# US 11,433,178 B2 · Infusion pump alignment features for vertically-orientated IV tubes

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,433,178 B2
- Document ID: US11433178B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/869,869
- Filed: 2020-05-08
- Published: 2020-11-12
- Granted: 2022-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-09
- Assignees: Baxter International Inc.; Baxter Healthcare S.A.
- Applicants: Baxter International Inc.; Baxter Healthcare SA
- Inventors: Jiri Slaby; Steve Pippin; Kevin Boron; Robert Cuevas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11433178B2

## CPC

- A61M 5/142: Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
- A61M 5/14212: {Pumping with an aspiration and an expulsion action}
- A61M 5/16831: {Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies (low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066)}
- A61M 39/28: Clamping means for squeezing flexible tubes, e.g. roller clamps {(tube strippers A61M1/83)}
- A61M 2005/14208: {with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program}
- A61M 2205/0216: Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
- A61M 2206/20: having means for promoting or enhancing the flow, actively or passively
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

Infusion pump alignment features for vertically-oriented IV tubes are disclosed. In an example, an infusion pump housing includes a tube channel having a radial curvature for bending an IV tube from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation. The housing also includes a hood having a first side and a second side that are divided by the tube channel. The infusion pump has a door that is connected to the housing for enclosing the tube channel and the hood. The door includes a cavity having dimensions to receive the hood when the door is in a closed position. The hood is configured to engage the cavity to prevent the door from closing if the IV tube is not positioned along the tube channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An infusion pump apparatus for delivering an intravenous (“IV”) fluid, the apparatus comprising:
a housing including
an actuation area configured to engage a first portion of an IV tube in a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, the actuation area including a top end for receiving the IV tube from a fluid container and a bottom end for providing the IV tube to a patient,
a tube channel located at the top end of the actuation area, the tube channel having a surface curvature and a width configured to accept a bottom side of a second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the tube channel having a radial curvature for bending the second portion of the IV tube from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation,
two parallel hood rails provided on either side of the tube channel, the hood rails having widths that extend outwardly from the tube channel, and
a hood having a first side and a second side that are separated by the hood rails, the first and second sides connected to the hood rails; and
a door connected to the housing and configured to enclose the actuation area, the tube channel, the hood rails, and the hood of the housing, the door including a cavity having dimensions sized to receive the hood rails and the hood when the door is in a closed position,
wherein the hood and the hood rails are configured to engage the cavity to prevent the door from closing if the second portion of the IV tube is not positioned between the hood rails along the tube channel,
wherein the first side of the hood includes a cutout that is located on an opposite end from an end that is connected to the respective hood rail, the cutout reducing a width of the first side of the hood at the location of the cutout, and
wherein the first side of the hood and the cutout cooperate to cause a misaligned second portion of the IV tube to move further away from the tube channel to exaggerate the misalignment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the hood rails includes a retention knob configured to retain the second portion of the IV tube within the tube channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes a tab that is positioned and arranged to fit within the cutout of the first side of the hood.

### Claim 4

An infusion pump apparatus for delivering an intravenous (“IV”) fluid, the apparatus comprising:
a housing including
an actuation area configured to engage a first portion of an IV tube in a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, the actuation area including a top end for receiving the IV tube from a fluid container and a bottom end for providing the IV tube to a patient,
a tube channel located at the top end of the actuation area, the tube channel having a surface curvature and a width configured to accept a bottom side of a second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the tube channel having a radial curvature for bending the second portion of the IV tube from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation,
two parallel hood rails provided on either side of the tube channel, the hood rails having widths that extend outwardly from the tube channel, and
a hood having a first side and a second side that are separated by the hood rails, the first and second sides connected to the hood rails; and
a door connected to the housing and configured to enclose the actuation area, the tube channel, the hood rails, and the hood of the housing, the door including a cavity having dimensions sized to receive the hood rails and the hood when the door is in a closed position,
wherein the hood and the hood rails are configured to engage the cavity to prevent the door from closing if the second portion of the IV tube is not positioned between the hood rails along the tube channel, and
wherein the cavity of the door is defined at least by:
an upper-pre-alignment guide configured to contact or be adjacent to a top face of the hood; and
a lower pre-alignment guide configured to contact or be adjacent to a bottom face of the hood.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the upper pre-alignment guide includes channels configured to engage or receive the respective hood rails.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the housing further includes:
under-hood rails positioned adjacent to the respective hood rails and located on each side of the tube channel; and
guide ribs positioned a distance away from the respective under-hood rails and located on each side of the tube channel for retaining the second portion of the IV tube,
wherein gaps are formed between the under-hood rails and the guide ribs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lower-pre-alignment guide includes:
cutouts configured to respectively receive the under-hood rails; and
a guide section configured to be received in the gaps formed between the under-hood rails and the guide ribs, wherein a bottom face of the lower-pre-alignment guide is located so as to contact or be located adjacent to the guide ribs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the under-hood rails, the gaps, and the guide ribs are configured to interlock or overlap with the lower-pre-alignment guide to prevent the door from closing if the second portion of the IV tube is not positioned along the tube channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the guide section has at least one of a u-shape or a v-shape.

### Claim 10

An infusion pump apparatus for delivering an intravenous (“IV”) fluid, the apparatus comprising:
a housing including
an actuation area configured to engage a first portion of an IV tube in a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, the actuation area including a top end for receiving the IV tube from a fluid container and a bottom end for providing the IV tube to a patient,
a tube channel located at the top end of the actuation area, the tube channel having a surface curvature and a width configured to accept a bottom side of a second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the tube channel having a radial curvature for bending the second portion of the IV tube from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation,
two parallel hood rails provided on either side of the tube channel, the hood rails having widths that extend outwardly from the tube channel, and
a hood having a first side and a second side that are separated by the hood rails, the first and second sides connected to the hood rails; and
a door connected to the housing and configured to enclose the actuation area, the tube channel, the hood rails, and the hood of the housing, the door including a cavity having dimensions sized to receive the hood rails and the hood when the door is in a closed position,
wherein the hood and the hood rails are configured to engage the cavity to prevent the door from closing if the second portion of the IV tube is not positioned between the hood rails along the tube channel,
wherein the door further includes a pusher aligned with or located adjacent to the tube channel when the door is in the closed position, the pusher having a surface curvature and a width sized to accept a top side of the second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the pusher having a radial curvature for bending the IV tube from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, and
wherein the width of the pusher enables the pusher to fit between the parallel hood rails when the door is in the closed position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the housing further includes a seal section located along at least the top side of the housing, the seal section including:
at least one rib positioned along the top side of the housing, the at least one rib extending vertically from the top side and defining a tube window having a width sized to enable the second portion of the IV tube to pass between edges of the tube window; and
a rib tube channel aligned with the tube window, the rib tube channel having a horizontal orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, the rib tube channel located adjacent to the tube channel and configured to contact the bottom side of the second portion of the IV tube.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pusher in connection with the tube channel and the rib tube channel enclose or surround the bottom and top sides of the second portion of the IV tube and provide for bending the second portion of IV tube from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a clip at an end of the tube channel configured to receive the second portion of the IV tube.

### Claim 14

An infusion pump apparatus for delivering an intravenous (“IV”) fluid, the apparatus comprising:
a housing including
an actuation area configured to engage a first portion of an IV tube in a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation, the actuation area including a top end for receiving the IV tube from a fluid container and a bottom end for providing the IV tube to a patient,
a housing tube channel located at the top end of the actuation area, the housing tube channel having a surface curvature and a width sized to accept a bottom side of a second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the housing tube channel having a radial curvature for bending the second portion of the IV tube from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation,
a first set of housing ribs located on a first side of the housing tube channel and a second set of housing ribs located on a second, opposite side of the housing tube channel; and
a door connected to the housing and configured to enclose the actuation area, the housing tube channel, and the housing ribs, the door including
a door tube channel configured to align with the housing tube channel when the door is in a closed position, and
a first set of door ribs located on a first side of the door tube channel and a second set of door ribs located on a second side of the door tube channel,
wherein the first and second sets of housing ribs are configured to interlock or overlap with the first and second sets of door ribs when the door is in the closed position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second sets of housing ribs includes at least three parallel ribs and each of the first and second sets of door ribs includes at least two parallel ribs.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the housing tube channel, the door tube channel, the first and second sets of housing ribs, and first and second sets of door ribs include at least one of plastic, rubber, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the door further includes an upper pre-alignment guide that is configured to contact or be adjacent to a top rib of the first and second sets of housing ribs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the door tube channel includes a pusher having a surface curvature and a width sized to accept a top side of the second portion of the IV tube, at least a portion of the pusher having a radial curvature for bending the IV tube from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation when the infusion pump is positioned for operation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the door further includes a roof configured to cover the top end of the actuation area, and wherein the door tube channel, the first set of door ribs, and the second set of door ribs are located on the roof of the door.