Reduced-pressure sources, systems, and methods employing a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material
AssigneeKCI Licensing, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Brian Locke, Timothy Mark Robinson, Richard Daniel John Coulthard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Reduced-pressure sources, systems, and methods involve using a vacuum pump that is disposed within a sealed space to produce reduced pressure. The exhaust from the vacuum pump is exhausted from the sealed space through pores in an enclosure member that is made of a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
Claims30
A reduced-pressure source for use with a reduced-pressure system for treating a tissue site on a patient, the reduced-pressure source comprising:
- a pump housing forming a sealed space that is liquid-tight, wherein an enclosure member forms at least a portion of the pump housing;
- a vacuum pump disposed within the sealed space;
- a reduced-pressure outlet fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump and configured to discharge reduced pressure out of the vacuum pump to a reduced-pressure chamber;
- an exhaust outlet fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump and configured to discharge an exhaust gas from the vacuum pump to the sealed space;
- and
- wherein the enclosure member is formed from a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material and configured so that the exhaust gas exits the sealed space through the enclosure member under pressure.
A system for treating a tissue site on a patient with reduced pressure, the system comprising:
- a treatment manifold for placing proximate to the tissue site for distributing reduced pressure to the tissue site;
- a reduced-pressure source fluidly coupled to the treatment manifold for providing reduced pressure to the treatment manifold;
- and
- a sealing member for forming a fluid seal over the tissue site;
- and
- wherein the reduced-pressure source comprises:
- a pump housing forming a sealed space that is liquid-tight, wherein an enclosure member forms at least a portion of the pump housing,
- a vacuum pump disposed in the sealed space,
- a reduced-pressure outlet fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump and configured to discharge reduced pressure out of the vacuum pump to a reduced-pressure chamber,
- an exhaust outlet fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump and configured to discharge an exhaust gas from the vacuum pump to the sealed space, and
- wherein the enclosure member is formed by a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material configured so that the exhaust gas exits the sealed space through the enclosure member under pressure.
A method of treating a tissue site with reduced pressure, the method comprising:
- forming a sealed space configured to block the passage of liquids, wherein at least a portion of the sealed space is formed by an enclosure member comprising a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material;
- disposing a vacuum pump within the sealed space, wherein the vacuum pump includes a reduced-pressure outlet and an exhaust outlet;
- discharging a reduced pressure out of the vacuum pump to a reduced-pressure chamber;
- discharging an exhaust gas from the vacuum pump through the exhaust outlet to the sealed space;
- exhausting the exhaust gas substantially from the sealed space through the enclosure member without a vent aperture;
- and
- delivering the reduced pressure to the tissue site.
A dressing for treating a tissue site on a patient with reduced pressure, the dressing comprising:
- a treatment manifold for placing proximate to the tissue site;
- an absorbent layer for receiving and retaining fluids from the tissue site;
- a micro-pump having an exhaust outlet, the micro-pump for generating reduced pressure and an exhaust that exits the exhaust outlet;
- an enclosing cover covering the treatment manifold, the absorbent layer, and the micro-pump to form a sealed space that is liquid-tight, the sealed space having a first portion and a second portion;
- wherein in the exhaust outlet of the micro-pump is fluidly coupled to the first portion of the sealed space to provide exhaust to the first portion of the sealed space and the micro-pump is fluidly coupled to the second portion of the sealed space to provide reduced pressure to the second portion of the sealed space;
- and
- wherein at least a portion of the enclosing cover is formed from a polymeric, porous, hydrophobic material and is adapted to allow the exhaust to egress the sealed space under pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.