Apparatus for and a method of adjusting the length of an infusion tube

• US 20060186256A1
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unomedical A/S
• Original Assignee: Unomedical A/S
• Inventors: Mogensen, Lasse Wesseltoft, Goransson, Magnus Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/405.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/08 Tubes; Storage means specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1418 Clips, separators or the like for supporting tubes or leads
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/143 at least one end flange being shaped to cover the windings

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for adjusting the length of an infusion tube (2) comprising a first wall (3) and a second wall (4) and at least one connecting element (5) connecting the first wall (3) to the second wall (4), said connecting element (5) being situated at a distance to the peripheral circumference of the walls (6), and wherein the distance between the walls in radial distance to said connecting element provides an inlet opening extending around the connecting element having a width (M) measured between the walls (3, 4); and wherein the apparatus comprises at least one attachment device (8) for securing the infusion tube (2). Hereby a winding of an infusion tube is enabled for adjusting the connection length between pump and the site of infusion anywhere on the infusion tube and on any kind of infusion tube, said apparatus being independent of the infusion unit. Thus, the apparatus enables reuse due to its independence of the pump. The system also enables the user to position the winding unit on any suitable place in his/her body with regard to physiology and to clothing.

Claims

1. An apparatus (1) for adjustment of the length of an infusion tube (2) comprising

a first wall (3);

a second wall (4);

at least one slot (9) arranged in a wall (3, 4) such that an infusion-tube (2) can pass through said wall (3, 4); and

at least one connecting element (5) connecting said first wall (3) to said second wall (4),

said at least one slot (9) extending from the periphery (6) of said wall (3, 4) radially towards the internal area of the wall (3, 4);

said connecting element (5) being secured at a distance to a peripheral circumference (6) of the walls;

the apparatus further comprising an inlet opening (7) extending around the connecting element (5), said opening (7) being provided by a distance between said walls (3, 4) in a radial distance to said connecting element (5), characterised in that inner faces (10, 11) of the first and the second walls (3, 4) converge from the connecting element (5) out towards the inlet opening (7), said opening (7) having a with (M) measured between the walls (3, 4) adapted for allowing passage of a single infusion tube (2).

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and the second walls (3, 4) are identically configured bodies arranged in parallel and opposite to each other.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the connecting element (5) comprises a cylindrical unit, the longitudinal axis of which is located perpendicular to the inner faces (10, 11) of the first and the second walls (3, 4).

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the walls are, at least in the area delimiting the inlet opening (7), manufactured from an elastic material.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the entire apparatus is manufactured from an elastic material.

6. An apparatus according to, claim 1 further comprising an attachment device (21) integrated with the first (3) or second wall (4), for mounting the apparatus on a carrier face.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the attachment device (21) is a clip device for mounting of the apparatus on a carrier face.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one slot (9) is formed in the wall (3, 4) in which the attachment device (21) for mounting the apparatus on a carrier face is arranged.

9. A method of adjusting the length of an infusion tube (2) using an apparatus (1) comprising

a first wall (3);

a second wall (4);

at least one slot (9) arranged in a wall (3, 4) such that an infusion tube (2) can pass through said wall (3, 4); and

at least one connecting element (5) connecting said first wall (3) to said second wall (4);

said at least one slot (9) extending from the periphery (6) of said wall (3, 4) radially towards the internal area of the wall (3, 4);

said connecting element (5) being secured at a distance to a peripheral circumference (6) of the walls;

said inlet opening (7) extending around the connecting element (5), said opening (7) being provided by a distance between said walls (3, 4) in a radial distance to said connecting element (5), said apparatus further comprising inner faces (10, 11) of the first and the second walls (3, 4) converging from the connecting element (5) out towards the inlet opening (7), said opening (7) having a with (M) measured between the walls (3, 4) adapted for allowing passage of a single infusion tube (2), wherein the tube (2) is pressed through the inlet opening (7), such that a first portion (12) and a second portion (13) of the tube is caused to be situated outside the apparatus (1) and a third portion (14) is delimited by the walls (3, 4);

wherein the entire or parts of the second portion (13) of the tube (2) is wound around the connecting element (5); and

wherein the first and second end portions (12, 13) of the tube are secured in the slot (9) or the inlet opening (7).

10. A method according to claim 9, characterised in that the first portion (12) of the tube is secured in a slot (9) extending from the peripheral circumference (6) of the one wall and towards the internal area of the wall.

11. A method according to claim 9, characterised in that a free tube portion is secured at the delimitation of the inlet opening provided at the walls, said delimitation comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.

12. A method according to claim 9, characterised in that the second tube portion is secured in the slot (9) extending from the one peripheral circumference of the one wall and towards the internal area of the wall.

13. (canceled)