Abstract:
A pressurized medical instrument may include a piston handle system, a locking release system and a pressure display system. The piston handle system may include a piston, a piston seal, a handle and a rear cover. The locking release system may include a push button, a fixed support, a locking block, one or more springs and a slide block. The pressure display system may include a coating, a gauge stand, a lateral board, a gauge stand seal ring, a pressure gauge seal ring, a snapper, a pressure gauge and a rotary Luer conical tapered fitting. The pressurized medical instrument may facilitate rapid boosting operation by two hands, vacuum pumping by two hands and rapid pressure relief by a single hand. The instrument is characterized by ease-of-operation, quick boosting and pressure relief for observing easily the pressure value at different operating angles.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the technology of a medical instrument, and more particularly to one which is used for pressure charging and relief. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a number of medical and surgical procedures, human body parts or lumens are expanded, using expansion devices. For example, expansion of inherent human lumens or channels such as narrow blood vessels, nasolacrimal ducts and fallopian tubes, or even expansion of bone-loosening parts or other tissues and human structures, is often an important means of medical treatment. Generally, these an instrument capable of pressure charging and relief is required for such procedures. For instance, when conducting coronary artery intervention operations, a pressurized instrument is required for pressurized expansion of a balloon catheter and/or intravascular stents. After that, other one-time auxiliary instruments are removed through relief and vacuum pumping. While conducting peripheral vascular intervention therapies and vertebral intervention therapies, an instrument capable of pressure charging and relief is required, with some kind of displayed pressure value, enabling the medical staff to observe the charging pressure. Often guided by medical imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, CT, etc.), such surgery is conducted in such a manner that a special catheter or device is inserted into the lesions for imaging and diagnostics through a percutaneous puncturing approach or natural human orifices, allowing for pressurized expansion and relief. 
     Currently, cardiac intervention therapy, neurological intervention therapy, cerebrovascular intervention therapy, peripheral vascular therapy, and non-vascular lumen intervention therapies are widely used by inserting the catheter and guide wire into the lesions through natural human lumens. Under the guidance and monitoring of medical imaging devices, a pressurized instrument is used for expansion and negative vacuum pumping of other instruments to restore the human lumens. 
     Existing pressurized instruments have a number of shortcomings. For example, many of them are difficult operate, are slow/difficult to pressurize, are not able to reach high pressure, have too much sliding resistance of the piston, cause bubble formation, and/or it is not possible to relieve pressure in the device with a single hand. With a growing range of interventional therapies, there is an increasing demand for pressurizing instruments. Especially for vascular interventional treatments, air bubble generation, expansion times and boosting speeds should ideally be strictly controlled. 
     The purpose of the present invention is to design a pressurized medical instrument for meeting the detailed requirements in clinical applications; it&#39;s characterized by multi-angle observation of the pressure display, single-hand quick relief, smaller pressurization resistance, ease-of-operation, good stability and security. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention enables users to observe the pressure display at multiple angles, which accommodates the typical methods of use of the medical staff, who may, where applicable, rotate transversely the pressure display to realize the optimum viewing angle. 
     The present invention features two-hand quick boosting speed, smaller pressurization resistance, and stable and reliable pressure locking. In clinical operations, the user may hold the coating by one hand, and hold the handle to rotate it clockwise by the other hand and quickly pressurize to the full stroke with stable and reliable locking functions. Meanwhile, the pressure locking function may be removed to realize instant pressure relief by pressing the push button with the thumb or palm of the hand holding the coating. Alternatively, the user may press the push button and pull freely the handle by the other hand to pump mechanically the liquid or release liquid. 
     To this end, the pressurized medical instrument of the present invention includes a handle piston system, a locking release system and a pressure display system. 
     In one embodiment, the handle piston system includes a piston and a groove on its external surface mated with the piston seal. Its rear end is mated with the front section of the handle. The piston and piston seal are coaxially mated at inner wall of the coating. While sealing fitness with the inner wall of the coating is ensured under high pressure and negative pressure, the piston and piston seal can slide on the inner wall of the coating, meeting the maximum capacity of the piston sliding up to 60 ml. 
     In one embodiment, the handle has a male thread that&#39;s mated with the female thread of the locking block. The starting position of the front thread is disengaged from the female thread of the locking block when the piston moves to the maximum capacity of the coating. The stopping position of the rear thread could at least meet the requirement that the thread of the handle is fully meshed with that of the locking block when the piston moves to the zero scale of the coating. A conical disk with maximum diameter of about 48 mm is located at a rear section of the handle, with its shape fully coupled with the hand pattern. This helps to rotationally pressurize the handle by hands, and when a smaller force is applied, the torque converted to the thread of the handle is big enough to overcome the resistance generated from pressurization. 
     In one embodiment, the pressure display system may include a coating. An inner chamber of diameter of about 15-35 mm is set at its front end, with the length sufficient to form a maximum capacity of about 60 ml. A cavity is set at its rear end and can be mated with the fixed support and rear cover with respect to the shape and structure. The rear end of the coating has a shape designed to work ergonomically with the human hand, allowing a user to operate and hold the device easily and comfortably with safety and reliability. The external surface of the front end of the coating is mated with the inner surface of the gauge stand, and the gauge stand can rotate transversely along the axle of the coating while guaranteeing sealing fitness. 
     In one embodiment, bulges mated with the coating are set on the fixed support. When the product is pressurized by turning the handle, the bulges of the fixed support are tightly mated with the notches of the coating, avoiding disengagement of the fixed block from the coating. Two axle holes are set on upper end of the fixed support, and used for fixing the handle when the handle passes through it. Notches mated with the bulges of the locking block are set at both sides of the fixed support; when the spring is loaded from the bottom of the locking block, then compressed and installed into the fixed support, the bulges at both sides of the locking block are mated with the notches at both sides of the fixed support, preventing the spring from bouncing out of the locking block. A through-hole of the same shape with the slide block is separately set at both sides of the locking block above the bulges. When two slide blocks are installed from both sides, and the spring is installed from the middle, the inclined surface of moveable block faces upwards. When the handle passes through the coaxial hole on upper end of the fixed support, the handle will compress the locking block and drive two slide blocks downwards to compress the inner spring. Finally, the bottom of two slide blocks gets into touch with the steps at both sides of the fixed support, restricting the locking block from moving downwards. In such a case, the female thread of the locking block is fully meshed with the male thread of the handle. 
     In one embodiment, the push button is mounted onto the coating through the holes on the coating. Two bulges are set at both sides and mated with the coating holes by snapper, preventing disengagement of the push button from the coating. There are two presser feet at both sides below the push button, with an inclined inner surface. After completion of assembly, the inclined surface of the presser feet gets into touch with the inclined surface of side slide blocks; when pressing the push button, the inclined surface of the presser feet compresses the inclined surface of the slide blocks, driving two slide blocks to move inwards and compress the spring continuously. If the user continues to press the push button, the square plane of the push button compresses the plane of the locking block. In such a case, the sides of two slide blocks are compressed by the push button until its bottom is disengaged from the steps of the fixed support, and the locking block drives the slide blocks to move downward until the female thread of the locking block is fully separated from the male thread of the handle, realizing the release functions of the locking release system. In such a case, rapid pressure relief of the instrument may be accomplished, and at the same time, the handle may slide freely within the effective stroke in the cavity of the coating, along with the piston and piston seal. If the push button is released, all mechanisms are restored to their initial state under the action of two springs, realizing the locking function of the locking release system. 
     In one embodiment, a bulge is set on the handle. After completion of assembly, the handle is rotated clockwise, and the bulge&#39;s male thread may be limited into the groove on the rear cover. In such a case, the piston is located on the zero scale of the coating, so the handle could only be rotated counterclockwise, thus avoiding effectively the contact extrusion of the front end of the piston with the end surface of the coating. 
     These and other features and embodiments are described in further detail below, in reference to the attached drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a pressurized medical instrument, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side, partial cross-sectional view of the pressurized medical instrument of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an end-on, cross-sectional view of a locking release system of the pressurized medical instrument of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIGS. 4-8  are perspective views of various component parts of the pressurized medical instrument of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The features and advantages of the various embodiments will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of one embodiment of a pressurized medical instrument, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In one embodiment of the pressurized medical instrument, its maximum capacity is about 60 ml, and its maximum charging pressure is about 30 atm. In this or alternative embodiments, the pressurized medical instrument may have a locking release system that can lock the piston of the instrument at a capacity of about 0-60 ml and a charging pressure of about 0-30 atm. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , one embodiment of a pressurized medical instrument may include a piston handle system  1 , a locking release system  2  and a pressure display system  3 . The piston handle system  1  may include a piston  11 , a piston seal  12 , a handle  13  and a rear cover  14 . The locking release system  2  may include a push button  21 , a fixed support  22 , a locking block  23 , a spring  24 , a spring  25  and a slide block  26 . The pressure display system  3  may include a coating  31 , a gauge stand  32 , a lateral board  33 , a gauge stand seal ring  34 , a pressure gauge seal ring  35 , a snapper  36 , a pressure gauge  37  and a rotary Luer conical tapered fitting  38 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , in one embodiment, the gauge stand  32  is fitted with mounting hole  321  for the pressure gauge  37 , the mounting hole  322  for the snapper  36  and the hole  323  mated with the coating  31 . The pressure gauge  37  and pressure gauge seal ring  35  are installed into the mounting hole  321  of the gauge stand  32 , the mounting holes  322  of two snappers  36  and the gauge stand  32  are mated to restrict the disengagement of the pressure gauge  37  from the gauge stand  32 . The gauge stand  32  and the gauge stand seal ring  34  are installed at front end of the coating  31 , and also mated tightly with the coating  31 . The gauge stand  32  drives the pressure gauge  37  to rotate coaxially along the coating  31 , enabling a user to select a desired angle at which to observe the display value of the pressure gauge  37 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , in one embodiment, when holding the coating  31 , the shape of the coating  31  is designed to adapt to the hand pattern for a better sense of touch. Two mounting holes  311  for the fixed support  22  and two mounting holes  312  for the lateral board  33  are set at both sides of the coating  31 , while the mounting hole  313  for the push button  21  and the mounting hole  314  for the rear cover  14  are set above the coating  31 . The coating is provided with scale showing the capacity of inner cavity, (unit: ml). The inner cavity of the coating  31  forms an interference fit with the piston seal  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in one embodiment, the fixed support  22  may act as a support member, to which the handle  13 , push button  21 , slide block  26 , spring  24 , locking block  23  and coating  31  are mated together. A bulge  222  for mating with the mounting hole  311  of the coating  31  and mounting holes  223  for mating with the block  23  are set at both sides. Steps  225  for limiting the slide block  26  are set at both upper sides. Two mounting holes  221  for the handle  13  are set at front and rear sides, and a pit  224  for the spring  24  is set at inner bottom. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, bulges  233  mating with the mounting hole  223  of the fixed support  22  are set at both sides of the locking block  23 . Through-holes  232  of the same shape with the slide block  26  are set above the bulges  223 . Semicircular female thread  231  mating with the male thread  131  of the handle  13  is set on the locking block  23 . The upper surface  234  of the locking block  23  is provided with two longitudinal grooves  235 . After completion of assembly, two presser feet  213  of the push button  21  separately pass through two longitudinal grooves  235  of the locking block  23  and make two planes  212  of the push button  21  run parallel with the upper surface  234  of the locking block  23 . When the push button  21  is pressed, two planes  212  of the push button  21  come into contact with the upper surface  234  of the locking block  23 , driving the locking block  23  downwards. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment, the slide block  26  has an inclined surface  262  and a bottom surface  261 . Two slide blocks  26  are installed separately from both sides of the through-hole  232  of the locking block  23 , and a spring  25  is installed at middle of two slide blocks  26 , such that the inclined surface  262  of two slide blocks  26  faces outwards and upwards. One end of the spring  24  is installed into the pit  224  of the fixed support  22 , and the other end installed into the bottom of the locking block  23 , then the slide block  26  is extruded from both sides to compress the spring  25 , the locking block  23  and spring  24 . So, two bulges  233  of the locking block  23  are assembled into two mounting holes  223  at both sides of the fixed support  22 , while the locking block  23  is fixed into the fixed support  22 , the bottom and sides of two slide blocks  26  just come into contact with two steps  225  at both sides of the fixed support  22 . In such case, the locking block  23  is completely fixed into the fixed support  22  without any displacement. 
     In one embodiment, the rear cover  14  is threaded onto the handle  13 , and four snappers face the front end of the handle  13 . 
     In one embodiment, two presser feet  213  of the push button  21  are installed into two longitudinal grooves  235  of the locking block  23 , and the locking block  23  shifts downwards if the push button  21  is pressed. In such a case, the front end of the handle  13  with a rear cover  14  is inserted into the rear mounting hole  221  of the fixed support  22  and then into the front mounting hole  221  of the fixed support  22 . When the push button  21  is released, the locking block  23  moves upwards, with its female thread  231  fully meshed with the male thread  131  of the handle  13 . 
     In one embodiment, the front end of the handle  13  is installed on the piston  11 , and a piston seal  12  is installed into the groove  111  of the piston  11 . The assembled locking release system  2  and piston handle system  1  are installed into the cavity of the coating  31 , such that four bulges  222  of the fixed support  22  are locked into four mounting holes  311  of the coating  31 . Two lateral boards  33  are installed at both sides of the coating  31 , such that the mounting bulge of the lateral boards  33  is locked into the mounting hole  312  of the coating  31 . The rear cover  14  is locked into the mounting hole  314  of the coating  31 . The push button  21  is installed into the mounting hole  313  above the coating  31 , and the bulge of the push button  21  is locked into the mounting hole  313  of the coating  31 . Thus, the pressurized medical instrument of the present invention is shaped. 
     One advantage of one embodiment of the pressurized medical instrument is that the locking release system can lock the handle in a pressurized state by two springs mated with special structures. For instance, the slide block&#39;s inclined surface, the fixed support&#39;s steps and mounting hole, the locking block&#39;s thread, and/or the groove and snapper may convey the instrument with stable and reliable pressure locking functions. 
     Another advantage of one embodiment of the pressurized medical instrument is that when the push button is pressed with the thumb or palm of the hand holding the coating, the push button drives the slide block and locking block in different directions, so the locking of the locking block and handle can be removed to quickly release the pressure of instrument with a single hand. 
     One advantage of one embodiment of the pressurized medical instrument is that the pressure gauge along with the gauge stand can rotate along the axle of the coating, enabling the medical staff to select a desired or optimum viewing angle and avoid reading error. 
     In one embodiment, the pressurized medical enables pressure charging by rotating the handle clockwise and pressure relief or vacuum pumping by rotating the handle counterclockwise. By pressing the push button, the handle can be turned to maximum capacity. By releasing the push button, quick liquid pumping or vacuum pumping can be conducted. If pressing push button to push the handle to the zero capacity, the medium in the cavity of the coating can be quickly discharged, or the vacuum can be rapidly pumped out. In alternative embodiments, the rotating directions of the locking block and handle thread may be changed, so as to change the rotating direction of the handle during pressure charging and relief. 
     In one embodiment, the pressurized medical instrument may have a maximum capacity of about 60 ml and a maximum charging pressure of about 30 atm. In alternative embodiments, the structure and design of the pressurized medical instrument are not limited by the aforementioned ranges, and the size and number of relevant component parts may be increased as necessary. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.