Importance

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Abstract

A medical appliance driving apparatus has a switching valve connected to both positive and negative pressure sources to output positive and negative pressures while switching them from one to the other, and an isolator having an input chamber and an output chamber which are defined by a movable membrane, the input chamber being connected to the switching valve. A solenoid valve is connected to the output chamber of the isolator, and a microcomputer is provided for switching the switching valve to the positive pressure side or the negative pressure side and controlling the operation of the solenoid valve. When the switching valve is activated to the positive pressure source side and the solenoid valve is opened, a positive pressure which is supplied to the input chamber causes the movable membrane to move in a direction in which the medical appliance is expanded. Thereafter, the solenoid valve is closed to maintain the pressure supplied to the medical appliance as it is, and the switching valve is switched to the negative pressure source side to supply a negative pressure to the input chamber of the isolator. Accordingly, the input side of the isolator can be communicated with the negative pressure source while the medical appliance is maintained in the expanded state. Thus, it is possible to quickly switch the state of the medical appliance from expansion to contraction.

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First Claim