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US 5,014,389 AGranted
Foot manipulated suction head and method for employing same
AssigneeConcept, Inc.
InventorsRick A. Ogilvie, Rance A. Winkler
Life of this patent
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AssigneeConcept, Inc.
InventorsRick A. Ogilvie, Rance A. Winkler
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for aspirating fluids from a surgical operating room utilizing a suction head that readily slides along the floor in response to translational forces applied by foot by operating room personnel. The suction head has a flat bottom surface with a plurality of narrow flow channels defined therein between a suction port mouth and the surface periphery. Support ribs, disposed on the top surface in juxtaposed alignment with respective flow channels, impart strength to the suction head and prevent sealing of the flow channels. The suction head is adapted to operate with suction sources commonly available in surgical operating rooms operating through a fluid waste collection chamber. The flow channels conduct fluid to be aspirated while preventing the bottom surface from becoming sealed to the floor.
Apparatus for aspirating fluid from a floor comprising a suction head movable along the floor, said suction head including a mouth adapted to communicate with a source of suction, a periphery, a top surface, a bottom surface adapted to contact the floor, channel means communicating with said mouth and said periphery for aspirating fluid on the floor through said mouth and preventing said suction head from sealing against the floor, said channel means including a plurality of flow channels extending through said suction head from said mouth to said periphery adjacent said bottom surface, said suction head further including a suction supply port disposed on said top surface and adapted to be connected to said source of suction, said suction supply port communicating directly with said mouth through said section head, and structural means for imparting support to said suction head and preventing collapse and blockage of said flow channels, said structural means comprising support ribs disposed on said top surface in juxtaposition with said flow channels and having a width greater than said flow channels to distribute forces applied vertically thereto to portions of said bottom surface disposed adjacent said flow channels.
Apparatus for aspirating fluid from a floor comprising a suction head movable along the floor having a mouth adapted to communicate with a source of suction, a periphery, channel means communicating with said mouth and said periphery for aspirating fluid on the floor through said mouth and preventing said suction head from sealing against the floor, and a bottom surface adapted to contact the floor, said channel means including a plurality of flow channels recessed in said bottom surface and extending from said mouth to said periphery, wherein the transverse cross-section of said flow channels has a ratio of channel width to channel depth sufficiently small to prevent the channel from collapsing against the floor under vertical forces applied to the suction head by the weight of the operator, wherein said cross-section is semi-circular.
Apparatus for aspirating fluid from a floor comprising a suction head movable along the floor having a mouth adapted to communicate with a source of suction, a periphery and channel means communicating with said mouth and said periphery for aspirating fluid on the floor through said mouth and preventing said suction head from sealing against the floor, wherein said suction head is a circular plate having a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly therefrom and communicating with said mouth to define a suction supply port, wherein said channel means comprises flow channels extending radially from said mouth and opening to said periphery, and wherein said plate includes structural means comprising a plurality of raised ribs each extending radially along said plate from said suction supply port to said periphery, each rib being in juxtaposed alignment with a corresponding flow channel, said suction head being a single piece of molded plastic having a heat distortion temperature below 270.degree. F. and a sufficiently low coefficient of friction to permit said suction head to readily slide along said floor.
Apparatus for aspirating liquid from a surgical operating room floor comprising:
Apparatus for aspirating liquid from a surgical operating room floor comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.