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US 6,533,719 B2Granted
Diaphragm based spontaneous inflation inhibitor in a pump for an inflatable prosthesis
AssigneeAMS Research Corporation
InventorsCharles C. Kuyava, John W. Westrum, Jr., David W. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pump assembly for a penile implant is provided having a mechanism which prevents spontaneous inflation of the cylinders implanted within the user. The preventative mechanism uses overpressure generated by the reservoir during unintentional compression to effectively seal the pump assembly from unintended fluid flow. The prevention mechanism itself creates all necessary forces to prevent the undesired fluid flow to the cylinders. This is accomplished by incorporating appropriate mechanisms within the pump itself.
Claims10
A penile prosthesis comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid inlet to the housing, coupleable to a reservoir;
- a fluid outlet from the housing coupled to an inflatable cylinder;
- a fluid passageway coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet;
- an input chamber coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid passageway;
- a first check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a second check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a pump bulb in fluid communication with the fluid passageway between the first and second check valves;
- and
- a bypass passageway fluidly coupling the input chamber to an expansion chamber located proximate the second check valve, wherein the expansion chamber includes a flexible wall portion that is able to contact the second check valve and urge the second check valve towards the closed position when fluid pressure within the expansion chamber exceeds a predetermined value.
7 more elements
A penile prosthesis comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid inlet to the housing, coupled to a reservoir;
- a fluid outlet from the housing coupled to an inflatable cylinder;
- a fluid passageway coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet;
- an input chamber coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid passageway;
- a first check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a second check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a pump bulb in fluid communication with the fluid passageway between the first and second check valves;
- an expansion chamber located proximate the second check valve;
- a bypass passageway fluidly coupling the input chamber to the expansion chamber;
- and
- a diaphragm disposed within the expansion chamber, moveable between a first position that allows fluid flow between the fluid passage and the outlet, and a second position that prevents fluid flow between the fluid passage and the outlet, wherein the diaphragm is caused to move to the second position when fluid pressure within the expansion chamber exceeds a predetermined value.
9 more elements
A penile prosthesis comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid inlet to the housing, coupled to a reservoir;
- a fluid outlet from the housing, coupled to an inflatable cylinder;
- a fluid passageway coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet;
- an input chamber coupling the fluid inlet to the fluid passageway;
- a first check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a second check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a pump bulb in fluid communication with the fluid passageway between the first and second check valves;
- a compression chamber surrounding a compressible portion of the fluid outlet;
- and
- a bypass passageway fluidly coupling the input chamber to the compression chamber so that if a fluid pressure level within the compression chamber exceeds a predetermined level the compressible portion of the outlet is compressed preventing fluid flow through the fluid outlet.
8 more elements
A penile prosthesis comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid inlet to the housing, coupled to a reservoir;
- a fluid outlet from the housing, coupled to an inflatable cylinder;
- a reservoir chamber disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet;
- a fluid passageway fluidly coupled to the reservoir chamber;
- a first check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a second check valve disposed within the fluid passageway and biased towards a closed position;
- a pump bulb in fluid communication with the fluid passageway between the first and second check valves;
- an overpressure chamber fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet;
- and
- an output passageway, fluidly coupling the fluid passageway to the fluid outlet, wherein the output passageway narrows in a throat region proximate the overpressure chamber so that as fluid pressure within the overpressure chamber increases, the overpressure chamber is caused to expand and close the throat region.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.