# US 7,608,066 B2 · Wound irrigation device pressure monitoring and control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,066 B2 - Document ID: US7608066B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/350,089 - Filed: 2006-02-09 - Published: 2007-02-08 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-08 - Assignees: Innovative Therapies, Inc. - Inventors: Richard C. Vogel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608066B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/74: {Suction control (underwater drainage A61M1/61)} - A61M 1/77: {Suction-irrigation systems (aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463)} - A61M 1/912: {Connectors between dressing and drainage tube} - A61M 1/92: {with liquid supply means} - A61M 1/984: {portable on the body} - A61F 13/05: specially adapted for use with sub-pressure or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation, e.g. for use with negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT] - A61F 13/069: {Decubitus ulcer bandages} - A61F 2013/00157: {for burns or skin transplants (A61F2013/00187 takes precedence; not adhering to the wound A61F2013/00217)} - A61F 2013/00174: {possibility of applying pressure} - A61F 2013/00255: {with pores} - A61F 2013/00412: {for use with needles, tubes or catheters} - A61F 2013/00519: {for treating burn} - A61F 2013/00536: {for draining or irrigating wounds} - A61F 2013/0054: {for deep wounds} - A61F 2013/00863: {with pores} - A61F 2013/00927: {with biological activity, e.g. enzymes for debriding wounds or others, collagen or growth factors} - A61F 2013/00936: {metal} - A61M 1/882: {Draining devices provided with means for releasing antimicrobial or gelation agents in the drained fluid} - A61M 1/96: {Suction control thereof} - A61M 1/982: {with means for detecting level of collected exudate} - A61M 2205/15: Detection of leaks - A61M 2205/18: with alarm - A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means - A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An apparatus includes a pressure housing configured to be coupled to a vacuum source and a diaphragm sealingly coupled to the pressure housing. The diaphragm is configured to move in response to the vacuum source. A magnet is coupled to the diaphragm. A magnetic switch is disposed opposite the magnet and is configured to be actuated by the magnet when the magnet is a predetermined distance from the magnetic switch. The magnetic switch is configured to selectively actuate the vacuum source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wound therapy system, comprising: a power supply; a vacuum pump coupled to the power supply, the vacuum pump configured to be coupled to a wound dressing; a control element coupled to the vacuum pump; a shunt resistor coupled to the control element and configured to provide an indication of a vacuum pump current draw associated with the vacuum pump; and a processor coupled to the control element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an amplifier configured to output a pressure signal based on the vacuum pump current draw; and an analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize the pressure signal and output the digitized pressure signal to the processor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control element is a field effect transistor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump is configured such that the vacuum pump current draw is correlated to a pressure associated with the vacuum pump and maintained within a predetermined range of pressure levels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the shunt resistor is coupled in series with the control element and the vacuum pump, the shunt resistor configured to produce a voltage signal based on the vacuum pump current draw. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare a pressure signal associated with the vacuum pump current draw with a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to output an actuation signal to the control element based on a comparison of a pressure signal associated with the vacuum pump current draw with a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump current draw is a proxy for a system pressure. ### Claim 9 A wound therapy system, comprising: a vacuum pump configured to provide negative pressure to a wound dressing; a control element coupled to the vacuum pump, the control element configured to switch the vacuum pump between a first mode and a second mode when a control signal based on a vacuum pump current draw reaches a predetermined voltage, the vacuum pump providing less suction when in the second mode than when in the first mode; and a shunt resistor coupled to the control element, the shunt resistor configured to provide an indication of a vacuum pump current draw to a processor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to output the control signal, the control signal being based on the indication of the vacuum pump current draw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the vacuum pump current draw is correlated to a pressure associated with the vacuum pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein, the vacuum pump current draw increases to a pressure level at the wound dressing increases. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the vacuum pump current draw increases substantially linearly with a pressure level associated with the vacuum pump. ### Claim 14 A wound therapy system, comprising: a vacuum pump configured to provide negative pressure to a wound dressing; a control element coupled to the vacuum pump; a shunt resistor coupled to the control element and configured to provide an indication of a vacuum pump current draw, the vacuum pump current draw being correlated to a pressure level associated with the vacuum pump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to increase the vacuum pump current draw as a pressure level at the wound dressing increases. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising: an amplifier configured to output a pressure signal based on the vacuum pump current draw; and an analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize the pressure signal and output the digitized pressure signal to a processor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the control element is configured to switch the vacuum pump between a first mode and a second mode when a pressure signal based on the vacuum pump current draw reaches a predetermined voltage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the shunt resistor is coupled in series with the control element and the vacuum pump, the shunt resistor configured to produce a voltage signal based on the vacuum pump current draw. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to increase the vacuum pump current draw substantially linearly with the pressure level associated with the vacuum pump. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the vacuum pump is configured to maintain the pressure associated with the vacuum pump within a predetermined range of pressure levels.