Implantable penile prosthesis pump
View Patent ↗Pumps for use with inflatable implantable penile prostheses in accordance with the invention include features that can provide for free fluid flow during inflation and deflation modes of the pump. Pumps may also include a bypass chamber that is fluidly connected to the fluid passageway by a bypass input channel and a bypass output channel. The bypass chamber comprises a bypass check valve biased toward a closed position.
1. A pump for transferring fluid between a fluid reservoir and at least one inflatable penile prosthesis, the pump comprising:
a pump housing having a fluid passageway;
first and second fluid ports in fluid communication with the fluid passageway and operatively connectable to a fluid reservoir and at least one inflatable penile prosthesis, respectively;
a pump bulb in fluid communication with the fluid passageway that can be operated to transfer fluid between the first and second fluid ports through the fluid passageway;
first and second poppets positioned within the fluid passageway, aligned along a valve axis, and biased toward first and second valve seats within the fluid passageway, respectively, wherein the first poppet comprises an end slidingly engaged with the second poppet and an extending portion extending away from a body portion of the first poppet;
a flange spaced from the first valve seat within the fluid passageway and extending from a surface of the fluid passageway toward an interior area of the fluid passageway;
a first fluid path between the extending portion of the first poppet and the flange when the extending portion of the first poppet is in contact with the flange, wherein the first fluid path can allow fluid to pass from one side of the flange to the other; and
a second fluid path providing fluid communication between the fluid passageway and a fluid bypass chamber when the extending portion of the first poppet is in contact with the first valve seat;
wherein the fluid bypass chamber is fluidly connected by a bypass input channel to the fluid passageway at a first location and fluidly connected by a bypass output channel to the fluid passageway at a second location.