Portable apparatus for controlling fluid flow to a surgical site
AssigneeAlcon Surgical, Inc.
InventorsLarry L. Hood, Charles E. Beuchat, Harold J. Walbrink, Maurice M. Imonti, William T. Cleminshaw
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Abstract
A system and apparatus are disclosed for controlling amounts of fluid flow to and from a surgical site. The system includes a surgical handpiece having means including a passage for allowing fluid flow to and from a surgical site. A dispensing assembly is couplable to the handpiece for movement therewith and is selectively operable for automatically controlling continuously or discretely a controlled and metered amount of fluid flow to and from the surgical site.
Claims7
A portable control apparatus for controlling fluid flow to a surgical handpiece comprising:
- a) a cylindrical housing having a first section and a second section;
- b) wherein said first section includes:
- i) a first recess in a proximal end face thereof;
- ii) an outlet check valve in communication with said first recess through an outlet passageway;
- and
- iii) an inlet passageway having one end in communication with said first recess and the other end terminating in an opening at the proximal end face and spaced apart from the first recess;
- and
- iv) means for coupling said first section and said outlet check valve to said surgical handpiece;
- c) wherein said second section includes:
- c) wherein said second section includes:
- i) a second recess in a distal end face thereof;
- ii) in inlet in communication with said second recess through a second passageway;
- iii) an inlet check valve having a first opening in the distal end face spaced apart from the second recess and in alignment with said opening of said inlet passageway and a second opening at a proximal end of said second section for connection to a source of fluid;
- d) a diaphragm disposed between said first and second sections, said diaphragm and said second recess forming an adjustable volume measurement chamber, said diaphragm and said first recess forming an outlet chamber interconnecting said outlet passageway and said inlet passageway, said diaphragm having a through hole aligned with said first opening of said inlet check valve and said opening at the proximal end face of said first section;
- e) wherein said inlet check valve, said outlet check valve and said inlet are aligned generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical housing;
- and
- f) wherein said inlet is connectable to a means for deflecting said diaphragm to adjust the volume of said adjustable volume measurement chamber and control dispensing of fluid from said fluid source successively through said inlet check valve, said through hole, said inlet passageway, said outlet chamber and said outlet check valve to said surgical handpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.