Medical vacuum regulating cartridge

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a flexible diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber, said wall moving to reduce the volume of the regulation chamber in response to decreases in pressure therein;
• means for linking the valve head to the flexible diaphragm to cause the valve head to move away from the body in response to regulation chamber volume reducing movements of the flexible diaphragm;
• a spring resiliently opposing movement of the valve head away from the body;
• and
• means for resisting movement of the diaphragm in a direction to increase the volume of the regulation chamber at only relatively high pressure levels in the vacuum regulation chamber.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a flexible diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber, said wall moving to reduce the volume of the regulation chamber in response to decreases in pressure therein;
• means for linking the valve head to the flexible diaphragm to cause the valve head to move away from the body in response to regulation chamber volume reducing movements of the flexible diaphragm;
• a spring resiliently opposing movement of the valve head away from the body:
• means for resisting movement of the diaphragm in a direction to increase the volume of the regulation chamber at relatively high pressure levels in the vacuum regulation chamber including
• an end wall opposite the vacuum regulation chamber, and
• a retainer attached to the diaphragm with at least one leg for abutting against said end wall said at least one leg including a flexible spring for resiliently resisting said movement.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a flexible diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber, said wall moving to reduce the volume of the regulation chamber in response to decreases in pressure therein;
• means for linking the valve head to the flexible diaphragm to cause the valve head to move away from the body in response to regulation chamber volume reducing movements of the flexible diaphragm;
• a spring resiliently opposing movement of the valve head away from the body;
• and
• means for resisting movement of the diaphragm in a direction to increase the volume of the regulation chamber at relatively high pressure levels in the vacuum regulation chamber including
• a spring having at least one resilient cantilevered spring arm.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a flexible diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber, said wall moving to reduce the volume of the regulation chamber in response to decreases in pressure therein;
• means for linking the valve head to the flexible diaphragm to cause the valve head to move away from the body in response to regulation chamber volume reducing movements of the flexible diaphragm;
• a spring resiliently opposing movement of the valve head away from the body;
• another spring located within the body but without the regulation chamber for resisting movement of the diaphragm in a direction to increase the volume of the regulation chamber including
• a spring retainer with a base attached to the diaphragm within the body but outside of the vacuum regulation chamber, and
• a plurality of cantilevered spring arms extending away from the vacuum regulation chamber for resilient engagement with a back portion of the body to resist volume increasing movement of the diaphragm.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a flexible diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber, said wall moving to reduce the volume of the regulation chamber in response to decreases in pressure therein;
• means for linking the valve head to the flexible diaphragm to cause the valve head to move away from the body in response to regulation chamber volume reducing movements of the flexible diaphragm including
• a piston,
• means for securing the piston to the diaphragm including
• a retainer, and
• means for fastening together the retainer, diaphragm and piston in that order,
• an elongate valve stem for carrying the valve seat at a distal end thereof, and
• means for securing an opposite end of the valve stem to the piston including a retainer carrying a spring to resist movement of the diaphragm in a direction away from the valve stem at relatively higher pressures;
• and
• a spring resiliently opposing movement of the valve head away from the body.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a resilient diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber in a forward part of the body;
• means for linking the valve head to the membrance to cause the valve head to move rearwardly toward the body with rearward movements of membrane;
• and
• a spring carried by the diaphragm within the body but outside of the vacuum regulation chamber for resiliently resisting forward movement of the diaphragm at relatively higher pressures.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a resilient diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chambers in a forward part of the body;
• means for linking the valve head to the membrane to cause the valve head to move rearwardly toward the body with rearward movements of the diaphragm;
• a spring carried by the diaphragm within the body but outside of the vacuum regulation chamber for resiliently resisting forward movement of the diaphragm at relatively higher pressures;
• and
• a leg carried by the diaphragm to engage a rearward wall of the body to block excessive rearward movement of the diaphragm.

In a vacuum regulating cartridge having a body with a vacuum regulation chamber connectable with a supply of vacuum pressure and a valve head mounted to the body for movement relative thereto, the improvement being a regulating mechanism for controlling the movement of the valve head, comprising:

• a resilient diaphragm mounted within the body to define a relatively air tight movable wall of the vacuum regulation chamber in a forward part of the body;
• means for linking the valve head to the membrane to cause the valve head to move rearwardly toward the body with rearward movements of membrane;
• and
• a spring carried by the diaphragm within the body but outside of the vacuum regulation chamber for resiliently resisting forward movement of the diaphragm at relatively higher pressures including a plurality of cantilevered spring arms.