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US 6,443,886 B1Granted
Valve and methods for urinary control
AssigneeAmerican Medical Systems, Inc.
InventorsSteven T. Deininger, Richard M. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve movable between open and closed positions is described. The valve preferably has an integral hinge and includes an inherent bias toward the closed position. The valve is particularly suitable as a component of an article for treating urinary incontinence.
Claims17
A valve adapted to close a body orifice, the valve comprising:
- a proximal portion having surfaces defining an inlet adapted to be placed across the body orifice,
- a flange projecting from the proximal portion adapted to associate the valve with the body orifice;
- a bulbous distal portion spaced distally from said proximal portion;
- the bulbous distal portion having valve closing surfaces;
- surfaces defining an outlet situated distally from the inlet,
- inner surfaces defining a passage extending from the inlet to the outlet;
- abutment surfaces that are sized and shaped to complement the valve closing surfaces,
- a hinge affording movement of the bulbous distal portion between i) an open position with the valve closing surfaces spaced from the abutment surfaces to afford flow of fluid from the inlet through the outlet, ii) and a closed position with the valve closing surfaces engaging the abutment surfaces and closing at least a portion of the passage to resist flow of fluid out the outlet;
- and
- the valve being constructed so that a) the valve closing surfaces are inherently biased against the abutment surfaces when the bulbous distal portion is in the closed position, and b) the bulbuous distal portion is capable of remaining stable in the open position.
7 more elements
A valve adapted to restrict the flow of urine through a urethra of a patient, the valve comprising:
- a proximal portion having surfaces defining an inlet adapted to be associated with the urethra,
- a projection extending from the proximal portion adapted to associate the valve with the patient;
- a distal portion spaced distally from said proximal portion;
- the distal portion having sealing surfaces;
- surfaces defining an outlet spaced from the inlet;
- surfaces defining a passage within the valve from the inlet to the outlet;
- a seat that is sized and shaped to complement the sealing surfaces,
- a hinge affording movement of the distal portion between i) an open position with the sealing surfaces spaced from the seat to afford flow of urine from the inlet through the outlet, ii) and a closed position with the sealing surfaces engaging the seat and closing at least a portion of the passage to resist flow of urine out the outlet;
- biasing means for biasing the sealing surfaces against the seat when the distal portion is in the closed position,
- the valve being constructed so that the distal portion is capable of remaining stable in the open position, and
- a grip situated on the distal portion, the grip being sized and shaped to be grasped and pulled so that, when the valve is in the closed position, pulling on the grip can overcome the biasing means to move the valve to the open position.
8 more elements
A method of making a valve adapted to close an orifice, the method including the steps of:
- forming a bulbous distal portion having a sealing surface;
- and a proximal portion having surfaces forming an inlet adapted to be placed across the orifice,
- forming a flange that projects from the proximal portion;
- locating a seat within the proximal portion, the seat having surfaces for engaging the sealing surface of the distal portion,
- forming an outlet capable of being positioned away from the proximal portion;
- extending a passage from the inlet to the outlet;
- forming a barrel shaped wall that tapers toward the inlet and the outlet;
- forming a hinge in the wall to afford bending between i) an open position with the valve sealing surface spaced from the seat to afford flow of fluid from the inlet through the outlet, ii) and a closed position with the valve sealing surface engaging the seat and closing at least a portion of the passage to resist flow of fluid out the outlet.
5 more elements
A method of using a valve including a proximal portion having surfaces defining an inlet;
- a projection extending from the proximal portion, a distal portion spaced from said proximal portion;
- the distal portion having sealing surfaces;
- surfaces defining an outlet spaced from the inlet;
- surfaces defining a passage within the valve from the inlet to the outlet;
- a seat that is sized and shaped to complement the sealing surfaces, a hinge affording movement of the distal portion between i) an open position with the sealing surfaces spaced from the seat to afford flow of fluid from the inlet through the outlet, ii) and a closed position with the sealing surfaces engaging the seat to resist flow of fluid out the outlet;
- and biasing means for biasing the sealing surfaces against the seat when the distal portion is in the closed position, the valve being constructed so that the distal portion is capable of remaining stable in the open position, the method of using a valve comprising the steps of:
- associating the valve with a body orifice using the projection, and
- moving the distal portion of the valve to the closed position to resist flow of fluids from the body orifice by pressing on the distal portion to flip the distal portion by bending the hinge.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.