Manually-actuated reduced pressure treatment system having regulated pressure capabilities
View Patent ↗A reduced pressure treatment apparatus includes a charging chamber storing a first pressure less than an ambient pressure and a regulated chamber storing a second pressure less than the ambient pressure. The first pressure is less than the second pressure. A conduit provides fluid communication between the regulated chamber and the charging chamber. A regulator member is operably associated with the conduit to prevent fluid communication through the conduit when the second pressure is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure and to allow fluid communication through the conduit when the second pressure exceeds the desired therapy pressure.
1. A manually-actuated reduced pressure pump comprising:
a first barrel having a closed end;
a piston movably disposed within the first barrel, a charging chamber being defined between the closed end of the first barrel and the piston;
a piston spring operably associated with the piston to bias the piston in a direction that allows an increase in a volume of the charging chamber;
a seal disposed within the first barrel, a regulated chamber being defined between the seal and the piston;
a regulator passage providing fluid communication between the charging chamber and the regulated chamber;
a second barrel operably associated with the piston to move the piston toward a compressed position; and
a valve body operably associated with the regulator passage to selectively allow or prevent fluid communication between the charging chamber and the regulated chamber.
2. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 further comprising:
a regulator spring operably associated with the valve body to bias the valve body toward an open position.
3. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 , wherein the valve body is disposed on a central portion of the seal.
4. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 , wherein the seal is an elastomeric material.
5. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 further comprising:
a regulator spring operably associated with the valve body to exert a biasing force on the valve body toward an open position, the valve body in the open position allowing fluid communication through the regulator passage;
wherein the biasing force on the valve body is configured to be counteracted by a pressure within the regulated chamber;
wherein the valve body is configured to be positioned in a closed position when the pressure within the regulated chamber is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure; and
wherein the valve body is configured to be positioned in the open position when the pressure within the regulated chamber is greater than the desired therapy pressure.
6. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 , wherein:
the charging chamber is configured to store a first pressure;
the regulated chamber is configured to store a second pressure;
the first pressure is less than the second pressure; and
the first pressure and the second pressure are less than an ambient pressure.
7. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 6 , wherein:
the first pressure is about −150 mm Hg; and
the second pressure is about −125 mm Hg.
8. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 , wherein the regulator passage passes through the piston.
9. The manually-actuated reduced pressure pump of claim 1 further comprising:
a regulator spring operably associated with the valve body to exert a biasing force on the valve body toward an open position, the valve body configured to allow fluid communication through the regulator passage in the open position:
wherein the charging chamber is configured to store a first pressure that is less than an ambient pressure;
wherein the regulated chamber is configured to store a second pressure that is less than the ambient pressure, the first pressure being less than the second pressure;
wherein the biasing force on the valve body is configured to be counteracted by the second pressure within the regulated chamber;
wherein the valve body is configured to be positioned in a closed position when the second pressure is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure; and
wherein the valve body is configured to be positioned in the open position when the second pressure is greater than the desired therapy pressure.
10. A reduced pressure treatment apparatus comprising:
a piston chamber having a closed end;
a piston disposed within the piston chamber and being movable between an extended position and a compressed position;
a charging chamber disposed between the piston and the closed end, the charging chamber having a first volume when the piston is in the compressed position and a second volume when the piston is in the extended position, the first volume being less than the second volume;
a biasing member between the piston and the closed end and adapted to bias the piston toward the extended position;
a valve member allowing fluid to exit the charging chamber as the piston moves toward the compressed position and preventing fluid from entering the charging chamber as the piston moves toward the extended position;
a regulated chamber fluidly coupled to an outlet port:
a passage between the regulated chamber and the charging chamber; and
a regulator member biased against a differential between ambient pressure and pressure in the regulated chamber to regulate fluid communication through the passage.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the regulator member is configured to close the passage to prevent fluid communication through the passage when the pressure in the regulated chamber is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure; and
the regulator member is configured to open the passage to allow fluid communication through the passage when the pressure in the regulated chamber is greater than the desired therapy pressure.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the valve member is a seal configured to allow unidirectional fluid flow into the charging chamber.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the regulator member further comprises:
a valve seat disposed adjacent the passage; and
a valve body configured to engage the valve seat to substantially reduce fluid communication through the passage.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the charging chamber is configured to store a first pressure;
the regulated chamber is configured to store a second pressure;
the first pressure is less than the second pressure; and
the first pressure and the second pressure are less than an ambient pressure.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:
the first pressure is about −150 mm Hg; and
the second pressure is about −125 mm Hg.
16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:
the charging chamber is configured to store a first pressure that is less than an ambient pressure;
the regulated chamber is configured to store a second pressure that is less than the ambient pressure, the first pressure being less than the second pressure;
the regulator member is configured to close the passage to prevent fluid communication through the passage when the second pressure in the regulated chamber is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure; and
the regulator member is configured to open the passage to allow fluid communication through the passage when the second pressure is greater than the desired therapy pressure.
17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the biasing member is a piston spring.
18. A reduced pressure treatment apparatus comprising:
a charging chamber configured to store a first pressure less than an ambient pressure;
a regulated chamber configured to store a second pressure less than the ambient pressure, the first pressure being less than the second pressure;
a conduit between the regulated chamber and the charging chamber; and
a regulator member operably associated with the conduit to prevent fluid communication through the conduit when the second pressure is less than or equal to a desired therapy pressure and to allow fluid communication through the conduit when the second pressure exceeds the desired therapy pressure.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising an electric pump to deliver a reduced pressure to the charging chamber.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a manually-actuated pump to deliver a reduced pressure to the charging chamber.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the regulator member further comprises:
a valve seat disposed adjacent the conduit; and
a valve body capable of engaging the valve seat to substantially reduce fluid communication through the conduit.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:
a spring operably associated with the valve body to urge the valve body toward an open position which allows fluid communication through the conduit.
23. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the first pressure is about −150 mm Hg; and
the second pressure is about −125 mm Hg.
24. A reduced pressure treatment system comprising:
a manifold adapted to be positioned at a tissue site;
a regulated chamber in fluid communication with the manifold to deliver a desired therapy pressure;
a charging chamber adapted to store a charging pressure that is less than the desired therapy pressure;
a passage between the regulated chamber and the charging chamber; and
a valve body operably associated with the passage to substantially reduce fluid communication through the passage when a pressure in the regulated chamber is less than or equal to the desired therapy pressure and to allow fluid communication through the passage when the pressure in the regulated chamber exceeds the desired therapy pressure.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein:
the desired therapy pressure is about −125 mm Hg; and
the charging pressure is about −150 mm Hg.
26. The system of claim 24 further comprising an electric pump to deliver the charging pressure to the charging chamber.
27. The system of claim 24 further comprising a manually-actuated pump to deliver the charging pressure to the charging chamber.
28. The system of claim 24 , wherein the valve body is configured to engage a valve seat adjacent the passage to substantially reduce fluid communication through the passage.
29. The system of claim 24 further comprising:
a spring operably associated with the valve body to urge the valve body toward an open position, the valve body configured to allow fluid communication through the passage in the open position.
30. A method of providing reduced pressure treatment to a tissue site, the method comprising:
storing a charging pressure within a charging chamber;
delivering a desired therapy pressure from a regulated chamber to the tissue site, wherein the regulated chamber is fluidly coupled to an outlet port; and
when a pressure within the regulated chamber exceeds the desired therapy pressure, reducing the pressure within the regulated chamber by allowing fluid communication between the charging chamber and the regulated chamber.
31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:
selectively blocking a conduit between the charging chamber and the regulated chamber to prevent fluid communication between the charging chamber and the regulated chamber.
32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:
charging the charging chamber by manually reducing a volume of the charging chamber and then allowing the volume of the charging chamber to expand.