Patent ID: 11944340
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 15:
16. A method of priming a surgical instrument with a fluid, wherein the surgical instrument includes (a) a shaft assembly including a lumen, and (b) a valve assembly including (i) a first inlet configured to receive the fluid from a fluid source, (ii) a second inlet configured to receive a suction from a vacuum source, (iii) an outlet in fluid communication with the lumen, (iv) a valve chamber, (v) a fluid valve plug selectively operable to open and close the first inlet, and (vi) a vacuum valve plug selectively operable to open and close the second inlet, the method comprising:
(a) activating the fluid source to provide the fluid to the first inlet;
(b) activating the vacuum source to provide the suction to the second inlet;
(c) transitioning the vacuum valve plug from a first vacuum valve position to a second vacuum valve position, wherein:
(i) in the first vacuum valve position the vacuum source is fluidly decoupled from the valve chamber, and
(ii) in the second vacuum valve position the vacuum source is in fluid communication with the valve chamber;

(d) transitioning the fluid valve plug from a first fluid valve position to a second fluid valve position, wherein:
(i) in the first fluid valve position the fluid source is fluidly decoupled from the valve chamber, and
(ii) in the second fluid valve position the fluid source is in fluid communication with the valve chamber;

(d) transferring, via the suction, the fluid directly from the first inlet toward the vacuum source through the second inlet thereby priming the surgical instrument.