Abstract:
A valve for pulmonary medical use includes first and second valve portions which are coupled together so that they can rotate with respect to each other and feed oxygen or suction to a patient. The two portions are held together by locking means made up of male and female portions which engage each other in such a way as to pull the two portions of the valve toward each other to hold them in tight coupling.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present inventor has devised a number of pulmonary dual-purpose catheters which can be used to provide suction and oxygen and medication to a pulmonary patient. These catheters use a valve for controlling the flow of oxygen or suction or medication to a patient and this valve is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,595,005 5,088,486 which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     These valves operate perfectly satisfactorily. However, some of their structural features are not amenable to mass production. These valves comprise two portions which are held together securely and are rotatable with respect to each other to control the flow of suction or oxygen to a patient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a two way suction-oxygen flow control valve including two portions which are coupled together in a novel manner which provides tight coupling between the parts. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a valve embodying the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the valve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the valve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a portion of the valve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the part shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another portion of the valve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view looking into the part shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the part shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the valve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the valve of the invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view of a spring used in the valve of FIG. 1 in one mode of its operation; 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of the spring of FIG. 1 in another mode of its operation; 
     FIG. 13 is perpective view of a system in which the valve of the invention is used; 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of an auxililiary device which can be used with the valve of the invention; and 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another device which can be used with the valve of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a valve 10 embodying the invention, which is molded of a suitable plastic, has a first portion or supply portion 20 which includes a thin flat circular disk 21 (FIG. 2) The disk 21 has a flat top surface 22 and a flat bottom surface 24. A relatively large-area finger tab 30 is secured to the periphery of the first portion 20. Two tubes 40 and 50 extend from the top surface 22 of the disk 21 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and they communicate with the inside of the first valve portion 20 through holes 52 and 54 in the disk. 
     The tube 40 is operated as a suction tube and, in an operating system, is connected to a source of suction (not shown) and tube 50 is operated as an oxygen tube which is similarly connected to a source of oxygen (not shown). The tubes 40 and 50 communicate through holes 52 and 54 in the disk 20 with the inside of the valve 10 and with tubes 42 and 44 which extend downwardly from the lower surface 24 of the first portion disk 20. The tubes 42 and 44 are suction and oxygen tubes, respectively, and they are the same length and their lower ends are as smooth as possible. 
     Two solid blocking posts 46 and 48 (FIGS. 4 and 5) also extend downwardly from the lower surface of disk 21 and suitably positioned for a purpose to be described. The blocking posts 46 and 48 are of the same length as tubes 42 and 44 and their lower ends are made as smooth as possible. 
     A locking and coupling post 60 extends vertically downwardly from the lower surface 24 of disk 21 at about the center therof. The post 60 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 10. 
     The valve 10 includes a second portion or output portion or patient portion 70 (FIG. 6) which is also molded of plastic, is generally circular in form and is cup shaped. The second portion 70 includes a flat bottom wall 72 having a flat outer surface 74 and a flat, smooth inner surface 76 and a circumferntial wall 80. The inner surface 76 is as smooth as possible, as if it were optically ground, for a purpose to be described. A finger tab 84 is secured to, or formed integrally with, the circumferential wall 80. 
     A suction tube 90 and an oxygen tube 100 are secured to or formed integrally with the bottom surface 74 of the bottom wall 72. The tubes 90 and 100 communicate through holes 92 and 96, respectively, in the bottom wall with the inside of the second portion 70 and with the tubes 42 and 44, separately, when the valve 10 is assembled and operated as described below. The tubes 90 and 100 are output tubes which are coupled to a patient by means of apparatus to be described below. 
     Two vent holes 86 and 88 are provided in the bottom wall of the second valve portion (FIG. 7 and 9). 
     A locking tube 102 (FIGS. 6 and 10) is provided on the top surface 76 of bottom wall 72. The tube 102 locks with post 60, and is in the form of a funnel which decreases in diameter from top to bottom. The locking tube 102 is positioned at the center of the second valve portion 70 so that it is aligned with the locking post 60 and can be secured thereto. 
     The wall of locking tube 102 can flex and it includes grooves 104 in its inner surface and spaced apart along the wall. The grooves extend from top to bottom of tube 102. 
     Referring to FIG. 9 for a detailed description of the locking mechanism of the invention, the post 60 includes a first portion 110 which is generally tubular but is shaped like a truncated cone which decreases in diameter from top to bottom. At the lower end of the portion 110 is a second tubular portion 114 which is also like a truncated cone which increases in diameter from top to bottom and this portion terminates in a tip 116 having two diamterically opposed protruding tab portions 118 and 120. 
     When the post 60 is inserted into the tapered tube 102, the wall of the tube, which is flexible is biased toward and bears against the first portion 110 and the upper end of the wall, which has slots 104 formed therein, and the portion 114 presses into the slots. The wall of the tube 102 is urged toward the post 60 and pulls the post down and thereby pulls the first portion of the valve toward the second portion to form a very tight, leakproof, fit between the parts. 
     A plastic spring 130 shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 1 and 12 is seated in the second valve portion 70, in the cup formed thereby and bearing against the inside surface of the wall 80. The spring has one end 132 formed as a tab which bears against one finger tab 30 and the other end similarly formed as a tab 134 which bears against the other finger tab 84. 
     The valve 10 operates as follows. In the open position of the finger tabs, the spring 130 is open as shown in FIG. 11 and urges the tabs away from each other. In this orientation of the valve parts, the oxygen supply feeds oxygen to tube 50 which is aligned through the valve 10 with the hole 54, tube 44, hole 96 and output tube 100 to a patient. At this time, the suction supply which is on draws air into the vent hole 86 and prevents suction from being applied to the patient. At the same time, the blocking post 46 covers the hole 92 and seals off the outlet suction tube 90 and prevents suction from being applied to the patient. The smooth end of the blocking post 46 and the smooth surface of bottom wall 72 insure a gas-tight fit between the parts. 
     When the finger tabs are closed and the spring is compressed as shown in FIG. 11, the blocking post 46 is removed from its position blocking hole 92 and input suction tube 40 is coupled through tube 52 and hole 92 to the output suction tube 90 and suction is applied to the patient. At the same time, the other blocking post 48 blocks the oxygen output path in a tight fit as described above and oxygen which is flowing from the supply flows out of the vent hole 88. 
     The valve of the invention has many advantages due primarily to the fact that the valve has an extremely tight construction, that is its two parts are secured together in a very tight fit. One of the resultant advantages is that suction operates very efficiently. In addition, liquids can be injected into the valve through the oxygen tube 50 under pressure. 
     The valve 10 can be used in a large number of operating systems. One system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,005 of Walter J. Jinotti which is incorporated herein by reference. In such a system shown in FIG. 13, the oxygen and suction supplies are connected by suitable tubing to the tubes 40 and 50 of the valve 10 and the output tubes 90 and 100 are connected to flexible tubes 240 and 250 which lead to the patient. 
     As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,387 of Walter J. Jinotti which is incorporated herein by reference and referring to FIG. 14, a rigid coupling member 310 is coupled to the output tubes of the valve and to the flexible tubes 240 and 250 which lead to the patient. 
     In addition, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,672 of Walter J. Jinotti which is incorporated herein by reference and referring to FIG. 15, a manifold or coupling member 302 can be coupled to the output tubes 90 and 100 to provide a single feed tube 130 to the patient, a pediatric patient. 
     Other U.S. patents included herein by reference include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,346,478; 5,140,983 and 5,088,486.