Abstract:
An integral regulator and gauge for a vacuum device consists of a circular regulator having the vacuum gauge inside thereof such that the regulator and gauge rotate about a common radial axis. An opening defined in a boss extending from the bottom of the regulator engages a sloped shoulder defined on the inside surface of a circular port in which the regulator is disposed, varying the size of an opening which allows air to bleed into the vacuum chamber to regulate the strength of the vacuum.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed to the field of devices providing and regulating vacuum, and, in particular, to such devices for use in medical appellations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Devices generating and utilizing a vacuum are well known in the art. For medical applications, such devices may be used, for example, to provide surgical suction for extracting liquids or semi-liquids from the body during surgery or dentistry, or for aspirators used for clearing the airway, mouth, and nasal passages of persons having chronic airway management issues, or, in the case of emergency, medical aspirators used to clear the airways of traumatized persons 
         [0003]    Such devices generally consist of a pump for providing negative air pressure connected to a manifold which may also connect a regulator and a vacuum gauge, and a tool for utilizing the vacuum. The regulator allows the regulation and setting of the strength of the vacuum, which, for medical applications may range from around 50 mmHg to over 500 mmHg. The gauge shows the strength of the vacuum, typically expressed in mmHg or inches-Hg. 
         [0004]    Regulation of the strength of the vacuum is typically controlled by regulating the amount of air that enters the manifold, and may be limited by the size or strength of the pump used to create the negative air pressure. Allowing air to bleed into the manifold will tend to weaken the vacuum, while sealing the manifold or limiting the amount of air allowed to bleed into the manifold will generally strengthen the vacuum, to the limits of the pump. 
         [0005]    The present state of the art is to have a separate regulator and gauge, separately connected to the manifold. This tends to complicate the design of the manifold and the device housing and increase the parts count for the device, thereby also increasing the cost of the device. It would be desirable to provide a combination regulator/gauge able to be connected to the manifold at a single connection point. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention consists of a unitary, integrated regulator and gauge that provides ease of use for the user of the device, which connects to the device manifold at a single point, which exits the devices housing at a single point and which reduces the parts count, and therefore the cost, of the device. 
         [0007]    The device consists of a commercially available, off the shelf vacuum gauge which has been inserted into a funnel-shaped regulator having a cylindrical-shaped boss defined thereon. The regulator may be connected to the manifold via a stationary housing or aperture in which the regulator may be rotated. The regulator defines an opening in the boss portion thereof. The boss contacts a cylindrical surface, preferably an interface to the manifold, having a generally helical-shaped, sloped shoulder defined on the inner surface thereof. As the regulator is turned, the generally helical-shaped shoulder blocks an increasingly-larger portion of the opening defined in the boss, thereby allowing less air to bleed into the manifold. Turning the regulator in the opposite direction allows more of the opening in the boss to be exposed, thereby allowing more air to bleed into the manifold. 
         [0008]    The gauge is preferably concentrically aligned with the regulator, such that when the regulator is rotated, the gauge rotates with it. This gives the effect of the needle of the gauge being stationary, as with a magnetic compass, with the markings of the scale of the gauge moving thereunder, as the strength of the vacuum varies due to the rotation of the regulator. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the regulator/gauge assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the regulator element. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the gauge element. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4   a  is a side plan view of the regulator/gauge assembly showing cross section A-A 
           [0013]      FIG. 4   b  is a cross section view of the device of  FIG. 4   a  along line A-A. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows one embodiment of a manifold. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a cross sectional view of the regulator/gauge assembly in place in the manifold of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows one embodiment of a collar used to connect the regulator/gauge assembly to the housing of a device 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows the regulator/gauge assembly and the collar in place in a demonstration housing 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  shows the regulator/gauge assembly in place in an actual device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The device of the invention, shown essentially in  FIG. 1 , is intended to be integrated into the housing of devices requiring control of a vacuum, such as an aspirator or a surgical suction device. The assembly  100  device shown in  FIG. 1  consists essentially of regulator  200  and vacuum gauge  300 , oriented coaxially and fitted together, preferably with an interference fit, such that rotation of regulator  200  will also cause vacuum gauge  300  to rotate. 
         [0020]    Regulator  200 , shown in  FIG. 2 , consists of cylindrical body portion  204  which tapers to cylindrical boss portion  206 . Boss portion  206  defines an opening  208  therein, the purpose of which will be discussed later. A beveled portion  202  is disposed at the top of cylindrical body  204  and may have integrated finger depressions defined thereon to assist a user in rotating regulator/gauge assembly  100 . 
         [0021]    The vacuum gauge  300  consists essentially of commercially available off the shelf vacuum gauge having the proper scale. The body of the vacuum gauge is inserted into the body of regulator  200  and engages regulator  200  via tabs  310  which engage opening  212  defined in the cylindrical body  204  of regulator  200 . The exact configuration of the tabs and indentations defined in cylindrical body  204  of regulator  200  is dependent on the configuration of the vacuum gauge selected and is not part of the invention. 
         [0022]    Stem  306  on vacuum gauge  300  is a fitting which typically would be utilized to fit the gauge to a manifold or pipe containing the vacuum therein. However, stem  306  will fit inside boss  206  of regulator  200 . Stem  306  of gauge  300  may define threads thereon which may fit on the inside surface of boss  206  via an interference fit or boss  206  may have reciprocal threads defined on the inner surface thereof. Preferably, when gauge  300  is fitted inside regulator  200 , stem  306  does not extend past opening  208 . 
         [0023]    Regulator  200  and gauge  300  are shown in an assembled version in  FIG. 4   a  and in the cross sectional version in  FIG. 4   b . Preferably, regulator  200  and gauge  300  will be radially aligned with each other, such that the both rotate around the same axis of rotation. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a typical manifold  500  of a suction device. Included in manifold  500  is fitting  502  to which regulator/gauge assembly  100  would be attached. Pump connection  508  and exhaust port  506 . Defined within port  502  is sloped shoulder  504 , which, in the preferred embodiment, is helical in shape. The inside surface of port  502  has a first cylindrical portion defined below the shoulder, of diameter d 1 , where d 1  is approximately the same diameter as outside diameter of boss portion  206  of regulator  200 . Boss portion  206  of regulator  200  is meant to rotate within the portion of port  502  having diameter d 1 . A second portion of port  502 , located above shoulder  504 , has a diameter d 2  which is larger than diameter d 1  by the width of shoulder  504 . 
         [0025]    Shoulder  504  spirals up the inside surface of port  502  such that when regulator  200  is rotated therein, varying portions of opening  208  are exposed or covered up, depending upon the direction and extent of the rotation. When opening  208  is completely covered, this will represent the maximum vacuum available. As more and more of opening  208  is exposed via rotation of the regulator  200 , more air is allowed to bleed into the interior volume of manifold  500  via the space defined between boss  206  and the portion of port  502  having diameter d 2  (See reference number  506  in  FIG. 6 ), thereby weakening the vacuum. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows manifold  500  with regulator/gauge assembly  100  inserted therein in cross section. It can be seen that shoulder  504  is shown on the left side of port  502 . The portion of port  502  above shoulder  504  will have a diameter d 2  while portion of port  502  below shoulder  504  will have a diameter d 1 . It should be noted that the shape and configuration of manifold  500  is not part of the invention as long as manifold  500  defines port  502  having sloped shoulder  504  in which boss  206  of regulator  200  is able to rotate. Port  502  need not even be defined in a manifold—it is within the scope of the invention that a customized pipe fitting may be utilized to hold regulator/gauge assembly  100 . 
         [0027]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, sloped shoulder  504  varies linearly in height. However, it is possible that the height of the shoulder could vary around the inner-circumference of port  504 . In other words, a portion of the helical shoulder  504  could have a first slope while a second portion of shoulder  504  could have a second slope, or shoulder  504  could be curved, thereby allowing the strength of the vacuum to vary at different rates as regulator/gauge assembly  100  is rotated within port  502 . It is also possible that opening  208  defined in boss  206  of regulator  200  could have a shape which would define a different vacuum profile as the regulator  200  is rotated within port  502 . 
         [0028]    Regulator/gauge assembly  100  will typically extend out of the housing of the device. A fitting for this purpose is shown  FIG. 7 , wherein regulator  200  would be inserted in opening  704  of fitting  700  and threaded area  702  of fitting  700  would contact the housing of the device in which the invention is installed. A demonstration of such a device is shown in  FIG. 8 , with  800  being the body of the device and  700  being the fitting just described and shown in  FIG. 7 . It can be seen that regulator gauge assembly is inserted therein and, secured axially by tabs  201 , can be freely rotated within fitting  700 . Fitting  700  may also be integral to the housing of the device 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a more typical installation in which regulator/gauge assembly  100  is able to rotate within a portion  902  of the housing of the device especially designed for this purpose. The device shown I  FIG. 9 , by way of example, is an aspirator for aspirating the airway of a patient. 
         [0030]    It should be noted that the fact that gauge  300  and regulator  200  rotate together in a concentric manner provides the effect of having the scale of gauge  300  move underneath needle  303  of gauge  300 , which appears virtually stationary in the manner of a magnetic compass being rotated and having the directions move underneath the stationary needle. This makes the gauge easy to read from one position and also eliminates the need to have separate openings in the housing of device  900  for the gauge and the regulator. 
         [0031]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, regulator  200  is preferably composed of a polycarbonate material while the shoulder portion is preferable composed of a thermoplastic elastomer. However, it is possible to make the device of different materials including for example, metal. 
         [0032]    In addition, it is not necessary that the shoulder be integral with the interior of the port  502  on manifold  500 . It is possible instead that the shoulder could be provided by a separate bushing which is inserted into the port and is held stationary therein by an interference fit or some other type of fit with the interior surface of port  502 . 
         [0033]    It can be seen by one of skill in the art that some variations in this design are possible while still being within the spirit of the invention. For example, the shape of a regulator  200  maybe driven by the external shape of gauge  300  and by the space available within the device between the opening in the housing of the device for the regulator/gauge assembly  100  and the manifold  500 . Additionally, it is not necessary that a manifold be present. The device may be attached directly to fittings, plumbing or piping in the vacuum system in much the same manner as a separate gauge and regulator might be utilized in such a system.