Pressure limiting device

• US 6,050,973 A
• Filed: 09/14/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Ave Connaught
• Inventors: Duffy, Niall F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn Wood
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, LoAn H.
• Application Number:
  US09/152,967
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 604/97-99, 604/920-921, 604/246-247, 137/505.13, 606/192, 606/194
• US Class Current: 604/99.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10182 Injector syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10185 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/06 Haemostasis valves, i.e. gaskets sealing around a needle, catheter or the like, closing on removal thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7796 Senses inlet pressure

Abstract

An apparatus for limiting the pressure of inflation fluid injected into one or more balloon of a catheter device comprising a reservoir chamber having an inlet port coupled in fluid communication with an inflation/deflation device and a plurality of outlet ports coupled in fluid communication with a plurality of cylindrical housings. Each cylindrical housing includes a pressure chamber and a valve chamber. The valve chamber receives a piston moveable between a fully open position and a closed position and spring biased toward the fully open position. Each housing includes an outlet port coupled in fluid communication with a separate balloon of a catheter device. Each piston includes an internal flow path which enables the flow of pressurized inflation fluid from the reservoir chamber to the balloon catheter when the pressure of the inflation fluid within the balloon is below the desired cut-off pressure. As the pressure of the inflation fluid within each balloon increases, the associated piston is urged toward its closed position. When the inflation fluid within the each balloon reaches the predetermined cut-off pressure level, the associated piston moves to the closed position and cuts-off the flow of inflation fluid from the reservoir chamber to the respective balloon.

Claims

1. An apparatus for limiting the pressure of inflation fluid injected from an inflation/deflation device to a balloon catheter, comprising:

a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a side wall, the housing including;

a valve chamber having a valve chamber inlet port formed in a valve chamber side wall for fluid communication with the inflation/deflation device and a valve chamber outlet port formed in the valve chamber side wall for fluid communication with the balloon catheter;

a pressure chamber coupled in fluid communication with the valve chamber and having a pressure chamber outlet port; and

a passageway having an inlet at a distal end thereof and an outlet at a proximal end thereof, wherein the distal inlet is coupled in fluid communication with the pressure chamber outlet port;

a piston disposed within the valve chamber having a proximal surface in fluid communication with the pressure chamber, a distal surface, a side surface, a first piston bore and a second piston bore, wherein the first piston bore forms a first bore passageway extending from a first piston outlet formed in the piston proximal surface to a second piston outlet formed in the piston side surface and the second piston bore forms a second bore passageway extending from a piston inlet formed in the piston side surface to a juncture with the first piston bore, the piston being movable within the valve chamber between an open position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber inlet port and the second piston outlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port, and a closed position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port and the second piston outlet is sealingly closed;

means for yieldably biasing the piston toward an open position within the valve chamber, wherein the means provides a predetermined force, which, when overcome by the force exerted on the piston proximal surface by the pressurized fluid within the pressure chamber, allows movement of the piston within the valve chamber from an open position toward the closed position;

a one-way pressure relief valve operatively associated with the passageway which prohibits the flow of fluid through the passageway to the pressure chamber, and permits, when desired, the flow of pressurized fluid from the pressure chamber through the passageway and out the proximal outlet of the passageway;

a first seal for preventing the flow of inflation fluid to a portion of the valve chamber extending between the piston distal surface and an interior surface of the distal end of the housing; and

a second seal for cutting off the flow of inflation fluid from the inflation/deflation device and into the valve chamber when the piston is in the closed position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stop means operatively associated with the valve chamber for preventing the piston from moving within the valve chamber beyond the closed position toward the interior surface of the distal end of the housing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the stop means comprises a protrusion extending from a valve chamber side surface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a body having a proximal wall, an open distal end, and a side wall, the body including the pressure chamber positioned adjacent the proximal wall of the body and the valve chamber extending to the open distal end of the body;

a cap removably coupled to the open distal end of the body, whereby the cap forms the distal end of the housing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cap is adjustably coupled to the open distal end of the body such that the valve chamber length and the force exerted on the distal surface of the piston by the biasing means may be varied.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is one or more springs disposed within the portion of the valve chamber extending between the piston distal surface and the interior surface of the distal end of the housing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first seal comprises a resilient O-ring mounted to the piston side surface at a position between the piston distal surface and the second piston outlet.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second seal comprises a pair of resilient O-rings mounted along the length of the piston side surface between the piston proximal surface and the piston inlet such that the O-rings form fluid tight seals between the piston side surface and the valve chamber side surface at positions immediately proximal and distal of the valve chamber inlet port when the piston is in the closed position.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reservoir chamber having an input port for fluid communication with the inflation/deflation device, a reservoir chamber outlet port coupled in fluid communication with the valve chamber and a reservoir chamber inlet port in fluid communication with the one-way pressure relief valve;

a first conduit having an inlet end coupled in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber inlet port and an outlet end coupled in fluid communication with the valve chamber inlet port; and

a second conduit coupled at an inlet end in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port and having an outlet end for fluid communication with the balloon catheter.

10. An apparatus for limiting the pressure of inflation fluid injected from an inflation/deflation device to a plurality of balloons associated with one or more balloon catheters, comprising:

a reservoir chamber having a reservoir chamber input port for fluid communication with the inflation/deflation device and a plurality of reservoir chamber outlet ports;

a plurality of housings, each housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a side wall, wherein each housing includes a valve chamber having a valve chamber inlet port formed in a valve chamber side wall and coupled in fluid communication with one of the reservoir chamber outlet ports and a valve chamber outlet port formed in the valve chamber side wall for fluid communication with a balloon associated with a balloon catheter, and a pressure chamber coupled in fluid communication with the valve chamber and having a pressure chamber outlet port;

a piston disposed within each valve chamber having a proximal surface in fluid communication with the pressure chamber, a distal surface, a side surface, a first piston bore and a second piston bore, wherein the first piston bore forms a first bore passageway extending from a first piston outlet formed in the proximal surface of the piston to a second piston outlet formed in the side surface of the piston and the second piston bore forms a second bore passageway extending from a piston inlet formed in the piston side surface to a juncture with the first piston bore, the piston being movable within the valve chamber between an open position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber inlet port and the second piston outlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port, and a closed position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port and the second piston outlet is sealingly closed;

means associated with each valve chamber for yieldably biasing each piston toward an open position within the valve chamber, wherein the means provides a predetermined force, which, when overcome by the force exerted on the piston proximal surface by the pressurized fluid within the pressure chamber, allows movement of the piston within the valve chamber from an open position toward the closed position;

a passageway operatively associated with each housing, each passageway having an inlet end coupled in fluid communication with the pressure chamber outlet port and an outlet end;

a one-way pressure relief valve operatively associated with the passageway of each housing which prohibits the flow of fluid through the passageway to the pressure chamber, and permits, when desired, the flow of pressurized fluid from the pressure chamber through the passageway and out the outlet end of the passageway;

a first seal operatively associated with each valve chamber for preventing the flow of inflation fluid to a portion of the valve chamber extending between the piston distal surface and an interior surface of the distal end of the housing; and

a second seal operatively associated with each valve chamber for cutting off the flow of inflation fluid from the inflation/deflation device and into the valve chamber when the piston is in the closed position.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a stop means operatively associated with each valve chamber for preventing the piston from moving within the valve chamber beyond the closed position toward the interior surface of the distal end of the housing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the stop means comprises a protrusion extending from a valve chamber side surface.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each housing comprises:

a body having a proximal wall, an open distal end, and a side wall, the body including the pressure chamber positioned adjacent the proximal wall of the housing body and the valve chamber extending to the open distal end of the body;

a cap removably coupled to the open distal end of the body, whereby the cap forms the distal end of the housing.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cap is adjustably coupled to the open distal end of the body such that the valve chamber length and the force exerted on the distal surface of the piston by the biasing means may be varied.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the reservoir chamber further includes a plurality of inlet ports, wherein one of said plurality of reservoir chamber inlet ports is coupled in fluid communication with the outlet end of the passageway associated with each housing.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the biasing means for each piston is one or more springs disposed within the portion of the valve chamber extending between the piston distal surface and the interior surface of the distal end of the housing.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first seal associated with each valve chamber comprises a resilient O-ring mounted to the piston side surface at a position between the piston distal surface and the second piston outlet.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second seal associated with each valve chamber comprises a pair of resilient O-rings mounted along the length of the piston side surface between the piston proximal surface and the piston inlet such that the O-rings form fluid tight seals between the piston side surface and the valve chamber side surface at positions immediately proximal and distal of the valve chamber inlet port when the piston is in the closed position.

19. An apparatus for limiting the pressure of inflation fluid injected from an inflation/deflation device to a plurality of balloons associated with one or more balloon catheters, comprising:

a reservoir chamber having an input port adapted for fluid communication with the inflation/deflation device, a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of outlet ports;

a plurality of housings, each housing comprising (1) a body having a proximal wall, an open distal end, and a side wall, the body including a pressure chamber positioned adjacent the proximal wall of the housing body, a pressure chamber outlet port formed in the pressure chamber coupled in fluid communication with one of said plurality of reservoir chamber inlet ports, a valve chamber extending to the open distal end of the body, and a valve chamber inlet port and a valve chamber outlet port each of said inlet and outlet ports formed in a valve chamber side wall, wherein the valve chamber inlet port is coupled in fluid communication with one of said plurality of reservoir chamber outlet ports and the valve chamber outlet port is for fluid communication with a balloon associated with a balloon catheter, and (2) a cap removably and adjustably coupled to the open distal end of the body, whereby the cap forms a distal wall portion of the housing;

a piston disposed within each valve chamber having a proximal surface in fluid communication with the pressure chamber, a distal surface, a side surface, a first piston bore and a second piston bore, wherein the first piston bore forms a first bore passageway extending from a first piston outlet formed in the proximal surface of the piston to a second piston outlet formed in the side surface of the piston and the second piston bore forms a second bore passageway extending from a piston inlet formed in the piston side surface to a juncture with the first piston bore, the piston being movable within the valve chamber between an open position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber inlet port and the second piston outlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port, and a closed position wherein the piston inlet is in fluid communication with the valve chamber outlet port and the second piston outlet is sealingly closed;

one or more springs disposed within each valve chamber for yieldably biasing the piston toward an open position within the valve chamber, wherein each spring provides a predetermined force, which, when overcome by the force exerted on the piston proximal surface by the pressurized fluid within the pressure chamber, allows movement of the piston within the valve chamber from an open position toward the closed position;

a passageway operatively associated with each housing, each passageway having an inlet end coupled in fluid communication with the pressure chamber outlet port and an outlet end coupled in fluid communication with one of said plurality of reservoir chamber inlet ports;

a one-way pressure relief valve operatively associated with the passageway of each housing which prohibits the flow of fluid from the reservoir chamber, through the passageway and into the pressure chamber, and permits, when desired, the flow of pressurized fluid from the pressure chamber through the passageway and into the reservoir chamber;

a resilient O-ring mounted to the side surface of each piston at a position between the piston distal surface and the second piston outlet; and

a pair of resilient O-rings mounted along the length of each piston side surface between the piston proximal surface and the piston inlet such that the O-rings form fluid tight seals between the piston side surface and the valve chamber side surface at positions immediately proximal and distal of the valve chamber inlet port when the piston is in the closed position.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a stop means operatively associated with each valve chamber for preventing the piston from moving within the valve chamber beyond the closed position toward the interior surface of the distal end of the housing.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the stop means comprises a protrusion extending from a valve chamber side surface.