Vacuum pump apparatus for use with saliva control devices

Abstract

A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus for use in attaching one or more saliva control devices over one or more selected salivary ducts. The apparatus can be operated using a single hand. The apparatus includes a body having a grippable handle and a support member, a hollow suction tube supported by the support member of the body, a plunger slidably disposed within the hollow suction tube, and means for proximally moving the plunger within the hollow suction tube in response to squeezing a practitioner's hand and/or at least one finger.

1 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus for attaching a saliva control device to a salivary duct comprising: 
 a body including a grippable handle and a support member;    a hollow suction tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the hollow suction tube being supported by the support member of the body;    a plunger having a stem and a plug at a distal end of the stem, the plug being slidably disposable within the hollow suction tube; and    means for moving the plunger proximally within the hollow suction tube in response to squeezing a practitioner's hand and/or at least one finger.    
   
   
       2 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein means for proximally moving the plunger within the hollow suction tube comprises a finger grippable lever spaced apart from the grippable handle, the finger grippable lever being movably mounted to the grippable handle such that the finger grippable lever may be selectively moved relative to the grippable handle, the lever being operatively coupled to the stem of the plunger such that selectively moving the lever causes the plug to slide proximally within the hollow suction tube so as to create a vacuum within the hollow suction tube.  
   
   
       3 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the finger grippable lever and the grippable handle are substantially parallel.  
   
   
       4 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the grippable handle further comprises a pivot pin adapted to be received within a hole formed in the finger grippable lever such that the finger grippable lever may be selectively pivoted relative to the grippable handle.  
   
   
       5 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the body and finger grippable lever are made from an autoclavable material.  
   
   
       6 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the body and finger grippable lever are formed from at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polyphenylsulphone.  
   
   
       7 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a slot formed in the stem of the plunger into which an end of the lever is receivable such that selectively pulling the lever towards the handle causes the plunger to slide proximally within the hollow suction tube so as to create a vacuum within the hollow suction tube.  
   
   
       8 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a series of indented locking positions formed in the stem of the plunger and a fork disposed at an end of the lever, the fork being configured to engage within the indented locking positions such that selectively pulling the lever towards the handle causes the plunger to slide proximally within the hollow suction tube so as to create a vacuum within the hollow suction tube.  
   
   
       9 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow suction tube is releasably attached to the support member so as to be disposable.  
   
   
       10 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the support member of the body comprises a cradle.  
   
   
       11 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the distal end of the hollow suction tube extends beyond the distal end of the cradle.  
   
   
       12 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the body is integrally molded as a single piece of injection molded plastic.  
   
   
       13 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow suction tube is flexible.  
   
   
       14 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow suction tube is transparent.  
   
   
       15 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow suction tube is formed from polypropylene.  
   
   
       16 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plunger is removably attached to the body so as to be disposable.  
   
   
       17 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hand-held vacuum pump apparatus is a self-contained unit such that no connection to an external vacuum source is required for the apparatus to produce a vacuum.  
   
   
       18 . A hand-held vacuum pump apparatus for attaching a saliva control device to a salivary duct comprising: 
 a body including a grippable handle and a support member;    a finger grippable lever spaced apart from the grippable handle, the finger grippable lever being movably mounted to the grippable handle such that the finger grippable lever may be selectively moved relative to the grippable handle;    a hollow suction tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the hollow suction tube being supported by the support member of the body;    a plunger having a stem and a plug at a distal end of the stem, the plug being slidably disposable within the hollow suction tube; and    a slot formed in the stem of the plunger into which an end of the lever is receivable such that selectively pulling the lever towards the handle causes the plunger to slide proximally within the hollow suction tube so as to create a vacuum within the hollow suction tube.    
   
   
       19 . A kit for use in attaching a saliva control device over a salivary duct comprising: 
 at least one saliva control device; and    a hand-held vacuum pump apparatus comprising: 
 a body including a grippable handle and a support member;  
 a hollow suction tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the hollow suction tube being supported by the support member of the body;  
 a plunger having a stem and a plug at a distal end of the stem, the plug being slidably disposable within the hollow suction tube; and  
 means for moving the plunger proximally within the hollow suction tube in response to squeezing a practitioner's hand and/or at least one finger.  
   
   
   
       20 . A kit as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one saliva control device comprises: 
 an elastic body comprising at least one elastomer; and    a constriction hole formed through the elastic body for constricting around a salivary duct;    wherein a stiffness of the elastic body and/or a diameter of the constriction hole are configured so as to provide a degree of constriction to a salivary duct sufficient to prevent a flow of saliva without substantially cutting off blood flow to a salivary duct so as to not damage tissue surrounding a salivary duct.    
   
   
       21 . A kit as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one saliva control device further comprises a rim extending around an outer perimeter of the elastic body, the rim having a cross-sectional thickness that is greater than a cross-sectional thickness of the elastic body adjacent to the constriction hole.  
   
   
       22 . A kit as recited in  claim 21 , wherein an outside diameter of the hollow suction tube is configured to friction fit within an inside diameter of the rim extending around the outer perimeter of the elastic body of the at least one saliva control device.  
   
   
       23 . A kit as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the kit comprises at least four saliva control devices.  
   
   
       24 . A kit as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one saliva control device comprises: 
 a body;    a cavity in the body for forming a seal over a salivary duct;    a vacuum chamber in the body that assists the cavity in forming a seal over a salivary duct upon placing the saliva control device over a salivary duct and applying a vacuum to the vacuum chamber; and    an air evacuation passage for selectively applying and maintaining a vacuum to the vacuum chamber.    
   
   
       25 . A kit as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the air evacuation passage comprises a one way slit valve.