Organizer for medical tubes and cables

• US 20040118982A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boyd, D?apos;Ann, Shillings D. Kay
• Original Assignee: Boyd, D?apos;Ann, Shillings D. Kay
• Inventors: Boyd, D?apos;Ann, Shillings, D. Kay
• Application Number:
  US10/323,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/223 each support having one transverse base for supporting the pipes F16L3/23, F16L3/237 take precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for organizing medical lines so as to facilitate identification and prevent entanglement and dislodgement of the lines includes a rigid elongated base panel and an upwardly directed securing panel. Mounting features located beneath the base panel enable the apparatus to be quickly and removably attached to the rail of a hospital bed. A series of slots in the securing panel extend toward the base panel and terminate in confining apertures having dimensions larger than the width of the associated slot. The apparatus permits transverse insertion of a medical line into a slot and positioning in a confining aperture, thereby allowing longitudinal and limited lateral movement of the line while preventing entanglement with adjacent lines.

Claims

1. ) An organizer apparatus for mounting upon a rail of a hospital bed for receiving flexible medical lines, said apparatus comprising:

a) a rigid base panel of elongated rectangular contour bounded in part by a flat upper surface and opposed lower surface,

b) mounting means associated with said lower surface for the purpose of releasibly engaging a rail of said hospital bed, and

c) a securing panel orthogonally emergent from said upper surface and terminating in a distal extremity parallel to said upper surface, and having a series of spaced apart slots which open upon said distal extremity and terminate in a confining aperture within said securing panel and dimensioned larger than the width of the associated slot, whereby

d) a flexible medical line can be laterally inserted through a slot and caused to reside within an associated confining aperture which permits axial and lateral sliding movement of the line, and said flat upper surface permits placement of indicia to identify each confined line.

2. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting means is comprised of opposed side panels downwardly directed from said lower surface and having facing surfaces spaced apart a proper distance to frictionally embrace a bed rail, said side panels acting in concert with the lower surface of said base panel.

3. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mounting means is provided with a layer of a rubbery material attached to said facing surfaces for the purpose of preventing slippage of the apparatus while mounted upon said bed rail.

4. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 3 wherein said side panels are downwardly convergent, terminating in lowermost parallel edges spaced apart by a distance slightly smaller than the diameter of said bed rail.

5. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side panels operate in a resilient manner to grip said bed rail.

6. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said side panels have a height between 1 and 3 inches, as measured between the upper surface of said base panel and said lowermost edges.

7. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said slots have a widened upper extremity which opens upon said distal extremity and facilitates transverse insertion of a medical line.

8. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said confining apertures are elongated in a direction parallel to said upper surface of said base panel.

9. ) The organizer apparatus of claim 8 wherein said confining apertures have an oval shaped configuration.