Cystometer system and pressure transducer

Claim 2

A cystometer system for insufflating a gas into the human body, comprising: a reservoir comprising a chamber including a movable wall whose position, at least in part, determines the volume of the chamber, the movement of said movable wall changing the said volume; biasing means exerting force on the said wall, tending to diminish said volume in opposition to fluid pressure in the chamber; a supply conduit opening into said chamber on the side of said wall to Which application of gas under pressure tends to enlarge the chamber; a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with said chamber and discharging to atmosphere whereby to limit the maximum fluid pressure which can be imposed in the chamber; a first selector valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the supply conduit being connected to the said first port; a charging conduit connected to said second port and adapted to be connected to a source of gas under pressure; and an outfeed conduit connected to said third port, said first selector valve being so disposed and arranged as to only interconnect the first port to the second port or to the third port.

Claim 3

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which the outfeed conduit includes flow control means, whereby the rate of flow of gas from the chamber is selectible.

Claim 4

A cystometer system according to claim 2 in which said flow control means comprises an orifice and a second selector valve so disposed and arranged as selectively to connect or disconnect said orifice in the outfeed line.

Claim 5

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which the outfeed conduit discharges through flow control means whereby the rate of flow of gas from the chamber is adjustable.

Claim 6

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which the reservoir comprises a cylinder, and the movable wall comprises a piston movable in said cylinder, and fluid sealing means between said piston and cylinder, the chamber being bounded at least in part by the cylinder and the piston.

Claim 7

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which a pressure sensor is connected to said outfeed conduit responsive to pressure therein so as to produce a signal proportional to pressure therein, and in which readout means is connected to said pressure sensor to receive said signal and to provide a readout of the magnitude of said signal.

Claim 8

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which the biasing means is a spring.

Claim 9

A cystometer system according to claim 5 in which the biasing means is a spring.

Claim 10

A cystometer system according to claim 8 in which a pressure sensor is connected to said outfeed conduit responsive to pressure therein so as to produce a signal proportional to pressure therein, and in which readout means is connected to said pressure sensor to receive said signal and to provide a readout of the magnitude of said signal.

Claim 11

A cystometer system according to claim 9 in which said readout means is a gauge or a recording chart.

Claim 12

A cystometer system according to claim 1 in which measurement means is provided to measure the quantity of gas expelled from the chamber.

Claim 13

A cystometer system according to claim 5 in which measuring means is provided for measuring gas in the chamber comprising a first element connected to the piston and a second element connected to the cylinder, one of said elements being a scale.

Claim 14

A cystometer system for insufflating a gas into the human body, comprising: a reservoir comprising a chamber including a movable wall whose position, at least in part, determines the volume of the chamber, the movement of said movable wall changing the said volume; biasing means exerting force on the said wall, tending to diminish said volume in opposition to fluid pressure in the chamber; a supply conduit opening into said chamber on the side of said wall to which application of gas under pressure tends to enlarge the chamber; a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with said chamber and discharging to atmosphere whereby to limit the maximum fluid pressure which can be imposed in the chamber; a first selector valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the supply conduit being connected to the said first port; a charging conduit connected to said second port and adapted to be connected to a source of gas under pressure; an outfeed conduit connected to said third port, said first selector valve being so disposed and arranged as to only interconnect the first port to the second port or to the third port; and a pressure sensor connected to said outfeed conduit responsive to pressure therein so as to produce a signal proportional to pressure therein; readout means connected to said pressure sensor to receive said signal and to provide a readout of the magnitude of said signal, said pressure sensor comprising a body having a cavity, a flexible, elastic diaphragm extending across and closing said cavity, the diaphragm having a movable portion which is movable along an axis of movement as a consequence of changes of fluid pressure in the cavity, a signal pressure inlet entering said cavity, occlusion means having an opaque section with an edge, said occlusion means being attached to said movable portion of the diaphragm so as to move axially therewith, a fiber optic light source and a fiber optic light receiver, both said light source and light receiver comprising a bundle of aligned light-transmissive fibers, both having a terminal, light-transmissive face, and both having an axis of light transmission, said axes of light transmission being aligned with one another, each said face being transverse to said last-named axes, and the occlusion means being so disposed and arranged that its edge is movable laterally of the said last-named axes so as to occlude a variable proportion of the light transmitted from one face to the other as a function of pressure in the cavity, and light-responsive sensor means in light-receiving relationship to the light receiver to provide a signal proportional to the light received by the light receiver.

Claim 15

A cystometer system for insufflating a gas into the human body, comprising: a reservoir comprising a chamber including a movable wall whose position, at least in part, determines the volume of the chamber, the movement of said movable wall changing the said volume; biasing means exerting force on the said wall, tending to diminish said volume in opposition to fluid pressure in the chamber; a supply conduit opening into said chamber on the side of said wall to which application of gas under pressure tends to enlarge the chamber; a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with said chamber and discharging to atmosphere whereby to limit the maximum fluid pressure which can be imposed in the chamber; a first selector valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the supply conduit being connected to the said first port; a charging conduit connected to said second port and adapted to be connected to a source of gas under pressure; an outfeed conduit connected to said third port, said first selector valve being so disposed and arranged as to only interconnect the first port to the second port or to the third port; and a pressure sensor connected to said outfeed conduit responsive to pressure therein so as to produce a signal proportional to pressure therein; readout means connected to said pressure sensor to receive said signal and to provide a readout of the magnitude of said signal, said pressure sensor comprising a body having a cavity, a flexible, elastic diaphragm extending across and closing said cavity, the diaphragm having a movable portion which is movable along an axis of movement as a consequence of changes of fluid pressure in the cavity, a signal pressure inlet entering said cavity, occlusion means having an opaque section with an edge, said occlusion means being attached to said movable portion of the diaphragm so as to move axially therewith, a fiber optic light source and a fiber optic light receiver, both said light source and light receiver comprising a bundle of aligned light-transmissive fibers, both having a terminal, light-transmissive face, and both having an axis of light transmission, said axes of light transmission being aligned with one another, each said face being transverse to said last-named axes, and the occlusion means being so disposed and arranged that its edge is movable laterally of the said last-named axes so as to occlude a variable proportion of the light transmitted from one face to the other as a function of pressure in the cavity, and light-responsive sensor means in light-receiving relationship to the light receiver to provide a signal proportional to the light received by the light receiver.

Claim 16

A cystometer system according to claim 13 in which the outfeed conduit discharges through flow control means whereby the rate of flow of gas from the chamber is adjustable.

Claim 17

A cystometer system according to claim 13 in which the reservoir comprises a cylinder, and the movable wall comprises a piston movable in said cylinder, and fluid sealing means between said piston and cylinder, the chamber being bounded at least in part by the cylinder and the piston.

Claim 18

A cystometer system according to the claim 13 in which the said bundles are circular in cross-section.

Claim 19

A cystometer system according to claim 13 in which the outfeed conduit includes flow control means, whereby the rate of flow of gas from the chamber is selectible.

Claim 20

A cystometer system according to claim 13 in which said readout means is a gauge or a recording chart.

Claim 21

A cystometer system according to claim 13 in which the diaphragm comprises silicone elastomer.