Pressure equalization balloon and method for the production thereof
AssigneeTracoe Medical GmbH
InventorsRalf Schnell, Andreas Hahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The volume of a pressure equalization balloon is connected to a further volume, the pressure of which is intended to remain as constant as possible. To keep the cuff pressure in the pressure range of between roughly 20 mbar and 30 mbar, the equalization balloon is produced from a thermoplastic polymer (TPE) and is overstretched past the maximum intended control volume before first use and is then relaxed to the range of the control volume.
Claims19
A pressure equalization balloon, having a regulating volume, wherein the regulating volume of the pressure equalization balloon is connectable to a further volume whose pressure is to be maintained at a constant value even in the event of a forced change of said further volume, characterised in that the pressure equalization balloon is produced from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and the pressure equalization balloon before first use was overstretched to an overstretching volume beyond a predetermined maximum of the regulating volume and is then relaxed to a volume corresponding to or below the maximum regulating volume, wherein the overstretching volume is at least two times the maximum regulating volume and at least ten times a volume of the balloon in a condition filled at ambient pressure prior to the overstretching, so that the modulus of elasticity of the TPE changes in such a way that the pressure within the pressure equalization balloon remains constant at least within a predetermined regulating volume range of the pressure equalization balloon by the volume of the pressure equalization balloon increasing at a pressure rising above a desired regulating value and decreasing at a pressure decreasing below the desired regulating value, wherein the regulating volume is in the range of from 20 cm3 to 100 cm3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.