Electrical medical vacuum regulator
First Claim
1. In a medical vacuum regulator for applying regulated vacuum to a patient delivery system from an unregulated vacuum source connectable with the regulator, the improvement being a controller, comprising:
- means for electromechanically regulating vacuum applied to the patient delivery system to provide a preselected level of vacuum; and
means connected to the electromechanically regulating means for electrically controlling the regulating means to vary the preselected level of vacuum applied to the patient, includingmeans for intermittently decreasing the preselected level of vacuum, andmeans for automatically, intermittently increasing the preselected level of vacuum to a preselected maximum level gradually to reduce vacuum surge trauma.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical vacuum regulator (10) with a solenoid regulating valve (20) and a comparator (22) for electrically, automatically controlling the solenoid regulating valve (20) to intermittently open and close to achieve a preselected regulated vacuum (v) which is continuously provided or in intermittent mode decreases during a relaxation period (35) to atmosphere (30) and automatically increases during a ramp period (29) of a vacuum cycle (21) to prevent vacuum surge trauma to a patient (14). The regulating valve (20), in addition to regulating the vacuum during the vacuum cycle (21), continuously vents the system to atmosphere (30) when a patient venting solenoid valve (48) vents the patient (14) to atmosphere (30) to reduce the load on a vacuum pump (12). The continuous and intermittent modes of operation are selected by a mode selection circuit (36) with means for maintaining it in its selected state during a period of temporary power loss.
156 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a medical vacuum regulator for applying regulated vacuum to a patient delivery system from an unregulated vacuum source connectable with the regulator, the improvement being a controller, comprising:
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means for electromechanically regulating vacuum applied to the patient delivery system to provide a preselected level of vacuum; and means connected to the electromechanically regulating means for electrically controlling the regulating means to vary the preselected level of vacuum applied to the patient, including means for intermittently decreasing the preselected level of vacuum, and means for automatically, intermittently increasing the preselected level of vacuum to a preselected maximum level gradually to reduce vacuum surge trauma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In a medical vacuum regulator for supplying a regulated vacuum to a patient delivery system from an unregulated, substantially continuous vacuum source connectable with the regulator, the improvement being a controller, comprising:
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means for continuously venting the patient delivery system to atmosphere during periodic patient venting periods; means for automatically venting the unregulated vacuum source to atmosphere during the periodic patient venting periods to reduce the load on said unregulated vacuum source when connected with the regulator; and means electrically connected to the patient delivery system venting means and to the vacuum source venting means for controlling the unregulated source venting means to alternately vent and not vent the unregulated, vacuum source during vacuum periods occurring between the periodic patient venting periods to achieve regulation at preselected vacuum levels during the vacuum periods. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In an electrically powered medical vacuum regulator with continuous and intermittent modes of operation in which vacuum is continuously and intermittently applied to a patient, respectively, the improvement being a mode control circuit, comprising:
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means including an electronic mode selection switch manually actuatable for alternatively selecting said continuous mode and said intermittent mode, respectively; and means responsive to the electronic mode selection switch for selectively establishing operation in said continuous and intermittent modes including storing the last selection of mode selection switch during a period of power loss to the regulator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A regulator, comprising:
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regulation chamber connectable to an unregulated source of vacuum; a regulating venting electromechanically operable valve to selectively vent the regulation chamber; means for preselecting a regulated vacuum level; and means electrically connected to both the regulating venting valve and the preselecting means and responsive to said preselecting means for generating signals to control the regulating valve to alternately open to vent and close a plurality of times per second to directly achieve regulation in the regulation chamber at said preselected regulated vacuum level. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. In a medical vacuum regulator for applying regulated vacuum to a patient delivery system, the improvement being a controller, comprising:
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a regulation chamber connected with a regulating valve, the regulating valve having means for automatically, alternately opening and closing to change the;
regulated vacuum; andmeans to control the regulating valve to gradually change the regulated vacuum to a preselected level by alternately opening and closing a plurality of times per second.
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Specification