Diaphragm valve for medication infusion pump

• US 4,646,781 A
• Filed: 06/05/1986
• Issued: 03/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALARIS Medical Systems, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: McIntyre, John, Gorton, Lanny A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US06/873,439
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 137/496, 137/512.4, 137/859, 417/560, 417/566, 604/327
• US Class Current: 137/512.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2433 Valve comprising a resilient or deformable element, e.g. flap valve, deformable disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/246 being fixed along all or a part of its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2466 being fixed in its center
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1402 having an integral flexible member cooperating with a plurality of seating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7843 Integral resilient member forms plural valves

Abstract

A valve, suitable for use in small medical devices and which can readily be made of medical grade materials, comprises an elastic diaphragm stretched over a protruding surface, preferably of spherical or convex shape. The diaphragm has a ring of holes concentrically around a hole in the protruding surface. A mating recess, connected to a conduit, fits over the protruding surface. The elastic material is held in place at or near the opening of the recess. The holding structure may also serve to seal the valve. A dual arrangement provides an input and an output valve in combination.

Claims

1. In combination, a valve for a medication infusion pump comprising a first body element having a protruding surface having a conduit disposed in said protruding surface through which fluid may enter said valve, a second body element having a recess having a conduit disposed therein through which fluid may leave said valve, a channel disposed in said second body element outside of said recess and around and spaced away from the circumference of said recess, said recess adapted to receive said protruding surface of said first body element therein, an elastic diaphragm located between said first and second body elements, said diaphragm having a flange which is disposed in said channel of said second body element and which is held in place by said first body element, said diaphragm being adapted to be stretched over said protruding surface of said first body element and having at least one hole disposed therethrough, said hole in said diaphragm being located within said recess and removed from said conduit in said protruding surface, and wherein said flange of said diaphragm is adapted to hold said diaphragm in place as it is placed under tension upon assembling said first body element and said second body element together.

2. A passive one-way valve for a medication infusion system, said valve comprising:

a first body element having an essentially convex surface protruding therefrom, said convex surface having a conduit disposed therein through which fluid may enter said valve;

a second body element having a recess disposed therein, said recess being so arranged and configured as to have an outer edge thereof forming at least a circular line of contact with said convex surface of said first body element when said first and second body elements are brought together, said second body element having a conduit disposed in said recess through which fluid may leave said valve; and

an elastomeric diaphragm for location between said first and second body elements, said outer edge of said recess of said second body element gripping said diaphragm against said convex surface of said first body element in a sealing relationship, said diaphragm thereby being biased against said convex surface of said first body element so as to seal said conduit disposed in said convex surface, said diaphragm having at least one hole therethrough disposed away from said conduit in said convex surface when said diaphragm is located on said convex surface, said hole in said diaphragm being in fluid communication with said recess when said diaphragm is disposed between said first and second body elements, said diaphragm being forced away from said convex surface and allowing fluid flow through said valve only when fluid pressure at said conduit in said convex surface exceeds by a predetermined amount fluid pressure at said conduit in said recess.

3. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said diaphragm is manufactured of an elastomeric material of medical grade.

4. A valve as defined in claim 3, wherein said elastomeric material is one of the materials selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber and natural rubber.

5. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and second body elements are manufactured of one of the materials selected from the group consisting of rigid plastic and hard rubber.

6. A valve as defined in claim 5, wherein said hard plastic is one of the materials selected from the group consisting of the acrylics, polysulfins, polyethylenes, and polycarbonates.

7. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said conduit disposed in said convex surface of said first body element is centrally located in said convex surface and leads to the top of said convex surface.

8. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said diaphragm has a plurality of holes extending therethrough, which plurality of holes are disposed away from and surrounding in concentric fashion said conduit in said convex surface when said diaphragm is located on said convex surface, said plurality of holes in said diaphragm all being in fluid communication with said recess when said diaphragm is disposed between said first and second body elements.

9. A valve as defined in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of holes is round.

10. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said recess is a right cylindrical recess.

11. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the conduit disposed in said recess of said second body element is centrally located at the location at which it emerges in said recess.

12. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the outer edge of said recess of said second body element is so arranged and configured as to form an annular area of contact having an area wider than said circular line of contact.

13. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said conduits are between 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch, and said diaphragm is between 3 and 10 mils thick.

14. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the thickness of said diaphragm is increased to increase said predetermined amount and decreased to decrease said predetermined amount.

15. A valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the thickness of said diaphragm varies from a central location at the top of said convex surface to a location away from the center of said convex surface.

16. A valve as defined in claim 2, additionally comprising:

a channel disposed in said second body element surrounding and spaced away from said recess; and

a flange disposed on the side of said diaphragm facing said second body element, said flange being disposed in said channel of said second body element and being retained in said channel by said first body element.

17. A valve as defined in claim 16, additionally comprising:

an additional flange disposed on the side of said diaphragm opposite said flange facing said second body element, said additional flange for enhancing the sealing arrangement between said first and second body elements.

18. A valve as defined in claim 16, wherein said flange is so arranged and configured as to hold said diaphragm in place for assembling said first and second body elements together, and for properly tensioning said diaphragm on said convex surface.

19. A passive one-way valve for use with the pump of a infusion system, comprising:

a first body element having a convex surface protruding therefrom, said convex surface having a conduit centrally disposed therein through which fluid may enter said valve;

a second body element having a right cylindrical recess disposed therein, an outer edge of said recess forming a circular line of contact with said convex surface of said first body element when said first and second body elements are brought together, said second body element having a conduit disposed in said recess through which fluid may leave said valve, said second body element having a channel disposed therein surrounding and spaced away from said recess; and

an essentially flat elastomeric diaphragm for location between said first and second body elements, said diaphragm having a flange which is disposed in said channel of said second body element and which is retained in said channel by said first body element, said diaphragm thereby being biased against said convex surface of said first body element so as to seal said conduit disposed in said convex surface, said diaphragm having a plurality of holes therethrough disposed away from and surrounding in concentric fashion said conduit in said convex surface when said diaphragm is located on said convex surface, said plurality of holes in said diaphragm being in fluid communication with said recess when said diaphragm is disposed between said first and second body elements, said diaphragm being forced away from said convex surface and allowing fluid flow through said valve only when fluid pressure at said conduit in said convex surface exceeds by a predetermined amount fluid pressure at said conduit in said recess.

20. A valve assembly for a medication infusion system, said valve assembly comprising:

a first body element;

a second body element;

a first essentially convex surface protruding from said first body element, said first convex surface having a conduit disposed therein through which fluid may enter;

a second essentially convex surface protruding from said second body element, said second convex surface having a conduit disposed therein through which fluid may enter;

a first recess disposed in said second body element, said first recess being so arranged and configured as to have an outer edge thereof forming at least a circular line of contact with said first convex surface of said first body element when said first and second body elements are brought together, said second body element having a conduit disposed in said first recess through which fluid may leave;

a second recess disposed in said first body element, said second recess being so arranged and configured as to have an outer edge thereof forming at least a circular line of contact with said second convex surface of said second body element when said first and second body elements are brought together, said first body element having a conduit disposed in said second recess through which fluid may leave;

a first elastomeric diaphragm for location between said first and second body elements, said outer edge of said first recess of said second body element gripping said first diaphragm against said first convex surface of said first body element in a sealing relationship, said first diaphragm thereby being biased against said first convex surface of said first body element so as to seal said conduit disposed in said first convex surface, said first diaphragm having at least one hole therethrough disposed away from said conduit in said first convex surface when said first diaphragm is located on said first convex surface, said hole in said first diaphragm being in fluid communication with said first recess when said first diaphragm is disposed between said first and second body elements, said first diaphragm being forced away from said first convex surface and allowing fluid flow only when fluid pressure at said conduit in said first convex surface exceeds by a first predetermined amount fluid pressure at said conduit in said first recess; and

a second elastomeric diaphragm for location between said first and second body elements, said outer edge of said second recess of said first body element gripping said second diaphragm against said second convex surface of said second body element in a sealing relationship, said second diaphragm thereby being biased against said second convex surface of said second body element so as to seal said conduit disposed in said second convex surface, said second diaphragm having at least one hole therethrough disposed away from said conduit in said second convex surface when said second diaphragm is located on said second convex surface, said hole in said second diaphragm being in fluid communication with said second recess when said second diaphragm is disposed between said first and second body elements, said second diaphragm being forced away from said second convex surface and allowing fluid flow only when fluid pressure at said conduit in said second convex surface exceeds by a second predetermined amount fluid pressure at said conduit in said second recess.

21. A valve assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein said first and second diaphragms are manufactured of a single flat segment of elastomeric material.