Anesthetic vaporizer filling system

A delivery system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to an anesthetic vaporizer, said system comprising:

• (A) an anesthetic agent supply container defining an outlet through which said agent can be discharged;
• (B) a valve seat in said container and a valve member in said container biased toward a closed position against said seat whereby flow through said outlet is occluded when said valve member is in said closed position;
• and
• (C) a cap removably attached to said container, said cap engaging said valve member and holding said valve member away from said valve seat to prevent contact between said valve seat and said valve member prior to removal of said cap.

A delivery system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to an anesthetic vaporizer, said system comprising:

• an anesthetic agent supply container;
• a receiving station on said anesthetic vaporizer for receiving said container so that said agent can be dispensed from said container into said vaporizer;
• said container having a capacity to hold said liquid anesthetic agent, said container comprising a collar, a spout mounted within said collar and movable lengthwise between (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position, and a frangible membrane located inwardly of said spout, said membrane constructed to provide a liquid-tight seal and to isolate said liquid anesthetic agent in said container from an external environment of said container;
• said spout having a proximal end portion having a capacity to rupture said frangible membrane and having a distal end portion having a capacity to engage said receiving station to limit movement of said spout into said receiving station whereby said body and collar can continue to move relative to said spout after said distal end portion engages said receiving station to carry said membrane against said proximal end portion of said spout and rupture said membrane.

A delivery system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to an anesthetic vaporizer, said system comprising:

• (A) an anesthetic agent supply container defining an outlet through which said agent can be discharged;
• (B) an outlet valve member in said container and a first spring in said container biasing said outlet valve member to an extended, closed position occluding flow through said outlet;
• (C) a receiving station on said anesthetic vaporizer for receiving said container and through which said agent can be dispensed into said vaporizer;
• and
• (D) a movable engaging member in said vaporizer receiving station and a second spring in said receiving station biasing said engaging member to an extended position from a fully depressed position, said engaging member being engagable with said valve member and being urged to said fully depressed position when said container is inserted into said vaporizer receiving station, said engaging member being restrained in said fully depressed position against further movement away from said extended position, and said second spring having less compression force than said first spring whereby said outlet valve member is moved away from said closed position by said engaging member only after said engaging member has been urged to said fully depressed position.

A method for filling an anesthetic vaporizer with a liquid anesthetic agent, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container holding a liquid anesthetic agent, said container having an outlet structure including an outlet valve and a frangible membrane sealing off communication between said liquid anesthetic agent held by said container and said outlet valve;
• providing an anesthetic vaporizer having a receiving passage;
• inverting said container holding said liquid anesthetic agent and disposing said container in said receiving passage in said vaporizer;
• opening said outlet valve;
• and
• rupturing said frangible web whereby said agent can flow by gravity into said vaporizer.

A method for filling an anesthetic vaporizer with liquid anesthetic agent from a container, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container of liquid anesthetic agent having a frangible membrane sealing the agent within said container and having an outlet through which the agent can be discharged by gravity flow upon rupture of said frangible membrane;
• inverting said container in a receiving reservoir in said vaporizer;
• and
• rupturing said frangible membrane.

A method for filling an anesthetic vaporizer with a liquid anesthetic agent from a container of said agent, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a container of liquid anesthetic agent, said container having a hollow body containing said liquid anesthetic agent, a collar mounted on said body, a spout mounted within said collar, said spout being constructed to be movable lengthwise between an extended position and a retracted position, and a frangible membrane sealing said hollow body from an external environment of said container;
• inverting said container of said liquid anesthetic agent and disposing said container in a receiving station in said vaporizer;
• and
• engaging said spout with said receiving station to limit movement of said spout into the receiving station whereby said body and collar can continue to move inwardly relative to said spout to carry said membrane against said spout and rupture said membrane.

A delivery system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent to an anesthetic vaporizer which has a receiving station with an engaging member projecting in the direction outwardly of said station, said system comprising:

• an anesthetic agent supply container defining an outlet through which said agent can be discharged;
• said container defining an outlet valve seat at said outlet;
• said container including an outlet valve biased toward said seat, said outlet valve having a sealing cap having a capacity to engage said outlet valve seat, said sealing cap having a peripheral, outwardly convex, arcuate sealing surface for engaging said outlet valve seat;
• and
• said outlet valve defining a non-planar sealing surface for engaging said seat when said outlet valve is closed, said outlet valve being movable to an open position by engagement with said engaging member in said vaporizer.