U.S. patent application number 12/138989 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-18 for adapter assembly for an anesthetic equipment.
Invention is credited to Lars Danielsen.
Application Number | 20080308179 12/138989 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39133693 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080308179 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Danielsen; Lars |
December 18, 2008 |
ADAPTER ASSEMBLY FOR AN ANESTHETIC EQUIPMENT
Abstract
A keyed filling system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent
from an anesthetic vessel to a receiving container of an anesthetic
agent delivery equipment is disclosed. The system comprises at
least one movable unit that allows a relative movement of said
anesthetic vessel in relation to said anesthetic agent delivery
equipment when said anesthetic vessel is arranged at said
anesthetic agent delivery equipment for discharging said liquid
anesthetic agent into said receiving container of said anesthetic
agent delivery equipment. The movable unit may be provided on an
adapter for being arranged on a bottle comprising an anesthetic
agent and for insertion into a filling assembly of an anesthetic
agent delivery equipment, or at a filling equipment into which a
bottle or adapter is insertable for filling the anesthetic delivery
equipment with liquid anesthetic agent. In this manner for instance
leakage of anesthetic agent and wear of the adapter is avoided.
Inventors: |
Danielsen; Lars; (Haesselby,
SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SCHIFF HARDIN, LLP;PATENT DEPARTMENT
6600 SEARS TOWER
CHICAGO
IL
60606-6473
US
|
Family ID: |
39133693 |
Appl. No.: |
12/138989 |
Filed: |
June 13, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/319 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 2205/6045 20130101;
A61M 16/183 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/319 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/04 20060101
B65B003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 13, 2007 |
EP |
PCT/EP2007/055837 |
Claims
1. A keyed adapter assembly comprising: an adapter body configured
for arrangement on an anesthetic vessel at a first end portion of
said adapter, said anesthetic vessel containing a liquid anesthetic
agent, and configured for arrangement at a filling assembly of an
anesthetic agent delivery equipment at a second end portion of said
adapter, said second end portion of said adapter comprises a
movable unit that is rotatably arranged in relation to said adapter
body, wherein said movable unit comprising a movable cylindrical
portion coaxially arranged around said adapter body of said adapter
at said second end portion.
2. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, comprising at
least one external keying protrusion on said adapter that mates
with a corresponding recess of said filling assembly, said at least
one keying protrusion being arranged externally on said movable
cylindrical portion.
3. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said
movable cylindrical portion is frictionally engaged for retention
with said second end portion of said adapter.
4. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 3, wherein said
cylindrical portion is arranged at a portion with reduced diameter
of said adapter body, and wherein said cylindrical portion
comprises a plurality of internal friction protrusions dimensioned
to abut said portion with reduced diameter of said adapter body
that frictionally retain said movable cylindrical portion in
engagement with said adapter body.
5. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 4, wherein each of
said friction protrusions has a length and a height dimensioned for
frictional engagement of said cylindrical portion with said portion
with reduced diameter of said adapter body.
6. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 4, wherein said
friction protrusions are ridges, and wherein said cylindrical
portion comprises at least three of said ridges.
7. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 3, wherein said
cylindrical portion is arranged at a portion with reduced diameter
of said adapter body, and wherein said portion with reduced
diameter of said adapter body comprises a plurality of external
friction protrusions dimensioned to abut said cylindrical portion
internally that frictionally retains said movable cylindrical
portion in engagement with said adapter body.
8. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 7, wherein each of
said friction protrusions has a length and a height dimensioned for
frictional engagement of said cylindrical portion with said portion
with reduced diameter of said adapter body.
9. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 7 wherein said
friction protrusions are ridges, and wherein said portion with
reduced diameter of said adapter body comprises at least three of
said ridges.
10. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said
cylindrical portion comprises an extension portion extending to an
end of said second end portion of said adapter.
11. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein a
first end of said cylindrical portion comprises a bevel.
12. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said
cylindrical portion is provided with a biasing unit that is
arranged to rotationally bias said cylindrical portion to a home
position.
13. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein a home
position of said cylindrical portion is provided by a detent that
is provided for tactile sensing when moving said cylindrical
portion in rotational direction.
14. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 13, wherein said
cylindrical portion comprises a plurality of internal friction
protrusions dimensioned to abut said portion with reduced diameter
of said adapter body for a frictional engagement of said
cylindrical portion with said adapter body, wherein at least one of
said internal friction protrusions defines said home position.
15. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, comprising a
contact area between an upper and/or lower rim of said cylindrical
portion and a portion of said adapter body positioned opposite
thereto to provide a frictional engagement between said cylindrical
portion and said second portion of said adapter.
16. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, comprising a
web-like flexible member extending downwardly from a lower rim of
the cylindrical member, wherein an opposite edge of said adapter
body carries a detent in which the flexible portion engages to
indicate a home position, and wherein, upon rotation of said
cylindrical member, said flexible member is forced out of said
detent and provides a frictional engagement with said edge.
17. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said
cylindrical portion comprise a plurality of detents that, upon
rotation of said anesthetic vessel in relation to said filling
assembly, produce a tactile or acoustic feedback by engaging or
disengaging said detents.
18. The keyed adapter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said
adapter body is formed as a single monolithic piece of material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention pertains to a system comprising an
adapter assembly for connecting a vessel, such as a bottle,
containing a liquid anesthetic agent to anesthetic equipment
devised for delivery of the anesthetic agent from the vessel to the
equipment via the adapter. More particularly, the present invention
relates to such an adapter assembly having improved leakage
safety.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] An anesthetic vaporizer for use during medical treatment
comprises usually a vessel for receiving liquid anesthetic agent,
and is connected to a system for delivering the vaporized
anesthetic agent from the anesthetic vaporizer to the lungs of a
patient. For this purpose, the vessel is filled with the liquid
anesthetic agent before starting the medical treatment. Moreover,
the vessel may needs to be replenished with further liquid
anesthetic agent during the medical treatment. The anesthetic agent
is supplied in liquid form in an anesthetic bottle, facilitating
transport and storage of the anesthetic agent. When filling the
vessel of the anesthetic vaporizer, the anesthetic liquid has to be
conveyed from the interior of the anesthetic bottle to the interior
of the vessel in the anesthetic vaporizer.
[0005] Typical anesthetic agents are known as Halothane,
Isoflurane, Enflurane, Sevoflurane, and Desflurane. In order to
ensure that only the correct anesthetic agent is filled into an
anesthetic vaporizer that is dedicated to a specific single
anesthetic agent, keying systems are known. For instance U.S. Pat.
No. 6,585,016 or WO 2005/056093 disclose keyed anesthetic vaporizer
filling systems for facilitating the delivery of a liquid
anesthetic agent from an anesthetic bottle to an anesthetic
vaporizer. Such keyed anesthetic vaporizer filling systems usually
include a bottle adapter to be arranged on the anesthetic bottle,
having a keying system, wherein a mating keying system is provided
on the anesthetic vaporizer.
[0006] When the bottle with the adapter is to be arranged in the
filling assembly, the bottle may be grasped and directed towards
the filling assembly. The bottle is arranged with the key system of
the bottle adapter in line with the key system in the filling
assembly. Then, the adapter is pushed into the filling assembly.
However, often the key system does not mate initially, as the user
may not position the two keying systems in exact register. Then the
bottle and the adapter have to be rotated at least slightly in
order for the key systems to mate. During such rotation and
manipulation of the bottle with the adapter it may happen that the
sealed screw connection between the bottle and the adapter may
become loose due to a torque transmission between the bottle and
the adapter, especially if the bottle is moved in a direction
opposite the fastening direction of a thread of the adapter or
bottle during such manipulation. There may also exist a possibility
that the adapter will jam during the insertion, which might lead to
a torque transmission induced leakage, depending on the human
factor, e.g. during handling of the adapter by healthcare
personnel.
[0007] Furthermore, the adapter may unscrew from the bottle when
locked to the filling system of the vaporizer. For instance, during
filling, the bottle may unintentionally, at least partly, be
unscrewed from the adapter, as healthcare personnel may be
distracted from this task. Thus, the seal between the bottle and
the adapter may become compromised and anesthetic agent may be
released to the atmosphere, which should be avoided of
understandable reasons.
[0008] In US2007/034284A1 a filling system for anesthetic
evaporators, dealing with this issue is disclosed. The filling
system comprises an anesthetic-specific code portion provided on a
filler neck such that a filler keying code thereof has design
corresponding to an anesthetic agent specific keying code on an
adapter neck of a bottle adapter. A hinge is provided between the
adapter neck and a threaded sleeve of the bottle adapter allowing
for a hinged relative movement between the adapter neck and a
threaded sleeve of the bottle adapter. The bottle adapter is thus
divided into two segments in longitudinal direction thereof.
[0009] The hinge solution comprising the two segment bottle adapter
is of rather complicated design rendering manufacture of the
adapter burdensome. For instance, the hinge comprises a sealing
O-ring that needs to be assembled. Moreover, this sealing O-ring
may wear mechanically over time. As liquid anesthetic agents
usually are of aggressive nature, this wear is accelerated as the
sealing O-ring comes into contact with the anesthetic agent. This
may lead to a leakage in the bottle adapter, when the adapter is
mounted on the anesthetic bottle, and such anesthetic bottle is
mounted to an anesthetic vaporizer, which is disadvantageous. It is
desired to prevent leakage of an anesthetic agent to the
surrounding environment of several reasons, amongst others related
to patient safety and user safety.
[0010] Hence, an improved keyed system comprising an adapter having
improved leakage safety would be advantageous, and in particular a
keyed system, adapter, and/or anesthetic vaporizer filling system,
e.g. allowing for increased flexibility, user friendliness, and/or
patient safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention preferably
seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more deficiencies,
disadvantages or issues in the art, such as the above-identified,
singly or in any combination by providing an adapter and a method
of operating an adapter according to the appended patent
claims.
[0012] According to an aspect of the invention, a keyed adapter
assembly is provided. The keyed adapter is provided for arrangement
on an anesthetic vessel devised for containing a liquid anesthetic
agent at a first end portion of the adapter, and for arrangement at
a filling assembly of an anesthetic agent delivery equipment at a
second end portion of the adapter. The first end portion of the
adapter comprises a movable unit in form of a cylindrical portion
that is rotatably arranged in relation to body of the adapter. In
an embodiment, the adapter comprises at least one keying protrusion
arranged on the adapter for mating with a corresponding at least
one recess of said filling assembly, wherein said protrusions are
arranged on said cylindrical portion at the second end. The
cylindrical portion is rotatably arranged on said adapter. Thus,
the first and second end portion may have a fixed relation to each
other, while providing rotatability of the adapter assembly in an
advantageous manner.
[0013] In an embodiment, the cylindrical portion may be arranged in
an area with reduced diameter of the adapter, wherein the
cylindrical portion may comprise protrusions dimensioned to abut
the area with reduced diameter of the adapter in order to form a
frictional engagement. In some embodiments, the portion said with
reduced diameter of said adapter body comprises the plurality of
external friction protrusions dimensioned to abut said cylindrical
portion internally. The protruding height of each of the
protrusions may be dimensioned for providing a desired frictional
engagement. The protrusions may be in the form of ridges, bulges,
burls, semispheres, or have a conical, frustoconical, or pin shape,
or similar projecting shapes. At least three protrusions, e.g.
ridges may be provided. The cylindrical portion may comprise an
extension portion extending to the end of the adapter. Moreover,
the cylindrical portion may comprise a bevel for making it easier
to assemble the cylindrical portion.
[0014] In another embodiment the cylindrical portion may be
provided with a spring rotationally biasing the cylindrical portion
to a home position.
[0015] Further embodiments of the invention are defined in the
dependent claims, wherein features for the second and subsequent
aspects of the invention are as for the first aspect mutatis
mutandis.
[0016] Some embodiments of the invention provide for leakage
prevention when filling an anesthetic vaporizer from an anesthetic
bottle via an adapter.
[0017] Some embodiments provide for reduced wear of the
adapter.
[0018] Some embodiments provide for a continuous channel for flow
of a liquid anesthetic agent through the adapter.
[0019] Some embodiments provide for an adapter having at least one
keying element movable relative the adapter.
[0020] It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising"
when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of
stated features, integers, steps or components but does not
preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,
integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and other aspects, features and advantages of which
embodiments of the invention are capable of will be apparent and
elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the
present invention, reference being made to the accompanying
drawings, in which
[0022] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a bottle adapter
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a bottle
adapter;
[0024] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the adapter of FIG. 2;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a view from above of the assembled adapter of FIG.
2;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 2,
taken along the line B B of FIG. 4;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the adapter taken along
the line A-A of FIG. 4;
[0028] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of section C of FIG. 6;
[0029] FIG. 8 is a view from above of an embodiment of a
cylindrical part of a bottle adapter;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the cylindrical part of
FIG. 8, taken along the line A-A of FIG. 8;
[0031] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view of section C of
FIG. 8 illustrating a wall section of the cylindrical part of FIG.
8;
[0032] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross sectional view of section B of
FIG. 8 illustrating an end portion of the cylindrical part of FIG.
8;
[0033] FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating an
end portion of the assembled bottle adapter of FIG. 2;
[0034] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 12 of
another embodiment; and
[0035] FIG. 14 is a side view of the embodiment according to FIG.
13.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] Specific embodiments of the invention now will be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may,
however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather,
these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be
thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the
detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the
accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the
invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like
elements.
[0037] According to embodiments, a keyed filling system for
delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent from an anesthetic vessel to
a receiving container of an anesthetic agent delivery equipment is
provided.
[0038] The system comprises at least one movable unit that allows a
relative movement of said anesthetic vessel in relation to said
anesthetic agent delivery equipment when said anesthetic vessel is
arranged at said anesthetic agent delivery equipment for
discharging said liquid anesthetic agent into said receiving
container of said anesthetic agent delivery equipment. The movable
unit may be arranged in a bottle adapter and/or a filling assembly
of an anesthetic vaporizer. Embodiments will be elucidated further
below.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows an adapter 20 having a first end portion 40
comprising a collar 31 having one or more keying slits 32 for
mating cooperation with protrusions on an anesthetic bottle (not
shown). Moreover, the collar comprises internal threads 33.
Alternatively, or in addition to threads 33 other means for
arrangement may be provided in other embodiments. For instance
friction fit, a bayonet socket, a click lock type, a locking lever
engageable with the bottle, etc. Thus, the adapter 20 can be placed
on a bottle containing an anesthetic agent by removing a lid
arranged on the bottle and screwing the adapter onto the bottle for
replacing the lid, in a conventional manner. The adapter may
include a valve system arranged in an intermediate portion 42 of
the adapter. Such a valve system may comprise a valve body and a
spring system including a spring and a retainer 39, see FIG. 3. At
its outer surface, the adapter is provided with one or more
protrusions 70 forming a key system together with one or more
corresponding mating recesses in a filling assembly.
[0040] In order to mitigate the above-mentioned possibility of
leakage and wear, in an embodiment, the adapter 20 is provided with
a cylindrical portion 80, as for instance shown in FIG. 1. A
cylindrical portion 80 comprises keying protrusions 70 at a second
end portion 41. When assembled on adapter 20, the cylindrical
portion 80 is arranged in a portion 81 of the adapter having a
reduced outer diameter. The cylindrical portion 80 is free to be
rotated around the adapter body. In some embodiments the
cylindrical portion 80 may alternatively or in addition be
pivotable in relation to a longitudinal axis 90 of the adapter
20.
[0041] Provided the cylindrical rotatable portion 80, the operation
of the adapter of FIG. 1 is as follows. The adapter 20 is brought
into contact with a filling assembly. Firstly, a front 91 portion
of the adapter 20 without radially extending protrusions 70, is
inserted into an upper inner of a cylindrical body of the filling
assembly (not shown). Such a filling assembly having a cylindrical
body 54 is for instance described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,016, which
hereby is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
[0042] However, if the key system, notably the protrusions 70 and
the recesses in the adapter 20 and the filling assembly do not mate
initially, the user may rotate the cylindrical portion 80 until the
protrusions 70 register with the recesses in the filling assembly.
The adapter 20 is thus provided with at least one keying element 71
that is movable relative to an adapter body 22 of the adapter 20.
Thus a continuous channel for flow of a liquid anesthetic agent
through the adapter 20 is provided. Moreover, the adapter body 22
is made of one monolithic piece of material, and the issue of wear
induced leakage is dealt with.
[0043] In case sufficient rotational resistance is provided between
the cylindrical portion 80 and the portion with reduced diameter
81, this operation is made by moving the bottle in the rotational
direction, around the longitudinal axis 90, or in any other
direction suitable for achieving this purpose. In this case, the
cylindrical body 81 rotates in a defined manner together with the
adapter 20 and the bottle attached thereto. Alternatively, the
cylindrical body 80 may be rotated manually in relation to a
substantially fixed adapter 20 in order to bring the protrusions 70
in register with corresponding recesses in the filling
assembly.
[0044] When the protrusions 70 are arranged in line with the
recesses in the filling assembly, the adapter is free to be further
pushed into the filling assembly. Thus, the embodiment according to
FIG. 1 is operational for remedying the issue of torque
transmission induced leakage mentioned above.
[0045] Embodiments of the bottle adapter 20 is shown more detailed
and in different views in FIGS. 2 to 14, wherein the same reference
numerals are used for like elements as with reference to the
previous Figures.
[0046] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter 20 of
FIG. 2, wherein the cylindrical portion 80 with protrusions 70 is
shown disassembled from the above mentioned adapter body 22 at the
second end portion 41 of the adapter 20. The valve assembly 21 is
provided in portion 42 of the adapter 20.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a view from above of the assembled adapter of FIG.
2, seen in the direction of the first end portion 40.
[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the adapter 20 of FIG.
2, taken along the line B-B of FIG. 4, wherein the cylindrical
portion 80 is removed and the portion 81 with reduced diameter of
adapter 20 is clearly shown.
[0049] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the adapter 20 taken
along the line A-A of FIG. 4.
[0050] FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section C of
the adapter 20, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0051] The cylindrical portion 80 is shown in more detail in FIG.
9. The rim of a first end 88 of the cylindrical portion 80 may be
provided with a bevel 82 in order to more easily assemble the
cylindrical portion onto the adapter body by sliding the latter
with the first end 88 over the second end portion 41 of the adapter
20. FIG. 8 is a view from above of the cylindrical part 80 of
bottle adapter 20 or bottle adapter 20, wherein the cylindrical
part 80 is shown in FIG. 9 in a cross sectional view taken along
the line A-A of FIG. 8.
[0052] Furthermore, the inner surface 89 of the cylindrical body 80
may be provided with one or several protrusions, e.g. ridges 83. In
the present embodiment the cylindrical body 80 is provided with
three ridges 83, being shown in FIG. 8, separated by angle of 120
degrees from each other around the circumference of the inner
surface 89. By having arranged the ridges 83 distributed along the
circumference of the inner surface 89 of the cylindrical portion
80, an even rotation is obtained avoiding jamming of the
cylindrical portion 80 and thus providing a well defined
distribution and fit of the cylindrical portion on the adapter
20.
[0053] Alternatively or additionally to ridges, the protrusions may
be in the form of bulges, burls, semispheres, or have a conical,
frustoconical, or pin shape, or similar projecting shapes.
[0054] The ridges 83 have a defined length extension in
longitudinal direction and a height from the inner surface 89 of
the cylindrical portion 80, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. Thus,
ridges 83 are provided such that they contact the outer surface of
the adapter portion 81 with reduced diameter, in order to provide a
well defined frictional force counteracting rotation of the
cylindrical portion around the adapter portion 81 with reduced
diameter. The length of the ridges 83 is also adjusted so that a
predetermined desired frictional force is obtained. In FIG. 9, the
ridges 83 are shown extending over half of the length of the
cylindrical portion 80. The frictional force that is adjusted by
means of the ridges 83 defines that the cylindrical portion 80 is
advantageously rotatable in relation to the adapter portion 81 with
reduced diameter.
[0055] The frictional force counteracting rotation of the adapter
is to be chosen such that it is lower than a force at which the
bottle is unscrewed from thread 33. This ensures that the adapter
does not rotate too loosely, but risk for leakage of anesthetic
agent is avoided, as unintentional unscrewing of the bottle from
the adapter is avoided. The bottle may be screwed onto adapter 20
and unscrewed therefrom by holding the adapter with one hand and
twisting the bottle with an other hand.
[0056] Alternatively or additionally such protrusions may also
analogously be provided on the exterior of the lower portion of the
cylindrical portion 81 of the adapter body 22 in some
embodiments.
[0057] The lower portion of the cylindrical portion 80 may be
extended as shown in FIG. 9 so that it reaches all the way to the
bottom end of the adapter 20, as is shown in further detail in the
enlarged FIG. 11, which shows the encircled area B of FIG. 9. In
this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 80 extends all the way to
the bottom face of the adapter body by an extension portion 84. In
the embodiment of FIG. 1, this extension portion 84 is not
present.
[0058] The cylindrical portion 80 is shown to surround a portion of
the lower portion of the adapter. However, the cylindrical portion
could have a smaller or larger extent, such as all the way up to
the slits 32 of the adapter.
[0059] The cylindrical portion 80 may be provided with a rotational
return element, such as a spring, which urges the cylindrical
portion 80 to a home position. Such a home position may be marked
by a detent so that it may be sensed when moving the cylindrical
portion 80 in rotational direction.
[0060] The frictional engagement may additionally or alternatively
be provided by a contact area between the upper and/or lower rim of
the cylindrical portion 80 and a portion of the adapter positioned
opposite thereto. As shown in FIG. 13, the cylindrical portion is
provided with one or several ribs 85 having an extension in the
radial direction. These ribs abut the adapter as shown in order to
form a frictional engagement.
[0061] Alternatively, the ribs, or similar friction protrusion
elements, may be arranged equivalently on the adapter body arranged
adjacent said cylindrical portion (not shown). For instance,
friction protrusion elements may be arranged on the outer surface
of the adapter portion 81 with reduced diameter. In this case the
inner surface of the cylindrical portion mating the protrusions may
be cylindrical without protrusions in order to provide a rotational
movement.
[0062] Alternatively, or in addition, both mating elements may be
provided with protrusions, allowing for a limited rotational
movement over an angular range defined by ribs engaging in
rotational direction. Here, at least three protrusions are arranged
on the adapter portion 81 or the cylindrical portion, and in
addition at least one protrusion element is arranged on the
corresponding other of the cylindrical portion or the adapter
portion 81, respectively.
[0063] When having protrusions on both the cylindrical portion and
the adapter portion 81, these may be arranged such that a
rotational movement between these two is limited. In one case the
protrusion elements are arranged to meet in rotational direction as
stop elements, providing a rotational limited angular movement
between two rotational end positions. The protrusions may be formed
such that a rotational movement between the cylindrical portion and
the adapter portion 81 is hindered, but not precluded, when the
corresponding protrusions meet. In this manner, a tactile or
audible feedback may be provided to the user, e.g. by a clicking
sound when protrusions pass each other. This may be provided by the
protrusions having different protruding height.
[0064] One or several of these ribs 83 can also perform an indexing
function in order to define a home position of the cylindrical
portion. FIG. 14 shows a web-like flexible member 86 extending down
from the lower rim of the cylindrical member. The opposite edge of
the adapter is provided with a detent 87 in which the flexible
portion 86 may engage. When the cylindrical member is rotated, the
flexible member is forced out of the detent 87 and forms a
frictional engagement with the edge. When the cylindrical portion
is returned to its starting position, the detent 87 forms an
indication of a home position.
[0065] In addition, the cylindrical portion 80 may be provided with
a plurality of detents 87 such that a rotation of the bottle in
relation to the filling portion of a filling assembly (as for
instance filling portion 52 described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,016)
may be sensed by the user via a tactile or acoustic feedback
provided by the flexible portions 86 engaging or disengaging with
the detents 87.
[0066] The cylindrical portion may have any suitable shape
conforming to the shape of the adapter portions positioned adjacent
to the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion may have a
freedom to be rotated in relation to the adapter, so as to adjust
the protrusions arranged on the cylindrical portion in line with
the recesses in the filling assembly.
[0067] Other keying systems than the described and illustrated may
be arranged and used along with embodiments of the adapter.
[0068] The adapter may be made in a plastics material, such as
nylon or PVC. The adapter may comprise colors that indicate which
type of anesthetic agent the adapter is useable for.
[0069] In addition, locking elements may be provided to, at least
temporary, lock such rotational elements and provide an adapter
without rotational spin tolerance, if so desired.
[0070] A keyed filling system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic
agent from an anesthetic vessel to a receiving container of an
anesthetic agent delivery equipment, may thus be provided, wherein
the system comprises an adapter of embodiments of the invention and
a filling assembly in a anesthetic agent delivery equipment.
[0071] Alternatively to a bottle, other vessels suitable for
containing liquid anesthetic liquids may be provided in
embodiments.
[0072] Keying elements may also be provided in other forms, such a
protrusions in a filling assembly and recesses in a bottle
adapter.
[0073] The improved adapter of embodiments of the invention may be
used on anesthetic filling systems of the prior art, such as the
filling systems described in WO 2005/056093 or U.S. Pat. No.
6,585,016, which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety for all purposes.
[0074] Further modifications may occur to a skilled person reading
this specification and such modifications are intended to be
included within the scope of the present invention as defined in
the appended patent claims.
[0075] Although the present invention has been described above with
reference to specific embodiment, it is not intended to be limited
to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the invention is
limited only by the accompanying claims and other embodiments than
those described above are equally possible within the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *