Intra-urethral valve with integral spring
First Claim
1. A prosthetic urethral sphincter valve comprising:
- a rigid tubular casing means for positioning in a patient'"'"'s urethra, said rigid tubular casing means having a longitudinal axis and a top end means for location adjacent and exposure to the patient'"'"'s bladder; and
an elastic valve member located within said rigid tubular casing means which comprises an upper means which forms a central tubular passage which extends along the length of said rigid tubular casing means and is opened or closed depending on the alignment thereof, and a lower diaphragm means comprising a rolling diaphragm, for providing a stored potential energy which normally provides enough upward force to cause the upper means to deform so as to align the central tubular passage to be closed, but which force may be overcome by the patient voluntarily raising bladder pressure for a predetermined duration so that the upper means aligns the central tubular passage to be open.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic urethral sphincter valve with an integral spring valve member which comprises an elastic valve element having an upper portion which defines a central fluid passage and a lower diaphragm portion which includes a rolling diaphragm. The prosthetic urethral sphincter valve is placed totally within a patient'"'"'s urethra. The lower diaphragm portion of the elastic valve element includes a tapered wall structure which provides for a spring action which demonstrates a non-linear force curve. The central fluid passage assumes a kinked or closed position, or a straighten or open position depending upon the position of the rolling diaphragm. Applied bladder pressure effects the position of the rolling diaphragm and thus the opening and closing of the central fluid passage.
114 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A prosthetic urethral sphincter valve comprising:
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a rigid tubular casing means for positioning in a patient'"'"'s urethra, said rigid tubular casing means having a longitudinal axis and a top end means for location adjacent and exposure to the patient'"'"'s bladder; and an elastic valve member located within said rigid tubular casing means which comprises an upper means which forms a central tubular passage which extends along the length of said rigid tubular casing means and is opened or closed depending on the alignment thereof, and a lower diaphragm means comprising a rolling diaphragm, for providing a stored potential energy which normally provides enough upward force to cause the upper means to deform so as to align the central tubular passage to be closed, but which force may be overcome by the patient voluntarily raising bladder pressure for a predetermined duration so that the upper means aligns the central tubular passage to be open. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16)
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10. A prosthetic urethral sphincter valve which comprises:
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a rigid tubular casing means for positioning in a patient'"'"'s urethra, said rigid tubular casing means having a longitudinal axis and top end means for location adjacent and exposure to the patient'"'"'s bladder; and an integral elastic valve member located within said rigid tubular casing means which defines a central tubular passage means which extends along the length of said rigid tubular casing means and is opened or closed depending on the alignment thereof, means for aligning the central passage means to cause such to open upon application of a first bladder pressure P1 voluntarily exerted by the patient and means to maintain said central passage open by the application of a second bladder pressure P2 voluntarily exerted by the patient, wherein P1 >
P2. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification