Check valve, in particular for use in an implantable artificial bladder

• US 6,197,005 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caremed Medical Produkte AG
• Original Assignee: Caremed Medical Produkte AG
• Inventors: Reuter, Juergen, Rohrmann, Dorothea, Gerlach, Roland, Hannappel, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidel, Richard K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US09/350,284
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 604/247, 604/246, 604/537, 604/30, 604/288.03, 604/288.01, 604/31, 604/118, 604/99.02, 604/99.03, 604/99.04, 604/167.01, 604/167.03, 604/236, 604/122, 604/129, 604/9, 604/34, 604/123, 604/323, 137/853, 128/DIG.12
• US Class Current: 604/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/042 Urinary bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7889 Sleeve

Abstract

The check valve comprises an inlet duct (31) , an outlet duct (32) and a valve chamber (34) arranged between them. The valve chamber (34) is permanently connected with the inlet duct (31) via openings (35). On a blind duct (33) a valve member (36) is mounted which is made up of a flexible inherently stable hose. The valve member (36) extends into the outlet duct (32) and contacts the inner surface of the outlet duct. At a pressure exceeding the opening pressure of the valve the valve member (36) is lifted off the inner surface of the outlet duct (32).

Claims

1. A check valve particularly adapted for an implantable artificial bladder comprising an inlet duct (31), an outlet duct (32), a valve chamber (34) positioned between the inlet duct (31) and the outlet duct (32), said valve chamber (34) housing a deformable tubular valve member (36), said tubular valve member (36) having a closed end and an open end, the closed end of said valve member (36) being positioned in said valve chamber (34) which is in open fluid communication with said inlet duct (31), an outer surface of the open end of said tubular valve member (36) contacting an inner surface of said outlet duct (32) whereby the tubular valve member (36) can be lifted off the inner surface of the outlet duct (32) when an opening pressure is exceeded, a hollow blind duct (33) extending from the inlet duct (31), said blind duct (33) including at least one opening (35) opening toward the valve chamber (34), and said blind duct (33) closes said closed end of the tubular valve member (36).

2. The check valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular valve member (36) is in external telescopic secured relationship to the blind duct (33).

3. The check valve as defined in claim 1 including a second check valve particularly adapted for an implantable artificial bladder comprising a second inlet duct (31), a second outlet duct (32), a second valve chamber (34) positioned between the second inlet duct (31) and the second outlet duct (32), said second valve chamber (34) including a deformable tubular second valve member (36), said second tubular valve member (36) having a closed end and an open end, the closed end of the second tubular valve member (36) being positioned in the second valve chamber (34) which is in open fluid communication with the second inlet duct (31), an outer surface of the open end of the second valve member (36) contacting an inner surface of the second outlet duct (32) whereby the tubular second valve member (36) can be lifted off the inner surface of the second outer duct (32) when an opening pressure is exceeded, said first and second valve chambers (32, 32) being defined by housings in part defining a Y-structure with the first and second outlet ducts (32, 32) being interconnected.

4. A check valve particularly adapted for an implantable artificial bladder comprising an inlet duct (31), an outlet duct (32), a valve chamber (34) positioned between the inlet duct (31) and the outlet duct (32), said valve chamber (34) housing a deformable tubular valve member (36), said tubular valve member (36) having a closed end and an open end, the closed end of said valve member (36) being positioned in said valve chamber (34) which is in open fluid communication with said inlet duct (31), an outer surface of the open end of said tubular valve member (36) contacting an inner surface of said outlet duct (32) whereby the tubular valve member (36) can be lifted off the inner surface of the outlet duct (32) when an opening pressure is exceeded, said valve chamber (34) being defined by a housing (30) formed of housing parts (30a, 30b), a first housing part (30a) defining said inlet duct (31) opening into a hollow blind duct (33) extending from the inlet duct (31), said blind duct (33) having at least one opening (35) therein, said first housing part (30a) including a first annular wall (38) surrounding the blind duct (33), a second housing part (30b) defining the outlet duct (32), and said second housing part (30b) including a second annular wall (39) connected to said first annular wall (38).

5. A check valve particularly adapted for an implantable artificial bladder comprising an inlet duct (31), an outlet duct (32), a valve chamber (34) positioned between the inlet duct (31) and the outlet duct (32), said valve chamber (34) housing a deformable tubular valve member (36), said tubular valve member (36) having a closed end and an open end, the closed end of said valve member (36) being positioned in said valve chamber (34) which is in open fluid communication with said inlet duct (31), an outer surface of the open end of said tubular valve member (36) contacting an inner surface of said outlet duct (32) whereby the tubular valve member (36) can be lifted off the inner surface of the outlet duct (32) when an opening pressure is exceeded, and said inlet duct (31) includes a coaxial ring (53) surrounding a pin-shaped holding fixture (54) of the tubular valve member (36) housed within a tubular valve housing (50).