WO1990003194A1

WO1990003194A1 - Hand operated portable aspirator particularly applicable in medical fields

Info

Publication number: WO1990003194A1
Application number: PCT/GB1989/001113
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francis Emanuel Arnstein; Garry Brian Smith
Original assignee: Francis Emanuel Arnstein; Garry Brian Smith
Priority date: 1988-09-22
Filing date: 1989-09-21
Publication date: 1990-04-05
Also published as: GB2243786A; GB9106272D0; GB8822291D0; GB2243786B

Abstract

A suction device (101) comprises a manually squeezable bulb (102), which is resiliently recovering to draw in fluid material. An aspiration tube (104) is connected to an inlet tube (107), which extends into the bulb (102) and carries a flutter valve (111) within the bulb. A bag (114), with a flutter valve (115), is connected to the bulb to collect sucked-in fluid material.

Description

HAND OPERATED PORTABLE ASPIRATOR PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE

IN MEDICAL FIELDS

Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a suction device, in particular but not exclusively a medical aspirator, for fluid material which may be particulate as well as liquid.

A common cause of human morbidity and mortality is the obstruction and/or injury of the respiratory tract by foreign material, typically due to an accident or illness. If this material can be withdrawn from the airway, the patient's chances of survival may be dramatically improved. In neonates, initial breathing after birth may be obstructed by mucus or meconium in the airway. Aspirators and mucus extractors for these purposes exist However, they suffer from various disadvantages, in particula in being bulky and expensive on the one hand and hazardous to use on the other hand in the case of mucus extractors operate by a midwife sucking on the device. The Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved suction device for fluid material,

A suction device of the invention comprises:- an actuating chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the actuating chamber being at least partially collapsible under manual compression for expulsion of fluid material therefrom and being resilient for recovery of its original volume to dr in fluid material; an aspiration tube connected to the inlet and via which fluid material can be drawn into the device towards the actuating chamber; a collection chamber - having a collection space - connected to the outlet for receiving drawn-in fluid material from the actuating chamber and storing it the collection spac an inlet non-return valve at the inlet of the actuating chamber for allowing passage of drawn-in fluid material from the aspiration tube to the actuating chamber? and an outlet non-return valve between the actuating chamber and the collection space of the collection chamber for allowi passage of drawn-in fluid material into the collection space for storage there.

The inlet non-return valve is preferably provided within the actuating chamber at its inlet for compactness. Conveniently the valve is a flutter valve arranged on an inle tube terminating within the actuating chamber. Preferably th flutter valve is of sufficient length to close with particula material included within its length.

The outlet non-return valve may be provided on an outlet tube of the actuating chamber. However, since this is an awkward construction, the valve is preferably provided in the collection chamber at its inlet. This has the added advantag of enabling the collection chamber to be removed from the actuating chamber and remain closed thus isolating any fluid material contained therein. All the internal passages of the aspirator preferably increase in diameter from the inlet end of the aspiration tub to the collection chamber to provide that any solid particles within the drawn-in fluid material and any incipient congeali have no constrictions against which they can lodge. The internal diameter of the actuating chamber will normally be larger than its outlet. However the outlet will provide no obstruction provided that it is larger than the inlet to the actuating chamber.

A flexible connector may be provided between the aspiration tube and the inlet tube to enable the aspiration tube to be folded against the actuating chamber. Convenientl the flexible connector has a permanent set to facilitate manipulation of the aspiration tube by an operator holding th actuating chamber in his hand. Preferably, the collection chamber has a tap and/or a viral filter for releasing air drawn into the device together with other fluid material. Conveniently, the collection chamber includes a chemical pH indicator for testing drawn-in fluid material. Conveniently, the entire aspirator is of transparent or translucent material for viewing of the fluid material being aspirated.

To help understanding of the invention, two specific embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to th accompanying drawings, in which:- The Drawings

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an aspirator o the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of another aspirator of the invention; and

Figure 3 is a scrap view of a variant of the aspirator of Figure 2. First Embodiment

The aspirator 1 of the invention has an actuating chamber 2 of ribbed ovoid shape sized to fit within a hand for. pumping compression. The chamber 2 is of translucent plastics materia of sufficient wall thickness, assisted by the ribs 3, to recover its shape after partial collapse and draw fluid material into itself. This is via an aspiration tube 4. The actuating chamber has an inlet fitting 5 with a through bore 6 and an external screw thread. An inlet tube 7 passes through the fitting 5 with the interposition of an elastomeric sleeve 8. A nut 9 engaging the thread compresses the sleeve 8 against a shoulder in the fitting thereby captivating the tube 7. This latter is connected to the aspiration tube 4 by means of short flexible pipe 10, which allows folding of the device.

Over the mouth of the inlet 7 within the actuating chambe 2 is fitted an elastomeric flutter valve 11 in the form of a length of flat tube, which allows fluid material into the chamber from the aspiration tube 4 but impedes its return. T outlet end of the actuating chamber 2 has a bell-mouth outlet 12 into which sealingly fits a rigid connection pipe 13 of a collection chamber 14. The latter is of flexible plastics sheet welded together and to the pipe 13 also of plastics material. The collection chamber 14 has a flutter valve 15 o its sheet material to allow fluid material from the pipe 13 into a collection space 58 in the chamber beyond the valve bu impeding its return. The valve comprises, as is conventional two sheets of plastics material, open towards the collection space 58 and sealed together around the rest of their periphery, including to the collection chamber edges and the pipe 13. Fluid material enters from the pipe between the sheets, passes out between their free edges and is inhibited from return since the sheets tends to close together. To allow more material than the volumetric capacity of the chamber to pass, the chamber has a tap 16. This is particularly convenient when the material being drawn in has air entrained within it, since unless the air can be released the useful volume of the collection chamber is restriqted by the volume of the air drawn in. For testing acidity of the drawn-in fluid material a litmus pad 17 is provided.

All internal bores of the aspirator increase in size fro the inlet end of the aspiration tube to the outlet tap 16 to guard against particulate material lodging against a constriction and blocking the aspirator. Where there is an unavoidable restriction in internal diameter at junction(s) o components, the smaller diameter downstream of a widening is always larger than the internal diameter upstream of the widening. For monitoring the nature of the material being aspirated, the component parts of the aspirator are of translucent or transparent plastics material.

In use, the aspiration tube is introduced into the throa of a patient as far as any material such as vomit, blood or t like to be aspirated or mucus to be extracted. The actuating chamber is successively squeezed, drawing the aspirated material into the aspiration tube, through the actuation chamber, and expelling it into the collection chamber.

The device may be capable of withdrawing large items from the respiratory tract by suction against the end of the aspirator tube.

Whilst the entire aspirator is intended to be replaceable in emergency, the aspiration tube can be replaced with low ris of contaminating a second patient to be aspirated. It should be noted that the inlet flutter valve inhibits back flow through the aspiration tube. Additionally, the collection chamber may be replaced. The positioning of the outlet valve in the collection chamber maintains this closed when removed. This is particularly useful if the aspirated fluid material is likely to be hazardous and/or requires to be sent for analysis Second Embodiment

The device 101 of Figure 2 is substantially similar to th that of Figure 1. Accordingly only those components which are substantially different will be described below. The actuating chamber 102 has a plain inlet mouth, 105, with a shallowly tapered bore 106. The inlet tube 107 has two external steps 151,152. Between the steps, the tube 107 has taper complementary to that of the bore 106. This enables the tube 107 to be a fluid tight push fit in the bell-mouth 105. The action of suction, by the recovery of the actuating chambe after squeezing, will tend to seat the tube 107 more firmly in the bore 106. The step 151 reduces the outer end of the tube 107 to a diameter to fit within the connector 110 to the aspiration tube 104. The step 152 reduces the end 153 of the tube 107 to the diameter of the elastomeric flutter valve 111, which can be passed through the bore 106, already fitted to the tube 107. The flutter valve has a collapsible portion of approximately 6cm in length, which enables it to close on particulate material, which may not have been expelled from th flutter valve. If the particulate material were to hold the valve open, fluid material already drawn into the aspirator tube would be expelled again. The length of the flutter valv allows it to close either up- or down-stream of the material, unless there is an unusually large amount of this. The lengt of the futter valve extends it close to an outlet spout 112 o the actuating chamber, so that the flutter valve directs the drawn-in material directly into the spout.

The flexible connector 110, of elastomeric material, has bend for ease of single-handed manipulation of the device. I has stepped and tapered bell-mouths 154,155 for fitting to th aspiration tube 104 and the inlet tube 107. The bell-mouths allow the internal bore of the passage from the tube 104 to t tube 107 to be stepless and of smoothly increasing size.

The outlet spout 112 of the actuating chamber 102 is of size to fit within a bell-mouth 156 at the end of the collection chamber tube 113, to provide a smooth internal bor here. The. tap 116 is a three way tap allowing the collection chamber 114 to be closed or opened for sampling of collected liquid or opened as shown via a viral filter 159 - to prevent escape of any drawn-in viruses or bacteria - for venting of a from the collection space 158 of the chamber 114. The bores the tap may be enlarged to be larger than that of the tube 11

In a variant shown in Figure 3, the inlet tube 204 is provided with a rib 261 and the mouth 205 a complementary groove 262 to further assure connection of the tube to the actuating chamber. In this variant, there are no steps, such as 151,152, since the inlet tube can be introduced into the actuating chamber 202 via its outlet spout 212. The rib 261 and groove 262 positively locate the inlet tube 204 and actuating chamber with respect to each other. To further assu such location, a step (not shown) may be provided on the tube to locate against the inside end of the mouth 205. The inlet tube may be removable from the actuating chamber or fixedly a sealingly secured as by adhesive. it should be particularly noted that suction devices of the invention may be used in veterinary applications as well human applications. Different sizes of the device, and of it components including the aspirator tube, and indeed devices having greater or lesser suction power are envisaged for different applications, particularly as between adults and neonates.

For aspirating the distal respiratory tract, an extensio tube may be fitted to the aspiration tube.

Claims

1. A suction device comprising:- an actuating chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the actuating chamber being at least partially collapsible under manual compression for expulsion of fluid material therefrom and being resilient for recovery of its original volume to dr in fluid material; an aspiration tube connected to the inlet and via which fluid material can be drawn into the device towards the actuating chamber; a collection chamber - having a collection space - connected to the outlet for receiving drawn-in fluid material from the actuating chamber and storing it the collection spac an inlet non-return valve at the inlet of the actuating chamber for allowing passage of drawn-in fluid material from the aspiration tube to the actuating chamber; and an outlet non-return valve between the actuating chamber and the collection space of the collection chamber for allowi passage of drawn-in fluid material into the collection space for storage there.

2. A suction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inle valve is arranged within the actuating chamber.

3. A suction device as claimed in claim 2, including an inl tube extending within the actuating chamber, the inlet valve being arranged at the outlet end of the inlet tube.

4. A suction device as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the inlet valve is a flutter valve.

5. A suction device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flutter valve is of sufficient length to close with drawn-in particulate matter present within its length.

6. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inlet tube is a press/taper fit in a mouth of the actuating chamber.

7. A suction device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inl tube is stepped down in diameter to receive the flutter valve and allow the valve to be passed into the actuating chamber a its inlet end.

8. A suction device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inlet tube is provided with means for positively locating it at a mouth of the actuating chamber and the actuating chamber has an oulet spout through which the inlet tube, with the flutter valve fitted, can be introduced for location in the inlet mouth.

9. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, including a flexible connector between the aspiration tube and the inlet tube to enable the aspiration tube to be folded against the actuating chamber.

10. A suction device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the flexible connector has a permanent set to facilitate manipulation of the aspiration tube by an operator holding the actuating chamber in his hand.

11. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein internal bores of the aspiration tube, flexible connector, inlet tube and flutter valve when open increase progressively from inlet end of the aspiration tube to outlet end of the flutter valve.

12. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outlet valve is arranged at the inlet end of the collection chamber.

13. A suction device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the collection chamber is a flexible plastics material bag and the outlet valve is a flutter valve at the inlet thereof.

14. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the collection chamber has a connection tube for interconnecting the actuating and collection chambers and the connection tube has a bell-mouth for sealingly receiving a spout of the actuating chamber.

15. A suction device as claimed in claim 14, wherein internal bores of the spout and the connection tube progressively -10-

increase towards the collection chamber from an internal bore size at least that of the inlet flutter valve.

16. A suction device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the collection chamber has a tap and/or a viral filte for releasing air and/or fluid material drawn into the device

17. A suction device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collection chamber includes a chemical pH indicator for testing drawn-in fluid material.