Clamping Means For Physiological Fluid Infusion Systems

Abstract

Clamping means for preventing bottles containing a physiological fluid from swinging and/or being dislodged from hooks on which they are suspended, resulting in possible breakage and injury to a patient. The clamping means is secured to an upright pole and encircles physiological fluid bottles suspended from hooked arms extending outwardly from the pole.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application, Ser. No. 1,709, filed Jan. 9, 1970 now abandoned.

Description

As is known, apparatus for injecting a physiological fluid such as blood or an intravenous feeding solution into the vein of a patient usually includes an upright pole having one or more hooked arms from which bottles containing a physiological fluid are suspended by means of U-shaped hangers pivotally connected to metal bands encircling the bottles. The upright pole is normally mounted on wheels; and it is possible that in moving the apparatus, or due to accidental bumping, the pole may upset; the bottles may fall from their suspended positions; or the bottles may swing into the pole itself. Since these bottles are normally manufactured from glass, this is a dangerous condition and sometimes results in serious injury to patients. Clamping means to prevent swinging or falling of such bottles have been developed such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,696,963 and 3,318,457. These, however, are relatively expensive and are not readily adaptable to bottles of various sizes. It is an object of this invention to overcome these disadvantages.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the manner in which bottles containing a physiological fluid are suspended when in use and incorporating the clamp of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top, detailed view of the clamp of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a modification;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view, partly broken away in section; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, exploded, fragmentary view of a detail.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the apparatus shown includes a stand 10 having a base 12 usually provided with caster wheels 14 such that it may be easily moved along the floor. Extending upwardly from the base 12 is a tubular pole 16 which receives at its upper end, in telescoping relationship, a rod or tubular member 18. Means, such as a thumbscrew, now shown, is provided for securing the two parts 16 and 18 together at any desired height of the member 18.

Carried on the top of the member 18 is a cross bar or hanger formed from two oppositely disposed arms 20 and 22, each provided with a hook 24 at its outer end. Suspended from the hooks 24 are bottles 26 and 28, usually formed from glass and containing a physiological fluid to be injected into the vein of a patient, such as blood or a glucose solution. The bottles 26 and 28 are provided at their upper ends with metal bands 30 having pivotally connected thereto U-shaped bails 32 which fit over the hooks 24. The bottle 26, for example, is provided at its lower end with a cap 34 connected to a tube 36. The other end of the tube 36 is provided with the usual hollow bore needle 38 adapted for insertion into the vein of a patient 40.

As was explained above, it is often necessary to move the stand 10 while the bottles 26 and 28 are suspended from the hooks 24. Furthermore, the stand may be accidentally bumped. In either case, it is possible for the bottles 26 and 28 to become dislodged from the hooks 24 and fall to the floor. However, perhaps more serious is the case where the bottle, suspended by bails 32, swings into the stand 10 and breaks. The flying glass can, and has, resulted in injury to a patient.

In accordance with the present invention, a clamping device 42 is secured to the stand 10 and encircles, or partially encircles, both bottles 26 and 28, thereby preventing the bottles from swinging or being dislodged from the hooks 24.

The details of the clamping device are shown in FIG. 2. It includes a U-shape central portion 44 preferably formed from stainless steel or spring steel having a pair of outwardly flaring lip portions 46 adapted to engage the periphery of the pole 18, whereby the lip portions will spread and permit the clip 44 to fit over the pole and come to rest in the position shown in FIG. 2 where it is in snug-abutting relationship with the periphery of the pole.

Riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the opposite sides of spring clip 44 are two oppositely disposed arms 48 and 50 which carry, at their outer ends, two spring clamps 52 and 54 which partially encircle the bottles 26 and 28. Each of these clamps is provided at its outer end with outwardly flaring lip portions 56 which permit easy insertion of the bottle 26 or 28 into the clamp and easy removal therefrom. At the same time, however, the clamps 52 and 54 will prevent swinging of the bottles and will also prevent them from dropping onto the floor should the bails 32 become dislodged from the hooks 24. The main weight of the bottles, however, is still carried by the hooks 24.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the clamping device may be quickly, but securely, mounted on the pole 18 by simply pushing the lip portions 46 of clip 44 against the round pole until the clip snaps in place. The same thing is true of the clamps 52 and 54 which will spread apart when a bottle is pressed against them and then grip the bottle. Removal of the bottles, or the clamping device itself, is just as easy and fast.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, a stand like the one previously described includes a vertical pole 60 that supports a cross arm or hanger 61, from the opposite ends of which bottles 62 and 63 can be suspended by bails 64 supporting rings 65 gripping the bottles. These bottles contain a fluid to be injected into the veins of a patient in a well-known manner, as previously explained.

In order to steady the bottles to prevent them from being broken or dislodged from the hanger 61 when the stand is moved or accidentally bumped, a clamping device is mounted on pole 60 between the bottles. This device preferably is made in only three pieces, a central piece A and two end pieces B and C, all of which can be molded inexpensively from a suitable plastic. The plastic is preferably polycarbonate, which can be readily sterilized at 250.degree.F for 1 hour. The central piece includes means for clamping onto the pole and most suitable it is a U-shape spring clip 67, similar to the one shown in FIG. 2, that can easily be snapped onto the pole which it will grip tightly enough to remain in place until it is desired to remove it. From opposite sides of this clip arms 68 extend away fron it. The two arms are the same length, so the clip is midway between the ends of the central part A of the clamping device.

Each end piece B and C of the clamping device includes a bottle clamp located at the outer end of one of the arms 68. The clamp for bottle 62 is a circular spring band 70 that will extend more than 180.degree. around the bottle and that has outwardly flaring ends so that it can readily be forced laterally around the bottle into engagement with its side wall. Midway between the ends of this band it is provided with an integral lug 71 that extends radially outward away from it and has an enlarged outer end that forms a head. The outer end of each arm 68 is provided with a socket 72 that extends downwardly from its top. The outer wall of the socket has a vertical slot 73 in it that also extends downwardly from the top of the arm. The two sockets are identical and of a size that permits either one to snugly receive the head on lug 71, with the rest of the lug extending through the slot in the side of the socket. To prevent the lug from sliding out the bottom of the socket, the socket may be tapered downwardly or provided with a bottom wall on which the head of the lug rests.

The clamp for the smaller bottle 63 likewise includes a spring band 75 that will fit and grip that bottle, but the lug 76 that projects from the band is longer in order to span the greater space between the clamp and the adjacent arm 68.

It will be seen that either bottle clamp can easily be removed from the adjoining arm by simply lifting its lug from the socket that holds it. This permits the use of clamps of different diameters or of the same diameter, depending upon the size of the bottles. Consequently, clamps of several different sizes can be stocked and any of them can be attached to the same central piece A. For packing and shipping, and even for storage, the clamps can be removed from the supporting arms to make a small package.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with a certain specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A clamping device for preventing a pair of laterally spaced intravenous infusion bottles from swinging or being dislodged while suspended from a hanger on an upright pole, said device comprising U-shaped spring clip means for gripping said pole, horizontal arms joined to two opposite sides of said clip means and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, the outer end of each of said horizontal arms being provided with a socket extending downwardly from its top, the outer wall of each socket having a vertical slot therein extending downwardly from said top, a bottle clamp for stabilizing the position of each one of said intravenous infusion bottles while suspended from said hanger on an upright pole, and a lug constructed and arranged to extend from said clamp for passing through said slot and into said socket, portions of said lug inside the socket being enlarged to fit the socket, whereby the clamps are normally attached to the outer ends of said arms but can be disconnected therefrom by lifting said lugs from the sockets.

2. A clamping device according to claim 1, in which said arms are integral with said clip means, and said lug is integral with said bottle clamp.

3. A clamping device according to claim 1, in which said socket has a bottom wall, and said lug is seated on said bottom wall.

4. A clamping device according to claim 1, in which one of the bottle clamps is smaller than the other, and the lug joined to the smaller clamp is enough longer than the other lug to locate the centers of the two clamps substantially the same distance from the adjacent sockets.

5. A clamping device according to claim 2, in which said device is made entirely of a plastic.