IV pole

• US 20050116126A1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safepole, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cari Lynn Ugent, Chris K. Barmore, Elizabeth Mueller, Paul D. Hatch
• Inventors: Mueller, Elizabeth, Ugent, Cari Lynn, Hatch, Paul D., Barmore, Chris K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,969,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1417 Holders or handles for hanging up infusion containers

Abstract

A mobile IV pole has a wheeled base with an enclosure that substantially covers the wheels and a bumper secured to the enclosure. A pole is coupled to the base, and a plurality of hook or other holders are provided for holding intravenous fluid reservoirs. The pole may include first and second arms that extend substantially vertically upwardly from the base, each arm made up of respective lower, central, and upper telescoping tubular portions. The lower portions of the arms are securely coupled to the base, the upper portions are rigidly interconnected with one another, and the central portions of the first and second arms are rigidly interconnected by a stabilization bar which has a plurality of routing channels therein for routing flexible IV tubing. An obliquely oriented handle is coupled to the pole and is axially movable along at least a portion of the pole. The IV pole may be provided with an electrical receptacle having a retractable power cord. A hook or other hanger also may be provided at a lower portion of the pole for hanging a catheter bag, and a further hook, eyelet, or other coupling may be provided for towing the IV pole along with a gurney, wheelchair, or bed, for example.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole;

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof; and

an electrical receptacle mounted to the IV pole.

3. The IV pole of claim 2, wherein the electrical receptacle is mounted to the base.

4. The IV pole of claim 2, wherein the electrical receptacle is mounted to the pole.

5. The IV pole of claim 2, wherein the electrical receptacle includes a plurality of electrical outlets.

6. The IV pole of claim 5, wherein the electrical receptacle comprises a six-gang plug strip.

7. The IV pole of claim 2, further comprising a retractable power cord for electrically coupling the electrical receptacle to an electric power supply.

8. The IV pole of claim 2, wherein the retractable power cord comprises a self-coiling electric power cord.

9. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto, wherein the base comprises an enclosure that substantially covers and encloses the set of wheels;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole; and

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof.

10. The IV pole of claim 9, further comprising a bumper secured to the enclosure at an outer perimeter thereof.

11. The IV pole of claim 10, wherein the bumper extends along substantially the entire perimeter of the enclosure.

12. The IV pole of claim 9, wherein the set of wheels comprises six wheels.

13. The IV pole of claim 9, further comprising a bumper secured to the base at an outer perimeter thereof.

14. The IV pole of claim 13, wherein the bumper extends along substantially the entire perimeter of the base.

15. The IV pole of claim 9, further comprising an electrical receptacle and a retractable power cord for electrically coupling the electrical receptacle to an electric power supply.

16. The IV pole of claim 15, wherein the retractable power cord comprises a self-coiling electric power cord.

17. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole; and

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof, wherein the handle is movable axially along at least a portion of the pole.

18. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole; and

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof, wherein the handle comprises a ring oriented obliquely relative to the pole.

19. The IV pole of claim 18, wherein the handle is movable axially along at least a portion of the pole.

20. The IV pole of claim 18, wherein the handle further comprises a storage receptacle coupled to the ring.

21. (canceled)

22. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole;

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof; and

means for towing the IV pole comprising a fitting coupled to the pole proximate the base, said fitting having an aperture for receiving a towing coupling.

23. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole;

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof; and

an adjustable-height hanger coupled to the pole proximate the base for hanging a catheter bag.

24. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole;

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof; and

an adjustable-height catheter bag hanger coupled to the pole at a vertical position wherein, when a catheter bag is hung on the catheter bag hanger and coupled via a catheter to a catheterization site on a patient, the catheter bag is movable to a position below the catheterization site.

25. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of three or more wheels coupled thereto;

a pole having a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion remote from the base, wherein the pole comprises a first arm extending substantially vertically upwardly from a first portion of the base and a second arms extending substantially vertically upwardly from a second portion of the base different than the first portion;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder proximate the upper portion of the pole; and

a handle coupled to the pole between the lower portion and the upper portion thereof.

26. The IV pole of claim 25, wherein an uppermost portion of the first arm is interconnected with an uppermost portion of the second arm via a rigid U-shaped pole section.

27. The IV pole of claim 25, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises a respective plurality of telescoping tubular sections.

28. The IV pole of claim 25, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises a lower portion secured to the base, a central portion, and an upper portion.

29. The IV pole of claim 28, wherein the upper portion of the first arm is interconnected with the upper portion of the second arm.

30. The IV pole of claim 29, wherein the central portions of the first and second arms are rigidly interconnected via a stabilization bar.

31. The IV pole of claim 30, wherein the stabilization bar defines a plurality of routing channels sized to receive flexible tubing used to carry intravenous fluid.

32. An IV pole, comprising:

a base with a set of at least three wheels coupled thereto, wherein the base includes an enclosure that substantially covers the wheels and a bumper secured to the enclosure at an outer perimeter thereof;

a pole comprising first and second arms extending substantially vertically upwardly from the base, each arm comprising respective lower, central, and upper telescoping portions, wherein the respective lower portions of the first and second arms are securely coupled to the base, and wherein the respective upper portions of the first and second arms are rigidly interconnected with one another, and wherein the respective central portions of the first and second arms are rigidly interconnected via a stabilization bar having a plurality of routing channels sized to receive flexible tubing;

at least one intravenous fluid reservoir holder mounted to the pole proximate the uppermost end thereof; and

a handle coupled to the pole and movable axially along at least a portion of the pole, wherein the handle comprises a ring oriented obliquely relative to the pole.