Device for the Extraction of Body Fluid by Suction

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for the extraction of body fluid by suction, comprising a pump (2) with a pump housing (4) that comprises a suction opening (31), a container (6) with a container housing (8) that surrounds a reservoir (10) for storing the extracted body fluid and comprises an interface (84) in a container housing wall (82) for the communication between the suction opening (31) and the reservoir (10), a suction line port (74) that is connectable to a suction line (6) for the extraction of body fluid by suction, which is provided with a cover element covering the coupling device to improve the cleanliness and/or for the formation of functional surfaces for securing the suction line and/or releasing the coupling device.

Claims

1. A device for the extraction of body fluid by suction, comprising: a pump with a pump housing that comprises a suction opening, a container with a container housing that surrounds a reservoir for storing the extracted body fluid and comprises an interface in a container housing wall for the communication between said suction opening and said reservoir, a suction line port that is in communication with said reservoir and connectable to a suction line for the extraction of body fluid by suction, and a coupling device for detachably coupling said container housing to said pump housing, further comprising a cover element covering said coupling device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover element is connectable to said container housing in a positive-fit and/or positive substance-fit and/or force-fit manner.

3. The device according to claim 3, said cover element comprises a push button interacting with said coupling device for decoupling said container housing from said pump housing.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said cover element covers a locking projection provided on said container housing or said pump housing for coupling said container housing and said pump housing and/or forms a locking projection for coupling said container housing and said pump housing.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein said push button is arranged between two mounting segments that are formed by said cover element and connected to said container housing.

6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising, a ventilation rinsing line port for a ventilation line for supplying a fluid to the end of said suction line on the application side, where said ventilation line port is in communication with a ventilation duct leading into said pump housing.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising, an intermediate module which can be detachably connected by way of coupling devices to one of container housing and pump housing, which is provided with a feed pump, comprises inlet and outlet openings for a feed hose interacting with said feed pump and comprises a suction segment extending between said suction opening of said pump housing and said interface of said container housing, wherein at least one of said coupling devices is covered by said cover element.

8. The device according to claim 7 further comprising, a second cover element covering the other of said coupling devices.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir is provided with a filter which seals a suction duct which is in communication with said pump.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover element comprises at least one passage opening for said suction line and/or for said ventilation line and forms at least one securing surface, due to the abutment of which against said respective line, a clamping force is effected in the axial direction clamping said respective suction line against a port on the housing side.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pump housing comprises at least one mounting element and said container housing at least one mounting mating element and that said container housing is pivotable relative to said pump housing by an interaction of said mounting element of said pump housing with said mounting mating element of said container housing.

12. The device according to claim 15, wherein said intermediate module comprises a mounting element and a mounting mating element and that said container housing is pivotable relative to said intermediate module by an interaction of said mounting element of said intermediate module with said mounting mating element of said container housing and that said intermediate module is pivotable relative to said pump housing by an interaction of said mounting element of said pump housing with said mounting mating element of said intermediate module.

13. The device according to claim 1 further comprising, a detection device and an identifier provided on said container housing and/or on said intermediate module, where said detection device is adapted to detect said identifier and is coupled via a signal line to a motor control device of said pump.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover element has a nonlinear arrangement of said passage openings and preferably has the shape of a segment of a circle.

15. A container for storing extracted body fluid, comprising a container housing surrounding a reservoir for body fluid, an interface to said reservoir connectable to a suction opening of a pump housing, a suction line port in communication with said reservoir, and a suction line for the extraction of body fluid by suction that is connected to said suction line port, wherein a cover element with at least one passage opening for said suction line and at least one securing surface, due to the abutment of which against said suction line, a clamping force is effected in the axial direction clamping said suction line against said associated suction line port.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein that said cover element is connectable to said container housing by way of a locking mechanism.

17. The device according to claim 4, wherein said cover element covers a locking projection provided on said container housing or said pump housing for coupling said container housing and said pump housing and/or forms a locking projection for coupling said container housing and said pump housing.

18. The device according to claims 1, wherein said cover element comprises at least one passage opening for said suction line or for said ventilation line and forms at least one securing surface, due to the abutment of which against said respective line, a clamping force is effected in the axial direction clamping said respective suction line against a port on the housing side.

19. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a detection device and an identifier provided on said container housing or on said intermediate module, where said detection device is adapted to detect said identifier and is coupled via a signal line to a motor control device of said pump.

Description

[0032] Further details and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the following description of embodiments in combination with the drawing, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of an embodiment of a device for the extraction of body fluid by suction;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view along the C, C′ according to FIG. 1 for a first variant according to FIG. 1 for a first variant of a coupling device;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows the sectional view according to FIG. 2 for a second variant of a coupling device;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows the sectional view according to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a third variant of a coupling device;

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view along line E, E′ according to FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a perspective side view of the container of the embodiment with the cover element and various lines in an explosion representation;

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a perspective side view on the upper side of the cover element of the embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a perspective lower view of the cover element of the embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 9 shows a rear top view onto a variant of the cover element;

[0042] FIG. 10 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 1 with an intermediate module arranged between the pump housing and the container housing;

[0043] FIG. 11 shows a perspective top view that reveals the details of the intermediate module;

[0044] FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram for connecting the device for the extraction by suction in the framework of vacuum therapy;

[0045] FIG. 13 shows a perspective cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a container;

[0046] FIG. 14 shows a perspective cross sectional view opposite to the view of FIG. 13 for the embodiment of the container of FIG. 13 and

[0047] FIG. 15 shows a perspective side view of an alternative embodiment of a device for the extraction of body fluid by suction.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of an embodiment with a pump 2 comprising a pump housing 4 that defines the outer surfaces of the pump 2. Detachably connected to this pump 2 is a container 6 whose outer surfaces are formed by a container housing 8. The container housing 8 forms a reservoir 10 (cf. FIG. 12) in which body fluid to be extracted by suction is collected. For this purpose, the embodiment comprises a suction line 12 that leads to the reservoir 10 and can be connected to a wound region 14 which is provided with a dressing over which a substantially airtight film 15 is applied that is typically adhesively connected to the skin surrounding the wound, so that the wound region 14 can communicate with the environment only via lines connected thereto. In addition to the suction line 12, a ventilation line 16 is provided according to FIG. 12 which leads to the container 6 and leads via a ventilation duct 18 that is in the container 6 and formed integrally thereon with an inner ventilation line 20 within the pump 2 to a ventilation valve 22.

[0049] FIG. 12 further illustrates a suction pump 24, which is provided in the pump housing 4 and associated with a control device 25, which also has a data coupling to the ventilation valve 22. The pump 2 is provided with an autonomous power supply in the form of accumulator batteries 26. The suction pump 24 is in communication with the reservoir 10 via an inner suction line 28 within the pump housing 4 and comprises an exhaust 30 leading to the exterior for the air ejected from the suction pump 24 during operation.

[0050] The illustration according to FIG. 12 is only schematic. Disposed between the inner suction line 28 and the reservoir 10 can be a filter which clogs when wetted with moisture to prevent the fluid extracted by suction from being sucked into the pump 2. The exhaust 30 can be provided with silencing elements and/or a filter.

[0051] The free end of the inner suction line 28 is formed by a suction opening 31 which is formed on an outer surface of the pump housing. The inner suction line 28 is in communication via this suction opening 31 with a suction duct 33 formed within the container housing 6 and integrally thereby. When the container housing 6 is attached to the pump housing 4, the suction duct 33 and the inner suction line 28 or the inner ventilation line 20 and the ventilation duct 18, respectively, are connected in a sealed manner by way of surfaces of the pump housing 4 or the container housing 8 that bear against each other.

[0052] A cover element 32 can be seen in FIG. 1 between the pump 2 and the container 6 and shall be explained in more detail below. The cover element 32 has a flush surface with the surfaces of the pump 2 and the container 6. The surfaces transition into each other in a flush manner. The cover element 32 is made of plastic materials by injection molding and is formed as a separate component and locked by a locking mechanism to the container housing 8.

[0053] The cover element 32 is used to cover a coupling device 34 which couples the container housing 8 detachably to the pump housing 4. Formed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 for this purpose on a pan 36, which together with a canister 38 forms the container housing 8 and surrounds the reservoir 10, is a locking projection 40 formed as pawls which is pivotable relative to the pan 36, for which purpose presently an end of the pawl 42 on the attachment side is tapered in cross-section, whereby a kind of integral hinge is formed. Provided between the end of the pawl 42 on the attachment side and a connecting surface of the pan 36 welded to the canister is a reception slot 44 which receives and positions the free end of a rear wall 46 of the cover element 32.

[0054] The sectional view shown in FIG. 2 through the cover element 32 intersects a push button 48 which is connected only via the rear wall 46, namely via an integral hinge formed by a tapered cross section 50. Projecting from the underside of the push button 48 is an actuation web 52 which in its locked position shown in FIG. 2 upon actuation of the push button 48 against the locking projection 40 interacts with an engagement tab 54 formed by the pump housing 4. The coupling device 34 can thus be decoupled by actuating the push button 48.

[0055] In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the locking projection 40 is provided at a free end of the push button 48 and projects thereover. The engagement tab 54, as a further element of the coupling device 34, is formed like previously by the pump housing 4.

[0056] In the third variant shown by way of example, the push button 48 is formed integrally on the pump housing 4 and mounted via a hinge 56 elastically pivotable relative thereto. Formed at the free end of the push button 48 is the locking projection 40 which engages behind the engagement tab 54 formed by the cover element 32. The pump housing 4 and the container housing 8 are also detachably coupled to each other by this embodiment.

[0057] As illustrated by FIGS. 7 and 8, the push button 48 is provided in the width direction at the center on the cover element 32. It is located between two mounting segments 58, of which the mounting segment 58 in FIG. 7 at the right forms a passage opening 60 for a tube 62 which forms the suction line 12 and the ventilation line 16 in combination (cf. FIG. 5). The passage opening 60 is formed and circumferentially surrounded by a clamping cylinder 64 which forms a securing surface 66. The other mounting segment similarly has a positioning cone 68 projecting over itself. The two mounting segments 58 are substantially pan-shaped. The push button 48 is cut free relative to the surfaces of the mounting segments 58 and is only connected by way of the rear wall 46 to the other components of the cover element 32. Projecting from the inner surfaces of the pan-shaped mounting segments 58 are locking projections 70 which interact with engagement heads 72 formed on the container housing 8, specifically on the pan 36, and form a locking mechanism with which the cover element 32 is connected to the container housing 8 in a positive-fit manner.

[0058] This connection can be gathered in particular from FIG. 5 which also illustrates the attachment of the tube 62 to the container housing 8. For this purpose, the latter has a suction line port nozzle 74 and a ventilation line port nozzle 76 which are formed integrally by the pan 36 and project upwardly from the latter (cf. FIG. 6). The material of the tube is clamped between these port nozzles 74, 76 and the securing surface 66. This secures the tube 62 on the container housing 8 with increased pull-out force. In addition, the port nozzles 74, 76 also act as positioning aids in the framework of the assembly of the cover element 32. The same applies to the interaction of the positioning cone 68 with a cone seat 78 which is provided for the oppositely disposed mounting segment 58 on the housing side (see FIG. 6).

[0059] As conveyed by FIGS. 5 and 6, the ventilation line 16 is in communication with the ventilation duct 18 via the ventilation line port nozzle 76 within the pan 36. The ventilation duct 18 terminates at a ventilation interface 80 which is exposed at a face side container housing wall 82 of the container 6 and which in the mounted state is in communication with the ventilation duct 20 within the pump housing 4 (see also FIG. 12). In addition to the ventilation duct 18, a further opening as an interface 84 can be seen on the container housing wall 82 and is in communication with the reservoir 10 via the suction duct 33 within the pan 36. The inlet of this suction duct 33 is formed through a rear wall of the pan 36 which is provided with a filter 88 which covers the access on the reservoir side to the suction duct 33 (cf. FIGS. 2-4, 12). For reasons of simpler illustration, the ventilation duct 18 and the suction duct 33 in FIG. 12 are drawn on top of each other and not side by side. Either configuration is conceivable for the realization of the invention.

[0060] The combination of FIGS. 5 and 12 illustrates that the flow paths within the container 6 are formed solely by the pan 36 which can be produced as a complex plastic component by way of injection molding. The canister 38, in comparison, is a non-specifically formed hollow body which only needs to form adapted joining surfaces for being joined with the pan 36.

[0061] FIG. 6 at the lower end of the pan 36 shows a mounting pin mating element 90 which is formed as a semicircular cavity. The oppositely disposed face surfaces of the pan 36 each have a corresponding cavity. The latter is first fitted onto mounting elements, not shown, corresponding thereto and formed in the pump housing 4 when the container 6 is attached. This creates a pivot mount about which the container 6 is pivoted when coupled to the pump 2 until the coupling device 34 engages. For this purpose, the pump housing 4 has lateral faces 92 from which the mounting elements project and which form a receptacle for the pan 36, offset inwardly relative to the remaining housing of the container, together with the cover element 32 (cf. FIG. 1).

[0062] The essential elements and advantages of the basic form of the invention have now been illustrated. A tube 62 can be connected captively to the container 6 via the cover element 32. The cover element 32 and the container 6 are first manufactured separately and locked to each other with the inclusion of the tube 62. The cover element 32 also covers parts of the coupling device 34, so that an aesthetically appealing image on the outer side arises. The device is easy to clean and to keep clean. The container 6 is formed in two parts, where solely the pan 36 embodies with more complex functional surfaces for locking the cover element 32 and/or for flow guidance of extracted body fluid or ventilation air. This part of the container 6 also forms interfaces to the ducts on the pump side for the extraction of body fluid by suction and the ventilation of this flow path. These interfaces are each sealed. The pan 36 is also provided with the filter 88.

[0063] The pump housing 4 forms a suitable receptacle for the accommodation of the pan 36, so that also the side surfaces of the pump housing 2 and the container housing 8 transition to each other in a flush manner. The pump housing 4 is joined with the container housing 8 by a pivot motion. The two housings 4, 8 are necessarily locked to each other by the coupling device 34 at the end of this pivot motion.

[0064] FIG. 10 illustrates the previously discussed embodiment in which an intermediate module 94 is arranged between the pump 2 and the container 6. The intermediate module 94 has mounting elements and mounting mating elements on opposite sides, so that the intermediate module 94 can be connected to the pump housing 4 like the container 6 and the container 6 can be connected to the intermediate module 94 like to the pump housing 4. The intermediate module 94 also has the previously described elements of the locking mechanism for attaching another, second cover element 96 to the intermediate module 94. A correspondingly configured intermediate module housing 98 fits in the side surfaces and the surface of the device in a flush manner, so that this variant also fulfills the hygienic requirements. Accordingly, the intermediate module 94 is detachably connected by way of a coupling device to the pump housing 4, and by way of a further coupling device detachably to the container housing 8. The respective coupling devices are covered by the cover element 32 and the second cover element 96.

[0065] The intermediate module housing 98 accommodates a pump 102 which is formed as a peristaltic pump and comprises planetary wheels 106 that interact with a feed hose 104 and that move around a driven shaft 108 during operation. The intermediate module 98 forms inlet and outlet openings 105 for this feed hose 104 by way of which the feed hose is led into the intermediate module. A face-side housing wall 110 of the intermediate module housing 98 comprises two passage openings, one of which form a ventilation duct segment 112, and the other a suction duct segment 114. The ventilation duct segment 112 connects the ventilation duct 18 to the internal ventilation line 20 within the pump 2. The suction duct segment 114 connects the interface 84 with the internal suction line 28 on the pump side.

[0066] FIGS. 13 and 14 show an alternate embodiment of a container. The cover element 32 corresponds with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2. The major difference between the embodiment of FIG. 2 resides in the alternate realization of the filter. In the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, the filter 88 is received within a receptacle 120 formed between a membrane 122 and the container housing wall 82, which receptacle is defined between a peg 124 and an upper wall section 126 of the container housing 8. The membrane 122 per se can have the function of a filter. In addition, the filter 88 in this embodiment is an activated carbon filter consisting of an outer envelope containing the activated carbon. This activated carbon filter may be pressed into the receptacle 122 such that air sucked from the reservoir 10 into the inner suction line 28 inevitably needs to pass the filter 88.

[0067] FIG. 15 shows a perspective side view of an alternative embodiment. Same components are marked with the same reference numerals as in the embodiment previously described. The cover element 32 is presently formed to be semicircular. The push button 48 is located at the center of the cover element 32. The cover element 32 forms different openings for passing lines in a ring-shaped and therefore a non-linear configuration. These openings are formed, firstly, by passage openings 116 for the feed hose 104, and, secondly, by the passage opening 60 for the suction line 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0068] 2 pump

[0069] 4 pump housing

[0070] 6 container

[0071] 8 container housing

[0072] 10 reservoir

[0073] 12 suction line

[0074] 14 wound region

[0075] 15 film

[0076] 16 ventilation line

[0077] 18 ventilation duct

[0078] 20 inner ventilation line

[0079] 22 ventilation valve

[0080] 24 suction pump

[0081] 25 control device

[0082] 26 accumulator battery

[0083] 28 inner suction line

[0084] 30 exhaust

[0085] 31 suction opening

[0086] 32 cover element

[0087] 33 suction duct

[0088] 34 coupling device

[0089] 36 pan

[0090] 38 canister

[0091] 40 locking projection

[0092] 42 pawl

[0093] 44 reception slot

[0094] 46 rear wall

[0095] 48 push button

[0096] 50 integral hinge

[0097] 52 actuation web

[0098] 54 engagement tab

[0099] 56 hinge

[0100] 58 mounting segment

[0101] 60 passage opening

[0102] 62 tube

[0103] 64 clamping cylinder

[0104] 66 securing surface

[0105] 68 positioning cone

[0106] 70 engagement projection

[0107] 72 engagement head

[0108] 74 suction line port nozzle

[0109] 76 ventilation line port nozzle

[0110] 78 cone seat

[0111] 80 ventilation interface

[0112] 82 container housing wall

[0113] 84 interface

[0114] 88 filter

[0115] 90 mounting pin mating element

[0116] 92 face

[0117] 94 intermediate module

[0118] 96 second cover element

[0119] 98 intermediate module housing

[0120] 100 face

[0121] 102 feed pump

[0122] 104 feed hose

[0123] 105 inlet and outlet openings

[0124] 106 planetary gears

[0125] 108 shaft

[0126] 110 housing wall

[0127] 112 ventilation duct segment

[0128] 114 suction duct segment

[0129] 116 passage opening

[0130] 120 receptacle

[0131] 122 membrane

[0132] 124 peg

[0133] 126 upper wall section