Flush-valve assembly for blood pressure measurement catheter
First Claim
1. A flush valve for a blood-pressure monitoring system, comprising:
- a formed substantially rigid body;
fluid inlet and outlet paths defined in the body;
a valve-core cavity defined in the body, said cavity having an interior and a floor;
a valve seat defined at the floor of the cavity;
a valve core of a resilient material disposed in the cavity and biased against the valve seat to cooperate with the valve seat in substantially preventing flush-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths;
drip-rate fluid-flow means comprising a small-diameter lumen passing through said valve core of resilient material bypassing the valve seat to communicate between the inlet and outlet paths to permit drip-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths; and
operable flush-control means for deforming the resilient valve core to overcome the bias and separate part of the core from the seat, to permit flush-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A resilient valve core, biased against its seat in a molded body, controls large flow volumes for flushing. A small resilient tube embedded in the core bypasses the valve to provide smaller flow volumes for IV-fluid drip. For flushing, the core is deformed, rather than bodily moved, relative to the body. A fluid-flow channel is recessed along one side of the valve cavity, and the valve seat forms a short barrier across this channel. The core is a T-shaped unitary member; the center of the "upper" surface of the T crossbar is biased against the seat, and the extrema of the crossbar are hermetically sealed against the valve body, while the stem of the T extends outward from the body. A user squeezes a cowling mounted outside the body to start and control flushing. The cowling itself deforms to pull the stem of the T outward, deforming the T and separating the middle of its crossbar portion from the valve seat. A user can elect to grasp and pull the stem directly. Parts of the upper side of the extrema of the T crossbar are relieved, forming a smooth fluid-flow transition with the inlet and outlet. These paths, the relieved parts of the crossbar, and the cavity interior are all smooth, gently tapering and well fitted, forming nearly an in-line flush path to minimize gas-bubble trapping.
178 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A flush valve for a blood-pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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a formed substantially rigid body; fluid inlet and outlet paths defined in the body; a valve-core cavity defined in the body, said cavity having an interior and a floor; a valve seat defined at the floor of the cavity; a valve core of a resilient material disposed in the cavity and biased against the valve seat to cooperate with the valve seat in substantially preventing flush-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths; drip-rate fluid-flow means comprising a small-diameter lumen passing through said valve core of resilient material bypassing the valve seat to communicate between the inlet and outlet paths to permit drip-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths; and operable flush-control means for deforming the resilient valve core to overcome the bias and separate part of the core from the seat, to permit flush-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A flush valve for a blood-pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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a formed substantially rigid body; fluid inlet and outlet paths defined in the body; a valve-core cavity defined in the body and having an interior; at least one fluid flow channel defined along one side of the cavity and communicating with the fluid inlet or outlet path; a valve seat defined at the same side of the cavity and disposed to block the channel; a valve core of a resilient material disposed in the cavity and biased against the valve seat to cooperate with the valve seat in substantially preventing flush-rate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet paths along the channel, and wherein; the core comprises a generally T-shaped resilient member, said T-shaped resilient member comprising a staff and a cross bar forming said T-shape, said cross bar having an upper surface and two extrema; the upper surface of the crossbar of the T shape of the resilient member is biased against the seat by the resilience of the member, the extrema of the crossbar of the T shape of the resilient member are hermetically sealed against the body, the staff of the T shape of the resilient member extends outward from the body; a small-diameter resilient tube disposed within and through the valve core and bypassing the valve seat to communicate between the inlet and outlet paths; and manually manipulable means disposed substantially outside the body for drawing the staff of the T shape of the resilient member outward with respect to the body to deform the resilient valve core overcoming the bias and separate the core from the seat, to effect flush-rate fluid flow along the channel between the inlet and outlet paths; and wherein portions of the extrema of the crossbar of the T shape of the resilient member that are aligned with the inlet and outlet paths respectively are relieved to cooperate with the channel to form a smooth fluid-flow transition with the inlet and outlet paths; and wherein the inlet and outlet paths, the relieved portions of the crossbar of the resilient member, and the interior of the valve-core cavity are all defined by smooth, gently tapering, well-fitted surfaces forming a substantially in-line flush path, substantially without crevices or eddy points that might trap gas bubbles. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification