System and method for reduced pressure charging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10842977-B2
Application number	US-201715792265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 13, 2008
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A reduced pressure treatment system includes a compressible chamber positionable beneath a foot of a user and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position. The compressible chamber includes an inlet and an outlet. An inlet valve is in fluid communication with the inlet to prevent fluid within the compressible chamber from exiting the inlet, and an outlet valve is in fluid communication with the outlet to prevent fluid from entering the compressible chamber through the outlet. A biasing member is disposed within the compressible chamber to bias the compressible chamber toward the expanded position, and a manifold is positionable at a tissue site and in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressible chamber.

First claim

We claim:

1. A reduced-pressure source for operation by a foot to supply a reduced pressure to a tissue site, the reduced-pressure source comprising:
a compressible bladder adapted to be positioned beneath the foot, the compressible bladder having a chamber substantially enclosed by a chamber wall and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position, wherein transitioning from the compressed position to the expanded position causes the reduced pressure to be delivered to the tissue site;
a biasing member positioned within the chamber to bias the compressible bladder toward the expanded position;
an inlet valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the compressible bladder to prevent fluid within the chamber from exiting the inlet;
an outlet valve in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressible bladder to prevent fluid from entering the chamber through the outlet; and
a pressure regulator fluidly connected to the chamber and adapted to regulate the reduced pressure delivered to the tissue site.

2. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the pressure regulator comprises a vent configured to raise an absolute pressure within the pressure regulator when the reduced pressure provided by the compressible bladder exceeds a threshold amount.

3. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the pressure regulator comprises a vent configured to allow ambient air into the pressure regulator when the absolute pressure within the pressure regulator drops below a predetermined value.

4. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the pressure regulator comprises a vent configured to regulate the reduced-pressure that is delivered to the tissue site by allowing ambient air into the pressure regulator.

5. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the compressible bladder is adapted to generate a reduced pressure within the chamber as the compressible bladder moves toward the expanded position.

6. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is an open-cell foam.

7. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is bonded to the chamber wall.

8. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is welded to the chamber wall.

9. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the compressible bladder is a first compressible bladder, the reduced-pressure source further comprising:
a second compressible bladder adapted to be positioned beneath the foot, the second compressible bladder having a second chamber substantially enclosed by a second chamber wall and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position; and
a second biasing member positioned within the second chamber to bias the second compressible bladder toward the expanded position.

10. The reduced-pressure source of claim 9 , wherein the first compressible bladder is adapted to be positioned beneath a forefoot region of the foot and the second compressible bladder is adapted to be positioned beneath a heel region of the foot.

11. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein the compressible bladder is a first compressible bladder, the reduced-pressure source further comprising:
a second compressible bladder adapted to be positioned beneath the foot, the second compressible bladder having an inlet, an outlet, and a second chamber substantially enclosed by a second chamber wall, and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position;
a second biasing member positioned within the second chamber to bias the second compressible bladder toward the expanded position;
an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inlet of the second compressible bladder to prevent fluid within the second chamber from exiting the inlet; and
an outlet valve in fluid communication with the outlet of the second compressible bladder to prevent fluid from entering the second chamber through the outlet.

12. The reduced-pressure source of claim 1 , wherein:
the pressure regulator comprises a first variable-volume cavity fluidly connected to the chamber of the compressible bladder; and
the first variable-volume cavity is configured to expand as the first variable-volume cavity receives a positively pressured air from the chamber.

13. The reduced-pressure source of claim 12 , wherein:
the pressure regulator comprises a second variable-volume cavity; and
the second variable-volume cavity is configured to expand and generate a reduced pressure as the first variable-volume cavity expands.

14. The reduced-pressure source of claim 12 , wherein:
the pressure regulator comprises a second variable-volume cavity; and
the pressure regulator includes a bellows device fluidly separating the first variable-volume cavity and the second variable-volume cavity.

15. A reduced-pressure source for operation by a foot to supply a reduced pressure to a tissue site, the reduced-pressure source comprising:
a first compressible bladder adapted to be positioned beneath a forefoot region of the foot, the first compressible bladder having a first chamber substantially enclosed by a first chamber wall and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position, wherein the first compressible bladder comprises a first inlet and a first outlet;
a first biasing member positioned within the first chamber to bias the first compressible bladder toward the expanded position;
a first inlet valve in fluid communication with the first inlet to prevent fluid within the first compressible bladder from exiting the first inlet;
a first outlet valve in fluid communication with the first outlet to prevent fluid from entering the first compressible bladder through the first outlet;
a second compressible bladder adapted to be positioned beneath a heel region of the foot, the second compressible bladder having a second chamber substantially enclosed by a second chamber wall and being movable between an expanded position and a compressed position; and
a second biasing member positioned within the second chamber to bias the second compressible bladder toward the expanded position.

16. The reduced-pressure source of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second inlet valve in fluid communication with a second inlet of the second compressible bladder to prevent fluid within the second chamber from exiting the second inlet of the second compressible bladder; and
a second outlet valve in fluid communication with a second outlet of the second compressible bladder to prevent fluid from entering the second chamber through the second outlet of the second compressible bladder.

17. The reduced-pressure source of claim 15 , wherein the first compressible bladder is adapted to generate a reduced pressure within the first chamber as the first compressible bladder moves toward the expanded position.

18. The reduced-pressures source of claim 15 , wherein the first biasing member is an open-cell foam.

19. The reduced-pressure source of claim 15 , further comprising a pressure regulator fluidly connected to the first chamber and adapted to regulate the reduced pressure delivered to the tissue site.

20. The reduced-pressure source of claim 19 , wherein:
the pressure regulator comprise a variable-volume cavity fluidly connected to the first chamber; and
the variable-volume cavity is configured to expand as the variable-volume cavity receives a positively pressured air from the first chamber.

21. The reduced-pressure source of claim 19 , wherein:
the pressur

Assignees

• Kci Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Coward Christopher Guy
• Heaton Keith Patrick

Classifications

• A61M1/742

  by changing the size of a vent (A61M1/7411 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M1/743

  by changing the cross-section of the line, e.g. flow regulating valves (A61M1/7413 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M1/96

  Suction control thereof · CPC title

• A61M1/92

  with liquid supply means · CPC title

• A61M1/81

  Piston pumps, e.g. syringes · CPC title