Patent US5226939A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5226939A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Surgical smoke evacuation system
Assignee: Microtek Medical Inc
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Filing: 1991-10-22
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Granted: 1993-07-13
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Expires: 2011-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A surgical air vacuum apparatus includes an air pump disposed in a primary air channel for moving air between an inlet port and an outlet port of the vacuum. The air pump has properties for generating heat while moving the air, and the moving air has characteristics for cooling the pump. An air filter disposed in the primary channel has a tendency to block the air that would otherwise cool the air pump. Means is provided for combining a secondary air channel and the primary air channel along at least one passage to introduce bleed air to the pump when the filter blocks the primary channel.
Inventors
- 👤 Ed F. Nicolas
- 👤 Ian M. Williamson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 08:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; B; B01; B01D; B01D46/00; B01D46/24; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/007; A61B2218/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A surgical air vacuum apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining an inlet port and an outlet port; a primary air channel disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; air pump means disposed in the primary air channel and including air moving means for moving air between the inlet port and the outlet port, and drive means connected to the air moving means for driving the air moving means, the drive means having properties for generating heat while driving the air moving means, the moving air having characteristics for cooling the drive means; filter means disposed in the primary air channel between the inlet port and the air moving means, for filtering the air moving through the primary channel, the filter means having a tendency to accumulate material filtered through the air and to block the air which would otherwise flow through the filter means to cool the drive means; a secondary port in the enclosure for receiving bleed air from outside the enclosure; a secondary air channel extending from the secondary port to an intersection of the primary channel and the secondary channel, the intersection being located between the filter means and the air pump means; means for combining the primary channel and the secondary channel at the intersection, the combining means having a generally planar configuration and being disposed substantially transverse to the primary channel; and portions of the combining means forming at least one passage disposed along the secondary channel for conducting the bleed air into the air pump means to cool the drive means when the filter blocks the primary channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A surgical air vacuum apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining an inlet port and an outlet port; a primary air channel disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; air pump means disposed in the primary air channel and including air moving means for moving air between the inlet port and the outlet port, and drive means connected to the air moving means for driving the air moving means, the drive means having properties for generating heat while driving the air moving means, the moving air having characteristics for cooling the drive means; filter means disposed in the primary air channel between the inlet port and the air moving means, for filtering the air moving through the primary channel, the filter means having a tendency to accumulate material filtered through the air and to block the air which would otherwise flow through the filter means to cool the drive means; a secondary port in the enclosure for receiving bleed air from outside the enclosure; a secondary air channel extending from the secondary port to an intersection of the primary channel and the secondary channel, the intersection being located between the filter means and the air pump means; means for combining the primary channel and the secondary channel at the intersection, the combining means having a generally planar configuration and being disposed substantially transverse to the primary channel; and portions of the combining means forming at least one passage disposed along the secondary channel for conducting the bleed air into the air pump means to cool the drive means when the filter blocks the primary channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus of claim 1 wherein the secondary port is disposed in juxtaposition to the inlet port.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter means includes: a filter housing having an interior surface with a first diameter, the interior surface defining at least a portion of the primary channel between the inlet port and the intersection; a filter disposed in the filter housing and having an exterior surface with a second diameter less than the first diameter; and the secondary channel being defined at least in part between the interior diameter of the filter housing and the exterior diameter of the filter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combining means forms a plurality of passages along the secondary channel to abate noise associated with the flow of the bleed air.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combining means comprises a mesh.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the mesh is non-woven.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein the mesh comprises: a plurality of fibers extending generally parallel to each other along the secondary channel and providing the passages with a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration characterized by a length and a width; and each of the fibers having a particular diameter generally equivalent to the width of an adjacent one of the passages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein the mesh further comprises means for maintaining the fibers in a generally parallel, equally spaced relationship.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein the fibers are first fibers and the maintaining means comprises a plurality of second fibers extending generally parallel to each other at a particular angle to the first fibers, the second fibers being connected to the first fibers to maintain the first fibers in the generally parallel, equally spaced relationship.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the mesh has a thickness not greater than twice the particular diameter of the first fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the particular angle is other than 90°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the particular angle is in a range between 40° and 80°.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 12 wherein the particular angle is about 60°.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the filter means includes a filter housing disposed between inlet and the partition and having walls with an inside diameter; a filter adapted to be disposed in the filter housing and having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the walls; and the secondary channel extending through the walls of the filter housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein the secondary port is disposed circumferentially of the inlet port.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The surgical air vacuum apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the secondary channel is defined in part by the outside diameter of the filter and the inside diameter of the housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
243 words
A surgical air vacuum apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining an inlet port and an outlet port; a primary air channel disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; an internal partition connected to the enclosure; air pump means disposed in the primary air channel and in juxtaposition to the partition, the air pump means including air moving means for moving air between the inlet port and the outlet port along the primary channel, and drive means connected to the air moving means for driving the air moving means, the drive means having properties for generating heat while driving the air moving means, the moving air having characteristics for cooling the drive means; filter means disposed in the primary air channel between the inlet port and the air moving means, for filtering the air moving through the primary channel, the filter means having a tendency to accumulate material filtered through the air and to block the air which would otherwise flow through the filter means to cool the drive means; a secondary port in the enclosure for receiving bleed air from outside the enclosure; means defining a secondary channel for conducting bleed air from the secondary port to the air pump means when the primary channel is blocked; and means disposed between the filter means and the partition for defining a plurality of passages extending along the secondary channel and intersecting the primary channel between the inlet port and the air pump means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
243 words
A surgical air vacuum apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining an inlet port and an outlet port; a primary air channel disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; an internal partition connected to the enclosure; air pump means disposed in the primary air channel and in juxtaposition to the partition, the air pump means including air moving means for moving air between the inlet port and the outlet port along the primary channel, and drive means connected to the air moving means for driving the air moving means, the drive means having properties for generating heat while driving the air moving means, the moving air having characteristics for cooling the drive means; filter means disposed in the primary air channel between the inlet port and the air moving means, for filtering the air moving through the primary channel, the filter means having a tendency to accumulate material filtered through the air and to block the air which would otherwise flow through the filter means to cool the drive means; a secondary port in the enclosure for receiving bleed air from outside the enclosure; means defining a secondary channel for conducting bleed air from the secondary port to the air pump means when the primary channel is blocked; and means disposed between the filter means and the partition for defining a plurality of passages extending along the secondary channel and intersecting the primary channel between the inlet port and the air pump means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-07-12 | 1997-01-11 | 1997-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-07-12 | 2001-01-11 | 2001-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-07-12 | 2005-01-11 | 2005-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |