U.S. patent application number 10/617579 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-13 for detachable weights for stabilizing intravenous stands.
Invention is credited to O'Brien, Joseph P., Turi, Daniel P..
Application Number | 20050006538 10/617579 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33565002 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050006538 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Turi, Daniel P. ; et
al. |
January 13, 2005 |
Detachable weights for stabilizing intravenous stands
Abstract
A weight member for demountable placement is provided on the
wheeled carriage of an intravenous stand for improving the
stability of the stand by lowering the center of gravity thereof.
The weight member includes a pair of bodies which are movable
toward each other into a closed position with a latch for clamping
the bodies in circumscribing engagement with the upstanding pole of
the intravenous stand.
Inventors: |
Turi, Daniel P.; (Tucson,
AZ) ; O'Brien, Joseph P.; (Tucson, AZ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
QUARLES & BRADY STREICH LANG, LLP
ONE SOUTH CHURCH AVENUE
SUITE 1700
TUCSON
AZ
85701-1621
US
|
Family ID: |
33565002 |
Appl. No.: |
10/617579 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/188.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 5/1415
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/188.1 |
International
Class: |
A47B 097/00 |
Claims
1. A weight member for demountable positioning on a mobile
intravenous stand for lowering the center of gravity thereof, the
stand having a wheeled carriage with a pole extending vertically
upwardly therefrom, said weight member comprising: a) a pair of
bodies for placement in resting engagement atop the wheeled
carriage of the intravenous stand on opposite sides of the pole
thereof, said pair of bodies being movable toward each other into a
closed position about the pole of the stand; and b) latch means
mounted on said pair of bodies to releasably clamp said pair of
bodies in the closed position.
2. A weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of
bodies each define a mating surface with a notch formed
intermediate to each body's opposite ends, the mating surfaces of
said pair of bodies being in contiguous engagement with each other
with the notches being in circumscribing engagement with the pole
of the intravenous stand when said bodies are mounted on the
intravenous stand and are in the closed position.
3. A weight member as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mating
surface on each of said pair of bodies is of linear configuration
and the notches formed therein are semi-circular.
4. A weight member as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: a)
said pair of bodies each having a mating surface with a notch
formed intermediate the opposite ends thereof; and b) a liner of
resiliently deformable material on the mating surfaces and in the
notches formed therein.
5. A weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of
bodies are connected to each other by a hinge to form said pair of
bodies into a clamshell structure with said bodies being swung
toward each into the closed position and swung away from each other
into an open position.
6. A weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of
bodies are each of planar semi-circular configuration.
7. A weight member for demountable positioning on a mobile
intravenous stand for lowering the center of gravity thereof, the
stand having a wheeled carriage with a pole extending vertically
upwardly therefrom, said weight member comprising: a) a pair of
bodies for placement in resting engagement atop the wheeled
carriage of the intravenous stand on opposite sides of the pole
thereof, said pair of bodies being movable toward each other into a
closed position about the pole of the Intravenous stand; b) a hinge
interconnecting adjacent ends of said pair of bodies to form said
pair of bodies into a clamshell structure wherein said pair of
bodies are swung toward each other into the a closed position; and
c) a latch at adjacent ends opposite of said ends interconnected by
said hinge for releasably clamping said pair of bodies in the
closed position.
8. A weight member as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pair of
bodies are each of planar semi-circular configuration
9. A weight member as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pair of
bodies have mating surfaces which are in contiguous engagement with
each other when said bodies are swung into the closed position.
10. A weight member as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mating
surfaces of said pair of bodies each have a notch formed
intermediate to opposite ends thereof for circumferentially
engaging the pole of the intravenous stand when said bodies are
mounted thereon and in the closed position.
11. A weight member as claimed In claim 10, wherein the mating
surface on each of said pair of bodies is of linear configuration
and the notches formed therein are semi-circular.
12. A weight member as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising:
a) said pair of bodies each having a mating surface with a notch
formed intermediate to opposite ends thereof; and b) a liner of
resiliently deformable material on the mating surfaces and in the
notches formed therein.
13. An intravenous stand with a lowered center of gravity,
comprising: a) a stand having a wheeled carriage with a pole
extending vertically upwardly therefrom, b) a weight member having
a pair of bodies disposed in resting engagement atop the wheeled
carriage of the stand on opposite sides of the pole thereof, said
pair of bodies being movable toward each other Into a closed
position about the pole of the stand; and c) latch means mounted on
said pair of bodies to releasably clamp said pair of bodies in the
closed position.
14. A weight member as claimed in claim 13, wherein said pair of
bodies each define a mating surface with a notch formed
intermediate to each body's opposite ends, the mating surfaces of
said pair of bodies being in contiguous engagement with each other
with the notches being in circumscribing engagement with the pole
of the intravenous stand when said bodies are mounted on the
intravenous stand and are In the closed position.
15. A weight member as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mating
surface on each of said pair of bodies is of linear configuration
and the notches formed therein are semi-circular.
16. A Weight member as claimed in claim 13 and further comprising:
a) said pair of bodies each having a mating surface with a notch
formed Intermediate to opposite ends thereof; and b) a liner of
resiliently deformable material on the mating surfaces and in the
notches formed therein.
17. A weight member as claimed in claim 13, wherein said pair of
bodies are connected to each other by a hinge to form said pair of
bodies into a clamshell structure with said bodies being swung
toward each into the closed position and swung away from each other
into an open position.
18. A weight member as claimed in claim 13, wherein said pair of
bodies are each of planar semi-circular configuration.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to intravenous stands and
more particularly to a weighted device for demountable attachment
to the carriages of mobile intravenous stands to improve the
stability thereof by lowering the center of gravity.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Mobile Intravenous (I.V.) stands are routinely used in
hospital settings and patient care facilities to carry medicinal
agents, blood products, and medical equipment along with the
patients when they are being transported from one place to another.
Such stands typically include a wheeled carriage having a pole
extending vertically therefrom with radially extending arms at the
top of the pole. Numerous types of medical devices are carried on
the arms of the I.V. stands and are attached to the patient being
transported with such devices, including intravenous pumps for
supply medication to the patient and/or equipment for monitoring
the patient's vital signs. The medical devices attached to the arms
at the top of the pole will raise the center of gravity of the I.V.
stand an amount determined by the weight of the attached medical
devices. Raising the center of gravity can make the I.V. stand top
heavy to a point where it becomes difficult to safely move it and
hazardous under some conditions. The attendant who is transporting
the patient and the I.V. stand must be extra careful to navigate
the stand around or over any obstacles on the floor. Entering or
leaving an elevator is particularly hazardous due to the opening
between the floor and the elevator. If an I.V. stand should topple
over while being transported along with a patient, serious injury
to the patient and/or the medical staff can result and monitoring
equipment can be damaged.
[0005] The problem with I.V. stand stability was addressed in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,905,944 by disclosure of an especially configured
carriage having a lowered frame which lowered the center of gravity
of the stand. While this approach improved I.V. stand stability
somewhat, it is not believed to have completely solved the problem
in that the stand could still be unstable if the weight of the
equipment carried by the stand were above a medial amount. Also, if
this approach were to become a standard, the many I.V. stands
already in use would need to be replaced or modified to include the
new carriages and this would be costly. Therefore, a need exists
for a new and useful weighted device for demountable attachment to
existing I.V. stands to improve the stability thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention discloses a weight member configured
for detachable mounting on the carriages of I.V. stands to lower
the center of gravity thereof to improved stability of the stands
so that they can be safely moved from place to place. The weight
member is preferably a clamshell structure having two bodies of any
suitable configuration such as semi-circular. Preferably, the two
bodies are interconnected by a hinge so that they can be swung away
from each other into an open position and swung toward each other
into a closed position. The two bodies of the weight member each
have a mating surface and those surfaces are in co-facing
contiguous engagement with each other when the weight member is in
the closed position. Preferably, the mating surfaces form a parting
line between the two bodies with the hinge being mounted on
adjacent ends of the two bodies proximate one end of the parting
line, and a latch is provided on the opposite adjacent ends of the
two bodies proximate the opposite end of the parting line. When the
latch is closed, the two bodies of the weight member will be held
in the closed position and opening of the latch allows the two
bodies to be swung away from each other into the open position.
Preferably, each of the mating surfaces of the two bodies has a
notch formed intermediate its opposite ends so that when the weight
member is closed and mounted on the I.V. stand, the pole of the
stand will extend upwardly through the opening formed by the
aligned notches.
[0007] The weight member is mounted on an I.V. stand by having the
two bodies thereof swung into the open position so that they can be
maneuvered around the upstanding pole of the stand and placed in
resting engagement on top of the stand's carriage. The bodies are
then swung toward each other into the closed position and the latch
is operated to secure the weight member on the carriage. By
reversing this procedure, the weight member is easily removed from
the I.V. stand for cleaning and sanitation purposes. A plurality of
weight members, or members having different weights, can be
provided to adjust the center of gravity as needed.
[0008] It is preferred that the mating surfaces of the two bodies
of the weight member and the notches formed in the bodies have a
liner of resiliently deformable material such as rubber affixed
thereto. Such a liner will take up any slack resulting from
manufacturing tolerances and provide a rattle-free tight fit around
the pole of the I.V. stand and tight fitting contiguous engagement
of the mating surfaces of the two bodies.
[0009] A second embodiment of the weight member of the present
invention is disclosed as having two separate bodies of any
suitable configuration. As in the preferred embodiment, the two
separate bodies are provided with mating surfaces having notches
with the surfaces and notches being lined with a resiliently
deformable material. Mounting of the two separate bodies on an I.V.
stand is accomplished by placing them atop the stand's carriage on
diametrically opposed sides of the upstanding pole and moving them
radially toward each other into a closed position. Suitable latches
are provided on opposite sides of the two separate bodies to
releasably hold them in the close position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical I.V. stand with
the preferred embodiment of the weigh member of the present
invention mounted thereon.
[0011] FIG. 2 is plan sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of
FIG. 1 and showing the weight member in the open position.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing another
embodiment of the weight member of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the weight
member of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a
typical mobile intravenous (I.V.) stand 10 with the weight member
12 of the present invention mounted thereon. The I.V. stand 10
includes a wheeled carriage 14 having legs 16 extending radially
from a central hub 18 (not shown, see FIG. 2) with a caster 20
mounted on the extending end of each leg. A pole 22 is mounted in
the hub 18 of the wheeled carriage 14 and extends vertically
upwardly therefrom. A plurality of radially extending arms 24,
usually four in number, are carried on the upper end of the pole 22
and each arm has a hook 26 mounted on its extending end. As is
known, medical devices (not shown) such as intravenous pumps for
supplying medication to a patient and/or equipment for monitoring
the patient's vital signs are hung on the hooks 26. The stand 10 is
a mobile stand of the type which is routinely used in hospital
settings and patient care facilities to move whatever medical
equipment is connected to a patient along with patients when they
are being transported from one place to another. The medical
devices attached to the arms 24 at the top of the pole 22 will
raise the center of gravity of the I.V. stand 10 an amount
determined by the weight of the attached medical devices. Raising
the center of gravity can make the I.V. stand 10 top heavy to a
point where it becomes difficult to safely move it and hazardous
under some conditions. The instability problem of I.V. stands is
overcome by use of the weighted member 12 as will now be
described.
[0015] The weight member 12 is preferably a clamshell structure
having two pieces, or bodies 28 and 30 interconnected by a hinge 32
so that the two bodies can be swung away from each other into an
open position shown in FIG. 2 and swung toward each other into a
closed position as shown in FIG. 1. As seen in FIG. 2, the two
bodies 28 and 30 of the clamshell structure have mating surfaces 34
and 36 respectively and those surfaces each have a notch 37 formed
therein intermediate their opposite ends. The mating surfaces 34
and 36 and the notches 37 formed therein preferably have a liner 38
of resiliently deformable material such as rubber affixed thereto
for reasons which will hereinafter be described. When the weight
member 12 is in the closed position, the mating surfaces 34 and 36
form a parting line between the two bodies 28 and 30 and the
notches 37 are aligned to form an opening through the weight
structure 12. The hinge 32 is mounted on adjacent ends of the two
bodies 28 and 30 proximate one end of the parting line and a latch
40 is mounted on the body 30 proximate the other end of the parting
line. The latch has a loop 42 which engages a notch 44 formed in
the periphery of the other body 28 to releasably clamp the weight
member 12 in the closed position.
[0016] To mount the clamshell weight member 12 on the I.V. stand
10, the latch 40 is opened and the two bodies 28 and 30 are swung
away from each other into the open position. When opened, the
clamshell weight member 12 is moved into a straddling position
about the pole 22 of the stand 10 and is placed in a resting
position atop the wheeled carriage 14. Then the two bodies 28 and
30 are swung toward each other to close the weight member 12 and
move the notches 37 into a circumscribing position about the pole
22. Closing the latch 40 clamps the two bodies 28 and 30 together
and holds the weight member 12 in the closed position. The liner 38
affixed to the mating surfaces 34 and 36 and in the notches 37 of
the two bodies 28 and 30 will take up any slack resulting from
manufacturing tolerances to provide a rattle-free tight fit of the
notches 37 around the pole 22 of the I.V. stand 10 and tight
fitting contiguous engagement of the mating surfaces of the two
bodies.
[0017] The two bodies 28 and 30 of the weight member 12 can be of
any suitable configuration, however, it is preferred that they be
of the planar semi-circular configuration shown in the drawings.
Similarly, the mating surfaces 34 and 36 of the two bodies 28 and
30 are preferably linear and the notches 37 are semi-circular.
[0018] Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 and 4 which show a second
embodiment of the weight member of the present invention that is
identified generally by the reference numeral 46. The weight member
46 is formed of two separate bodies 48 and 50 having mating
surfaces 52 and 54 respectively and those surfaces each have a
notch 56 formed therein intermediate their opposite ends. The
mating surfaces 52 and 54 of the two separate bodies and the
notches 56 formed in those surfaces, preferably have a liner 58 of
resiliently deformable material, such as rubber, affixed thereto
for the reasons discussed above with reference to the previously
describe embodiment.
[0019] Mounting of the two separate bodies 48 and 50 on the I.V.
stand 10 is accomplished by placing them atop the carriage 14 on
diametrically opposed sides of the upstanding pole 22 and moving
them radially toward each other into a closed position. Suitable
latches, such as the illustrated hook and eye latches 60 are
provided on opposite sides of the two separate bodies 48 and 50 to
releasably hold them in the closed position.
[0020] While the principles of the invention have now been made
clear in illustrated embodiments, many modifications will be
obvious to those skilled in the art which do not depart from those
principles. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover
such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit and
scope of the invention.
* * * * *