WO1997026848A1

WO1997026848A1 - Vacuum hand pump for therapeutic purposes

Info

Publication number: WO1997026848A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000043
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Burnett
Original assignee: David Burnett
Priority date: 1996-01-24
Filing date: 1997-01-24
Publication date: 1997-07-31
Also published as: AUPN769896A0

Abstract

A vacuum hand pump for the therapeutic treatment of impotence includes a regulator valve to prevent the creation of an excessive vacuum. The pump dis-assembles and its components are packed into the largest chamber for compact storage and transport.

Claims

8CLAIMS:

1. According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a vacuum hand pump including a vacuum cylinder, a pump cylinder in communication with the vacuum cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, the piston including a push rod extending through and slidably mounted in a bearing bush located at one end of the pump cylinder and the opposite end of the pump cylinder being closed by a first non-return valve, communication between the vacuum cylinder and the pump cylinder being via the first non-return valve, a second non-return valve being provided to allow expulsion of air from the pump cylinder when the piston is moved toward the first non-return valve, wherein a relief valve is arranged to open, allowing air to enter the pump cylinder and/or the vacuum cylinder when the pressure in the respective cylinder achieves a value which is less than atmospheric pressure by a predetermined amount, the relief valve being regulated by a spring pre-tensioned to provide a selected operating pressure for the relief valve and opening of the relief valve causing a further small deflection of the spring.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the spring for regulating the relief valve extends up the centre of a hollow piston rod of the pump and presses the relief valve member against its seat.

3. The pump of claim 1 or 2 wherein the relief valve member and seat are located in the handle of the pump.

4. The pump of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the regulating valve is incorporated into a common assembly with an outlet non-return valve of the pump.

5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the output non-return valve is provided through an opening in the closure member of the regulating valve.

6. The closure member is held against a valve seat by the elongate spring such that the closure member lifts off the seat against the force of the spring when the vacuum in the pump chamber exceeds a predetermined value.

7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the outlet non-return valve is provided by a neoprene flap located over an opening in the closure member of the regulating valve and held closing the opening by the vacuum in the pump chamber.

8. The pump as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an extension vacuum cylinder is also provided which sealingly connects with the vacuum cylinder to provide an enlarged vacuum chamber.

9. The pump of claim 8. wherein the extension vacuum chamber is sized to have an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the vacuum chamber and an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the pump chamber such that the extension chamber may be reversed and stored within the vacuum chamber.

10. A vacuum hand pump including a vacuum cylinder, a pump cylinder in communication with the vacuum cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder the piston including a push rod extending through and slidably mounted in a bearing bush located at one end of the cylinder and the opposite end of the cylinder being closed by a first non-return valve, communication between the vacuum cylinder and the pump cylinder being via the first non-return valve, a second non-return valve being provided to allow expulsion of air from the pump cylinder when the piston is moved toward the first non-return valve, the vacuum cylinder having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the pump cylinder whereby, in use, the communication end of the pump cylinder is located in one end of the vacuum cylinder by a sealing device with the pump cylinder extending outwardly of the vacuum cylinder and whereby when not in use the pump cylinder is stored inside the vacuum cylinder with the sealing means arranged to prevent the end of the pump cylinder containing the first non¬ return valve from substantially entering either end of the vacuum cylinder.

11. The pump of claim 10, wherein an extension vacuum cylinder is also provided which sealingly connects with the vacuum cylinder to provide an enlarged vacuum chamber.

12. The pump of claim 11, wherein the extension vacuum chamber is sized to have an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the vacuum chamber and an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the pump chamber such that the extension chamber may be reversed and stored within the vacuum chamber.