Suction device

Abstract

A hand held fluid manipulator in the form of a suction device 10 comprises circumferentially enclosed reopenably closable fluid transfer path defining means as constituted from a displaceably mounted tube 14, a flow path defining section 16, a nozzle carrying tube and a chamber 32 defining in combination a reopenably closeable fluid transfer path 20. The device also comprises a handle 22 and a flexible strip 24 that engages with the tube 14 by way of a tube displacer formation 26. The strip 24 is lockable in a fluid transfer path open condition by way of a hook 30. The chamber 32 is open to the tube 14 by way of a set of apertures 34. Opening an closing of the fluid transfer path 20 is regulated by a fluid flow regulating arrangement 36 as constituted by the chamber 32 and the aperture set 34 and blocking of the inner end 14.2 of the tube 14.

1 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator ( 10 ) for manipulating the flow of fluid in relation to a location of manipulator applied fluid flow utilisation at least once the manipulator, once in use, is connected to a source of fluid transfer comprising
 circumferentially enclosed fluid transfer path defining means ( 14 ,  32 ,  16 ,  18 ) encompassing a reopenably closable fluid transfer path ( 20 ) that extends tellingly from a fluid flow utilisation mouth ( 68 ) and which fluid transfer path defining means is couplable for   appropriate fluid transfer in operatively using the manipulator, and   a handle ( 22 ) formed to fit along the hand of a manipulator user and along which at least part of the fluid transfer path defining means extends in a way that enables the appropriate positioning of the fluid utilisation mouth ( 68 ) for achieving the desired fluid transferring effect once the manipulator is so in operative use;   characterised in that the manipulator incorporates a hand pressure responsive fluid transfer path defining means interactive fluid flow opening and closure mechanism ( 24 ,  26 ) that is fitted to the handle ( 22 ) in being displaceable between fluid transfer path defining means open and closing off conditions in response to user compressibly releasable hand movement and which mechanism is biased to return to a condition associated with hand pressure release.   
     
     
         2 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 1  in which the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism ( 24 ,  26 ) is arranged to cause opening of the fluid transfer path defining means when exposed to hand applied pressure and vice versa on the relaxation of hand applied pressure thus being biased to a fluid flow closure condition. 
     
     
         3 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 2  in which the fluid transfer opening and closure mechanism ( 24 ,  26 ) incorporates a locking facility ( 30 ) for releasably locking it in its fluid transfer path defining means open condition. 
     
     
         4 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 2  in which the fluid transfer path defining means ( 14 ,  32 ,  16 ,  18 ) is constituted from at least two parts ( 14 ,  16 ) that are inter-displaceable relative to one another and of which at least one part is consequently displaceably mounted along the handle ( 22 ) while the parts are displaceable between inter-part fluid flow permitting and closing off conditions in response to the operation of the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism ( 24 ,  26 ) as incorporating displacing means ( 26 ) that is associated with the at least one displaceably mounted part ( 14 ,  16 ) with one of the conditions involving a relationship of contiguity between the parts while the regulation of the flow of fluid along the fluid flow path ( 20 ), once the manipulator is in use, is tied in with the operation of a fluid flow regulating arrangement ( 36 ) in the appropriate case also being involved in defining part of the fluid transfer path defining means. 
     
     
         5 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 4  in which at least one of the parts ( 14 ,  16 ) is in the form of a linearly extending and axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) as thus displaceably mounted to the handle ( 22 ) with the displacing means ( 26 ) at least being associated with the tube ( 14 ). 
     
     
         6 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 5  in which the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 4 ) forms the displaceable part of the fluid transfer path defining means thus being displaceable in response to the operation of the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism ( 24 ,  26 ). 
     
     
         7 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 6  in which the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) is arranged to move into an inter-part fluid flow permitting condition when the tube is displaced out of contiguity with a tube facing access port ( 48 ) to the part of the fluid transfer path ( 18 ) ending in the fluid utilisation mouth ( 68 ) and vice versa, the fluid flow regulating arrangement ( 36 ) involving the blanking off of the inner end ( 14 . 2 ) of the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) that seats sealingly against the axially displaceably mounted tube facing access port ( 48 ) once being contiguous thereto while being constituted to enable the flow of fluid along the fluid flow path ( 20 ) once the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) has moved out of contiguity with the tube facing access port ( 48 ). 
     
     
         8 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 7  in which the fluid flow regulating arrangement ( 36 ) is constituted to enable the flow of fluid along the fluid flow path ( 20 ) once the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) has moved out of contiguity with the tube facing access port ( 48 ) by way of an intermediate fluid transfer chamber ( 32 ), as thus involving the fluid flow regulating arrangement ( 36 ) in defining part of the fluid transfer path defining means, that is formed within the handle ( 22 ) and that is open to both the inner end region ( 14 . 1 ) of the displaceable tube by way of a tube inner end region lateral flow aperture arrangement ( 34 ) and to the tube facing access port ( 48 ) when not seatingly being engaged by the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ), the axially displaceably mounted tube being constrained to be displaced to the extent of retaining its inner end (aperture arrangement displaying) region ( 14 . 1 ) within the chamber ( 32 ) while sealingly and linearly displaceably engaging the chamber upstream ( 38 ) of its inner end aperture arrangement displaying region ( 14 A) against an environmental release of fluid except by way of the fluid transfer path defining means. 
     
     
         9 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 7  in which the displacing means is in the form of a tube displacer formation ( 26 ) that extends from the tube ( 14 ) while fitting slidable displaceably along a slot ( 28 ) through the wall of the handle ( 22 ) by way of an arcuately formed flexible strip ( 24 ) of a resilience that biases it into its arc forming condition and that forms in conjunction with the displacer formation the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism as thus biased to return to a condition associated with hand pressure relaxation, the strip extending in the direction of the axis of displacement of the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 44 ) between positions of handle and tube displacer formation securing ( 42 ,  40 ) resulting in the exertion of pressure there onto in response to the exertion of user hand pressure urging the strip ( 24 ) towards the handle having the effect of slidably displacing the displacer formation ( 26 ) and in conjunction the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) into an unseating condition with respect to the tube facing access port ( 48 ) enabling a flow of fluid along the fluid transfer path defining means, once the manipulator is in operative use, while hand pressure relaxation has the effect of causing the strip ( 24 ) to return to its arc forming condition thereby causing the blanked off end ( 14 . 2 ) of the tube to become seated to the access port ( 48 ) owing to a commensurate displacement of the displacer formation ( 26 ) and in conjunction the tube ( 14 ), in the case of the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism incorporating a locking facility its being in the form of a catch formation ( 30 ) that extends below the flexible strip ( 24 ) and that releasably engages with the handle ( 22 ) once the strip has been urged into a condition of at least substantial handle contiguity. 
     
     
         10 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 9  in which the catch formation as thus being incorporated into the fluid flow opening and closure mechanism, is in the form of a hook ( 30 ) extending below the strip ( 24 ) towards its location of strip to displacer formation engagement ( 40 ) with the entrance to the hook facing the inner end ( 28 . 1 ) of the slot, as thus associated with strip relaxation, while the width of the slot ( 28 ) accommodates the hook once urged into slot engagement by the appropriate application of hand pressure to the strip ( 24 ) with the lip ( 58 ) of the hook ( 30 ) being on appropriate strip manipulation receivable into an inner end location of penetration ( 56 ) of the slot ( 28 ) for locking the axially displaceably mounted tube ( 14 ) against seating return to the tube facing access port ( 48 ) thereby to maintain a flow of fluid along the manipulator once in operative use, engagement of the catching lip ( 58 ) of the hook below the inner end of the slot being achieved in response to maintaining a hand grip exerted force on the hook carrying end region of the strip while relaxing the force on the remainder of the strip to the effect of constraining the hook to enter and move along the slot into engagement with its inner end location of penetration ( 56 ) as brought about by the relaxation of force on the remainder of the strip with hook disengagement being attained by the application of a hand exerted pressure effort on the full extent of the strip ( 24 ) until a condition of hook release is achieved followed by the return of the strip to its arc forming condition in response to a relaxation of hand applied pressure. 
     
     
         11 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 7  in which the part of the fluid flow path extending between the tube facing access port and the fluid utilisation mouth is in the form of an intermediate fluid flow conduit ( 16 ) forming part of the handle in combination with a nozzle carrying environment interactive tube ( 18 ,  66 ) extending beyond the handle ( 22 ) that is used for the environmental application of fluid, whether by suction or compressed medium release, once the manipulator is in use. 
     
     
         12 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 11  that is in the form of a suction device thus being connectable to a source of suction while being employable for manipulating the flow of fluid in the form of air in relation to a location of manipulator applied fluid flow utilisation by exerting a manually directed and controlled suction action. 
     
     
         13 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 12  in which the nozzle ( 68 ) of the nozzle carrying environment interactive tube ( 18 ,  66 ) is of uninterrupted though non-circular end view to the effect of facilitating its retraction from the mouth cavity of a patient even though clenched between such person's teeth thereby facilitating the use of the manipulator as mouth fluid suction extractor. 
     
     
         14 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 13  in which the nozzle ( 68 ) is of oval or oblong end profile. 
     
     
         15 ) A hand held fluid flow manipulator as claimed in  claim 11  in which the nozzle carrying environment interactive tube ( 66 ) removably fits the intermediate fluid flow conduit ( 16 ) though against accidental release facilitating the fitment of a variety of such tubes.