Valve system for inflatable devices
AssigneeConvatec Technologies Inc.
InventorMingliang Lawrence Tsai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Valves and valve systems are provided that are useful for integration with inflatable indwelling medical devices to prevent over-inflation of retention balloon.
Claims24
A method of filling an inflatable portion of a device to a predetermined operating range, the method comprising:
- a) providing the device comprising the inflatable portion, the inflatable portion being in fluid communication with
- i. an inflation port via an inlet passage, and
- ii. a fill indicator and a pressure relief valve in a closed configuration, via an outlet passage;
- wherein the inflatable portion has a minimum operating fill volume and a maximum operating fill volume, and a fill volume between and including the minimum and maximum operating fill volumes is the predetermined operating range of the inflatable portion;
- and
- wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage are enclosed within an apparatus, and the inlet passage and the outlet passage are not in fluid communication within the apparatus;
- b) providing a fluid to the inflatable portion through the inflation port and the inlet passage to fill the inflatable portion until the fill indicator indicates that the minimum operating fill volume is achieved.
A method of filling an inflatable portion of a device to a predetermined operating range, wherein the inflatable portion has a minimum operating fill volume and a maximum operating fill volume, and a fill volume between and including the minimum and maximum operating fill volumes is the predetermined operating range of the inflatable portion, the method comprising:
- placing the inflatable portion in fluid communication with an inlet passage including an inflation port;
- placing the inflatable portion in fluid communication with an outlet passage including a fill indicator and a pressure relief valve in a closed configuration;
- providing a fluid to the inflatable portion through the inflation port and the inlet passage to fill the inflatable portion until the fill indicator indicates that the minimum operating fill volume is achieved;
- wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage are enclosed within an apparatus, and the inlet passage and the outlet passage are not in fluid communication within the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.