Single use medical aspirating device and method

• US 5,215,522 A
• Filed: 04/05/1991
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ballard Medical Products (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Palmer, Darrel, Page, Larry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REICHLE, KARIN M
• Application Number:
  US07/682,165
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.16, 128/200.26, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 604/33, 604/35, 604/118, 604/119, 604/159, 604/163, 604/167, 604/171, 604/249, 604/27, 604/28, 604/30, 604/32, 604/34, 604/246, 604/248, 604/250, 251/331, 251/335.2, 251/318, 251/336, 251/346-368, 137/903
• US Class Current: 604/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/7413 by changing the cross-section of the line
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/86 Connectors between drainage tube and handpiece, e.g. drainage tubes detachable from handpiece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0465 Tracheostomy tubes; Devices for performing a tracheostomy; Accessories therefor, e.g. masks, filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0111 Aseptic insertion devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 137/903 Rubber valve springs

Abstract

A reliable, contamination-resistant, single-use, disposable, medical, non-ventilating, aspirating device and method. The device releasibly connects to and aligns with an indwelling endotracheal tube to accommodate advancing of an aspirating catheter tube of the device by manual manipulation through a sterile, flexible envelope and selective evacuation of lung secretions through a closed and sterile two-position, normally-closed, manually-operable valve at the proximal end of the device, while simultaneously accommodating voluntarily respiration by the patient.

Claims

1. An aspirating assembly comprising:

an aspirating catheter tube comprising distal and proximal ends;

normally-closed valve structure by which aspirating vacuum pressure is selectively communicated to the interior of the catheter tube for evacuation of secretions from the lungs of a patient, the valve structure comprising a valve and a valve body in which a part of the valve may be manually displaced, the valve body comprising normally-closed bore means for connection at opposite ends of the bore means respectively, to the proximal end of said catheter tube and to a source of the vacuum pressure, the valve comprising a one-piece element comprising (a) means simultaneously self-biasing the valve toward a closed position, but accommodating on-going manual displacement of part of the element counter to the self-bias into an open position for opening said bore means across the valve structure to accommodate communication of the vacuum pressure to the interior of the catheter tube, (b) means sealing a portion of the valve to the valve body for preventing entry of atmospheric air, (c) means sealing the valve to the valve body adjacent the bore means against fluid flow beyond the bore means within the valve structure caused by vacuum pressure, and (d) means accommodating fluid flow along the bore means across the valve structure responsive to vacuum pressure when the said part of element is displaced counter to the self-biasing to the open position.

2. An aspirating assembly according to claim 1, the one-piece element comprising an exposed actuator portion by which said part of the one-piece element is manually displaced from the closed to the open position counter to the self-biasing.

3. An aspirating assembly comprising:

an aspirating catheter tube comprising a proximal end and a distal end;

normally-closed valve structure comprising a valve and a valve body by which aspirating vacuum pressure is selectively communicated along bore means to the interior of the catheter tube for evacuation of lung secretions, said bore means comprising means for connection to the proximal end of the catheter tube and means for connection to a source of said vacuum pressure, the valve comprising a self-biasing, one-piece, elastomeric element comprising;

means self-biasing the valve toward a normally-closed position but accommodating manual displacement of at least some of the elastomeric element from the closed to an open position counter to the self-biasing, means sealing a portion of the valve to the valve body for preventing entry of atmospheric air, means sealing the elastomeric element to the valve body adjacent the bore means against flow beyond the bore means within the valve structure caused by vacuum pressure and means accommodating flow along the bore means across the valve structure responsive to vacuum pressure when the at least some of the elastomeric element is displaced counter to the self-biasing to the open position.

4. An aspirating assembly according to claim 3 wherein the elastomeric element further comprises an exposed actuator portion by which said at least some of the elastomeric element is manually displaced from the closed to the open position counter to the self-biasing.

5. Normally-closed, valve structure by which vacuum pressure is selectively communicated across the valve structure, the valve structure comprising a valve and a valve body in which the valve may be manually displaced, the valve body comprising bore means for accomodating selective communication of vacuum pressure across the valve structure, the valve comprising a one-piece structural element comprising:

one portion sealingly joined to the valve body for preventing entry of atmospheric air into the valve structure, a second portion self-biasing the structural element toward a normally-closed position at the bore means, a third portion sealing the valve to the valve body against flow beyond the bore means within the valve structure caused by vacuum pressure, a manual-displaceable fourth valving portion comprising flow path-defining means by which the bore means is caused to be opened for flow caused by the vacuum pressure across the valve structure when the valving portion is displaced counter to the self-biasing into an open position.

6. Valve structure according to claim 5 wherein the one-piece structural element comprising a fifth portion comprising exposed actuator means by which the valving portion is manually displaced from the closed to the open position counter to the self-biasing.

7. Normally-closed valve structure by which vacuum pressure is selectively communicated across the valve structure, the valve structure comprising a valve and a valve body in which a part of the valve may be manually displaced, the valve body comprising normally-closed bore means for accomodating selective communication of vacuum pressure across the valve structure, the valve comprising an element formed as one piece comprising (a) a part simultaneously self-biasing the valve toward a closed position at the bore means, but accommodating ongoing manual displacement of said part of the element counter to the self-biasing into an open position for opening said bore means across the valve structure to the vacuum pressure, (b) a part sealing a portion of the valve to the valve body for preventing entry of atmospheric air, (c) a part sealing the valve to the valve body adjacent to the bore means against flow beyond the bore means within the valve structure caused by vacuum pressure, and (d) a part accommodating flow along the bore means across the valve structure responsive to vacuum pressure when said part of the element is displaced counter to the self-biasing to the open position.

8. Valve structure according to claim 7 wherein the element formed as one piece comprising an exposed actuator portion by which the element is manually displaced from the closed to the open position counter to the self-biasing.

9. Normally-closed valve structure by which vacuum pressure is selectively communicated across the valve structure, said valve structure comprising bore means for accommodating selective communication of vacuum pressure across the valve structure and a self-biasing one-piece elastomeric element comprising:

means self-biasing at least a portion of the elastomeric element toward a normally-closed position but accommodating manual displacement counter to the self-biasing of at least some of the elastomeric element from the normally-closed position to an open position, means sealing a portion of the elastomeric element to the valve structure for preventing entry of atmospheric air, means sealing the elastomeric element adjacent the bore means against flow beyond the bore means within the valve structure caused by vacuum pressure and means accommodating flow along the bore means responsive to vacuum pressure when the at least some of the elastomeric element is displaced counter to the self-biasing to the open position.

10. Valve structure according to claim 9 wherein the elastomeric element comprises an exposed actuator by which the elastomeric element is manually displaced from the closed to the open position counter to the self-biasing.