Aspirators, components thereof, and assembly and fit thereof

Abstract

In part, the disclosure relates to an aspirator having a handle that includes a suction connector extending from a proximal end face, a substantially cylindrical sleeve mount having an outer surface and a shoulder. A tubular member defining a bore and having flared end disposed in a suction head having one or more cantilevered protuberances can extend from the sleeve mount. The substantially cylindrical sleeve mount is in relief with respect to the shoulder and extends distally therefrom. The substantially cylindrical sleeve mount defines an aperture. The suction connector bore, bore of tubular member, inner cavity of handle and suction head bore define a fluid flow path or cavity. The aspirator can include a sleeve that receives the suction head. The sleeve engages and interferes with the sleeve mount. The suction head and sleeve's inner wall have one or more engineered clearances between them to enhance assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aspirator comprising:
 an elongate handle defining a fluid flow cavity, the elongate handle comprising
 a proximal end face, 
 a suction connector extending from the proximal end face, 
 a substantially cylindrical sleeve mount comprising an outer surface, and 
 a shoulder, wherein the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount is in relief with respect to the shoulder and extends distally therefrom, 
 wherein the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount defines an aperture, 
 wherein the suction connector defines a suction connector bore, the suction connector bore in fluid communication with the aperture and the fluid flow cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aspirator of  claim 1  further comprising: a tubular member extending from the aperture, wherein the tubular member comprises a proximal tube end and a distal tube end, wherein the proximal tube end is disposed in and secured by the handle, the tubular member defining a tubular member bore, wherein the distal tube end is flared. 
     
     
         3 . The aspirator of  claim 1  further comprising: an elastic sleeve, the elastic sleeve defining a plurality of vent holes, a sleeve lumen and a sleeve inner wall, the elastic sleeve comprising a sleeve tip and a sleeve rim, wherein the sleeve rim defines a sleeve opening. 
     
     
         4 . The aspirator of  claim 3  wherein substantially cylindrical sleeve mount comprises a mount thickness and a mount length, wherein the mount thickness and mount length are sized such that during sleeve installation on the sleeve mount the sleeve inner wall interferes with the outer surface of the sleeve mount upon the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount entering the sleeve lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The aspirator of  claim 4  wherein interference between sleeve inner wall and the outer surface continues along the mount length during the installation, wherein the installation is complete when the sleeve rim contacts the shoulder. 
     
     
         6 . The aspirator of  claim 2  further comprising: an elastic sleeve, the elastic sleeve defining a plurality of vent holes, a sleeve lumen and a sleeve inner wall, the elastic sleeve comprising a sleeve tip and a sleeve rim, wherein the sleeve rim defines a sleeve opening, wherein the sleeve lumen is sized to receive the tubular member and to interfere with the outer surface of the sleeve mount upon the sleeve mount entering the sleeve lumen. 
     
     
         7 . The aspirator of  claim 6  wherein interference between sleeve inner wall and the outer surface continues along an engagement length during installation, wherein the installation is complete when the sleeve rim contacts at the shoulder. 
     
     
         8 . The aspirator of  claim 1  wherein the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount has a longitudinal axis, wherein an angle of taper of the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount measured relative to the longitudinal axis is less than about 2 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The aspirator of  claim 3  wherein a sleeve engagement zone is defined by a region of overlap between outer surface and sleeve inner wall wherein interference between the elastic sleeve and substantially cylindrical sleeve mount occurs in the sleeve engagement zone. 
     
     
         10 . The aspirator of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a suction head comprising a body, a distal suction head end face and a proximal suction head end face, the suction head attached to the distal tube end; 
 the body defining a primary opening and a suction head bore, the distal suction head end face surrounding the primary opening, the proximal suction head end face defining an output aperture, the output aperture in fluid communication with the suction head bore and the primary opening; and 
 a plurality of protuberances disposed radially around the primary opening, each protuberance comprising a first region and a second region, the first region cantilevered relative to the distal end face and extending distally relative to the primary opening, the second region extending from body to define a ridge. 
 
     
     
         11 . The aspirator of  claim 2  further comprising: a suction head defining an opening and a suction head bore, the opening in fluid communication with the suction head bore, the suction head attached to the distal tube end, the suction head comprising
 a plurality of protuberances symmetrically arranged around the opening, each of the protuberances being an extension of a surface of the suction head in one or more directions. 
 
     
     
         12 . The aspirator of  claim 2  wherein the fluid flow cavity is further defined by
 the suction connector bore; 
 an elongate section of the tubular member bore disposed in the handle and in fluid communication with the suction connector bore; and 
 a transitional cavity disposed between the suction connector bore and the elongate section of the tubular member bore, the transitional cavity disposed within the handle. 
 
     
     
         13 . The aspirator of  claim 12  wherein a diameter of the transitional cavity is less than a diameter of the suction connector bore at interface of transitional cavity and suction connector bore. 
     
     
         14 . The aspirator of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a tubular member extending from the aperture, wherein the tubular member comprises a proximal tube end and a distal tube end, and 
 a suction head attached to a distal tube end, wherein an engineered clearance distance is defined between a surface of the suction head and an inner surface of the sleeve such that a skewing angle is constrained when elastic sleeve is installed on handle, wherein the tubular member comprises a bend. 
 
     
     
         15 . The aspirator of  claim 14  wherein the skewing angle is defined by longitudinal axis of the tubular member proximal to the bend and longitudinal axis of sleeve distal to the bend. 
     
     
         16 . The aspirator of  claim 2  further comprising
 a tubular member defining a bend, the tubular member comprising a proximal tube end and a distal tube end, the proximal tube end disposed in the handle, 
 the tubular member extending from substantially cylindrical sleeve mount, wherein a section of the tubular member distal to the bend defines a tubular longitudinal axis, wherein the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount is sized to receive an elastic sleeve such that the bend is disposed within the sleeve. 
 
     
     
         17 . The aspirator of  claim 14  wherein a section of the elastic sleeve distal to the bend defines a sleeve longitudinal axis, wherein a clearance is defined between a sleeve inner surface of the elastic sleeve and an outer surface of the tubular member by a skewing angle between the longitudinal axis and the sleeve longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . The aspirator of  claim 5  wherein the interference is a nominal interference of the sleeve inner wall to a mating diameter of the outer surface of the sleeve mount, wherein the nominal interference ranges from about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The aspirator of  claim 7  wherein the engagement length ranges from about 0.400 to about 0.800 inches. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing tactile feedback for an aspirator comprising:
 providing an aspirator sleeve comprising a sleeve wall, the sleeve wall defining a sleeve cavity and a proximal sleeve end face;   providing an aspirator handle comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve mount and a tubular member, the tubular member extending from the substantially cylindrical sleeve mount;   initiating interference between sleeve wall and substantially cylindrical sleeve mount when sleeve mount enters the sleeve cavity; and   maintaining interference between sleeve wall and substantially cylindrical sleeve mount from initiation of interference until the aspirator sleeve is installed.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein maintaining interference further comprises varying level of interference while maintaining interference over a first portion of an engagement distance along the sleeve mount. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein varying level of interference further comprises increasing the level of interference in response to a first range of assembly forces over the first portion of engagement distance along the sleeve mount. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein varying level of interference further comprises increasing level of interference in response to a second range of assembly forces over a second portion of engagement distance along the sleeve mount. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein a first rate of increasing assembly force for the first portion of the engagement distance is greater than a second rate of increasing assembly force for the second portion of the engagement distance. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the first portion of the engagement distance includes a region of the outer surface that initially interferes with substantially cylindrical sleeve mount. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the second portion of the engagement distance includes a region of the outer surface that is bounded proximally by a shoulder of the handle. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising moving substantially cylindrical sleeve mount into sleeve cavity over an engagement distance until aspirator sleeve is installed on substantially cylindrical sleeve mount, wherein interference occurs over the engagement distance. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising, in response to installation of sleeve on sleeve mount by a user, providing the tactile feedback to the user during installation until the sleeve is fully engaged relative the sleeve mount. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the tactile feedback is an assembly force, wherein the assembly force provided to the user is increasing until the sleeve reaches a shoulder disposed around the sleeve mount. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the interference is maintained over an engagement length that ranges from about 0.400 to about 0.800 inches.