Medication infusion device
First Claim
1. In a device for infusion of liquid medication including a finger-type pump unit, said pump unit comprising a cap and at least three elongate fingers arranged to be displaceable towards said cap in a predetermined sequence, cam means for operating said fingers and rotary drive means for driving said cam means, said fingers being operative to squeeze a feeding tube for infusion of medication when said feeding tube is placed between said cap and said fingers, the improvement whereinsaid at least three fingers comprise two side fingers placed in generally parallel relation with and on both sides of at least one central finger, said side fingers each being constructed and arranged to squeeze said feeding tube at corresponding substantially point locations on said feeding tube for collapsing said tube substantially completely at said point locations, and said central finger being constructed and arranged to collapse said feeding tube over a required length between said point locations for pumping medication in the tube,a support member formed integrally at first ends of each of said fingers for supporting said fingers in cantilevered fashion, said support member being in the form of a support frame at least partially encircling the fingers in substantially the same plane as the fingers and said support member including an integrally formed mounting plate for mounting the rotary drive means,said fingers each having a reduced thickness portion at the first ends thereof in the direction toward said cap, anda plurality of cams forming said cam means wherein each cam has a specific cam profile and is operatively associated with a corresponding one of said fingers for operating the finger, said cams having a common axis which extends transversely of the axes of said fingers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid medication infusion device includes a number of elongate fingers each displaceable in a predetermined sequence by associated cams driven by drive means such as a motor. A feeding tube for liquid medication, when placed between said fingers and a cap, is squeezed by the fingers to infuse liquid medication into a human body. The fingers comprise at least three fingers arranged parallel to one another with a central finger and side fingers arranged on either side of the central finger. The central and side fingers are formed integrally with a support member and are each carried at first ends by the support member in cantilevered fashion. The side fingers are shaped for squeezing the feeding tube at corresponding substantially point locations on the tube to completely collapse the tube, and the central finger is shaped for squeezing the feeding tube over a required length between the point locations for pumping the medication in the tube. Each finger has its cantilevered end portion reduced in thickness for providing a spring action.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. In a device for infusion of liquid medication including a finger-type pump unit, said pump unit comprising a cap and at least three elongate fingers arranged to be displaceable towards said cap in a predetermined sequence, cam means for operating said fingers and rotary drive means for driving said cam means, said fingers being operative to squeeze a feeding tube for infusion of medication when said feeding tube is placed between said cap and said fingers, the improvement wherein
said at least three fingers comprise two side fingers placed in generally parallel relation with and on both sides of at least one central finger, said side fingers each being constructed and arranged to squeeze said feeding tube at corresponding substantially point locations on said feeding tube for collapsing said tube substantially completely at said point locations, and said central finger being constructed and arranged to collapse said feeding tube over a required length between said point locations for pumping medication in the tube, a support member formed integrally at first ends of each of said fingers for supporting said fingers in cantilevered fashion, said support member being in the form of a support frame at least partially encircling the fingers in substantially the same plane as the fingers and said support member including an integrally formed mounting plate for mounting the rotary drive means, said fingers each having a reduced thickness portion at the first ends thereof in the direction toward said cap, and a plurality of cams forming said cam means wherein each cam has a specific cam profile and is operatively associated with a corresponding one of said fingers for operating the finger, said cams having a common axis which extends transversely of the axes of said fingers.
Specification