Hose clamp

• US 4,589,626 A
• Filed: 03/13/1985
• Issued: 05/20/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bioresearch Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bioresearch Incorporated
• Inventors: LiCausi, Joseph, Kurtz, Leonard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flanigan, Allen J.
• Application Number:
  US06/711,184
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 251/9, 251/10, 251/7, 128/346, 604/34
• US Class Current: 251/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/288 by bending or twisting the tube

Abstract

A clamp for controlling the flow through a hose or flexible tubing such as is used in intravenous systems comprises a pair of parallel leg members joined by a curved end portion, each leg containing elements capable of clamping down on the tubing when the clamp is brought into closed position. The clamp contains a catch arm which sits on a flexible arm member at the free end portion of the clamp, and retains the upper leg member when the clamp is closed. Optionally, this catch arm can be multi-tiered, allowing the clamp to be closed at a variety of positions, each restricting a different amount of flow. When clamped, the clamping elements from each leg are alongside each other, crimping the tubing at two slightly separated points, and maximizing the clamping effect on the tubing. There are openings through the curved end portion and through the flexible arm member to receive the tube, and to retain it in position to maximize the effect of the clamp.

Claims

1. A clamp for controlling flow through hoses or flexible tubing, said hoses or flexible tubing being positioned between two clamping elements which control flow through the hose or tubing, said clamp comprising a generally U-shaped body, having generally parallel upper and lower leg members connected by a curved end portion, one of said clamping elements extending upwardly from said lower leg member, the other extending downwardly from said upper leg member, one of said clamping elements located at a point on said clamp which is slightly forward of the other clamping element when the clamp is brought into closed position, said clamping elements disposed so that they overlap each other when viewed along the tubing axis when the clamp is closed in order to create friction against pulling the tube through the clamp, a flexible arm member extending upwardly from and forming approximately a right angle with the rearward end of the lower leg member and projecting beyond the upper leg member, a protruding ledge member located in said flexible arm member at a position approximately level with said upper leg member, capable of retaining the upper leg member when the clamp is brought to a closed position, said curved end portion having an opening capable of receiving a hose or flexible tubing, and said flexible arm member having an opening capable of receiving a hose or flexible tubing, said opening aligned with the opening in said curved end portion.

2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the separation between clamping elements when the clamp is brought into closed position approximately equals the width of a flattened tube without compression in order to create friction against pulling the tube through the clamp when the clamp is closed.

3. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amount of overlap of the two clamping elements approximately equals the width of a flattened tube without compression.

4. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the downwardly extending clamping element compresses a tube to approximately one-half of its noncompressed wall thickness when the clamp is closed in order to effect a total cut-off of flow through said tube.

5. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 where the catch arm comprises a plurality of ledges each capable of retaining the upper leg member, said ledges positioned sequentially along the upper end of said flexible arm member, the lowermost of said ledges capable of retaining said clamp in a position so as to cut off flow through said tubing entirely, and the remainder of said ledges positioned so as to retain said clamp in a position whereby some flow through said tubing is allowed, with progressively greater flow allowed as said clamp is retained by said ledges closer to the upper end of said flexible arm member.