Intravenous Supply Container Support

Abstract

Apparatus for supporting intravenous supply bottles including an upright standard and a cross bar extending substantially horizontally across the top of the standard. An elongated cantilever spring secured to the standard extends to opposite sides of the standard beneath the cross bar. Reaches of the spring are adapted to press into tight frictional contact with upwardly facing ends of supply bottles depending from catches in the cross bar. A mounting for the standard permits vertical adjustment of the standard relative to a bed or other body support.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting intravenous supply containers.

Intravenous feeding has become a common medical practice. As is known, a container, generally a bottle, of intravenous feeding solution is suspended at an elevation above a patient and a supply tube leads from the container to a needle which is inserted into the patient's vein to supply solution thereto. This practice has become so common that it is used not only with patients in stationary hospital beds, but also in vehicles, such as ambulances and helicopters, and when moving patients on movable carts in a hospital.

In the past, intravenous containers have been supported merely by hanging them loosely on elevated standards. When such containers are moved with vehicles or movable carts, they tend to swing, hitting against the standard or against other bottles suspended therewith. Since such containers may be glass bottles there is a possibility they may break. Further, they may have such swinging latitude as to pull the needle from a patient's vein.

A general object of the invention is to provide novel supporting apparatus for intravenous supply containers which restrains containers supported thereon against swinging movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which permits quick and easy installation of a supply container.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which in no way interferes with visual observations of fluid levels in a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel support apparatus for intravenous supply containers which may be mounted on the frame of a body-supporting device and is adjustable vertically relative to such frame. Such a vertically-adjustable support has particular advantage when it is used on a stretcher, which is to be carried in an ambulance. Explaining further, the head room in an ambulance often is restricted, thus it is desirable to be able to adjust the vertical height of a standard for holding intravenous bottles so that the standard will fit conveniently within the ambulance. Such problems exist also in other vehicles in which stretchers or hospital carts may be conveyed.

These and other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stretcher for use in an ambulance upon which is mounted apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation view, taken generally along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1, of apparatus according to the invention supporting an intravenous supply container;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the apparatus taken generally along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view, taken generally along the line 4--4 in FIG. 2, of means for mounting the apparatus on the frame of the stretcher; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view taken generally along the line 5--5 in FIG. 4, of such mounting means.

Referring now to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1, at 10 is indicated a stretcher, such as may be used in an ambulance. The stretcher has a body-supporting frame 12 which includes a pair of elongated, laterally spaced tubular side rails 14, 16 extending longitudinally of the stretcher, and a series of laterally spaced, elongated tubular cross members 18 which extend transversely of and are secured at their ends to side rails 14, 16. The stretcher has vertically adjustable legs 20 which are supported on casters 22. The legs are collapsible to permit the stretcher to be loaded into an ambulance in which there is limited head room.

Indicated generally at 30 is apparatus for supporting a pair of intravenous supply containers, such as that indicated at 32. As is best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a container 32 may be a bottle having a neck 34 at one of its ends and having a bail 36 connected adjacent its other end. The bail is swingably supported on band 36a and projects from the end of the bottle when dependently supporting a bottle. A tube 38 is connected to the neck of the bottle through which solution, such as that indicated at 40, may be supplied from the bottle to a patient. Such bottles generally are made of clear glass to permit observation of the level of solution in the bottle. Bail 36 is provided for suspending the bottle with its neck down and its other end facing up.

Referring now to apparatus 30, it comprises an elongated, upright tubular standard 44. Standard 44 has a straight, vertical lower portion 44a, a bent-over portion 44b intermediate its ends (see in FIGS. 1 and 3), and a straight, vertical upper portion 44c which is offset from, and extends substantially parallel to, portion 44a.

Mounting standard 44 on the frame of the stretcher is a mounting clamp 50. The clamp rigidly grips one of the side rails and one of the cross members of the stretcher frame, as is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and supports standard 44 in a substantially upright position.

Referring still to FIGS. 4 and 5, clamp 50 includes a pair of mating, disengageable members 52, 54. Each of these members is substantially L-shaped when viewed in plan (see FIG. 4). A plurality of screws 56 extend upwardly through member 54 and into threaded bores in member 52 to clamp the two members together. Members 52, 54 have facing semicylindrical grooves 58, 60 formed therein, respectively, which fit over opposite sides of side rail 14, and define a passage receiving side rail 14, as is best seen in FIG. 5. Another set of facing semicylindrical grooves formed in members 52, 54 extend substantially normal to grooves 58, 60 and define a passage to receive cross member 18, as seen in FIG. 4. Tightening of screws 56 clamps members 52, 54 rigidly onto side rail 14 and cross member 18.

Members 52, 54 have vertically aligned apertures extending therethrough which slidably receive lower portion 44a of the standard, permitting the standard to be shifted vertically between different adjusted positions. The aperture in member 52 is indicated generally at 64 in FIG. 4. One marginal portion of aperture 64 is defined by a section 52a of member 52 which is spaced a short distance from and may be biased toward the major section 52b of member 52. A thumb screw 66 extends through section 52a and into a threaded bore in section 52b. The thumb screw is operable to bias section 52a toward section 52b to tighten the side margins of the aperture against the standard, thus to lock the standard in a selected vertically adjusted position. Standard 44 and mounting clamp 50 together form what is referred to herein as a mounting in the apparatus.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, secured to the upper end of portion 44c of standard 44 is an elongated cross bar 70, also referred to herein as support means. The cross bar is connected at its center to the standard and extends substantially horizontally outwardly to opposite sides of the standard. The opposite ends of cross bar 70, also referred to herein as support arms, are substantially similar, each having a pair of catches, more specifically, vertically spaced bail-receiving indents or depressions, indicated generally at 72, 74.

Connected to the upper portion 44c of standard 44 directly beneath cross bar 70 is an elongated cantilever spring 80, also referred to herein as restraining means. The spring is secured at its center to the standard, with opposite end portions, or reaches, projecting laterally outwardly to opposite sides of the standard. As is best seen in FIG. 2, the spring is substantially symmetric about its connection with the standard. Each reach of spring is biased downwardly and is yieldable upwardly to permit positioning of a container on the apparatus.

With a bottle hung on the cross bar as illustrated in FIG. 2, a reach of the spring extends across the upturned end of the bottle and exerts a downward bias on said end of the bottle. With the spring thus biased into tight frictional contact with the end of the bottle, the bottle is urged away from the cross bar to maintain bail 36 in its catch in the cross bar, and also is restrained against swinging movement relative to the standard. Another bottle may be hung from the opposite end of the cross bar and contacted by the other end of the spring member, and similarly would be restrained against swinging movement.

Describing now the operation of the apparatus, with thumb screw 66 loosened, standard 44 may be adjusted vertically to place the cross bar at a desired elevation above the body-supporting frame of the stretcher. Tightening screw 66 locks the standard in the position selected. A bottle of intravenous solution is hung on the cross bar with its bail received in one of catches 72, 74, and with the spring disposed between the cross bar and the upturned end of the bottle. The spring presses firmly against the upturned end of the bottle to restrain it against swinging and to prevent the bail from being jarred from the catch in which it is hung.

Bottles of intravenous solution are available in different sizes and with various bail lengths. The vertical spacing between the two catches at an end of the cross bar permits the apparatus to support bottles of various sizes and bail lengths. Explaining further, a larger bottle having a longer bail would be hung in catch 72, and would be firmly engaged by the spring. A smaller bottle having a shorter bail would be hung in catch 74 and still would be firmly engaged by the spring.

Several advantages are obtained by such support apparatus. The apparatus permits rapid and easy hanging of intravenous solution bottles thereon, with the spring restraining the bottles against swinging. With the spring member engaging only the upturned end of a bottle, there is no obstruction along the sides of the bottle which would interfere with observation of the level of solution remaining in the bottle. Further, the support can be adjusted vertically relative to the body-supporting frame of a stretcher or bed and the offset in the standard permits bottles hung thereon to extend over a patient's body. Such apparatus also is easily and compactly stored.

While an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus for supporting an intravenous supply container having a bail connected to and projecting from an end thereof comprising

a mounting,

an elevated support arm secured to and projecting outwardly from the mounting, said arm having a catch adapted to receive said bail with the container depending from the catch and said support arm, and

an elongated cantilever spring secured to and extending outwardly from said mounting below the catch positioned to extend across said end of a container depending from the support arm, operable to exert a downward bias on said end of a container depending from the support arm and yieldable upwardly for container positioning purposes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein multiple catches, each comprising an indent in the arm, are provided at different elevations in the arm.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting comprises a standard and means for mounting said standard on a body-supporting frame having a side rail extending longitudinally of the frame and a cross member extending transversely of the frame, said means mounting the standard including a pair of opposed, mating clamp portions defining therebetween a first passage for receiving the side rail of the frame, a second passage for receiving the cross member of the frame, said second passage extending substantially normal to said first passage, and means for clamping said clamp portions against opposite sides of the side rail and cross member received in said passages.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means mounting the standard further comprises means defining an aperture through which a lower portion of the standard extends for vertical movement between various adjusted positions relative to such frame, and means for clamping side margins of said aperture against the standard for locking the same in a selected adjusted position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting comprises a standard and means for mounting said standard on a body-supporting frame including means for gripping a portion of said frame, means adjustably receiving said standard permitting vertical movement of the standard between various adjusted positions relative to such frame, and means for locking said standard in a selected adjusted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means receiving said standard comprises means defining an aperture through which a lower portion of said standard extends, and said locking means comprises means for clamping side margins of the aperture against the standard.

7. Apparatus for supporting a plurality of intravenous supply containers, each of which includes a bail connected to and projecting from an end thereof comprising

an upright standard,

support means secured adjacent the top of said standard having a pair of horizontally spaced catches, each adapted to receive a bail of a container with its associated container depending therefrom, and

an elongated cantilever spring secured to and extending outwardly from said standard below said catches positioned to extend across the ends of containers depending from the support means, operable to exert a downward bias on said ends of containers depending from the support means and yieldable upwardly for container positioning purposes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said support means comprises an elongated cross bar extending transversely of said standard, said catches comprise indents in the cross bar adjacent its opposite ends, and said cantilever spring is connected adjacent its center to said standard with opposite ends projecting laterally outwardly to opposite sides of said standard.