WO2012107882A1

WO2012107882A1 - Suction device

Info

Publication number: WO2012107882A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/050555
Authority: WO
Inventors: Riccardo Abate
Original assignee: Flaem Nuova S.P.A.
Priority date: 2011-02-11
Filing date: 2012-02-07
Publication date: 2012-08-16
Also published as: ITBS20110010U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a suction device of body secretions, particularly from nasal cavities, which includes a manual piston actuator having an end adapter to be fitted into the body cavity to be treated, a unidirectional valve system meant to allow an airflow in said actuator in the suction direction of the secretions of treated cavity only, and a collecting receptacle of suctioned secretions through the adapter.

Description

"SUCTION DEVICE"

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Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a secretion suction device, e.g. from nasal cavities.

Background Art

Suction devices, especially for nasal cavities, including an adapter to fit within the cavity to be treated applied to a drive body which can be manually operable for carrying out a secretion suction from the concerned cavity, are known.

Such devices show, however, the drawback that when triggered, for then carrying out the suctioning, they generate an airflow towards the cavity to be treated, this feature being disadvantageously bothering patients, when children mainly.

Additionally, with such suction devices the mucus, once suctioned, is conveyed into the drive body with the further disadvantage, in case it is not correctly removed, that it can be delivered in the same or another cavity during a subsequent treatment. Objects and Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is effectively compensating for the above mentioned drawbacks by an innovative device for secretions suctioning from body cavities, such as nasal cavities, designed for avoiding airflow delivery in the currently treated cavity and recovering and holding suctioned secretions in a dedicated compartment, in order to not be returned in the same treated cavity or in the cavity to be treated next.

Such object and its underlying deriving advantages are achieved with a suction device of body secretions composed by a pump, or manual actuator, piston type having an end adapter to be fitted into the body cavity, nasal cavity specifically, a unidirectional valve system able to allow an airflow through the adapter in secretion suction direction only from treated cavity, and a collecting receptacle for suctioned secretions through the adapter.

This way, when the device is triggered by a plunger shift towards the end adapter, air is discharged outwardly through the valve system, without flowing into treated cavity and bothering.

Then, when the plunger is released, pushed by a spring, it moves back thus causing a secretion suction by delivering and holding those in the collecting receptacle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further details of the invention will be evident from the following description with reference to the attached indicative not limiting drawings, where:

Fig. 1 shows and exploded view of components of the suction device;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the assembled device ; Fig. 3 shows an axial section of the device in the released position;

Figs. 4 and 5 show similar sections to those in Fig. 3, but with the device in intermediate and end driving positions, respectively;

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view of a circled detail A in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged view of a circled detail B in Fig. 5.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The device 10, as depicted, includes a drive body 11, or actuator, frontally carrying an adapter 12 designed to be fitted into a cavity to be treated.

The actuator 11 is a piston type with an outer cylinder 13 and a plunger 14 sliding in said cylinder. Cylinder and plunger 13, 14 are assembled with the aid of a ring nut 15 acting as axial guide for the plunger and allowing the component spacing for internal cleaning operations also, where required. The assembling ring nut 15 can be combined with the cylinder 13 for example by screwing or bayonet mounting it as shown in the drawing - Fig. 2 - or latching.

Adapter 12 is applied to the end of the cylinder 13 opposite to the plunger 14. The plunger is moveable between a rearward position, where it is far from the adapter, and a forward position, near the adapter 12. The plunger rearward position is caused by a return spring 16 positioned between cylinder and piston, while the forward position is manually obtained, by pushing on the rear free end of the plunger, at most up to a stopping abutment 13' in the body 13.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cylinder 13 is internally disposed in, or it embeds, a collecting receptacle 17 of secretions, only opened towards the adapter 12 and coaxially extending, without interfering, towards a cavity 14' provided in the plunger 14. Preferably, the outer cylinder 13 is made with a transparent material to allow the vision inside the receptacle 17. Additionally, the cylinder can be provided with at least fins 18 for an ergonomic device grasp, usually by a hand forefinger and middle finger, during its use. In order to make grasp safer such fins can show a figured surface with anti-slipping effect.

The adapter 12 is, in its turn, an anatomical type, made with a soft and hypoallergenic material and it is detachably combined to the cylinder to allow for its washing and possible replacing with a different actuator according to needs. The adapter has a head 19 that can be variously shaped and exhibits at least one, preferably two, safety side slits 20, to allow the user for air suctioning even when the adapter is applied to a congested nasal cavity, preventing annoying low pressure areas to be caused within the cavity .

Further, the adapter 12 axially defines a duct 21 having an inlet flush with the inlet head 19 of the suctioned secretions and an outlet flush with the receptacle 17, preferably under the opening edge of the latter.

According to another aspect of the invention, between the cylinder and the plunger a valve system following the plunger movements is interposed.

In the disclosed example, such valve system consists in an annular seat 22 and a gasket 23, preferably of toric type, accommodated in said seat. This seat communicates both with the cylinder inside through a port 24 between cylinder and plunger and with the outside through vent passages 25 provided in a portion of said seat and between the plunger 14 and the assembling ring nut 15 - Figs. 6 and 7.

The gasket 21 is not tightened, floating instead in seat 22 depending on the cylinder plunger displacements, in such a way to let both port 24 between cylinder and plunger and vent passages 25 open, for air discharging outwards the cylinder, when the plunger is displaced from the rearward position to the forward position and, vice versa, to close the air vent port 24 outwards the cylinder and then achieve air suction through the adapter duct 21 when the plunger is displaced from the forward position to the rearward position to remove secretions from treated cavity.

Arrows in figs. 4 and 6 show airflow from device inside to outside when the plunger is displaced in the forward position by pushing in F arrow direction; arrows in Fig. 5 show instead the suction air inflow through the adapter when the plunger is displaced in its rearward position in the G arrow direction due to the return spring 16.

Essentially, when the plunger is pushed from the rearward position to the forward position against the action of the return spring 16, the floating gasket allows air passing from cylinder inside to outside through the port 24 and the vent passages 25 - Figs. 4 and 6. Thereby, and advantageously, as desired, there is no airflow towards the adapter and towards the cavity to be treated wherein the adapter is being fitted correspondingly. Next, when the push on the plunger fails, the spring 16 brings the latter back in its initial rearward position, thereby causing secretion suctioning from treated cavity, the suctions building up in the collecting receptacle 17 by getting through the duct. This is since the floating gasket then goes clogging the port 24 between plunger and cylinder, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 especially.

The mentioned example is by way of example; the arrangement of proper elements of the device and inside thereof can therefore change without departing from the scope of protection o f the pre sent invention .

Claims

1. Suction device of body secretions, particularly from nasal cavities, characterized by a manual piston actuator having an end adapter to be fitted into the body cavity to be treated, a unidirectional valve system intended to allow an airflow in said actuator in the suction direction of secretions only from the treated cavity, and a collecting receptacle of suctioned secretions through the adapter.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the manual actuator (11) includes an outer cylinder (13) and a plunger (14) sliding in said cylinder assembled by a ring nut (15), and wherein said adapter (12) is applied at the end of said cylinder (13) opposed to said plunger (14), the plunger being movable between a rearward position far from the adapter and a forward position near the adapter.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylinder (13) of said manual actuator (11) is internally provided with a collecting receptacle (17) of secretions, with an opening towards the adapter (12) and extending coaxially towards a cavity provided in the plunger (14), and wherein the adapter (12) has a head (19) with at least a safety side slit (20) and axially defines a duct (21) having an inlet flush with the inlet head (19) of the suctioned secretions and an outlet flush with the receptacle (17), preferably under the opening edge of the latter .

4. Device according to claims 1 or 2 and 3, wherein the unidirectional valve system is arranged between the outer cylinder (13) and the plunger (14) of the manual actuator (11) .

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the unidirectional valve system includes an annular seat

(22) around the plunger, between the latter and the outer cylinder and an annular gasket (23) accommodated and floating in said seat.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein said annular seat (22) communicates with both the inside of the cylinder (13) through a port (24) between cylinder and plunger and the outside through vent passages (25) provided in a portion of said seat and between the plunger (14) and the assembling ring nut (15) .

7. Device according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the floating gasket (23) is movable in said seat (22) according to plunger displacements in the cylinder, from an opened position of the port (24) between cylinder and plunger and vent passages (25) , for the air discharge outwards the cylinder, when the plunger is displaced from the rearward position to the forward position, to a closed position of said port (24) of air vent outwardly of the cylinder to allow an air suction through the adapter duct (21), when the plunger is displaced from the forward position to the rearward position to remove the secretions from the treated cavity.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the plunger is urged and normally retained in the rearward position by a return spring (16) .

9. Device according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the cylinder can be made of transparent material and provided with grasping fins.