# US 2013/0158464 A1 · Self cleaning shunt > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158464 A1 - Document ID: US20130158464A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/805,041 - Filed: 2011-06-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-18 - Assignees: Technion Research & Development Foundation Limited - Inventors: Or Samoocha; Menashe Zaaroor; Moshe Shoham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158464A1 ## CPC - A61M 27/006: {Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves} - B08B 9/027: Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages - A61M 2025/0019: {Cleaning catheters or the like, e.g. for reuse of the device, for avoiding replacement} - 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)} - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A self cleaning inlet head for use on a shunt. The head has a tube with openings disposed in predetermined positions in its wall, and a cleaning element installed inside the tube. The cleaning element may comprise a central shaft with a number of bristles protruding therefrom, preferably in locations substantially identical to the positions of the openings in the wall of the tube. Mutual vibratory motion between the cleaning element and the tube causes at least some of the bristles to enter the openings, thereby keeping them clear, and preventing tissue growth into them. The vibratory motion may be generated by the action of an external field on a responsive part of the cleaning element, such as an external magnetic field operating on a magnetic or magnetized part of the cleaning element or the bristles. Alternatively, the external field may be an ultrasound field operating on the bristles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, comprising: a first tube having a set of openings disposed in its wall; and a cleaning element comprising a central shaft with a number of bristles protruding therefrom such that when said cleaning element is installed within said first tube, at least some of said bristles can enter said openings; wherein said cleaning element is adapted to vibrate when subjected to a vibration generating system, such that said bristles can move within said openings. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein said first tube is essentially cylindrical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein said openings are disposed in predetermined lateral and radial positions in said tube wall, and said bristles protrude from said cleaning element in lateral and radial locations substantially aligned with the lateral and radial positions of said openings in the wall of said first tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein said bristles are attached to a central shaft of said cleaning element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein said vibration generating system generates an external field which operates on said cleaning element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 5, wherein said external field is an alternating magnetic field, and said cleaning element comprises at least one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 6, wherein said shaft is constructed of either one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 6 wherein at least some of said bristles are constructed of either one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein said vibration generating system is a vibration transducer disposed on said cleaning element. ### Claim 10 (canceled) ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating system comprises an externally applied ultrasound field having a frequency in the range of the mechanical self-resonant frequency of at least some of the bristles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 1, wherein the length of said bristles is such that they do not protrude substantially through said openings beyond the outer wall of said first tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt according to claim 1, further comprising a second tube having a set of openings, at least some of which are disposed in its wall in the same predetermined lateral and radial locations as those of said first tube, said second tube being installed inside said first tube, such that when said tubes are not aligned with said sets of openings mutually lined up, the bristles on said cleaning element cannot protrude into said openings in said first cylindrical tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, according to claim 13, further comprising a mechanism for changing the alignment of said first and second tubes, such that said sets of openings can be mutually lined up only after installation of said fluid inlet head. ### Claim 15 A method of maintaining clear the openings of a fluid inlet head for use on a shunt, comprising: providing a fluid inlet head for use on said shunt, said head comprising a first tube having a set of openings disposed in its wall and a cleaning element comprising a central shaft with a number of bristles protruding therefrom, such that when said cleaning element is installed within said first tube, at least some of said bristles can enter said openings; and vibrating said cleaning element such that said bristles can move within said openings, thereby maintaining them clear. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein said vibrating is performed using an external field which operates on said cleaning element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein said external field is an alternating magnetic field, and said cleaning element comprises at least one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method, according to claim 17, wherein said shaft is constructed of either one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17 wherein at least some of said bristles are constructed of either one of a magnetic material and a magnetized material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein said cleaning element further comprises a vibration transducer, and said vibration is performed by actuating said vibration transducer. ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein said vibrating comprises applying an external ultrasound field in the frequency range of the mechanical self-resonant frequency of at least some of said bristles.