Suction pressure regulator for use with a chest drainage

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;
• a biasing mechanism wherein the force applied by the biasing mechanism is adjustable and is responsive to pressure differences in the suction pressure regulator and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the suction pressure within the housing is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the suction pressure therein is a 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 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 fluid communication between each of the at least one inlet aperture and each of the at least one outlet aperture is obstructed in the closed position thereof.

A suction pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing having an inner surface and 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 scaling member and an inner surface of the housing;
• a biasing mechanism that is responsive to suction pressure within the housing and acts on the sealing member so the sealing member is in one of an open position, when the suction pressure within the housing is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the suction pressure therein is at or below the predetermined suction pressure value;
• and
• wherein the flexible member is fixedly attached to at least one of the outside surface of the sealing member and the inner surface of the housing and at least a portion thereof is movable relative to at least one of the outside surface of the sealing member and the inner surface of the housing as the sealing member moves between the closed position and the open position.

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 regulates the 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 atmospheric pressure;
• and
• (3) a suction pressure regulator including:
• (a) a housing having an inner surface and 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;
• 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 regulates the degree of vacuum imposed in flit 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 atmospheric pressure;
• 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;
• (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 suction pressure within the housing second compartment is greater than a predetermined suction pressure value, or a closed position, when the suction 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.