Pressure gauge and system
AssigneeVance Products Incorporated
InventorJoseph R. Stines
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure gauge which may be operably coupled to a fluid pressure supply device and a balloon catheter. The pressure gauge includes a mechanism which impedes a contaminant, such as corrosion and acid flux, from entering the pressurized fluid being measured. In one embodiment, this mechanism may include a piston positioned in a piston chamber. The piston has at least one, and preferably two, O-rings nested therearound to provide a seal with the piston chamber's wall. The piston may include an inter-gasket pressure chamber positioned between two O-rings which is communicated to the top or bottom of the piston, resulting in pressure equilibrium. Several inter-gasket pressure chambers may be provided.
Claims19
A pressure gauge comprising:
- a body having a piston chamber disposed therein partially defined by a piston chamber wall;
- a piston disposed in said piston chamber and reciprocally movable therein, said piston having a first gasket and a second gasket coupled thereto and engaging said chamber wall, said first gasket and said second gasket partially defining a first inter-gasket pressure chamber therebetween, said piston having a piston channel therein, said piston channel communicating said piston chamber with said first inter-gasket pressure chamber;
- and
- means for measuring pressure in said piston chamber coupled to said body.
In combination:
- a sterilized balloon catheter;
- means for supplying sterilized fluid coupled to said balloon catheter, said means for supplying fluid providing a sterilized working fluid to said balloon catheter;
- and
- a sterilized pressure gauge operably coupled to said balloon catheter and including:
- (a) a body having a sterilized piston chamber disposed therein partially defined by a piston chamber wall;
- (b) a piston disposed in said piston chamber and reciprocally movable therein, said piston having a first gasket and a second gasket coupled thereto and engaging said chamber wall, said first gasket and said second gasket and said piston chamber wall and said piston define an inter-gasket pressure chamber therebetween;
- and
- (c) means for measuring pressure in said piston chamber coupled to said body and isolated from said inter-gasket pressure chamber, said means for measuring containing a corrosion contaminated fluid above and in direct contact with said piston, wherein said working fluid from said means for supplying fluid contacting said piston, said piston providing a seal between said working fluid and said corrosion contaminated fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.