Negative pressure wound therapy system and a feedback control method for the same

Abstract

A negative pressure wound therapy system creates a negative pressure environment in the opening of a wound-dressing unit and a positive pressure environment in the collecting bag. Then a positive pressure detecting procedure is proceeded in the positive pressure environment and a negative pressure detecting procedure is proceeded in the negative pressure environment. The detecting results are sent to determine whether a micro pump is stopped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A feedback control method for a negative pressure wound therapy system that the system has a wound-dressing unit and a collecting bag communicating with the wound-dressing unit, the method comprising an operating mode, which comprises acts of:
 (a) creating a negative pressure environment in an opening of a wound-dressing unit and a positive pressure environment in the collecting bag;   (b) proceeding a positive pressure detecting procedure in the positive pressure environment and proceeding a negative pressure detecting procedure in the negative pressure environment; and   (c) sending the detecting results to determine whether the operating mode is ended.   
     
     
         2 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein before step (a) further comprises an act of applying a micro pump between the wound-dressing unit and the collecting bag to creating the negative pressure environment and extracting the fluid in the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein positive pressure detecting procedure further comprises acts of:
 detecting the positive pressure in a detecting end of the collecting bag by a positive pressure sensor; and   determining whether the positive pressure is normal; if the positive pressure is abnormal, the micro pump is stopped and the operating mode is ended; if the positive pressure is normal, the micro pump is kept operating and back to the act of the detecting positive pressure.   
     
     
         4 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein negative pressure detecting procedure further comprises acts of:
 detecting the negative pressure in the opening of the wound-dressing unit by a negative pressure sensor; and   determining whether the negative pressure is normal; if the negative pressure is abnormal, the micro pump is stopped and the operating mode is ended; if the negative pressure is normal, the micro pump is kept operating and back to the act of the detecting negative pressure.   
     
     
         5 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein negative pressure detecting procedure further comprises acts of:
 detecting the negative pressure in the opening of the wound-dressing unit by a negative pressure sensor; and   determining whether the negative pressure is normal; if the negative pressure is abnormal, the micro pump is stopped and the operating mode is ended; if the negative pressure is normal, the micro pump is kept operating and back to the act of the detecting negative pressure.   
     
     
         6 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a test mode before proceeding the operating mode, wherein the test mode comprises acts of:
 inflating fluid connections in the system by the micro pump; 
 detecting the positive pressure in a detecting end of the collecting bag by a positive pressure sensor; and 
 determining whether the positive pressure is normal; if the positive pressure is abnormal, an alarm signal is output and the test mode is ended; if the positive pressure is normal, the test mode is end and the operating mode is entered. 
 
     
     
         7 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising a test mode before proceeding the operating mode, wherein the test mode comprises acts of:
 inflating fluid connections in the system by the micro pump; 
 detecting the positive pressure in the detecting end of the collecting bag by the positive pressure sensor; and 
 determining whether the positive pressure is normal; if the positive pressure is abnormal, an alarm signal is output and the test mode is ended; if the positive pressure is normal, the test mode is end and the operating mode is entered. 
 
     
     
         8 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising a test mode before proceeding the operating mode, wherein the test mode comprises acts of:
 inflating fluid connections in the system by the micro pump; 
 detecting the positive pressure in the detecting end of the collecting bag by the positive pressure sensor; and 
 determining whether the positive pressure is normal; if the positive pressure is abnormal, an alarm signal is output and the test mode is ended; if the positive pressure is normal, the test mode is end and the operating mode is entered. 
 
     
     
         9 . The feedback control method as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising a test mode before proceeding the operating mode, wherein the test mode comprises acts of:
 inflating fluid connections in the system by the micro pump; 
 detecting the positive pressure in the detecting end of the collecting bag by the positive pressure sensor; and 
 determining whether the positive pressure is normal; if the positive pressure is abnormal, an alarm signal is output and the test mode is ended; if the positive pressure is normal, the test mode is end and the operating mode is entered. 
 
     
     
         10 . A negative pressure wound therapy system comprising:
 a controller;   a sensor assembly electrically connected to the controller and comprising a negative pressure sensor and a positive pressure sensor to detect pressure, and comprising a relief valve;   an actuator comprising a micro pump electrically connected to the sensor assembly;   a collector comprising a collecting bag;   a wound-dressing unit having an opening;   a first fluid connection connecting between the sensor assembly and the collecting bag;   a second fluid connection connecting between the sensor assembly and the wound-dressing unit;   a third fluid connection connecting between the wound-dressing unit, the actuator and the collecting bag, wherein the actuator is located between the wound-dressing unit and the collecting bag in the third fluid connection;   whereby the micro pump creates a negative pressure environment in the opening through the third fluid connection and extracts the fluid from the opening of the wound-dressing unit, and the fluid passes the actuator to flow into the collecting bag, and the collecting bag is defined as a positive pressure environment.   
     
     
         11 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising:
 a first detachable electrical wire set connecting between the sensor assembly and the controller; 
 a second detachable electrical wire set connecting between the sensor assembly and the micro pump; 
 a first detachable tube set connecting between a pump inlet of the micro pump and the sensor assembly; 
 a second detachable tube set connecting between a detecting end of the collecting bag and the sensor assembly; 
 a third detachable tube set connecting between an inlet end of the collecting bag and a pump outlet of the micro pump; 
 a fourth detachable tube set connecting between the wound-dressing unit and the sensor assembly; and 
 a fifth detachable tube set connecting between the wound-dressing unit and the pump inlet of the micro pump, wherein 
 the first fluid connection is formed by the second detachable tube set; 
 the second fluid connection is formed by the fourth detachable tube set; and 
 the third fluid connection is formed by the first, third and fifth detachable tube sets. 
 
     
     
         12 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein
 the wound-dressing unit comprises
 a wound sheet, where the opening of the wound-dressing unit is formed through; and 
 a conduit attached securely to the wound sheet, connected to the opening and having a filter strip made of biocompatibility materials; 
   the fourth detachable tube set connects between the conduit and the negative pressure sensor and the relief valve; and   the fifth detachable tube set connects between the conduit and the pump inlet of the micro pump.   
     
     
         13 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a fluid division, wherein
 the sensor assembly has a first connecting interface having a first electrical connector and a first fluid connector; and 
 the actuator has a second connecting interface connected detachably to the first connecting interface and having
 a second electrical connector electrically connected to the micro pump connected to the first electrical connector; and 
 a second fluid connector connected to the first fluid connector; 
 
 the fluid division comprises
 a first passage connecting the pump inlet of the micro pump and the conduit; and 
 a second passage connecting the second fluid connector and the conduit. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the fifth detachable tube set comprises a first tube with a fluid connector protruding out from the micro pump and a second tube with a fluid connector protruding out from the conduit, and the fluid connectors detachably connect to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the fifth detachable tube set comprises a first tube with a fluid connector protruding out from the micro pump and a second tube with a fluid connector protruding out from the conduit, and the fluid connectors detachably connect to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the second detachable tube set comprises a tube with a first fluid connector protruding out from the positive pressure sensor and a second fluid connector mounted on the detecting end of the collecting bag, and the fluid connectors detachably connect to each other. 
     
     
         17 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising two filters respectively mounted in the detecting end of the collecting bag and the second fluid connector of the actuator to keep the infections from flowing into the sensor assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The negative pressure wound therapy system as claimed in  claim 17  further comprising check valve mounted in an entry end of the collecting bag to keep the liquid in the collecting bag from flowing back.