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Publication Number
US-9486561-B2
Publication Date
2016-11-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A suction apparatus for aspirating a fluid from a human or animal body by negative pressure comprises a drainage connection for a drainage line in order to remove the fluid from the body. A vacuum source generates a negative pressure at the drainage connection. A fluid connection container collects the sucked-up fluid. The drainage line can be flushed with air by an auxiliary connection and an auxiliary line connected to the latter. In order to reduce the entraining of pathogens, a sterilizing cell is provided. The supplied air is treated in the latter in such a manner that pathogens contained in the air are modified and thereby rendered harmless.
Core Innovation
The described invention concerns a suction apparatus for aspirating a fluid from a human or animal body by means of negative pressure. The apparatus includes a pump assembly housing, a drainage connection for a drainage line, a vacuum source arranged in the housing to generate negative pressure at the drainage connection, and a fluid collection container for collecting the sucked-up fluid. The invention further integrates an auxiliary connection for an auxiliary line and a sterilizing device with a sterilizing cell arranged in the pump assembly housing.
The sterilizing device treats supplied gas such that pathogens contained in the gas are modified and thereby rendered harmless. The sterilizing cell has an inlet for supplying the gas and an outlet for conducting the treated gas out of the sterilizing cell to the auxiliary connection. In this configuration, the negative-pressure suction system and the gas-treatment function are co-located in the pump assembly housing and linked by the auxiliary connection.
Gas treatment is controlled by inlet valve and outlet valve arranged at the inlet and outlet of the sterilizing cell, respectively, such that the inlet valve and the outlet valve act as a lock for the supplied gas entering the sterilizing cell. The supplied gas can be handled in a valve-controlled sequence by closing the outlet valve, opening the inlet valve to supply gas, closing the inlet valve, treating the supplied gas in the sterilizing cell to modify pathogens, and then opening the outlet valve to conduct treated gas to the auxiliary line.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a negative-pressure suction apparatus integrated with a sterilizing device and gas valve-locking, and also a method for supplying treated air to an auxiliary line. Across the independent claims, the core coverage centers on treating supplied gas so that pathogens are modified and rendered harmless and routing the treated gas to an auxiliary line using inlet and outlet valves acting as a lock, with defined sequencing for the auxiliary-line supply method.
In-housing sterilizing cell integrated with suction apparatus and auxiliary connection
A suction apparatus for aspirating a fluid from a human or animal body by means of negative pressure, comprising a pump assembly housing, a drainage connection for a drainage line, a vacuum source arranged in the pump assembly housing for generating a negative pressure at the drainage connection, a fluid collection container, an auxiliary connection for an auxiliary line, and a sterilizing device with a sterilizing cell arranged in the pump assembly housing, wherein the sterilizing cell has an inlet to supply a gas and an outlet to conduct the treated gas out of the sterilizing cell to the auxiliary connection, and wherein the sterilizing device is configured to treat the supplied gas such that pathogens contained in said gas are modified and thereby rendered harmless.
Inlet and outlet valves acting as a lock for supplied gas entering the sterilizing cell
The suction apparatus further includes a sterilizing device that comprises an inlet valve at the inlet of the sterilizing cell through which inlet valve the gas can be supplied to the sterilizing cell, and an outlet valve at the outlet of the sterilizing cell through which outlet valve the treated gas can be conducted out of the sterilizing cell, such that the inlet valve and the outlet valve act as a lock for the supplied gas entering the sterilizing cell.
Sterilizing device configured to reduce infection risk by modifying pathogens in supplied gas
A sterilizing device for a suction apparatus comprising a pump assembly housing, a drainage connection, and a vacuum source arranged in the pump assembly housing for generating a negative pressure at the drainage connection, wherein the sterilizing device comprises a sterilizing cell with an inlet to supply a gas and is configured to treat the supplied gas so that pathogens contained in the supplied gas are modified and thereby rendered harmless in order to reduce a risk of the human or the animal body being infected by the supplied gas, and wherein the sterilizing cell has an outlet.
Auxiliary-line air supply method using valve sequence and treated-gas routing
A method for supplying air to an auxiliary line of a suction apparatus comprising a pump assembly housing, a drainage line, a vacuum source arranged in the pump assembly housing for generating a negative pressure, a sterilizing cell arranged in the pump assembly housing and having an inlet and an outlet, an inlet valve at the inlet of the sterilizing cell, and an outlet valve at the outlet of the sterilizing cell, wherein an apparatus-remote end of the auxiliary line is in fluid-communicating connection with an apparatus-remote end of the drainage line, the method comprising closing the outlet valve, opening the inlet valve to supply gas to the sterilizing cell, closing the inlet valve, treating the supplied gas in the sterilizing cell to modify pathogens and thereby render harmless, and opening the outlet valve to conduct the treated gas out of the sterilizing cell to the auxiliary line.
Selection of sterilizing energy sources for sterilizing cell gas treatment
A suction apparatus for aspirating a fluid from a human or animal body including a pump assembly housing, a drainage tube, a fluid collection container, a vacuum source communicating with both the drainage tube and the fluid collection container, an auxiliary tube, and a sterilizing device having a sterilizing cell arranged in the pump assembly housing with an inlet in communication with an inlet tube and an outlet in communication with an outlet tube, wherein the sterilizing device includes at least one of an ultraviolet source, a heat source, a steam generator, an ozone generator, an electron source or a gamma radiation source.
Sterilizing device with atmosphere inlet and valve-controlled outlet for supplied and treated gas
A sterilizing device integrated with a suction apparatus that comprises a pump assembly housing, a drainage connection, a vacuum source generating negative pressure at the drainage connection, wherein the sterilizing cell has an inlet in communication with an atmosphere and the sterilizing device includes at least one of an ultraviolet source, a heat source, a steam generator, an ozone generator, an electron source or a gamma radiation source to reduce a risk of the human or the animal body being infected by a supplied gas, wherein the sterilizing cell has an outlet configured to permit air to exit the sterilizing cell, and wherein the inlet valve supplies the supplied gas to the sterilizing cell and the outlet valve conducts the treated gas out of the sterilizing cell, such that the inlet valve and the outlet valve act as a lock for the supplied gas entering the sterilizing cell.
Overall, the independent claims require a suction apparatus and/or sterilizing device that treat supplied gas by modifying pathogens so that they are rendered harmless, with inlet and outlet valves acting as a lock to control gas flow through a sterilizing cell. The method claim additionally defines a valve-controlled sequence for supplying treated air from the sterilizing cell to an auxiliary line connected in fluid communication with a drainage line remote end.
Stated Advantages
The sterilizing device reduces a risk of the human or the animal body being infected by the supplied gas.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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