US 8,939,740 B2 · Tube positioner

Abstract

A tube-positioning system for loading tubing into a peristaltic pump includes a shell configured to slidably fit onto, and be releasably secured relative to, an exterior housing of a peristaltic pump. A pair of guides protrude from an upper portion of opposite side walls of the shell with each guide configured to releasably mount a first tube segment to extend between the guides.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims15

Dependent claims

A tube-positioning system for loading tubing into a peristaltic pump, the system comprising

a shell sized and shaped to slidably fit onto an exterior housing of a peristaltic pump, wherein the shell includes a pair of opposite side walls laterally spaced apart from each other with each opposite side wall configured to releasably engage a respective side of the exterior housing to releasably secure the shell relative to the exterior housing, wherein the shell includes a front wall extending between the side walls;
and
a pair of guides protruding from an upper portion of the opposite side walls of the shell, wherein the pair of guides are laterally spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to a width of the exterior housing to cause the guides to be positioned laterally outward from the sides of the exterior housing,
wherein each guide is configured to releasably mount an end of a first tube segment to cause the first tube segment to extend between the pair of guides and externally of the shell,
wherein each of the pair of guides defines an elongate sleeve having a longitudinal axis and the guides are oriented such that a longitudinal axis of one elongate sleeve converges with a longitudinal axis of the other elongate sleeve at point adjacent a mid-portion of the first tube segment, wherein the point is spaced externally apart from, and vertically above, a top edge of the front wall.

2 more elements

A tube-positioning system comprising

a shell sized and shaped to correspond to a size and shape of an exterior housing of a peristaltic pump, wherein the shell includes a pair of opposite side walls laterally spaced apart from each other with each opposite side wall configured to slidably engage a respective side of the exterior housing to releasably, slidably secure the shell in an at least partially enclosing relation about the exterior housing;
a pair of guides protruding from an upper portion of the opposite side walls of the shell, wherein the pair of guides are laterally spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to a width of the exterior housing to cause each guide to be positioned laterally outward from a respective one of the sides of the exterior housing;
and
a first tube segment extending between, and forming an arcuate shape between, the pair of guides, the first tube segment including a pair of ends with each end removably secured within a respective guide of the pair of guides.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,976 words

Summary399 words

#The present disclosure relates to fluid delivery systems. In particular, it relates to fluid delivery systems for medical appliances.

#Certain surgical appliances use a supply of fluid for irrigation of a surgical site on a patient as well as for cooling of the surgical appliance. Some non-limiting examples of this type of surgical appliance include micro-debriders, otologic drills, and the like. One common method of providing consistent fluid delivery to a surgical appliance includes pumping fluid through medical tubing via a positive displacement pump, such as a peristaltic pump. Peristaltic pumps are desirable for many reasons, such as their ability to maintain sterility of the fluid and cleanliness of the pump because the fluid flows through the medical tubing and does not come into contact with components of the pump. For these reasons, a peristaltic pump also can be used for delivering medications via an intravenous delivery system and/or for other medical applications. In each case, some type of tubing is placed within the peristaltic pump to allow its rollers to cyclically engage the tubing to provide the desired pumping action.

#Despite the many advantages of peristaltic pumps for use in medical applications, there are some drawbacks. For example, proper placement of tubing within the pump continues to remain a challenge. In some conventional pumps, an operator uses their hands to feed a segment of the tubing into position within the pump. Despite the best intentions of the operator, the tubing is frequently not aligned properly within the pump, resulting in inconsistent fluid flow and/or the pumping of an insufficient volume of fluid with each cycle of the peristaltic pump. This difficulty arises, in part, from the awkwardness of using two hands to align and place the tubing relative to one or more rollers of the peristaltic pump. At the same time, a user attempts to maintain a proper angle of the tubing as it extends through the pump. A further challenge arises as an operator attempts to close the door of the pump while still maintaining the proper tube positioning. To make matters worse, misunderstandings are common among operators in the field as to what actually constitutes proper tube positioning and as to what is included in the proper technique.

Brief description of the drawings17 figures

#FIG. 1 is perspective view of a system for delivering fluid to a medical appliance, in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front portion of a holder, in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a back portion of the holder of FIG. 2;

Detailed description5,131 words

#Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to insuring consistent fluid flow through tubing to a medical appliance. In particular, these embodiments provide for proper positioning of medical tubing within a peristaltic pump, thereby allowing the proper volume of fluid to be moved through the tubing by the pump. To this end, a holder is provided for holding one or more segments of tubing in a predetermined configuration so that upon slidably fitting the holder onto a pump assembly, the segments of tubing are properly loaded relative to the interior components (e.g., rollers) of the pump. The holder allows for one-handed loading of the tubing. In some embodiments, the holder includes a pair of guides to insure that the tubing extends within, and out of the, pump assembly at the proper angle. In some embodiments, the tubing includes a fixed length of tubing that extends between the guides of the holder to insure that the segment of tubing that is engaged within the pump assembly avoids unwanted stretching and maintains a generally constant length. This arrangement helps the tubing to properly open and close during the cyclic rotation of the rollers of the pump.

#In general terms, embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to provide controlled fluid delivery to any medical appliance receiving fluids via medical tubing via the action of a peristaltic pump. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are not limited solely to use with surgical appliances, but can be employed with a wide variety of medical appliances.

#These and other embodiments are described more fully in association with FIGS. 1-15.

Facts

Application

13/623,514Filed 20 Sep 2012 · continuation

Priority

22 Feb 2008

Published

US 2013/0045112 A121 Feb 2013

Granted

27 Jan 2015

Term ends

14 Mar 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 21 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification10 codes

F04B 43/1253
Having peristaltic action: by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
A61M 5/14232
Pumping with an aspiration and an expulsion action: roller pumps
F04B 43/0072
Particularities of the flexible members: of tubular flexible members
F04B 43/0081
Special features: systems, control, safety measures

Family

Application12/036,148Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Feb 2008

US 2013/0045112 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Feb 2013

US 8,272,857 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2009/0214365 A1Published application

US 8,939,740 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Tube positioner

Life of this patent

Tube positioner

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims15

Description5,976 words

Drawings

Classification10 codes

Life of this patent

Description5,976 words