Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02488862 2004-12-15
CANADA
TITLE: INSTANT-ON AIR SUCTIONING AND FILTERING DEVICE
INVENTOR: LEONARD INESON
CA 02488862 2004-12-15
FIELD OF THE INDENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an air suctioning and
filtering devices for use in medical applications, and more
particularly to such an air suctioning and filtering device for
evacuating a surgery plume generated during electrocautery surgery.
BACRGROUND OF THE INVBNTfON
[0002] During surgery, the tissue of a patient is coagulated and
cauterized by means of an electrosurgical pencil. L~hen the metal
tip of the electrosurgical pencil touches or is near the tissue at
the surgical site, a high frequency electrical current flows from
the electrode to the tissue, thus coagulating and cauterizing the
tissue.
[0003] Due to the cauterizing effect of the electrically
conductive metal tip, small plumes of smoke are produced, which are
typically referred to as surgical smoke, and must be removed. This
surgical smoke is offensive in terms of its pungent odour, and is
also potentially dangerous to surgeons and other operating room
staff in that it contains possible carcinogenic elements, and also
potentially contains transportable viable viral DNA. Exacerbating
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this problem, is the fact that such plumes of smoke tend to rise
plumes toward the persons involved in the operation. Further, the
evacuation of smoke away from the surgical site is vital so that
the surgeon's view of the operation site remains as unobscured as
reasonably possible.
[0004] In order to evacuate smoke from a surgical site,
electrosurgical pencils have an air flow passage with an inlet that
either terminates adjacent the electrically conductive metal tip,
or is in fluid communication with the metal tip, and an outlet at
the opposite end. The outlet is configured to receive and retain
thereon a plastic air flow hose that is connected to a source of
low air pressure that causes air to be drawn from the
electrosurgical pencil. The air flow must be sufficient to draw
away plumes of surgical smoke, which are subsequently filtered
before they reach the source of low air pressure by a filter made
from sponge foam, charcoal, or other suitable material.
[0005] However, in use, the source of suction is not turned on
until it is required by the surgeon. A momentary contact switch on
the electrosurgical pencil, or a foot operated switch, is pressed
to cause the electric motor to start, thereby invoking the source
of suction. Unfortunately, there is a delay between the time the
momentary contact switch is pressed and the time the air suction
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actually starts drawing air, and therefore the plume of surgical
smoke into the electrosurgical pencil. This time delay is
medically significant since the plume of surgical smoke has time to
waft towards the surgeon and others, which is highly undesirable.
[0006] A typical electrosurgical pencil and surgery plume filter
device, also called a smoke evacuation apparatus, is described in
United States patent 6, 524, 307 issued February 25, 2003 to Holland.
This surgery plume filter device is for filtering particulate,
gases, harmful microbes and orders suspended in the smoke plume
generated during surgery.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
air suctioning and filtering device for evacuating a smoke plume
generated during electrocautery surgery, which air suctioning and
filtering device overcomes the inherent time delay between starting
the suctioning and the onset of the suctioning at the
electrosurgical pencil.
SU1~ARY OF THE INyENTION
[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is disclosed a novel air suctioning and filtering device for
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use in an surgery plume evacuation system. The air suctioning and
filtering device comprises a suction inlet for permitting air to
ingress. An air filter means is connected in fluid communication
with the suction inlet so as for receiving suctioned air therefrom.
A connector pipe is connected in fluid communication with the
filter for receiving filtered air therefrom. A source of suction
is connected in fluid communication with the connector pipe to
suction air into the suction inlet, through the air filter means,
and through the connector pipe. An air by-pass inlet on the
connector pipe to permit air to be suctioned to the source of
suction without ingressing into the suction inlet. A valve means
is operatively mounted nn the air by-pass inlet for movement
between a standby position, whereat air is suctioned into the air
by-pass inlet and to the source of suction, and a full suctioning
position, whereat air is substantially precluded from being
suctioned into the air by-pass inlet and to the source of suction.
A manually operable switch means for controlling the valve means.
In use, the valve means is moved by operation of the manually
operable switch means between its standby position, such that a
substantial_portia~ of the air suctioned by the source of suction
is suctioned into the air by-pass inlet and a significantly lesser
portion of the air suctioned by the source of suction is suctioned
into the suction inlet, and its full suctioning position, such that
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substantially all of the air suctioned by the source of suction is
suctioned into the suction inlet.
[0009) Other advantages, features and characteristics of the
present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of
the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts
and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon
consideration of the following detailed description and the
appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
latter of which is briefly described herein below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00010] The novel features which are believed to be
characteristic of the air suctioning and filtering device according
to the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use
and method of operation, together with further objectives and
advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following
drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention
will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expressly
understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of
illustration and description only, and are not intended as a
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definition of the limits of the invention. In the accompanying
drawings:
(00011] Figure 1 is a simplified overall pictorial representation
of a preferred embodiment of the suction collection container
according to the present invention, in use with a surgery plume
evacuation system;
[00012] Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front of the
preferred embodiment of the air suctioning and filtering device of
Figure 1;
[00013] Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the preferred
embodiment air suctioning and filtering device of Figure 2;
[00014] Figure 4 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of
the air suctioning and filtering device according to the present
invention, with the outer casing removed;
[00015] Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the preferred
embodiment air suctioning and filtering device shown in Figure 2,
with the flap valve of the air suctioning and filtering device in
its standby position:
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[00016] Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view from the top of
the air by-pass inlet with the flap valve in a standby position;
[00017] Figure 7 is a top plan view similar to Figure 6, but with
the flap valve in full suctioning position; and,
[00018] Figure 8 is an enlarged side view of the of the solenoid
and flap valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[00019] Reference will now be made to Figures 1 through 8, which
show a preferred embodiment of the air suctioning and filtering
device of the present invention, as indicated by general reference
numeral 20. The air suctioning and filtering device 20 is for use
in an surgery plume evacuation system, as indicated by the general
reference numeral 22 in Figure 1. The surgery plume evacuation
system 22 includes an electrosurgical pencil 24, a first flexible
tube 26, a suction collection container 28, a second flexible tube
30, and the air suctioning and filtering device 20. The intake end
26a of the first flexible tube 2& is connected to the
electrosurgical pencil 24 and the delivery end 26b of the first
flexible tube 26 is connected to the inlet nozzle 28a of the
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suction collection container 28 to permit delivery of air, smoke,
moisture, liquid, and particulate matter from the electrosurgical
pencil 24 to the suction collection container 28. The intake end
30a of the second flexible tube 30 is connected to the outlet
nozzle 28b of the suction collection container 28 and the delivery
end 30b of the second flexible tube 30 is connected to a suction
inlet 40 of the air suctioning and filtering device 20.
[00020) The air suctioning and filtering device 20 is for use in
an surgery plume evacuation system 22. The air suctioning and
filtering device comprises a suction inlet 40 for permitting air to
ingress, as received from the electrosurgical pencil 24.
(00021] An air filter means 50 is connected in fluid
communication with the suction inlet 40 so as for receiving
suctioned air therefrom. The air filter means 50 preferably
comprises a suitable air filter, such as a foam filter, a charcoal
filter, or other suitable type of filter. The air filter 50 traps
moisture, liquid, and particulate matter, and precludes them from
travelling downstream. Preferably, the air filter 50 comprises a
,~'I
removable filter~within an outer housing 52 mounted on a base 54.
[00022) A connector pipe 60 is connected in fluid communication
with the air filter 50 for receiving filtered air therefrom. The
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connector pipe 60 is preferably a rigid plastic or metal pipe and
about the same diameter as the suction inlet 40, although the exact
diameter is riot overly important.
[00023] A source of suction is connected in fluid communication
with the connector pipe 60 to suction air into the suction inlet
40, through the filter means, and through the connector pipe 60.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the source of suction
comprises an electric fan ?0.
[00024] Preferably, the suction inlet 40, the air filter means
50, the connector pipe 60 and the electric fan 70 are substantially
co-linearly aligned to maximize air flow therethrough.
[00025] There is an air by-pass inlet 62 on the connector pipe 60
to permit air to be suctioned to the source of suction without
ingressing into the suction inlet 40. The air by-pass inlet 62 is
at the end of a vertically oriented pipe portion extending upwardly
from the connector pipe 60.
[00026] A valve means 64 is operatively mounted on the air by-
pass inlet 62 for movement between a standby position and a full
suctioning position. When the valve means 64 is in its standby
position, the electric fan 70 is at a standby suctioning rate, and
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when the valve means 64 is in its full suctioning position, the
electric fan 70 is at a full suctioning rate.
[00027] In the preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the valve
means 64 comprises a flap valve pivotally mounted at the air by-
pass inlet 62. The flap valve 64 is moved by an electrically
powered solenoid 66.
[00028] In the standby position of the flap valve 64, air is
suctioned into the air by-pass inlet 62 and to the electric fan 70.
A significantly lesser portion of the air suctioned by the source
of suction is suctioned into the suction inlet 40.
[00029] There is a manually operable switch means 80 for
controlling the flap valve 64. The manually operable switch means
80 comprises a foot operable air switch connected to an electronic
sensor 82 on the main circuit board 84.
[00030] The air suctioning and filtering device 20 further
comprises control circuitry 86 for controlling the speed of the
standby suctioning rate of the electric fan 70, and control
circuitry 88 for controlling the speed of the full suctioning rate
of the electric fan 70. This control circuitry 86,88 is found on
the main circuit board 84.
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[00031] In use, the flap valve 64 is moved by means of operation
of the foot operable air switch 80 between its standby position and
its full suctioning position. In the standby position, a
substantial portion of the air suctioned by the source of suction
is suctioned into the air by-pass inlet 62 and a significantly
lesser portion of the air suctioned by the source of suction is
suctioned into the suction inlet 40. In the full suctioning
position, substantially all of the air suctioned by the source of
suction is suctioned into the suction inlet 40.
[00032] It has been found that a suctioning rate of about ten
cubic feet per minute by the electric fan 70, for the standby
suctioning rate, creates an airflow of about two to three cubic
feet per minute into the suction inlet 40, and therefore at the
electrosurgical pencil 24. This slight air flow essentially keeps
air moving into the electrosurgical pencil 24 without causing
purposeful suctioning. However, this slight air flow is sufficient
to allow for immediate full suctioning air flow, when the flap
valve 64 is moved to its full suctioning position.
[00033] In the full suctioning position, air is substantially
precluded from being suctioned into the air by-pass inlet 62 and to
the electric fan 70. Instead, all of the air suctioned by the
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electric fan 70 is suctioned from the electrosurgical pencil 24 and
into the suction inlet 40 of the air suctioning and filtering
device 20. Further, the full suctioning rate of the electric fan
70, which is acheived when the flap valve 70 is moved to its full
suctioning position, is preferably greater than the standby
suctioning rate, which is acheived when the flap valve 70 is in its
standby suctioning position. It has been found that a rate of
suctioning of about twenty cubic feet per minute by the electric
fan 70, is suitable for the full suctioning rate.
[00034] In other words, during actual use, a high suctioning rate
of the electric fan 70 is desirable for suctioning air through the
electrosurgical pencil 24. However, between periods of use, a
lesser air flow is sufficient to keep a small amount of air
suctioning into the electrosurgical pencil 24. It must be
understood though that if the electric fan 70 is kept at a standby
suctioning rate of just enough to suction a small amount of air
(two to three cubic feet per minute) into the electrosurgical
pencil 24, the electric fan 70 will take significantly longer to
change from that low standby suctioning rate to the necessary full
suctioning rate.
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[00035] Of course, both of the standby suctioning rate and the
full suctioning rate are fully adjustable and could even be the
same.
[00036] As can be understood from the above description and from
the accompanying drawings, the present invention provides an air
suctioning and filtering device for evacuating a smoke plume
generated during electrocautery surgery, which air suctioning and
filtering device overcomes the inherent time delay between starting
the suctioning and the onset of the suctioning at the
electrosurgical pencil, all of which features are unknown in the
prior art.
[00037] Other variations of the above principles will be apparent
to those who are knowledgeable in the field of the invention, and
such variations are considered to be within the scope of the
present invention. Further, other modifications and alterations
may be used in the design and manufacture of the suction col~.ection
container of the present invention without departing from the
spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.
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