Conduit valve for controlling fluid flow of a medium

Abstract

This invention relates to a conduit valve for controlling the fluid flow of a medium, particularly an automatically closing conduit valve, wherein the base includes an inlet and an outlet, a flexible tube, and a longitudinally movable sliding member serving as a cover, and has a stepped grille at the inlet of the conduit valve for connecting the input pipe, and the conduit valve has two opposing drainage ramps on the longitudinally movable sliding member inside the base, the base having two laterally opposed vertical chambers. The objective of this invention is to develop a conduit valve that: 1. is ergonomically designed to accommodate patients even during prolonged bed rest; 2. is very inexpensive due to the particularly high cost of long-term patient care; 3. is very easy to operate with one hand due to the often weakened motor function of elderly patients; 4. can be flushed and disinfected without strenuous disassembly due to frequent long-term use; and 5. prevents accidental detachment of the conduit valve, thereby avoiding the risk of infection. According to the invention, this can be achieved by the following: a base having two opposing drainage ramps includes two opposing inclined chambers for manipulating and guiding two vertically movable magnets arranged on two opposite sides of a valve hose and capable of selectively closing or opening the flow through the valve hose, wherein an adapter can be inserted and fixed at the outlet of the conduit valve, the adapter—in addition to the longitudinally movable slider—causing a permanent open position of the conduit valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conduit valve for controlling the fluid flow of a medium, particularly an automatically closing conduit valve, wherein the base has an inlet and an outlet, a flexible valve hose and a longitudinally movable slider as a cover, and a stepped grid at the inlet of the conduit valve for connecting the conduit. Background Technology

[0002] Urinary incontinence is a common condition that can occur due to a variety of causes, including illness, injury, or loss of physical strength. It is typically characterized by weakened or completely lost function of the muscles that control the expansion and contraction of the urethral sphincter. To date, there is no known surgical method that can satisfactorily correct urinary incontinence and essentially restore bladder control.

[0003] Attempts to improve urinary incontinence include using passive devices, such as a collection bag worn by the user, to collect urine expelled from the ureter. A drawback of this solution is that the bladder continuously empties into the collection bag, and the user cannot control the flow of urine. Another disadvantage is that the collection bag must be carried at all times, thus affecting the user's mobility.

[0004] Catheter valves are increasingly being used in urology for patients with chronic diseases, especially the elderly, who often require them for many years. This situation remains largely unaddressed to this day.

[0005] To meet these conditions, we must consider not only the shape but also the structure, which is determined to some extent by the shape.

[0006] To address these issues, such as lack of control, large size, discomfort, and hindrance to movement, valved urinary incontinence control devices have been developed. These devices eliminate the need for an external collection system, allowing users to manually control the flow of urine from the urethra. Examples of such devices are described in US-PS3503400, US-PS3939821, and US-PS4024855.

[0007] USPS3731670 also discloses a bistable solenoid valve element that requires driving the first solenoid valve from the closed position back to the open position.

[0008] While this device provides users with complete venting control, it is not reliable in operation. For example, if the valve is first actuated to the open position and venting stops, the user may forget to perform a second actuation and return the valve to the closed position, leaving it still open. If the valve is unintentionally left open, it can lead to unwanted venting.

[0009] The conduit valves described in WO93 / 24173 also pose a risk of accidental opening. Under normal conditions, a spring element closes the flow through the flexible conduit. An actuating element, in the form of a push-button, can be operated against the force of the spring element, thereby releasing the closed state and opening the valve. In this arrangement, the actuating element is also susceptible to pressure from impacts or accidental contact; therefore, a further disadvantage of this type of valve is that the possibility of accidental opening cannot be eliminated.

[0010] Furthermore, known conduit valves do not close by compressing the flexible conduit section, but rather by bending it. EP0088871A1 operates on this principle. Here, a flexible conduit section is secured to a sleeve, causing the sleeve to displace relative to the outer shell that holds the other flexible conduit section. This causes the flexible conduit to shorten and bend through lateral yielding of a portion of the conduit. A spring holds the sleeve at the bend, thus cutting off the flow in the conduit.

[0011] However, repeated bending of the hose can cause new problems. The continuous bending and deformation of the hose can damage the pipe wall, necessitating frequent valve inspections and potentially frequent replacements. Furthermore, even with the above design, there is no guarantee of adequately preventing accidental displacement of the sleeve, which could lead to flow opening. Additionally, this type of conduit valve should be improved due to its overly complex structure.

[0012] A so-called squeeze valve is known in US-PS2197995, in which, in the described embodiment, two independently operable shut-off elements act on a flexible conduit section to control flow. Each shut-off element is movable independently. In this embodiment, the shut-off elements are arranged opposite to each other, and the action of the shut-off elements on the flexible conduit section occurs at opposite locations on the flexible conduit section.

[0013] Furthermore, EP3247450B1 discloses a conduit valve for controlling fluid flow rate, which has a movable shut-off element that can be in different positions. Here, the shut-off element can be driven by a magnetically actuated valve actuator.

[0014] The drawback of all the above solutions is:

[0015] - Complex structure

[0016] -High production costs

[0017] -Complex operation

[0018] - Difficult to clean and disinfect

[0019] - Requires many parts

[0020] -Magnetic / magnetic force indirectly controls the enclosed element

[0021] -Unable to perform (one-handed) operation.

[0022] -Unable to achieve persistent location / enable.

[0023] DE102019100509B4 discloses a conduit valve for regulating the flow rate of a medium exchangeable with a conduit. It includes a valve body structure that regionally defines an internal space of the conduit valve and has a bottom wall for supporting the conduit valve, a top wall disposed opposite the bottom wall, and at least one side wall connecting the bottom wall and the top wall. The conduit valve further includes: a conduit element for conducting the medium, extending longitudinally through the internal space of the conduit valve along the valve body structure; a closure device for blocking and releasing the medium flowing through the conduit element; and an adjusting element movably mounted relative to the valve body structure, by which the closure device can be adjusted between a blocking position and a releasing position. The adjusting element is slidably disposed on or within the top wall. Another aspect of the invention relates to a closure device for a conduit valve.

[0024] This solution has the following drawbacks:

[0025] - Spring arm components and spring elements designed as O-rings may experience material fatigue during repeated operation, leading to a lack of sealing in the conduit valve.

[0026] - It takes a lot of force to keep it open.

[0027] -Due to structural design limitations, the valve hose was not fully opened, resulting in a lower flow rate and a longer evacuation time.

[0028] - The operation is complex, requiring tedious manipulation of the sliding parts to activate the valve's persistent position / opening.

[0029] - When removing the urine bag, the valve may be left in the permanent position, leading to accidental urine leakage.

[0030] -Because the spring arm is long, the structure is bulky, which affects the patient's wearing comfort.

[0031] - Composed of many individual parts,

[0032] - The small distance between the control element and the valve outlet increases the risk of urine flowing onto the patient's hands or fingers (hygiene).

[0033] - The catheter may accidentally break off or become loose.

[0034] Finally, DE2941278A1 discloses a cannula or conduit assembly having a section of tubing and a movable pressure body, wherein a slider supported on the outside of a wall surrounding the channel is movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the channel and has an inclined surface facing the pressure body, wherein the pressure body switches between two supports as the slider moves.

[0035] This solution has the following drawbacks:

[0036] - There is no self-closing function because the valve must be closed by manipulating the slider.

[0037] To open the valve, a slightly flexible hose must push the pressure bodies apart. This means the hose material must have a certain degree of rigidity. This can lead to material fatigue during continuous use, increasing the risk of failure. Furthermore, a rigid material is also detrimental to sealing.

[0038] It seals radially around the sleeve and the hose is not fully compressed. The pressure body is designed to be spherical, so a reliable seal of the hose cannot be achieved during compression without the sleeve.

[0039] DE102013012158A1 describes a squeeze valve having a hose-like valve element surrounded by an annular actuating element and squeeze elements mounted on opposite sides. By actuating the actuating element, the squeeze elements can be moved relative to the valve element and selectively release or block the valve passage of the valve element.

[0040] The disadvantage of this solution is:

[0041] - The extrusion element moves at an angle toward the flexible hose in the axial longitudinal direction. Frequent use of the valve on the hose can cause material wear and jeopardize the reliability of the seal.

[0042] Furthermore, the longitudinal force acting axially will additionally act on the flexible hose, causing it to shift. This can lead to valve malfunction or leakage.

[0043] - In order to open and hold the position, it must be pushed against the spring force, which means that the user must apply relatively large force when emptying the bladder.

[0044] - Springs are separate components and will result in additional material and assembly costs.

[0045] Finally, DE102007002765B3 discloses another type of squeeze valve, which is a combination of the previously mentioned DE2941278A1 and DE102013012158A1. The disadvantages of this solution are basically the same as those of the solutions described above. Summary of the Invention

[0046] The objective of this invention is to develop a conduit valve that...

[0047] 1. Its shape is ergonomic, so that even patients who are bedridden for a long time can adapt to it.

[0048] 2. Because the cost of caring for long-term patients is particularly high, catheter valves must be very inexpensive.

[0049] 3. Elderly patients often have weakened motor function, therefore the catheter valve must be very easy to operate with one hand.

[0050] 4. Due to the frequent need for long-term use, the entire valve must be able to be flushed and disinfected without requiring strenuous disassembly.

[0051] 5. It is essential to prevent the catheter from accidentally dislodging from the catheter valve, thereby avoiding the risk of infection.

[0052] This task is solved by a conduit valve having the features of claim 1 and a conduit valve having the features of claim 2.

[0053] According to the invention, the task is accomplished by a base (1) having two opposing drainage ramps comprising two opposing inclined chambers (12a; 13a) for manipulating and guiding two vertically movable magnets (10; 11) arranged on opposite sides of a valve hose (6) and capable of selectively closing or opening the flow through the valve hose, wherein an adapter (17) can be inserted and secured at the outlet (3) of the conduit valve, the adapter—other than the longitudinally movable slider (7)—causing a persistent open position of the conduit valve. Sliding of the adapter (17) causes the slider (7) to move longitudinally toward its open position.

[0054] In another embodiment of the solution of the invention, the conduit valve has a drain ramp (8) and an inclined chamber (12a) at the longitudinally movable slider (7) inside the base (1) having two laterally opposed vertical chambers (12b; 13b) for manipulating and guiding a vertically movable magnet (10) arranged on one side of the valve hose (6) and selectively closing or opening the flow through the valve hose, wherein an adapter (17) can be inserted and fixed at the outlet of the conduit valve, the adapter—in addition to the longitudinally movable slider (7)—resulting in a permanent open position of the conduit valve. Sliding of the adapter (17) also causes the slider (7) to move longitudinally toward its open position.

[0055] An integrated or pluggable safety device is arranged on the stepped grille at the inlet of the duct valve.

[0056] Here, the safety device is formed as a double-sided clamp with a U-shape.

[0057] The adapter preferably has a locking ring that overlaps or engages with the grid at the outlet of the conduit valve, or the locking ring is configured to flexibly and securely fit over the outlet of the conduit valve.

[0058] According to the present invention, the conduit valve can also be designed such that a button is installed instead of the longitudinally movable slider, the button being arranged on one or both sides for driving two magnets.

[0059] Removing the adapter from the receiving end of the conduit valve causes the magnet to close automatically, which in turn causes the conduit to close automatically as well. Preferably, this closure is achieved solely by the magnetic force providing the reset force. Alternatively, but less preferably, the closure may also be supported by an additional spring force.

[0060] The catheter valve serves as an interface between the catheter or catheter funnel placed inside the patient and the urine bag. During urination, the catheter valve can be manually opened to establish a urine flow. For continuous urine flow, it can be set to a persistent position overnight. It is suitable for long-term use (over 30 days) and for performing bladder training.

[0061] Special advantages of the present invention:

[0062] - Automatic current opening and persistent position are achieved by inserting an adapter.

[0063] - The valve closes automatically by removing the adapter, so no additional operation is required.

[0064] - Its ergonomic design makes it easy to operate, even for bedridden patients.

[0065] - Fewer parts, simpler assembly, and lower production costs

[0066] - Easy to clean and disinfect

[0067] - It requires almost no effort to keep the slider in the open position.

[0068] - The fully open volume allows for rapid emptying of urine.

[0069] -Small size, more comfortable to wear

[0070] - Dual-sided safety clamps prevent accidental disconnection of the catheter and catheter valve.

[0071] - The slider has a short opening distance, making it easy to operate.

[0072] One feature of this invention is the special structure of the conduit valve, which is formed by the interaction of a novel, longitudinally movable sliding member with two built-in drainage ramps, two built-in inclined chambers, and two vertical chambers of the base, for the vertical movement of two magnets used to close or open the valve hose.

[0073] As previously mentioned, the design of this invention can also use a magnet. In this case, the base includes a metal plate with magnetic properties at its bottom, at the height of the magnet, as a counterpart to the magnet.

[0074] Here, two vertical chambers define a vertical guide device through which two magnets, or one of them, can be guided. Longitudinal displacement of the slider causes this magnet, or the magnets, to be guided along the drain ramp and away from each other during guidance within the vertical guide device. When the adapter is removed, the magnetic attraction causes the conduit valve to return to its initial state. If the magnetic force is strong enough, the conduit valve will automatically return to the closed state once the adapter (17) is removed again. Attached Figure Description

[0075] The present invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of embodiments.

[0076] In the attached image:

[0077] - Figure 1 The diagram shows an isometric view of the conduit valve, with the magnet and double-sided clamps in the closed position.

[0078] - Figure 2 The diagram shows an isometric view of the conduit valve and a cross-sectional view of the base with the magnet closed.

[0079] - Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the conduit valve after the magnet has been closed.

[0080] - Figure 4 An isometric view of the conduit valve is shown when the magnet is open.

[0081] - Figure 5 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the conduit valve when the magnet is open.

[0082] - Figure 6 The image shows an isometric view of the conduit valve, with the slider, double-sided clamps, and valve hose removed.

[0083] - Figure 7 The guide valve is shown in the closed position.

[0084] - Figure 8 The guide valve is shown in the open position.

[0085] - Figure 9 The magnet is off.

[0086] - Figure 10 The magnet is shown to be open.

[0087] - Figure 11 A side view of a catheter valve with dual clamps, adapters, and tubing is shown.

[0088] - Figure 12 A cross-sectional side view of a catheter valve with dual clamps, adapters, and conduits is shown.

[0089] - Figure 13 A side view of a conduit valve with a conduit and an adapter connected to it is shown.

[0090] - Figure 14 A cross-sectional view of the conduit valve with the adapter connected and the conduit are shown.

[0091] - Figure 15 An isometric view of the side clamp is shown.

[0092] - Figure 16 The front view of the double-sided clamp is shown, which has a pointed geometry.

[0093] - Figure 17 A side view of the double-sided clamp is shown.

[0094] - Figure 18 A catheter valve with a connectable catheter safety device is shown.

[0095] - Figure 19 A catheter valve with an integrated catheter safety device is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0096] The conduit valve includes a base 1 with an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. Figure 1 , 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). A stepped grille 4 is provided at the inlet 2 for receiving the patient's catheter 5. The valve hose 6 is guided through the base 1. A longitudinally movable slider 7 is arranged on the base 1, on which two oppositely oriented drainage ramps 8 and 9 are provided inside the base 1. By the longitudinal movement of the slider 7, two magnets 10 and 11 move vertically upward or downward via the drainage ramps 8 and 9, thereby closing or opening the cross-section of the valve hose 6. Here, the two magnets 10 and 11 move upward or downward in two inclined chambers 12a and 13a toward two vertically extending chambers 12b and 13b.

[0097] A groove 14 is arranged at the stepped grid 4 facing the base 1, and one side of the double-sided clamp 15 is fitted into the groove. Figure 7 The other side of the double-sided clamp 15 mates with the stepped grid 4 and the conduit 5 pushed onto the stepped grid 4.

[0098] Here, the double-sided clamp 15 has a special pointed geometry 16 on the side facing the conduit 5, preferably with three points, thereby achieving that these three points engage with the silicone material of the conduit 5 under tensile load, thus preventing accidental disconnection. Figure 11 , 12 15, 16, 17, 18).

[0099] ( Figure 19 The diagram illustrates an integrated implementation in which the dual-sided clamps and the base 1 are composed of a single component.

[0100] Adapter 17 is fastened to outlet 3 of base 1, and a urine bag connector is connected to the adapter. Figure 13 , 14 When the adapter 17 is connected, the slider 7 moves longitudinally under impact, thereby being pushed to the open position.

[0101] When adapter 17 is removed, the conduit valve should preferably close automatically. This can be achieved by the magnetic forces applied to each other by magnets 10 and 11 being preferably designed to move magnets 10 and 11 toward each other along the drain ramps 8 and 9 and in a guided manner within the vertical guide device formed by vertical chambers 12b and 13b, thereby pressing the longitudinally movable slider 7 back to its initial position and squeezing the valve hose 6 located between the two magnets 10 and 11 to close it.

[0102] List of reference numerals used

[0103] 1 matrix

[0104] 2 entrances

[0105] 3 Exports

[0106] 4-step grille

[0107] 5 catheters

[0108] 6-valve hose

[0109] 7. Slider that moves longitudinally

[0110] 8 slopes

[0111] 9 slopes

[0112] 10 magnets

[0113] 11 magnets

[0114] 12a Inclined chamber

[0115] 13a Inclined chamber

[0116] 12b Vertical chamber

[0117] 13b Vertical chamber

[0118] 14 slots

[0119] 15. Double-sided clamps

[0120] 16 Pointed Geometry

[0121] 17. Adapter.

Claims

1. A conduit valve for attachment to an adapter, the conduit valve comprising: A slender matrix with an inlet, an outlet, and an interior; A flexible valve hose extending through the interior of the substrate and in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, the valve hose defining a passage; and A longitudinally movable slider, coupled to the base, is selectively movable longitudinally relative to the base between a closed position and an open position. Its features are, The substrate has a stepped grid at the inlet for connecting the conduit. Two movable magnets are arranged inside the base on opposite sides of the valve hose; The interior of the substrate includes a guide channel, within which portions of the two movable magnets are received; The longitudinally movable slider includes two opposing ramps; The two opposing ramps of the slider and the guide channel of the base are configured to act on and guide the two movable magnets, such that: In the closed position of the slider, the two movable magnets are attracted to each other, the valve hose is compressed between the two movable magnets, and the passage through the valve hose is closed; and In the open position of the slider, the two movable magnets are separated from each other, the valve hose is not compressed between the two movable magnets, and the passage through the valve hose is open; and The outlet is configured to be inserted into and secured to the adapter such that the adapter holds the longitudinally movable slider in the open position.

2. A conduit valve for attachment to an adapter, the conduit valve comprising: A slender substrate (1) having an inlet, an outlet and an interior; A flexible valve hose extends through the interior of the substrate and is in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, the valve hose defining a passage; and A longitudinally movable slider is connected to the base, the slider being selectively movable longitudinally relative to the base between a closed position and an open position; Its features are, The substrate has a stepped grid at the inlet to connect the conduit; A movable magnet is disposed inside the base on one side of the valve hose; The interior of the substrate includes a guide channel in which a portion of the movable magnet is received; The longitudinally movable sliding element includes a ramp; The ramp of the slider and the guide channel of the base are configured to form a domain and guide the movable magnet, such that: In the closed position of the slider, the movable magnet is attracted to compress the valve hose and close the channel; and In the open position of the slider, the magnet does not compress the valve hose, and the channel is open; and The outlet is configured to be inserted into and secured to the adapter such that the adapter holds the longitudinally movable slider in the open position.

3. The conduit valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The substrate includes a metal plate with magnetic properties at its bottom, and the magnet rests against the metal plate.

4. The conduit valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Integrated or pluggable safety devices are arranged on the stepped grid (4) at the inlet (2) of the conduit valve and on the conduit (5).

5. The conduit valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The safety device is formed as a double-sided clamp in a U-shape (15).

6. The conduit valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The adapter (17) is attached to or flexibly fitted onto the grille at the outlet of the conduit valve via a locking ring.

7. The conduit valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The removal of the adapter (17) from the receiving part of the conduit valve causes the magnet (10; 11) to close automatically and thus causes the valve hose (6) to close automatically.

8. The conduit valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the sliding member (7) is inserted, the adapter (17) can move longitudinally.

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