Pressure-responsive lockout valve and method of use

A lockout valve for use with a penile prosthesis having a reservoir, a pump, an inflatable cylinder, and an inflation fluid, said pump being selectively actuated by a user to inflate said inflatable cylinder with said inflation fluid, said lockout valve being disposed between and operatively connected to said reservoir and said inflatable cylinder in fluid communication therewith, said lockout valve preventing inadvertent auto-inflation of said inflatable cylinder, said lockout valve comprising:

• a valve body defining an inlet port and an outlet port, an interior chamber in fluid communication with the outlet port, and a movable surface,
• a valve seat disposed on said valve body;
• and a valve member mounted for movement relative to the valve seat, said valve member being movable between a closed position in sealing contact with said valve seat and an open position, said inlet port connectable in fluid communication with the reservoir, said outlet port connectable in fluid communication with a pump, such that when the pump is selectively actuated by the user to produce a negative internal fluid pressure at the outlet port of the lockout valve, the movable surface moves inwardly into said interior chamber, causing the surface to contact the valve member, causing the valve member to move to the open position and permitting the inflation fluid to flow from the reservoir through the lockout valve to the inflatable cylinder.

A method for retrofitting a lockout valve to a penile prosthesis, said penile prosthesis having a reservoir, a pump, an inflatable cylinder, a conduit extending between and fluidly communicating with said reservoir said inflatable cylinder, and said pump, and an inflation fluid, said pump being selectively actuated by a user to inflate said inflatable cylinder with said inflation fluid, said lockout valve preventing inadvertent auto-inflation of said inflatable cylinder, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pressure-responsive lockout valve including a valve body having an inlet port, an outlet port, a valve member, and a valve seat, a flow aperture formed in the valve body for flow of the fluid between the inlet port and the outlet port, a chamber formed between the flow aperture and the outlet port, the chamber having a surface that is movable in response to at least a threshold level of negative pressure applied at the outlet port, said valve member being movable between a closed position in sealing contact with said valve seat and an open position, such that when the pump is selectively actuated by the user to produce at least the threshold level of negative internal pressure at said outlet port, the negative internal pressure causes the movable surface of the chamber to deflect, causing the movable surface to contact the valve member, thereby causing said valve member to move to said open position and permitting the inflation fluid to flow from the reservoir through said pressure-responsive lockout valve to the inflatable cylinder;
• opening at least a portion of the conduit;
• and
• operatively connecting said pressure-responsive lockout valve to said conduit at said opening such that said inlet port is connected in fluid communication with the conduit in a direction leading to the reservoir and said outlet port is connected in fluid communication with the conduit in a direction leading to the pump.

A lockout valve for controlling the flow of a fluid, said lockout valve comprising:

• a valve body defining an inlet port and an outlet port, an interior chamber in fluid communication with the outlet port, and a movable surface,
• a valve seat disposed on said valve body, the valve seat defining an aperture;
• and
• a valve member mounted for movement relative to the valve seat, said valve member being movable between a closed position in sealing contact with said valve seat and an open position, said valve member sealingly contacting said valve seat and preventing the flow of the fluid through the lockout valve in response to positive fluid pressure applied at said inlet port, said valve member moving to said open position in response to a force exerted by a negative internal pressure applied at the outlet port that causes the movable surface to move inwardly into the interior chamber and contact the valve member and open the aperture, thereby permitting the fluid to flow from the inlet port through the aperture in the valve seat, the interior chamber, and the outlet port.

A lockout valve for controlling the flow of a fluid between a fluid reservoir and an inflatable member in a penile prosthesis, the lockout valve comprising:

• a valve body having an inlet port for fluid communication with the reservoir and an outlet port for fluid communication with the inflatable member;
• a flow aperture formed in the valve body for flow of the fluid between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• a valve member that is movable between a closed position in which the valve member prevents flow of the fluid through the flow aperture and an open position in which the valve member allows flow of fluid through the flow aperture;
• a bias member mounted to exert a bias force that biases the valve member toward the closed position, thereby preventing flow of fluid through the flow aperture;
• and
• a chamber formed between the flow aperture and the outlet port, the chamber having a surface that is movable in response to at least a threshold level of negative pressure applied at the outlet port to exert a force that moves the valve member against the bias force and toward the open position, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the flow aperture.