Portable pump assembly

• US 5,782,611 A
• Filed: 04/04/1997
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernard Bouvier, Frederic Neftel
• Original Assignee: Bernard Bouvier, Frederic Neftel
• Inventors: Neftel, Frederic, Bouvier, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korytnyk, Peter G.
• Application Number:
  US08/817,545
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 417/313, 417/360, 417/234, 417/477.1, 248/225.11, 248/223.41, 248/222.11, 604/153
• US Class Current: 417/234
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements

Abstract

A portable pump assembly is provided. The pump assembly includes a pump and various accessories that enable the pump or alternatively, the pump and a pouch containing a liquid for injection, to be fixed to various accessories without requiring modification of the pump box and without requiring specific fixing apparatus for each of the accessories used with the pump.

Claims

1. A portable pump assembly comprising a pump mounted in a box and a plurality of distinct accessories fixable on said pump box, wherein:

said pump box (10) has both a control face (12) and a fixing face (14) that is distinct from the control face, said fixing face including first mechanical fixing means (30,

     32) and non-moving first locking means (36);

said pump box further includes a single link member (40) having a top face (44a) and second mechanical fixing means (60,

     62) disposed in a plane offset from the top face, said first and second mechanical fixing means forming a rib-and-slideaway system, and with moving second locking means (48,

     64) such that when the first and second mechanical fixing means co-operate mutually, the first and second locking means (48,

     64) also co-operate to secure said link member of said box, and the top face including a first fixing zone and a control element (54) for unlocking the second locking means;

each accessory (70, 90,

     100) includes a second fixing zone suitable for engaging at least a portion of said first fixing zone; and

each accessory further includes fixing means (80) for fixing said second fixing zone on at least a portion of said first fixing zone.

2. A portable pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second mechanical fixing means comprise slideway-forming means (30, 32) secured to one of the elements constituted by the box (10) and the link member (40), and ribs (60, 62) suitable for co-operating with said slideway-forming means and secured to the other element.

3. A portable pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-moving first locking means comprise a locking ramp (36) formed in the fixing face of the box (10), and in that the moving second locking means comprise a tongue (48) mounted to pivot relative to said link member (40, 44), said tongue including a first end (56) provided with a locking member (64) suitable for cooperating with the first locking means when said first and second fixing means are co-operating, and a second end (54) constituting said control element.

4. A portable pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second fixing zones respectively comprise orifices (66, 68, 69, 78) and tapped holes, and in that the fixing means comprise screws (80).

5. A pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (54) for the second locking means is external to at least a portion of said first fixing zone.

6. A portable pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said accessories is constituted by a resilient blade (70) having a free first end (72) and a second end secured to an extension (76) projecting from a face of said blade, the free end (76a) of said extension forming said second fixing zone, thereby enabling said accessory to constitute a hook when fixed on said link member.

7. A portable pump assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said members is a fixing piece (90) for fixing to a bracket, said fixing piece comprising a fixing jaw (92) for engaging the bracket and a fixing body (96), said fixing body having a face that forms said second fixing zone.

8. A pump assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said fixing body (96) is connected to said jaw (92) via a ball-and-socket assembly.

9. A pump assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that one of said accessories is constituted by a case in the form of a bag (100) having a first portion (102) suitable for receiving a pouch containing the liquid to be injected by means of said pump, and a second portion (104) suitable for receiving said pump (10), said second portion having a wall (106) defining a second fixing zone suitable for co-operating with the first fixing zone of said link member (40).

10. A pump assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that one of said accessories is constituted by a snap-fastening member suitable for co-operating with the snap-fastening member of an additional accessory.