U.S. patent application number 10/788339 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-09 for device for transferring a fluid.
This patent application is currently assigned to SIDAM DI AZZOLINI GRAZIANO E C. S.A.S.. Invention is credited to Azzolini, Graziano.
Application Number | 20040173286 10/788339 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27677361 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040173286 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Azzolini, Graziano |
September 9, 2004 |
Device for transferring a fluid
Abstract
A device for transferring a fluid contained in a closed
container comprising a substantially tubular connecting element
that has a first end that can be inserted hermetically in the
container and a second end that is open, and pumping elements that
have an inlet, which can be associated hermetically with the second
end, and an outlet, and are adapted to draw the fluid from the
container in order to transfer it into an external user device; the
transfer device is assembled monolithically.
Inventors: |
Azzolini, Graziano;
(Cavezzo, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MODIANO & ASSOCIATI
Via Meravigli, 16
MILANO
20123
IT
|
Assignee: |
SIDAM DI AZZOLINI GRAZIANO E C.
S.A.S.
|
Family ID: |
27677361 |
Appl. No.: |
10/788339 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/346 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 1/82 20210501; A61M
5/1424 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/346 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 4, 2003 |
IT |
MO2003A000056 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for transferring a fluid contained in a closed
container, comprising: a substantially tubular connecting element
that has a first end that can be inserted hermetically in the
container and a second end that is open; and pumping means that
have an inlet, which is connectable hermetically with said second
end, and an outlet, said pumping means being operatable, upon
hermetic connection with said connecting element at said second end
thereof to draw the fluid from said container in order to transfer
the fluid into an external user device.
2. The device of claim 1, comprising first valve means interposed
between said second end and said inlet.
3. The device of claim 2, comprising second valve means associated
with said outlet.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein said first valve means and/or
said second valve means are of a unidirectional type, in the
direction of a transfer flow for transferring the fluid from said
container to the user device.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein said first valve means are of a
type provided with a floating closing element, such as a ball, and
are adapted to allow the fluid to flow from said container to said
pumping means.
6. The device of claim 4, wherein said second valve means are of a
bevel-cut type, adapted to allow the fluid to flow out of said
outlet.
7. The device of claim 4, wherein said outlet is provided with a
connection element and with a complementary element associated with
the user device, said connection element connecting said outlet to
said complementary element.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein said connecting element is of the
Luer-Lock male or female type.
9. The device of claim 4, comprising a closure element that is
detachably associable with said outlet.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein said closure element is a
stopper.
11. The device of claim 4, comprising tubular extensions provided
with an end that is connectable to said outlet of said pumping
means.
12. The device of claim 4, wherein said first end of the connecting
element is constituted by a piercing cannula.
13. The device of claim 4, comprising fixing means for fixing said
tabular element to said container.
14. The device of claim 12, wherein said fixing means are formed in
said connecting element and are of an engagement type.
15. The device of claim 14, provided assembled monolithically.
16. The device of claim 0.15, wherein said container is a bottle
that is closed hermetically by a closure element made of a
pierceable material.
17. The device of claim 15, wherein said container is constituted
by a pouch closed and provided with a nozzle with an opening that
is closed hermetically by a closure element made of a pierceable
material.
18. The device of claim 15, wherein said pumping means are
constituted by a pump made of elastically deformable material that
is operatable manually, with compression and subsequent release of
said pump being suitable to draw the fluid from said container and
transfer the fluid through said outlet toward the user device.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the user device is an open-top
tray.
20. The device of claim 0.18, wherein the user device is a tube for
input to a circuit of a medical apparatus that uses said fluid.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for transferring a
fluid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the medical and surgical field in general, many
operations and examinations must be performed in a sterile
environment in order to protect the patients against possible
biological contamination, particularly if the patients are in an
altered immune state.
[0003] A sterile environment is substantially constituted by a room
that is furnished at least with a table on which the patient lies
and with a trolley on which the instruments for performing the
operation or examination are placed; the room, the table, the
trolley and of course the instruments are sterile.
[0004] It is also known that performing certain operations or
examinations requires the use of fluids, such as for example
physiological solutions, contrast media, medicines or others.
[0005] These fluids are generally packaged in hermetically sealed
containers that are suitable to keep them intact and free from
contamination until they are used; the containers can be
constituted for example by bottles closed by a rubber stopper
covered with a protective cap that is rigidly coupled to the bottle
by a tear-off locking ring.
[0006] As an alternative, the containers can be constituted by a
closed pouch provided with an access nozzle, which is also closed
hermetically by a stopper or the like.
[0007] The outer surface of these containers is not sterile, and
therefore said containers cannot be placed proximate to the table
where the patient lies or on the worktop of the instrument
supporting trolley, where perfect sterility must be guaranteed:
accordingly, the containers must be kept at a distance that limits
the risks of contamination of the patient and of the
instruments.
[0008] For these reasons, the sanitary personnel working in the
sterile room, after opening the containers, transfers the doses of
fluids required in each instance into sterile trays of the open-top
type, which are arranged on the instrument trolley, and then the
open containers are moved away.
[0009] The transfer is performed by pouring, by gravity, tipping
the container so as to make the fluid flow out through the opening
formed in said container.
[0010] These operations are very awkward, time-consuming and unsafe
for the assigned personnel and for the patients.
[0011] In fact, the containers are opened, by tearing the locking
rings and removing the corresponding stoppers, with the aid of
pliers, with which the personnel may accidentally tear the gloves
they are wearing and their skin, thus leaving open paths of
possible contamination.
[0012] During pouring there can be accidental spillage of the fluid
outside the trays; moreover, significant and unused amounts of
fluid remain inside the containers, accordingly entailing an
onerous waste of materials.
[0013] Finally, while the open containers are idle between two
successive transfers, the fluids contained therein can be
contaminated, with consequent disadvantageous risk of patient
infection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the
above-noted drawbacks, by providing a device for transferring a
fluid that allows to draw the fluid from the corresponding
container simply, rapidly, conveniently and safely, to ensure the
sterility of the fluid between successive withdrawals, and to limit
the waste of materials.
[0015] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to
provide a device for transferring a fluid that is simple,
relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in
operation, and has a relatively low cost.
[0016] Another object of the present invention is to ensure the
safety of the sanitary personnel and of the patients.
[0017] This aim and these and other objects that will become better
apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present device for
transferring a fluid contained in a closed container, characterized
in that it comprises a substantially tubular connecting element
that has a first end that can be inserted hermetically in said
container and a second end that is open, and pumping means that
have an inlet, which can be associated hermetically with said
second end, and an outlet, and are suitable to draw said fluid from
said container in order to transfer it into an external user
device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Further characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will become better apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a device
for transferring a fluid, illustrated by way of non-limiting
example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic axonometric view of a device for
transferring a fluid according to the invention, applied to a
container;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic axonometric view of a device according
to the invention in the transfer configuration.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1
generally designates a device for transferring a fluid F.
[0022] The fluid F is contained in a container 2, such as for
example a bottle 3 provided with a neck 4 at the top of which an
opening is provided that is closed hermetically by a closure
element made of a pierceable material, such as for example a rubber
stopper covered with a cap 5 made of metal or plastics and provided
with a ring 6 for locking to the neck 4.
[0023] In an alternative embodiment, of a conventional type, the
container 2 can be constituted by a pouch, a bag or the like, that
has, for example, a shape such as that of the bottle 3 shown in
FIG. 2 and is made of flexible or semirigid material, for example
plastic material, which is closed along all its sides and is
provided with a nozzle in which there is an access opening that is
also closed hermetically by a closure element made of pierceable
material.
[0024] The device 1 comprises a substantially tubular connecting
element 7, which is provided with a first end, which can be
inserted hermetically in the container 2 and is constituted for
example by a cannula 8 for piercing the rubber stopper or other
closure element with which the container 2 is provided, and with a
second end 9, which is open.
[0025] The device 1 further comprises pumping means 10, which are
provided with an inlet 11, which can be associated hermetically
with the second end 9 of the connecting element 7, and with an
outlet 12; the pumping means 10 are suitable to draw the fluid F
from the container 2 to transfer it into an external user device
U.
[0026] The cannula 8 pierces the rubber stopper that closes the
container 2 and extends within said container.
[0027] Moreover, the device 1 is provided with means 13 for fixing
to the outside of the container 2; the fixing means 13, for example
of the engagement type or of another conventionally known type, can
be formed in the connecting element 7 proximate to the cannula 8
and ensure a stable connection of the connecting element 7, and
therefore of the entire device 1', which is assembled
monolithically, to the container 2.
[0028] First valve means 14 are interposed between the second end 9
of the connecting element 7 and the inlet 11 of the pumping means
10, and second valve means 15 are associated with the outlet 12 of
the pumping means 10.
[0029] The first valve means 14 and the second valve means 15,
shown schematically in the figures because they are of a
conventional type, are of the unidirectional type in the direction
of flow for transferring the fluid F from the container 2 to the
user device U.
[0030] The first valve means 14 can be for example of the type with
a floating ball or the like and are suitable to allow the fluid F
to flow from the container 2 to the pumping means 10 but not the
reverse; the second valve means 15 can instead be for example of
the bevel-cut type or the like and are suitable to allow the flow
of the fluid out of the outlet 12 but not the reverse.
[0031] The pumping means 10 can be constituted by a pump 16 made of
elastically deformable material that can be actuated manually: the
compression and subsequent release of the pump 16, together with
the flow control determined by the first and second valve means 14
and 15, allow to draw the fluid F from the container 2 and transfer
it through the outlet 12 toward the user device U.
[0032] The user device U to which the fluid F drawn from the
container 2 is fed can be constituted by an open-top sterile tray
17 that is arranged on the worktop 18 of an instrument trolley of
the type normally used in sterile rooms.
[0033] As an alternative, the user device U to which the fluid F
drawn from the container 2 is fed can be constituted by the inlet
tube of a circuit or a medical apparatus that is connected directly
to the patient and is not shown.
[0034] Conveniently, at the outlet 12 a connection element 19 is
provided for connection to another complementary connecting element
20 that is associated with a duct 21 for feeding to the inlet tube
of a circuit or a medical apparatus connected to the patient.
[0035] The connecting element 19 and the complementary connecting
element 20 can be for example of the Luer-Lock male and female
type, or vice versa, although alternative embodiments are not
excluded.
[0036] The device 1 further comprises a closure element that is
constituted for example by a stopper 22 that is detachably
associable with the outlet 12 so as to preserve the integrity and
sterility of the fluid F between successive withdrawals,
particularly if the outlet 12 is not directly and permanently
connected, for example by means of the duct 21, to a circuit or a
medical apparatus and the transfer is performed discontinuously
inside the tray 17.
[0037] Advantageously, the device 1 can be provided with tubular
extensions, which can be similar to the tube 7 and which have an
end that is associable with the outlet 12.
[0038] With particular reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,
the operation of the invention is as follows.
[0039] A member of personnel P, after taking hold of the container
2 that contains the fluid F to be used and is still hermetically
closed, and after taking hold of the device 1, which is already
assembled monolithically, forces the cannula 8 to penetrate through
the rubber stopper that closes the container 2 without having to
first eliminate the ring 6 or the stopper, and anchors the device 1
to the container 2 by way of the fixing means 13.
[0040] When it is necessary to transfer a chosen amount of fluid F
into the tray 17, the member of personnel P overturns the container
2 to which the device 1 has been applied, and after removing the
stopper 22 acts manually on the pumping means 10 with successive
compressions and decompressions on the pump 16, as a consequence of
which the fluid F is aspirated from the container 2 to flow out
into the tray 17 thanks to the automatic intervention of the first
and second valve means 14 and 15.
[0041] Once the transfer has occurred, the member of personnel P
reapplies the stopper 22 to the outlet 12 in order to isolate the
residual fluid F from the outside environment and thus preserve its
integrity and sterility until the subsequent withdrawal.
[0042] In practice it has been found that the described invention
achieves the intended aim and objects.
[0043] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous
modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of
the appended claims.
[0044] All the details may further be replaced with other
technically equivalent ones.
[0045] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and
dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby
abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
[0046] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No.
M02003A000056 from which this application claims priority are
incorporated herein by reference.
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