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AssigneeBoehringer Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsSteven C. Moulden, John Karpowicz, Allison Lloyd, Kevin P. Klocek
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A suction regulator arranged to be coupled to a source of partial vacuum and a patient circuit and which is operative in four modes is disclosed. A first mode isolates the source of partial vacuum from the patient. A second mode provides continuous regulated suction to the patient. A third mode provides intermittent regulated suction to the patient. The fourth mode provides unregulated full suction to the patient. The regulator includes a movable control knob for establishing the first, second, third and fourth modes and a detent mechanism holding the control knob in the position to select the desired mode. An interlock is also provided to prevent the control knob from being accidentally moved to the position establishing the unregulated full suction mode.
A regulator for use in regulating suction provided via a line to a patient, said regulator comprising a housing having an inlet, and an outlet, said inlet being arranged to be coupled to a source of partial vacuum, said outlet being arranged to be coupled to a patient circuit, said regulator being arranged for operating in any one of four discrete modes of operation, a first one of said four discrete modes of operation isolating the source of partial vacuum from the patient circuit, a second one of said four discrete modes of operation providing continuous regulated suction to the patient circuit, said continuous regulated suction being limited to a level below the level of partial vacuum provided from the source of partial vacuum, a third one of said four discrete modes of operation providing intermittent regulated suction to the patient circuit, said intermittent regulated suction being limited to a level below the level of partial vacuum provided from the source of partial vacuum, a fourth of said four discrete modes of operation providing continuous full suction to the patient circuit, said continuous full suction being at the level of suction provided by said source of partial vacuum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.