Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
An indwelling ventilating aspirating apparatus by which a medical patient is subjected to involuntary respiratory therapy and by which fluids from the trachea and/or bronchi are evacuated, the apparatus comprising: an elongated sterile aspirating catheter tube for manual insertion into the trachea/bronchi of the patient; a sterility preserving collapsible envelope essentially surrounding the catheter tube, the envelope maintaining sterility of the catheter tube while accommodating manual manipulation of the catheter tube to and fro by externally collapsing the envelope upon the catheter tube; first coupling means accommodating manual reciprocation of the catheter tube therethrough; second coupling means comprising means associated with a proximal end of the catheter tube; tracheostomy fitting means connected to the first coupling means by which ventilating air is introduced into and exhausted from the lungs of the patient and through which the aspirating catheter tube is displaced into and removed from the patient's trachea/bronchi; vacuum control valve structure comprising valve body means having fluid flow passageway means and valve means operable within the valve body means between activated and non-activated positions to respectively accommodate and prohibit vacuum caused fluid flow along the passageway means, the control valve structure further comprising means interposed between the valve body means and the valve means which prohibits bacterial entry between the valve body means and the valve means and thus prevents bacterial contamination within the passageway means and along the catheter tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
An indwelling ventilating aspirating apparatus by which a medical patient is subjected to involuntary respiratory therapy and by which fluids from the trachea and/or bronchi are evacuated, the apparatus comprising: an elongated sterile aspirating catheter tube for manual insertion into the trachea/bronchi of the patient; a sterility preserving collapsible envelope essentially surrounding the catheter tube, the envelope maintaining sterility of the catheter tube while accommodating manual manipulation of the catheter tube to and fro by externally collapsing the envelope upon the catheter tube; first coupling means accommodating manual reciprocation of the catheter tube therethrough; second coupling means comprising means associated with a proximal end of the catheter tube; tracheostomy fitting means connected to the first coupling means by which ventilating air is introduced into and exhausted from the lungs of the patient and through which the aspirating catheter tube is displaced into and removed from the patient's trachea/bronchi; vacuum control valve structure comprising valve body means having fluid flow passageway means and valve means operable within the valve body means between activated and non-activated positions to respectively accommodate and prohibit vacuum caused fluid flow along the passageway means, the control valve structure further comprising means interposed between the valve body means and the valve means which prohibits bacterial entry between the valve body means and the valve means and thus prevents bacterial contamination within the passageway means and along the catheter tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interposed means comprise static seal means which eliminate said bacterial contamination.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising fluid flow prohibit position valve locking means which comprise means which prevent the control valve structure from being locked in the fluid flow accommodating position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
250 words
An indwelling ventilating aspirating apparatus by which a medical patient is subjected to involuntary respiratory therapy and by which secretions from the trachea and/or bronchi are evacuated, the apparatus comprising: an elongated sterile aspirating catheter tube for manual insertion into the trachea/bronchi of the patient; a sterility preserving collapsible envelope essentially surrounding the catheter tube, the envelope maintaining sterility of the catheter tube while accommodating manual manipulation of the catheter tube to and fro by externally collapsing the envelope upon the catheter tube; tracheostomy fitting means by which ventilating air is introduced into and exhausted from the lungs of the patient and through which the aspirating catheter tube is displaced into and removed from the patient's trachea/bronchi, the tracheostomy fitting means comprising means by which said fitting means are connected to one end of the envelope; vacuum control valve structure comprising valve body means having fluid flow passageway means and valve means operable within the valve body means between non-activated and activated positions to respectively prohibit and accommodate vacuum caused fluid flow along the passageway means, the control valve structure further comprising (a) means biasing the valve means into the non-activated vacuum prohibiting position, (b) actuator means for manually displacing the valve means from the non-activated to the activated position counter to the bias, means and the valve means and thus prevents bacterial contamination within the passageway means and along the catheter tube, and (c) means by which said valve structure is connected to the other end of the envelope.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
250 words
An indwelling ventilating aspirating apparatus by which a medical patient is subjected to involuntary respiratory therapy and by which secretions from the trachea and/or bronchi are evacuated, the apparatus comprising: an elongated sterile aspirating catheter tube for manual insertion into the trachea/bronchi of the patient; a sterility preserving collapsible envelope essentially surrounding the catheter tube, the envelope maintaining sterility of the catheter tube while accommodating manual manipulation of the catheter tube to and fro by externally collapsing the envelope upon the catheter tube; tracheostomy fitting means by which ventilating air is introduced into and exhausted from the lungs of the patient and through which the aspirating catheter tube is displaced into and removed from the patient's trachea/bronchi, the tracheostomy fitting means comprising means by which said fitting means are connected to one end of the envelope; vacuum control valve structure comprising valve body means having fluid flow passageway means and valve means operable within the valve body means between non-activated and activated positions to respectively prohibit and accommodate vacuum caused fluid flow along the passageway means, the control valve structure further comprising (a) means biasing the valve means into the non-activated vacuum prohibiting position, (b) actuator means for manually displacing the valve means from the non-activated to the activated position counter to the bias, means and the valve means and thus prevents bacterial contamination within the passageway means and along the catheter tube, and (c) means by which said valve structure is connected to the other end of the envelope.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the control valve structure further comprise seal means which prevents bacterial contamination of the interior of the valve control structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 comprising fluid flow prohibiting valve locking means which comprise means which prevent the control valve structure from being placed in a fluid flow accommodating position.