US 5,398,737 A · Connecting mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to a connecting mechanism for connecting a vessel (5) through the intermediary of a connecting element (3) to a liquid container (6) of an anaesthetic liquid vaporizing apparatus (1), the connecting element including two ducts (23, 24) extending therethrough, the anaesthetic liquid being carried along one (23) of said ducts between vessel (5) and liquid container (6) and the gas displaced by the liquid being carried along the other duct (24) between vessel and liquid container in the direction opposite to that of the liquid, and the connecting mechanism including an attachment point (2) for fixing said connecting element (3) and a transmission element (10) for operating a shut-off device (13), the shut-off device being capable of closing or opening a flow communication between vessel (5) and the liquid container. Transmission element (10) can be in at least three different positions, one of the positions being the one in which the transmission element lies prior to the linking of a connecting element to a connecting mechanism, and one of the positions being the one to which the transmission element shifts automatically as a result of the linking procedure of a connecting element, and one of the positions being the one in which the transmission element lies after the opening of a flow communication controlled by shut-off device (13) between vessel and liquid container. The invention relates also to a method for connecting a vessel (5) through the intermediary of a connecting element (3) to a connecting mechanism and thereby to a liquid container (6).

Claims11

Dependent claims

A connecting mechanism for an anaesthetic liquid vaporizing apparatus (1) for connecting a vessel (5) having a connecting element (3) to a liquid container (6) of the apparatus to provide fluid communication therebetween, responsive to the operation of an operating means of the anaesthetic liquid vaporizing apparatus, said connecting mechanism comprising:

attachment means (2) to which the connecting element (3) is connected by movement of the connecting element along a generally straight line of movement;
shutoff means (13) for providing or preventing fluid communication between the liquid container (6) of the apparatus and the connecting element (3), when the connecting element is connected to said attachment means;
and
a transmission element (10) adapted to be selectively operable by the operating means of the anaesthetic liquid vaporizing apparatus to open said shutoff means, said transmission element being in a first position when the connecting element is not connected to said attachment means, wherein said transmission element is out of engagement with said shutoff means or the operating means, said transmission element being movable from said first position to a second position along a straight line of motion parallel to said line of movement by connection of the connecting element to said attachment means, wherein said transmission element can engage both said shutoff means and the operating means, said transmission element being further moveable, other than along said line of motion, upon the operation of the operating means to open said shutoff means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Connecting mechanism

Life of this patent

Connecting mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11