Abstract:
A small manually operable pump which may be of the squeeze-bulb type, arranged to reduce fluid pressure and receive a fluid at a first end and to discharge a flow from an opposite end, and provided with a connector at each end so that it can be connected to various articles of emergency medical equipment to provide increased pressure or suction as required. A collection bag is arranged to use both the suction and the pressurized flow of the pump to suck materials from a wound or a patient&#39;s airway into the collection bag.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of co-pending U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/737,745, filed Dec. 15, 2012. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to devices capable of carrying out multiple functions in connection with emergency medical care, as provided in the field by military medical personnel and by other emergency medical care providers. The devices disclosed herein are intended to complement the equipment typically carried by a combat medic, by providing a single pump useful for suction of fluids, as from wounds or in connection with decompression of tension pneumothorax, or in clearing airways, and for inflation of devices such as splints, balloon catheters, and inflatable pressure-application elements of tourniquets. 
         [0003]    Emergency medical care providers, especially in military situations, at athletic events, for example, must be prepared to deal with various types of injuries and must have the best possible assortment of equipment available in a conveniently carried package such as a small medical bag or backpack. 
         [0004]    Some emergency devices, such as inflatable splints, or bladders utilized to apply pressure to stop bleeding, can be carried in a compact configuration, but require inflation at the time of use. 
         [0005]    Some types of injuries that may be treated by emergency personnel indicate application of suction to remove fluids such as blood, including blood clots, from wounds to a person&#39;s torso, or to clear airways for breathing. 
         [0006]    It is desired, then, to provide a device which can serve multiple purposes, including inflation and suction for use in connection with various elements of emergency medical equipment likely to be carried by emergency medical service providers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    As one aspect of the disclosure herein, a manually operated pump is provided that can be utilized both to provide increased air pressure to inflate a medical device and to provide reduced pressure, or suction, for use in removing fluids from a patient&#39;s wounds an airway or other bodily openings. 
         [0008]    In a device embodying one aspect of the disclosure herein, a manually operable squeeze bulb pump includes connectors to which suction tubes or inflation tubes can be attached, so that the pump can be used to move undesired fluids away from a patient or to inflate a splint or a bladder that might be used to apply pressure to stop bleeding. 
         [0009]    As one aspect of the disclosure herein, such a multi-purpose hand pump may be connected for use in combination with a vacuum chamber, a suction tube, and a collection bag for use in collecting fluids, as from an open abdominal or thoracic wound. 
         [0010]    As another aspect of the invention disclosure herein, such a multi-purpose hand pump may be connected for use in combination with a Venturi eductor, a suction tube, and a collection bag. 
         [0011]    As yet a further aspect of the invention disclosure herein, such a multi-purpose hand pump may be connected so as to pump liquids and entrained semi-solids and solid materials through the pump and into a collection bag. 
         [0012]    The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a multi-function hand pump according to an embodiment of an aspect of the invention disclosed herein. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a suction tube adapted for use together with the hand pump shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway isometric view of a multi-function hand pump such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , in use together with a vacuum chamber and a collection bag in accordance with another aspect of the invention disclosed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , showing the collector bag without the hand pump, and showing an evacuation tube in a stowed position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a partially cutaway, partially diagrammatic view showing a multi-function hand pump such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , in use together with a Venturi eductor arranged to collect material in a collection bag. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a view showing a multi-function hand pump such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , in use together with a collection bag to collect fluid and entrained solids aspirated from a patient. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing applicability of the multi-purpose hand pump disclosed herein together with various items of emergency medical equipment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the disclosure herein, a multi-purpose hand pump  10  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a hollow ovoid squeeze bulb  12  having a pair of openings at its opposite ends  14  and  16 . The squeeze bulb  12  may be manufactured of a resilient and elastically flexible material such as a synthetic rubber or silicone material. For example, PVC is an acceptable material. Preferably, the squeeze bulb  12  may be able to exert a vacuum in the vicinity of 100 MM Hg when squeezed and then released. 
         [0021]    A short inflow conduit  18  is connected to and in communication with the opening at the inflow end  14  of the squeeze bulb  12 , and an outflow conduit  20  is connected to and in communication with the opening at the outflow end  16  of the squeeze bulb  12 . A manually controlled bleed valve  22  is mounted in the outflow conduit  20 , where it can be opened to release gas and thus relieve pressure from the outflow conduit and any system connected to the outflow conduit  20 . 
         [0022]    A check valve  24  and suitable connector  26 , such as a Luer connector, are mounted at an inner end of the inflow conduit  18 , with the check valve  24  oriented to allow fluid to flow into the squeeze bulb  12  through the inflow conduit  18 , but to prevent fluid from flowing out from the squeeze bulb  12  through the inflow conduit  18 . 
         [0023]    A check valve  28  may be located at an inner end of the outflow conduit  20 , with the check valve  28  oriented to allow fluid to flow out from the squeeze bulb  12  through the outflow conduit  20 , but to prevent fluid from flowing into the squeeze bulb  12  through the outflow conduit  20 . A connector  30 , such as a Luer connector  30  or equivalent, may be mounted at an outer end of the outflow conduit  20 . 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a suction tube  32  of a standard size may be of a suitable rubber or plastics material with a wall thickness sufficient to withstand vacuum. The suction tube  32  may have a length suitable for the intended use, and may include a Luer connector  34  at one end to permit the suction tube  32  to be connected to one of the connectors  26  and  30  of the multi-purpose hand pump  10 . The suction tube  32  may thus be utilized as a suction tube when connected to the inflow conduit  18 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in a collection system  38  the multipurpose hand pump  10  may be used in combination with a collection bag  40 , which may be manufactured of a suitably strong yet thin and flexible plastics membrane folded along a bottom end  42  and with the resulting two parallel layers of the membrane sealingly connected to each other along a pair of sides margins  44  and  46  and a top margin  48 . 
         [0026]    Within an upper part of the collection bag  40  is a structure defining a vacuum chamber  50 , which may be generally tubular and may be made of a generally rigid plastics material. A first end  52  may extend through and be included and sealed in the side margin  46  of the collection bag  40 . The evacuation tube  56  may be of an accepted standard diameter and wall thickness. A slip fitting  54  or gland at the first end  52  may have an externally open receptacle in which an evacuation tube  56  is slidably disposed. A connector  58  on the inner end of the evacuation tube  56  is thus located inside the generally tubular vacuum chamber  50  and includes a collar that is larger than the opening through the slip fitting  54 , and thus prevents the tube  56  from being over-extended. A one-way valve  60  such as a flutter valve is sealingly connected with the inner end connector  58  to allow fluid flow into the vacuum chamber  50  from the evacuation tube  56 , but to prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction. Such a one-way valve  60  may be simply a length of flat tubing of flexible material such as that of the collection bag  40  that can be pressed shut by external air pressure, yet can open easily to permit material to pass through in the desired direction from the connector  58 . 
         [0027]    An opposite second end  62  of the vacuum chamber  50  may include an elbow  64  with an exhaust or bottom end  66  directed downwardly into the interior of the bag  40 , and with a flutter valve  68 , or another suitable one-way valve, connected to the downwardly-directed bottom end  66  of the elbow  64 . An exhaust port or vent  70  may be provided in an upper part of a wall of the collection bag  40 . Fluid which may include a mixture of liquid and gas may then enter into the collection bag  40  through the evacuation tube  56 , the flutter valve  60 , and vacuum chamber  50 , exiting from the vacuum chamber  50  through the elbow  64  and the flutter valve  68 . Liquid and entrained solids may then accumulate near the bottom  42  of the collection bag  40  while gas exits through the vent  70 . 
         [0028]    A two-way conduit  72  extends into the collection bag  40  near its upper margin, as by being sealed into the top margin  48  portion of the collection bag  40 . A bottom or inner end  74  of the two-way conduit  72  is connected to the elbow  64 , and the interior of the conduit  72  communicates with the interior of the elbow  64 . The Luer connector  26  connects the inflow conduit  18  at the inflow end  14  of the multi-purpose hand pump  10  to the connector  78  at the upper end  76  of the conduit  72 . An appropriate connector such as a compatible  90  degree angled quick-disconnect connector  78  may be associated with the upper or outer end of the conduit  72 . An upper or outer end  76  of the conduit  72  is connected to the Luer connector  26  and the associated inflow check valve  24  of the inflow conduit  18  at the inflow end  14  of the multi-purpose hand pump  10 . A screen  80  may be installed in the bottom or inner end  74  of the conduit  72 , to prevent solids from entering into the conduit  72  from the vacuum chamber  50 . 
         [0029]    The multi-purpose hand pump  12  may be used, then, to create a suction by reducing pressure within the vacuum chamber  50 , so that fluids can be drawn into the vacuum chamber  50  through the evacuation tube  56 . Material can then flow downward under the influence of gravity through the elbow  64  and the flutter valve  68 , into the interior of the collection bag  40 . 
         [0030]    Flow into the collection bag  40  of liquid and solid materials entrained in gas drawn into the vacuum chamber  50  is enhanced in the system shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  by the use of an overpressure conduit  84 . The overpressure conduit  84  may extend along the top margin  48  of the collection bag  40  and may be held in place and sealed from the surrounding ambient air by being sealed within the margin portion  48  at the top of the collection bag  40 . A discharge end  86  of the overpressure conduit  84  and extends to and is connected in communication with the two-way conduit  72  above the screen  80 . The opposite, outer, or infeed end of the overpressure conduit  84  extends from the top margin  48  and has a fitting  88  that is compatible with and is connected with the Luer fitting  30  at the outflow end  16  of the squeeze bulb  12 . 
         [0031]    To help keep the multipurpose hand pump  10  aligned with the 90° connector  78  and to avoid unnecessary strain on the overpressure conduit  84 , an ear  90  may be provided at the top of the collection bag  40 . The ear  90  defines an opening  92  through which the operating knob of the bleed and check valve  22  may be inserted, to keep the multi-purpose hand pump  10  oriented closely along the top margin  48  of the collection bag  40 . 
         [0032]    With the overpressure conduit  84  connected with the outflow Luer connector  30  of the pump  10 , when the squeeze bulb  12  is squeezed gas is driven at an increased pressure through the overpressure conduit  84  and from its discharge end  86  into the two-way conduit  72 , pushing material from the vacuum chamber  50  and elbow  64  down through the bottom end  66  of the elbow  64  and through the flutter valve  68  into the interior of the collection bag  40 . As explained above, denser liquid and solid material can descend to the bottom of the collection bag  40  while gas can escape through the vent  70 . It will be understood, then, that repeated squeezing and releasing of the squeeze bulb  12  will result in fluids being drawn effectively through the evacuation tube  56  in a pulsating flow into the collection bag  40 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the evacuation tube  56  may be housed at least partially within the vacuum chamber  50  by sliding it through the slip fitting  54  at the outer end of the vacuum chamber  50 . The flutter valve  60  is thus pushed toward or into the elbow  64  with the evacuation tube. 
         [0034]    Referring next to  FIG. 5 , the multi-purpose hand pump  10  is shown in use in connection with an evacuator system  94  including a collection bag  96  generally similar to the collection bag  40 , but with a Venturi eductor  98  instead of the vacuum chamber  50  and its associated elements that are present in the collection bag  40 . An overpressure conduit  100  has a discharge end  102  that may be sealed into a top margin  104  of the collection bag  96  and which is connected to the Venturi eductor  98  to conduct a flow of air into the Venturi eductor  98 . An evacuation tube  106  has an open, outer or suction end  108  and an inner, discharge end  110  connected with a connector  112  that may be sealed into a side margin  114  of the collection bag  96 , and which leads into the suction side of the Venturi eductor  98 . An exhaust, or discharge, fitting  116  from the Venturi eductor nozzle preferably includes a one-way valve and allows all that has passed through the Venturi eductor to flow into the interior of the collection bag  96 , where, as with the materials discharged from the vacuum chamber  50  described above, the denser materials can fall to the bottom of the collection bag  96  while gas is able to escape from the collection bag  96  through a vent  118  and thus does not accumulate and increase pressure with the collection bag  96 . 
         [0035]    Squeezing the squeeze bulb  12  of the multi-purpose hand pump  10  causes a flow of air in the direction indicated by the arrow  120  through the overpressure conduit  100 , into the nozzle  122  of the Venturi eductor  98 , which causes a reduced pressure just beyond the choke of the nozzle  122 , where a suction port  124  admits fluids carried through the evacuation tube  106  and the suction tube connector  112  into the Venturi nozzle, and the combined flow of air from the hand pump  10  and flow from the evacuation tube  106  is exhausted through the exhaust opening  116  into the collection bag. 
         [0036]    Yet another related system  128  is shown in  FIG. 6 , where a suction tube such as the suction tube  32  is connected to the inflow connector  26  of the multi-purpose hand pump  10 . An overpressure conduit  130  is connected to the outflow connector  30  and extends through and is preferably sealed to an upper margin  134  of the collection bag  132 . 
         [0037]    Like the collection bags  40  and  96 , the collection bag  132  may have a folded bottom  136  and be of flexible plastic film material sealed along its side margins  138  and  140 , and may include a vent  142  similar to the vent  70  and the vent  118 . Within the collection bag  132 , at a bottom, or discharge, end  144  of the overpressure conduit  130  there may preferably be a one-way valve such as a flutter valve  146  in order to admit material brought into the squeeze bulb  12  and then forced on out of the squeeze bulb  12  and through the overpressure conduit  130  into the interior of the collection bag  132  during operation of the hand pump  10 . As discussed above, liquid and any entrained semi-solid or solid materials are collected in the bottom of the collection bag  132  while gas can be exhausted from the collection bag  132  through the vent  142 . As shown schematically in  FIG. 6 , the check valves  24  and  28  in the multi-purpose hand pump  10  may be flutter valves or another type of valve designed to permit passage of particles of semi-solid or solid material yet be able to close effectively to ensure fluid passage in a single direction through the system. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , a single multi-purpose hand pump  10  included in an equipment bag of in an emergency medical care provider such as a military medical corpsman can be utilized effectively together with and to activate many of the medical devices carried in such an emergency medical care equipment bag. For example, the collection systems  38 ,  94 , and  128 , shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6  and described above can be used to remove fluids from and clear a patient&#39;s airway and to collect fluids drained from the airway or from an open abdominal or thoracic wound. As another use of the pump  10 , a suitable conduit may be connected between the inflow Luer connector  26  and a decompression needle device  146  such as the safety needle disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 3/896,026, published as U.S. patent publication document no. U.S. 2013/0310750, or may be connected to evacuate a chest tube or to a chest seal bandage  150  equipped with a compatible suction conduit and incorporating a one-way valve to apply suction to relieve a tension pneumothorax. 
         [0039]    The pump  10  and a suitable conduit able to contain an increased pressure can be used to inflate a bladder  154  to be held against a patient by a strap system to provide pressure to stop arterial flow of blood to a hemorrhaging deep injury, for example. Such a bladder is shown, for example, in U.S. patent publication document no. U.S. 2010/0179586. Pressure can also be provided by the multi-purpose hand pump  10  to inflate a pressure concentrating device  158  useful with a truncal tourniquet such as is described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/715,998, published as U.S. patent publication document no. U.S. 2013-0110019 A1, to stop or control hemorrhaging. Such a pump can also be used to inflate a bladder contained in a belt-like device in a pelvic sling and junctional tourniquet  162  disclosed in that same published application, or to inflate an inflatable splint  164  or a supraglottic airway such as a King airway  166 . 
         [0040]    The terms and expressions that have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.