Inflatable penile prosthesis bypass valve noise reduction

1. A bypass valve of an implantable pump of an inflatable penile prosthesis comprising:

a bypass cavity having a valve seat at a port;

a poppet comprising a valve member and a stem extending from the valve member, the poppet including a sealing position, in which the valve member seals the port through contact with the valve seat and a deflating position, in which the valve member is displaced from the valve seat; and

a spring configured to bias the valve member toward the valve seat, wherein the spring engages a portion of the stem while the poppet is in the deflating position.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the stem is cylindrical.

3. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve member is spherical.

4. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring is cylindrical.

5. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring has a diameter that varies along its length.

6. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring includes a conically shaped section.

7. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the stem includes a conically shaped section.

8. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the stem has a diameter that varies along its length.

9. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring engages the stem as the poppet moves between the sealing and deflating positions.

10. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring is configured to buckle in response to the movement of the poppet from the sealing position to the deflating position.

11. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the vibrating spring and poppet system is less than 2500 Hz.

12. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the vibrating spring and poppet system is less than 1500 Hz.

13. An implantable pump of an inflatable penile prosthesis comprising the bypass valve of claim 1 .

14. A method of reducing noise produced by a bypass valve of an implantable pump of an inflatable penile prosthesis during deflation of cylinders of the penile prosthesis, the bypass valve comprising a bypass cavity having a valve seat at a port, a poppet comprising a valve member and a stem extending from the valve member, and a spring, the method comprising steps of:

biasing the poppet with the spring into a sealing position, in which the valve member seals the port through contact with the valve seat;

introducing a flow of fluid to the port;

moving the poppet from the sealing position to a deflating position in response to the flow of fluid, wherein the valve member is displaced from the valve seat and the flow of fluid travels through the bypass cavity; and

inhibiting vibratory movement of the poppet relative to the valve seat through frictional resistance between the stem and the spring.

15. A bypass valve of an implantable pump of an inflatable penile prosthesis:

a bypass cavity having a valve seat at a port;

a poppet comprising a valve member, the poppet including a sealing position in which the valve member seals the port through contact with the valve seat and a deflating position, in which the valve member is displaced from the valve seat; and

a spring biasing the valve member toward the valve seat;

wherein the frequency of the vibrating spring and poppet system is less than 2500 Hz.

16. The valve of claim 15 , wherein the frequency of the vibrating spring and poppet system is less than 1500 Hz.

17. The valve of claim 15 , wherein the valve member is formed of stainless steel.

18. The valve of claim 15 , wherein the valve member is spherical and has a diameter that is greater than 3/32 of an inch.

19. The valve of claim 18 , wherein the diameter of the valve member is greater than or equal to ⅛ of an inch.

20. The valve of claim 15 , wherein the spring has a spring constant selected from the group of less than 80 gm/cm, less than 70 gm/cm and less than 60 gm/cm.

21. The valve of claim 15 , wherein:

the poppet further comprises a stem extending from the valve member; and

the spring engages a portion of the stem while the poppet is in the deflating position.