Rolling seal suction pressure regulator, apparatus and system for draining a body cavity and methods related thereto

A suction pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a gas source and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a suction source;
• a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value;
• and
• wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the closed position a sealing portion of the sealing member is urged against the housing inner surface so as to form a seal between each of the at least one inlet aperture and each of the at least one outlet aperture.

A suction pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a gas source and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a suction source;
• a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value;
• and
• wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the open position the sealing member is moved away from the housing inner surface whereby each of the at least one inlet aperture is put into fluid communication with each of the at least one outlet aperture.

A suction pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a gas source and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a suction source;
• a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value;
• and
• wherein a portion of the housing in fluid communication with the suction source, includes a mechanism to restrict flow of fluid to or from the housing second compartment such that the pressure within the housing second compartment is changed when the flow of fluid in either direction occurs for a time more than a predetermined period of time and remains effectively unchanged when the flow of fluid in either direction is for a time less than the predetermined period of time.

A suction pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a gas source and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a suction source;
• a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value;
• wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the closed position a sealing portion of the sealing member is urged against the housing inner surface so as to form a seal between each of the at least one inlet aperture and each of the at least one outlet aperture;
• wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the open position the sealing member is moved away from the chamber inner surface whereby each of the at least one inlet aperture is put into fluid communication with each of the at least one outlet aperture;
• and
• wherein a portion of the housing in fluid communication with the suction source, includes a mechanism to restrict flow of fluid to or from the housing second compartment such that the pressure within the housing second compartment is changed when the flow of fluid in either direction occurs for a time more than a predetermined period of time and remains effectively unchanged when the flow of fluid in either direction is for a time less than the predetermined period of time.

A pressure control regulator for use in combination with a medical device comprising:

• a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with a first pressure source and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a second pressure source, the first pressure source being at a different pressure from the second pressure source;
• a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• and
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined pressure value.

An apparatus for draining bodily fluids comprising:

• a collection chamber for collecting fluids from a body cavity, the collection chamber including an inlet for fluid communication with the body cavity;
• a pressure regulation chamber that meterlessly regulates a degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber, the pressure regulation chamber including:
• (1) a first compartment being in fluid communication with the collection chamber and having an inlet for coupling to a suction source;
• (2) a second compartment having an inlet for communicating with the ambient;
• and
• (3) a suction pressure regulator including:
• (a) a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with the pressure regulation chamber second compartment and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication the pressure regulation chamber first compartment;
• (b) a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• (c) a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• and
• (d) a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value, the predetermined suction pressure value corresponding generally to a desired degree of vacuum to be imposed in the collection chamber.

An apparatus for draining bodily fluids comprising:

• a collection chamber for collecting fluids from a body cavity, the collection chamber including an inlet for fluid communication with the body cavity;
• a pressure regulation chamber that meterlessly regulates a degree of vacuum imposed in the collection chamber, the pressure regulating chamber including:
• (1) a first compartment being in fluid communication with the collection chamber and having an inlet for coupling to a suction source;
• (2) a second compartment having an inlet for communicating with the ambient;
• and
• (3) a suction pressure regulator including:
• (a) a housing having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, where each of the at least one inlet aperture is in fluid communication with the pressure regulation chamber second compartment and each of the at least one outlet aperture is in fluid communication the pressure regulation chamber first compartment;
• (b) a sealing member moveably disposed within the housing;
• (c) a flexible member extending between an outside surface of the sealing member and an inner surface of the housing, wherein the flexible member forms a pressure boundary therebetween so as to divide an interior of the housing into first and second compartments;
• (d) a biasing mechanism that is responsive to pressure within the housing second compartment and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the pressure therein is at or below the predetermined value, the predetermined suction pressure value corresponding generally to a desired degree of vacuum to be imposed in the collection chamber;
• (e) wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the closed position a sealing portion of the sealing member is urged against the housing inner surface so as to form a seal between each of the at least one inlet aperture and each of the at least one outlet aperture;
• (f) wherein the biasing mechanism is arranged so that in the open position the sealing member is moved away from the chamber inner surface whereby each of the at least one inlet aperture is put into fluid communication with each of the at least one outlet aperture;
• and
• (g) wherein a portion of the housing that is in fluid communication with the pressure regulation chamber second compartment, includes a mechanism to restrict the flow of fluid to or from the housing second compartment such that the pressure within the housing second compartment is changed when the flow of fluid in either direction occurs for a time more than a predetermined period of time and remains effectively unchanged when the flow of fluid in either direction is for a time less than the predetermined period of time.