Medical device valving mechanism

• US 5,203,769 A
• Filed: 02/22/1991
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mectra Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mectra Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Clement, Thomas P., Weber, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Ralph A.
• Application Number:
  US07/660,356
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 604/30, 604/35, 604/32, 604/43, 604/246, 604/248, 604/902, 251/209, 251/231, 251/309, 251/312, 251/340, 137/595, 137/625.19, 137/625.23, 137/625.47, 137/626, 137/862
• US Class Current: 604/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/7411 by changing the size of a vent in combination with changing the cross-section of the line A61M1/7413
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/902 Suction wands

Abstract

A medical device valving mechanism comprising an elongated valve body molded to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in either hand leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement. The body has at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough and a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough to intercept the at least one passageway. A cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor for snug slidable and rotational insertion into the cylindrical opening to block the at least one passageway is provided. The rotor has at least one transaxial passageway which opens the at least one fluid passageway through the valve body when the rotor is in its valve opening position and which closes the at least one fluid passageway when the rotor is in its valve closing position. A thumb-actuated means is provided for rotating the rotor, the actuated means is disposed above the valve body and the rotor for convenient thumb movement. Fluid is directed to or withdrawn from a desired area through a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication with the transaxial passageway.

Claims

1. A hand-held lavage mechanism comprising

an elongated valve body configured to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in either hand while leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough from one end of the body to another end, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor having smooth cylindrical sides inserted into said cylindrical opening for snug slidable and rotational contact with sides of said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one transaxial passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, and thumb-actuated means for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being attached to said rotor and disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor while the valve body is gripped and held by the hand, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduit piece.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 in which said conduit piece is formed to curve downward with respect to the valve body.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 in which said conduit piece is formed to curve sideways with respect to the valve body.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 in which said conduit piece is formed from a flexible polymeric material that can be reoriented to direct the distal end of the conduit piece to a predetermined location without requiring movement of the valve body.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein a semi-rigid support element is coupled to the flexible conduit piece so that the flexible conduit piece remains in position after reorientation of the flexible conduit piece.

7. The mechanism of claim 2 in which said second bottom portion is transversely recessed to provide a comfortable gripping surface and said thumb-actuated means includes a molded-plastic saddle bar extending transversely across said valve body above said rotor with integrally formed side bars depending from said saddle bar ends and drivingly connected to said rotor.

6. A hand-held lavage mechanism comprising

an elongated valve body configured to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in either hand while leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough from one end of the body to another end, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor for snug slidable and rotational insertion into said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one fluid passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, and thumb-actuated means for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being attached to said rotor and disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor while the valve body is gripped and held by the hand, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduit piece, and

in which said valve body is molded to have a first bottom portion shaped to be gripped by the index finger of one hand and a second bottom portion shaped to be gripped by the middle finger of the hand with a third depending transverse bottom portion between said forward and rearward portions, said third depending transverse bottom portion being directly below said cylindrical opening which holds said rotor to be disposed partially between the index and middle fingers for stabilization with the fingers holding the body against the palm of the hand.

8. A hand-held lavage mechanism comprising

an elongated valve body configured to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in either hand while leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough from one end of the body to another end, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor for snug slidable and rotational insertion into said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one transaxial passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, and thumb-actuated means for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being attached to said rotor and disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor while the valve body is gripped and held by the hand, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduit piece, and

wherein said conduit piece includes a first conduit piece in fluid communication with a first longitudinally extending passageway formed in the valve body, a second conduit piece in fluid communication with a second longitudinally extending passageway formed in the valve body, and a distally located, patient contacting common conduit in fluid communication with both the first and second conduit pieces as controlled by the valve rotor so that fluid introduced through the first conduit piece into a patient'"'"'s body can be withdrawn by suction applied through the second conduit piece.

9. A medical device valving mechanism comprising an elongated valve body molded to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in a user'"'"'s hand leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough from one end of the body to another end, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor having smooth cylindrical sides inserted into said cylindrical opening for snug slidable and rotational contact with sides of said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one transaxial passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, and thumb-actuated means connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor, and wherein the shaped body is gripped and held by fingers of the user'"'"'s hand at points located on the shaped body below ends of said transaxial passageway of the rotor with the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand being located below the thumb-actuated means so as to provide the free thumb for valve operational movement, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduits piece.

10. The mechanism of claim 9 in which said conduit piece is formed to curve downward with respect to the valve body.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 in which said conduit piece is formed to curve sideways with respect to the valve body.

12. A medical device valving mechanism comprising an elongated valve body configured to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in a users hand leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough from one end of the body to another end, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor for snug slidable and rotational insertion into said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one transaxial passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, thumb-actuated means connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor, and wherein the shaped body is gripped and held by fingers of the user'"'"'s hand at points located on the shaped body below ends of said transaxial passageway of the rotor with the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand being located below the thumb-actuated means so as to provide the free thumb for valve operational movement, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduits piece,

wherein said conduit piece includes a first conduit piece in fluid communication with a first longitudinally extending passageway formed in the valve body, a second conduit piece in fluid communication with a second longitudinally extending passageway formed in the valve body, and a distally located, patient contacting common conduit in fluid communication with both the first and second conduit pieces as controlled by the valve rotor so that fluid introduced through the first conduit piece into a patient'"'"'s body can be withdrawn by suction applied through the second conduit piece.

13. A medical device valving mechanism comprising an elongated valve body molded to have a longitudinally extending body shaped to be gripped and securely held in a users hand leaving the hand'"'"'s thumb free for valve operational movement, said body providing at least one fluid passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, said body also providing a cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough and intercepting said at least one passageway, a cylindrical molded plastic, one-piece rotor for snug slidable and rotational insertion into said cylindrical opening to block said at least one passageway, said rotor being rotatable between valve opening and valve closing positions, said rotor having at least one transaxial passageway therethrough which opens said at least one fluid passageway through said valve body when said rotor is in said valve opening position and which closes said at least one fluid passageway when said rotor is in said valve closing position, thumb-actuated means connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor, said actuated means being disposed above said valve body and said rotor for convenient thumb movement of said rotor, wherein said valve body is molded to have a first bottom portion shaped to be gripped by the index finger of one hand and a second bottom portion shaped to be gripped by the middle finger of the hand with a third depending transverse bottom portion between said first and second portions, said transverse bottom portion being directly below said cylindrical opening which holds said rotor to be disposed partially between the index and middle fingers for stabilization with the fingers holding the body against the palm of the hand, and

a conduit piece attached to the valve body in fluid communication said fluid passageway extending longitudinally through the valve body, said conduit piece having a proximal end attached to said valve body and a distal end projecting outward from said valve body for patient contact, and wherein rotation of said rotor controls introduction of fluid into the conduit piece.

14. The mechanism of claim 13 wherein said thumb-actuated means includes a molded-plastic saddle bar extending transversely across said valve body above said rotor with integrally formed side bars depending from said saddle bar ends and drivingly connected to said rotor, the side bars are drivingly connected through first engaging means on opposite ends of the rotor which extend outwardly from said valve body and wherein said side bars are provided with second engagement means for snapping engagement respectively with said first engagement means.