# US 11,027,055 B2 · Irrigation system comprising dual pumps > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,055 B2 - Document ID: US11027055B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/262,540 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Published: 2019-05-30 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-07 - Assignees: Dentsply Ih AB - Applicants: Dentsply Ih AB - Inventors: Erik Andréen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027055B2 ## CPC - A61M 3/0295: {with inflatable balloon} - A61M 3/0258: {by means of electric pumps} - A61M 3/0262: {manually, e.g. by squeezing a bulb} - A61M 2210/1067: Anus - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract An irrigation system is disclosed that can be uses in, for example, rectal irrigation. The system comprises a reservoir for an irrigating liquid and a probe for arrangement in a user. The probe includes an inflatable balloon for fixing the catheter in a body cavity. A first pump is provided to pump irrigation liquid from the reservoir to the probe, and a second pump is provided to pump a fluid to the balloon for inflation. A control unit controls the transfer of the irrigation liquid and the fluid, and includes a valve for releasing fluid from the balloon for deflation. Tubing provides fluid communication between the reservoir, control unit and probe. The control unit and the first and second pumps are further arranged as an integrated unitary component, and the manually operable balloon control element is arranged in the vicinity of the second pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An irrigation system, comprising: a reservoir for an irrigation liquid; a probe for arrangement in a user, wherein said probe comprises an inflatable balloon for fixing the probe in a body cavity; a first pump configured to directly or indirectly pump the irrigation liquid from the reservoir to the probe; a second pump to pump a fluid to the balloon for inflation; a control unit to control the transfer of said irrigation liquid and said fluid, wherein said control unit further comprises a valve for releasing fluid from the balloon for deflation, said valve being provided with a manually operable balloon control element, wherein said control unit and said first and second pumps are arranged as an integrated unitary component, and wherein the control unit comprises a housing that is in direct physical contact with the first pump and the second pump; and tubing arranged to provide fluid communication between said reservoir and said integrated unitary component, and between said integrated unitary component and said probe; wherein said manually operable balloon control element is arranged in a vicinity of the second pump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the first pump is arranged to directly pump irrigation liquid from the reservoir to the probe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the first pump is arranged to pump a gas into the reservoir to create a pressure in the reservoir to displace the irrigation liquid therefrom and feed it to the probe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit has a planar shape, with the tubing extending therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the irrigation system is a rectal irrigation system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is separate from said reservoir. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises at least three corners, wherein the first pump is arranged at a first corner and the second pump is arranged at a second corner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The irrigation system of claim 7, wherein the control unit comprises at least four corners, wherein the tubing connecting the reservoir to the control unit is arranged at a third corner, and the tubing connecting the control unit to the probe is arranged at a. fourth corner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a reservoir control valve to release pressure from the reservoir, said reservoir control valve being provided with a manually operable reservoir control element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The irrigation system of claim 9, wherein the manually operable reservoir control element is a control button. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The irrigation system of claim 9, wherein the manually operable reservoir control element is arranged in the vicinity of the first pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pump is a manually operable pump. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein the manually operable pump is a bulb or a bellow pump. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein both the first and second pumps are manually operable pumps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The irrigation system of claim 14, wherein the tubing comprises a first tube connecting the first pump and the reservoir, a second tube connecting the reservoir and the probe, and a third tube connecting the second pump and the probe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The irrigation system of claim 14, wherein the first pump and second pump are arranged visibly discernible from each other by having at least one of different shapes and different colors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first pump and second pump is a powered pump. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The irrigation system of claim 17, wherein the powered pump is an electrically or pneumatically operated pump. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The irrigation system of claim 17, wherein the control unit further comprises a pump control element for activation of the powered pump. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The irrigation system of claim 19, wherein the pump control element is a control button. ### Claim 21 A rectal irrigation system, comprising: a reservoir for an irrigation liquid; a rectal catheter for arrangement in a user, wherein said rectal catheter comprises an inflatable balloon for fixing the rectal catheter in rectum; a first pump to directly or indirectly pump the irrigation liquid from the reservoir to the rectal catheter; a second pump to pump a fluid to the balloon for inflation; a control unit configured to control the transfer of said irrigation liquid and said fluid, wherein said control unit comprises a valve for releasing fluid from the balloon for deflation, said valve being provided with a manually operable balloon control element and said control unit being separate from said reservoir, wherein said control unit and said first and second pumps are arranged as an integrated unitary component, the control unit comprising a housing that is in direct physical contact with the first pump and the second pump; and tubing arranged to provide fluid communication between said reservoir and said integrated unitary component, and between said integrated unitary component and said rectal catheter; wherein said manually operable balloon control element is arranged in a vicinity of the second pump. ### Claim 22 An irrigation system, comprising: a reservoir for an irrigation liquid; a probe for arrangement in a user, wherein said probe comprises an inflatable balloon for fixing the probe in a body cavity; a first pump configured to directly or indirectly pump the irrigation liquid from the reservoir to the probe; a second pump to pump a fluid to the balloon for inflation; a control unit to control the transfer of said irrigation liquid and said fluid, wherein said control unit further comprises a valve for releasing said fluid from the balloon for deflation, said valve being provided with a manually operable balloon control element, wherein said control unit and said first and second pumps are arranged as an integrated unitary component, wherein the control unit comprises at least three corners, wherein the first pump is arranged at a first corner and the second pump is arranged at a second corner; and tubing arranged to provide fluid communication between said reservoir and said integrated unitary component, and between said integrated unitary component and said probe; wherein said manually operable balloon control element is arranged in a vicinity of the second pump. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The irrigation system of claim 22, wherein the control unit comprises at least four corners, wherein the tubing connecting the reservoir to the control unit is arranged at a third corner, and the tubing connecting the control unit to the probe is arranged at a fourth corner.