SAFETY OCCLUDER AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20090254034A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zevex (Moog Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zevex (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beck, Kent, Juretich, Jeff, Federspiel, Ryan, Eggers, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 9,017,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/28 Clamping means for squeezing flexible tubes, e.g. roller clamps tube strippers A61M1/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/281 Automatic tube cut-off devices, e.g. squeezing tube on detection of air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/283 Screw clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/284 Lever clamps

Abstract

An improved safety occluder and method of use provides an occluder for an infusion set having a first, occluding position, a second, non-occluding position which returns to the first, occluding position when the occluder'"'"'s plunger is released, and a third, non-occluding position which retains the plunger in a configuration which allows fluid flow through the infusion set. The occluder may also include a locking mechanism to prevent accidental movement of the plunger out of the first, occluding position.

Claims

1. An occluder for selectively preventing fluid flow through tubing of an infusion set, the occluder comprising:

a body having a void therein for receiving a plunger;

a biasing element for biasing the plunger; and

a plunger movable within the body and cooperating with the body to selectively pinch tubing passing through the body, the plunger having a first, occluding position into which the plunger is biased, a second, non-occluding position wherein the plunger is biased to return to the first, occluding position when no external force is applied thereto, and a third, non-occluding position wherein the plunger is held in the non-occluding position.

2. The occluder according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one projection disposed on one of the plunger and the body and a plurality of interconnected channels disposed on the other of the plunger and the body, and wherein the projection is disposed in the plurality of channels and moves therein to control the movement of the plunger between the first, second and third plunger positions.

3. The occluder according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of channels comprises a generally vertical channel and a non-vertical channel connected thereto, and wherein the projection is disposed at the top of the generally vertical channel when the plunger is disposed in the first position, wherein the projection is disposed at an intersection between the generally vertical channel and the non-vertical channel when the plunger is disposed in the second position, and wherein the projection is disposed in the non-vertical channel when the plunger is disposed in the third position.

4. The occluder according to claim 3, wherein the non-vertical channel is generally perpendicular to the generally vertical channel.

5. The occluder according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least one resilient guide for centering the plunger within the body.

6. The occluder according to claim 5, wherein the body has a sidewall and wherein the at least one resilient guide is formed by a portion of the side wall.

7. The occluder according to claim 1, wherein the plunger is movable laterally within the body and wherein the plunger moves vertically within the body between the first position and the second position and wherein the plunger moves laterally between the second position and the third position.

8. The occluder according to claim 7, wherein the occluder comprises a second biasing element for biasing the plunger laterally from the third position to the second position.

9. The occluder according to claim 1, wherein the plunger comprises at least one resilient guide for centering the plunger laterally within the body.

10. The occluder according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing movement of the plunger from the first, occluding position to the second, non-occluding position.

11. The occluder according to claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a catch disposed along the plunger.

12. The occluder according to claim 10, wherein the plunger comprises at least one guide arm, the guide arm having a catch extending therefrom which engages a ledge of the body unless a force is applied to the guide arm to move the catch away from the body.

13. An occluder for selectively preventing fluid flow through tubing of an infusion set comprising:

a body having one or more openings formed therein for receiving tubing of an infusion set; and

a plunger having an opening therein for receiving a tubing of an infusion set, the plunger being moveable within said body, the plunger having a first, occluding position, a second, non-occluding position, and a third, locked open non-occluding position, and wherein the plunger moves in a first direction between the first position and the second position and in a second direction different from the first direction between the second position and the third position.

14. An occluder according to claim 13, further comprising a biasing element for biasing the plunger into the first position from the second position.

15. An occluder according to claim 14, further comprising a second biasing element for biasing the plunger from the third position to the second position, and wherein, when the plunger is in the third position, movement of the plunger towards the body in the first direction releases the plunger such that the second biasing element moves the plunger from the third position to the second position.

16. An occluder according to claim 13, wherein the plunger has a projection extending therefrom and wherein the body has a channel formed therein, and wherein the projection engages the channel to limit the movement of the plunger between the first, second and third positions.

17. An occluder according to claim 16, wherein the channel comprises a vertical section extending between a first point and a second point, a lateral section extending between the second point and a third point, and a vertical section extending between the third point and a fourth point.

18. An occluder according to claim 13, further comprising a first biasing element for biasing the plunger from the second position to the first position and a second biasing element for biasing the plunger from the third position to the second position.

19. The occluder according to claim 18, wherein the second biasing element comprises at least one resilient guide arm for centering the plunger laterally within the body.

20. The occluder according to claim 13, further comprising a guide arm disposed on the plunger for biasing the plunger from the third position to the second position, and wherein the guide arm has a catch disposed thereon which engages the body and prevents the plunger from moving from the first position to the second position unless the guide arm is moved laterally to release the catch.

21. The occluder according to claim 20, wherein the guide has a release projection formed thereon which extends laterally beyond the side of the occluder, and wherein pressing the release projection inwardly moves the catch away from the body.

22. A method for selectively occluding fluid flow through a tubing the method comprising:

selecting an occluder mounted on tubing of an infusion set, the occluder having a body and a plunger configured for selectively occluding flow through the tubing;

moving the plunger from a first, occluding position into a second, non-occluding position where release of the plunger will return the plunger to the first, occluding position, and

further moving the plunger from the second, non-occluding position into a third, non-occluding position wherein release of the plunger will not move the plunger into the first, occluding position.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein further moving the plunger from the second, non-occluding position into the third, non-occluding position comprises sliding or pivoting the plunger within the body.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the method comprises providing a bias to encourage the plunger to move into the second, non-occluding position when the plunger is depressed while in the third, non-occluding position.

25. The method according to claim 22 further locking the plunger into the first, occluding position and requiring the application of an external force apart from pressing downward on the plunger to unlock the locking mechanism and move the plunger from the first, occluding position to the second, non-occluding position.

26. An occluder for selectively preventing flow through tubing of an infusion set comprising:

a body having an opening formed therethrough for receiving a tube and a space therein for receiving a plunger;

a plunger movable within the space in the body, the plunger having an opening therethrough for receiving the tube, the plunger being movable in a first direction perpendicular to a tube passing therethrough between a first position wherein the occluder prevents flow through the tube and a second position wherein the occluder allows flow through the tube;

a tube passing through the occluder; and

a guide arm extending from the plunger, the guide arm having a catch formed thereon for engaging a ledge formed on the body to selectively prevent movement of the plunger from the first position.

27. The occluder according to claim 26, wherein the guide arm extends generally parallel to the first direction of movement.

28. The occluder according to claim 26, wherein the guide arm has a release projection disposed thereon, and wherein moving the release projection laterally inwardly moves the catch away from the ledge and allows the plunger to move to the second position.

29. A system comprising the occluder according to claim 28, and further comprising an infusion pump, and wherein the occluder is placed into a channel in the infusion pump, and wherein the channel is formed with a width such that placement of the occluder into the channel moves the release projection inwardly towards the body of the occluder and thereby allows movement of the plunger from the first position to the second position.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the pump comprises a pumping mechanism, a pump door and a pump door latch, and wherein closing the pump door presses the tube against the pumping mechanism and closing the pump door latch secures the door in a closed position, and wherein closing the pump door latch presses on the plunger to thereby allow flow through the tube.

31. The occluder according to claim 26, wherein the plunger has a pair of guide arms formed on opposing sides of the plunger.