Systems and methods for filling an anesthesia vaporizer using an ullage volume and vent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11324913-B2
Application number	US-201916685280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2019
Priority date	Nov 15, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

An anesthesia vaporizer system having a reservoir fillable with anesthetic agent from a bottle. A fill body defines a cavity that receives the anesthetic agent from the bottle via an inlet. The fill body further defines main and vent ports each communicating between the cavity of the fill body and the reservoir. A fill valve is receivable within the cavity of the fill body and moveable between open and closed positions. The anesthetic agent from the bottle flows through the inlet only when the fill valve is in the open position. A lower seal is receivable within the cavity of the fill body and moveable between open and closed positions by the fill valve. The vent port communicates between the cavity and the fill body only when the lower seal is in the open position. The lower seal is positionable in the open position when the fill valve is in the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anesthesia vaporizer system fillable with anesthetic agent from a bottle, the system comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain the anesthetic agent filled from the bottle;
a fill body defining a cavity that receives the anesthetic agent from the bottle via an inlet, wherein the fill body further defines a main port and a vent port each communicating between the cavity of the fill body and the reservoir;
a fill valve receivable within the cavity of the fill body and moveable between open and closed positions, wherein the anesthetic agent from the bottle flows through the inlet only when the fill valve is in the open position; and
a lower seal receivable within the cavity of the fill body and moveable between open and closed positions by the fill valve, wherein the vent port communicates between the cavity and the fill body only when the lower seal is in the open position;
wherein the lower seal is positionable in the open position when the fill valve is in the closed position.

2. The system according to claim 1 , the fill valve is axially translatable between the open and closed positions.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower seal is coupled to the fill valve via a biasing member that biases the lower seal away from the fill valve.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured such that when the reservoir is full any of the anesthetic agent that flowed out of the bottle remains outside of the bottle.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower seal has a height and is axially compressible such that the height is less in the open position than in the closed position.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the lower seal has a blocking feature having a width, wherein the blocking feature prevents the anesthetic agent from flowing through the vent port when in the closed position, and wherein the width of the blocking feature is greater in the closed position than in the open position.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the bottle has a bottle valve that is moveable between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the anesthetic agent is prevented from flowing out of the bottle, further comprising a bottle opening feature that moves the bottle valve from the closed position to the open position when the bottle moves towards the cavity in the fill body.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the system is positionable in four positions that comprise:
a first position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the closed position, and the lower seal is in the open position;
a second position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the open position;
a third position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the closed position; and
a fourth position in which the bottle valve is in the open position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the closed position.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein a distance between the bottle and the cavity in the fill body varies in each of the four positions, and wherein reducing the distance causes the system to move from the first position, then to the second position, then to the third position, and then to the fourth position.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the main port extends downwardly through an extension into the reservoir between upper and lower ends, and wherein the system is configured such that the anesthetic agent flows into the reservoir via the main port only when the anesthetic agent in the reservoir is below the lower end of the extension.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the system is configured such that the anesthetic agent flows into the reservoir when the anesthetic agent in the reservoir is above the lower end of the extension.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein an ullage volume is defined within the reservoir above the lower end of the extension, wherein a cavity volume is defined as open space within the cavity surrounding the fill valve and the lower seal, and ullage volume is greater than the cavity volume.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the ullage volume is greater than twice the cavity volume.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower seal is annular and defines an interior between an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is sealingly receivable within the main port of the fill body such that the anesthetic agent in the cavity flows through the main port only via the interior of the lower seal.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the lower portion of the lower seal is conically shaped.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the main port is conically shaped to correspond to the lower portion of the lower seal.

17. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the lower seal comprises an elastomeric material.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of EPDM and silicone.

19. An anesthesia vaporizer system fillable with anesthetic agent from a bottle, the system comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain the anesthetic agent filled from the bottle;
a fill body defining a cavity that receives the anesthetic agent from the bottle via an inlet, wherein the fill body further defines a main port and a vent port each communicating between the cavity of the fill body and the reservoir;
a fill valve receivable within the cavity of the fill body and axially translatable between open and closed positions, wherein the anesthetic agent from the bottle flows through the inlet only when the fill valve is in the open position; and
a lower seal receivable within the cavity of the fill body and axially compressible between open and closed positions by the fill valve, wherein the lower seal comprises a blocking feature along an outer perimeter that selectively prevents flow through the vent port, wherein the anesthetic agent flows through the vent port only when the lower seal is in the open position;
wherein the lower seal is in the open position when the fill valve is in the closed position; and
wherein the system is positionable in four positions, including:
a first position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the closed position, and the lower seal is in the open position;
a second position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the open position;
a third position in which the bottle valve is in the closed position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the closed position; and
a fourth position in which the bottle valve is in the open position, the fill valve is in the open position, and the lower seal is in the closed position.

20. An anesthesia vaporizer system fillable with anesthetic agent from a bottle, the system comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain the anesthetic agent filled from the bottle;
a fill body defining a cavity that receives the anesthetic agent from the bottle via an inlet, wherein the fill body further defines a main port and a vent port each communicating between the cavity of the fill body and the reservoir;
a fill valve receivable within the cavity of the fill body and moveable between

Assignees

• Ge Prec Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Bender Ii Thomas L
• Weigel Brady S
• Caloud Herbert
• Mashak James N

Classifications

• A61M2205/583

  by visual feedback · CPC title

• A61M16/183 Primary

  Filling systems · CPC title

• A61M2205/18

  with alarm · CPC title

• A61M2039/268

  wherein the stem portion is moved for opening and closing the valve, e.g. by translation, rotation · CPC title

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title