US4245639A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-inflating urinary catheter
Assignee: CR Bard Inc
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Filing: 1979-04-30
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Granted: 1981-01-20
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Expires: 1999-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A self-inflating urinary catheter which includes a retention balloon has a fluid reservoir communicating with the balloon, a wall in the reservoir comprising an elastic membrane arranged to retain fluid in an unpressurized state, a plunger arranged to depress the membrane into the fluid and initially displace part of the fluid and membrane through a window opening in one of the reservoir parts so as to stretch the membrane and pressurize the fluid, thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel if from the reservoir to inflate the retention balloon.
Inventors
- 👤 John F. La Rosa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0017; A61M25/10; A61M25/1018; A61M25/10181; A61M25/10183
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure connected to the inflation lumen, said reservoir structure including a substantially rigid body part, a substantially rigid plunger part and an elastic membrane, at least one of said substantially rigid parts having at least one window opening, said elastic membrane being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress the membrane into the fluid thereby at least momentarily displacing part of the fluid and membrane through the window opening so as to stretch the membrane and pressurize the fluid, said stretched membrane thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon, said plunger part being engagable with the body part when operated to depress the membrane so that the membrane continues to exert force on the fluid without continued application of force by the user to any portion of the apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure connected to the inflation lumen, said reservoir structure including a substantially rigid body part, a substantially rigid plunger part and an elastic membrane, at least one of said substantially rigid parts having at least one window opening, said elastic membrane being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress the membrane into the fluid thereby at least momentarily displacing part of the fluid and membrane through the window opening so as to stretch the membrane and pressurize the fluid, said stretched membrane thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon, said plunger part being engagable with the body part when operated to depress the membrane so that the membrane continues to exert force on the fluid without continued application of force by the user to any portion of the apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 in which at least a portion of the stretched membrane and pressurized fluid are visible to provide an indication of the amount of fluid remaining in the reservoir structure before its expulsion to inflate the retention balloon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 in which the engagement between the plunger part and the body part is releasable to allow the membrane to return to its initial condition and thereby remove the force on the fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 in which the reservoir structure comprises a substantially rigid cylinder with one end connected to the inflation lumen and with the membrane disposed toward the other end and enclosing the interior of the cylinder and with the plunger part arranged to be moved within said other end of the cylinder to impinge against the membrane and fluid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 4 in which the plunger part has a window opening at its inner end for receiving a bulbous displaced portion of the fluid and membrane when the plunger is moved to impinge against the membrane and fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 which includes means by which to view the displaced part of the fluid and membrane as an indication of the degree of epulsion of fluid from the reservoir.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
162 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure including an elastic membrane in the form of an enclosed bag connected to the inflation lumen, a substantially rigid body part in the form of a housing containing said bag, and a substantially rigid plunger part, said housing having at least one window opening, said bag being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress a portion of the bag into the fluid thereby at least momentarily displacing part of the fluid and the bag through the window opening in the housing so as to stretch the bag and pressurize the fluid, said stretched bag thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
162 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure including an elastic membrane in the form of an enclosed bag connected to the inflation lumen, a substantially rigid body part in the form of a housing containing said bag, and a substantially rigid plunger part, said housing having at least one window opening, said bag being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress a portion of the bag into the fluid thereby at least momentarily displacing part of the fluid and the bag through the window opening in the housing so as to stretch the bag and pressurize the fluid, said stretched bag thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure connected to the inflation lumen, said reservoir structure including a substantially rigid body part, a substantially rigid plunger part having a window opening and an elastic membrane, said elastic membrane being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress the membrane into the fluid, thereby at least momentarily displacing a portion of the fluid and membrane through the window opening in the plunger part so as to stretch the membrane and pressurize the fluid, said stretched membrane thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter of the type which includes a retention balloon and an inflation lumen connected for conducting fluid to inflate the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises a fluid reservoir structure connected to the inflation lumen, said reservoir structure including a substantially rigid body part, a substantially rigid plunger part having a window opening and an elastic membrane, said elastic membrane being arranged to retain fluid in the reservoir in an initially unpressurized state, said plunger part being arranged to depress the membrane into the fluid, thereby at least momentarily displacing a portion of the fluid and membrane through the window opening in the plunger part so as to stretch the membrane and pressurize the fluid, said stretched membrane thereby exerting force on the fluid to expel it out of the reservoir structure and through the inflation lumen to inflate the retention balloon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 in which the plunger part is hinged to the wall of the reservoir.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A self-inflating urinary catheter according to claim 1 which includes a restricted passage between the reservoir structure and the retention balloon thereby providing an elapse of time between the initial stressing of the membrane and the completion of expulsion of the fluid from the reservoir structure into the balloon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-01-20 | 1984-07-21 | 1985-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-01-20 | 1988-07-21 | 1989-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-01-20 | 1992-07-21 | 1993-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |