a piston and an elastic member adapted to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the control chamber is divided into a region of ambient pressure and a region of control pressure;

the control port is fluidly coupled to the region of control pressure; and

the regulator valve comprises a piston and an elastic member adapted to bias the piston against the ambient pressure.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

a piston divides ambient pressure from a region of control pressure in the control chamber;

the control port is fluidly coupled to the region of control pressure; and

an elastic member is disposed in the control chamber and engaged to the piston.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises:

a piston;

a valve body coupled to the piston, the valve body movable with the piston and having an end adapted to engage the charging port; and

an elastic member coupled to the valve body to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises:

a piston;

a valve body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the piston, the valve body extends into the supply chamber, and the second end is adapted to engage the charging port; and

an elastic member coupled to the valve body to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises:

a piston;

a valve body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the piston, the valve body extends into the supply chamber, and the second end is adapted to engage the charging port; and

a coil spring coaxial with the valve body and engaged to the piston to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises:

a piston;

a valve body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the piston, the valve body extends into the supply chamber, and the second end is adapted to engage the charging port; and

a coil spring coaxial with the valve body and engaged to the valve body to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the regulator valve comprises:

a piston;

a valve body threaded to the piston, the valve body movable with the piston and having an end adapted to engage the charging port; and

an elastic member coupled to the valve body to bias the piston against ambient pressure in the control chamber;

wherein the elastic member may be calibrated to the target pressure by rotating the piston relative to the valve body.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the charging chamber is fluidly isolated from the supply chamber except through the charging port;

the charging chamber is fluidly isolated from ambient pressure;

the supply chamber is fluidly isolated from ambient pressure; and

the control chamber is fluidly isolated from the charging chamber and the supply chamber.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the charging chamber comprises a piston opposing a closed end;

an elastic member is operably engaged to the piston;

the piston defines a wall of the supply chamber; and

the charging port is a passage through the piston.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control port and the supply port are adapted to engage a multi-lumen tube.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

a lower housing having an end wall and a side wall;

a first piston opposite the end wall of the lower housing and engaged to the side wall of the lower housing to define a charging chamber within the lower housing, wherein the first piston comprises a partition separating a lower bowl from an upper bowl;

a charging spring engaged to the first piston and the end wall of the lower housing;

a charging port through the first piston;

a supply chamber defined by the partition and the lower bowl;

an upper housing having a floor and a side wall, wherein the side wall of the upper housing is coupled to the side wall of the lower housing;

a control chamber defined by the upper bowl and the floor of the upper housing;

a second piston opposite the upper bowl and engaged to the side wall of the lower housing, wherein the second piston divides the control chamber into an ambient pressure region and a control pressure region;

a valve body extending through an aperture in the partition into the supply chamber, the valve body having a first end coupled to the second piston and a second end disposed adjacent to the charging port;

a regulator spring engaged to the valve body between the charging port and the second piston; and

a multi-channel port exposed externally through the upper housing, the multi-channel port comprising a supply port fluidly coupled to the supply chamber and a control port fluidly coupled to the control pressure region of the control chamber;

wherein the multi-channel port is adapted for coupling with a multi-lumen tube.

36. A vacuum pump, comprising:

a first barrel comprising a closed end, an open end, and an adjoining side wall defining a cylinder;

a piston slidingly received within the cylinder;

a second barrel slidingly received within the the open end of the first barrel;

a charging chamber defined by a sealed portion of the cylinder between the piston and the closed end of the first barrel;

a supply chamber within the piston;

a control chamber between the piston and the second barrel;

a seal slidingly received within the cylinder between the piston and the second barrel, wherein the seal divides the control chamber into a region of control pressure and a region of ambient pressure;

a charging port disposed through the piston to allow fluid communication between the charging chamber and the supply chamber; and

a regulator valve adapted to be actuated by a differential force on the seal to regulate fluid communication between the supply chamber and the control chamber through the charging port.

37. The vacuum pump of claim 36, wherein:

the piston comprises a partition separating a first bowl from a second bowl;

the supply chamber is defined by the partition and the lower bowl; and

the control chamber is defined by the upper bowl and a floor of the second barrel.