Anesthetic gas vaporizer with a connection arrangement for a collar-equipped gas bottle

• US 6,676,172 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Siemens-Elema AB (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Alksnis, Ivars
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US10/025,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 285/305, 285/308, 285/319, 285/321, 215/43, 215/386
• US Class Current: 285/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/186 Locking systems

Abstract

An anesthetic vaporizer has a receiving part devised for connection to a collar-equipped bottle, the receiving part having a locking device for locking/unlocking the bottle. Improved connection is achieved by providing the receiving part with a tubular section with a tube wall and an internal cavity, with a through opening arranged in the tube wall enabling the bottle'"'"'s collar to move past the opening when the bottle is attached to the receiving part. The opening extends down at an angle to the center line of the tubular section, and the locking device has a resilient locking element partially arranged in the opening. The resilient locking element is devised to assume, in a passive state, a first position inside the internal cavity preventing the unimpeded passage of the bottle'"'"'s collar and, when acted upon, to move downwards-outwards in the opening to a second position in the cavity allowing the unimpeded passage of the bottle'"'"'s collar, and an opening arrangement is disposed, when actuated, to act on the resilient locking element.

Claims

1. A connection arrangement for a collar-equipped bottle in an anesthetic vaporizer, said connection arrangement comprising:

a receiving part having a tubular section with a tube wall and an interior cavity, said tube wall having a through opening therein adapted to allow a collar of a gas bottle to move through the opening when the bottle is inserted into said receiving part, said opening extending at an angle relative to a center line of said tubular section;

a locking device adapted to interact with the collar of the bottle as the bottle is inserted into said receiving part, said locking device comprising a resilient locking element having a circular arc and two radially disposed parallel ends connected thereto, said locking element partially disposed in said opening and assuming, in a passive state, a first position inside said interior cavity preventing unimpeded passage of said collar and, when acted upon, being axially downwardly and radially outwardly movable in said opening to a second position in said cavity allowing unimpeded passage of said collar past said locking element; and

an actuatable spreading arrangement disposed for acting upon said locking element for, when actuated, spreading said resilient locking element to allow unimpeded passage of said collar therethrough.

2. A connection arrangement as claimed in claim 1 said ends of said locking element protrude from an exterior of said tube wall, and wherein said spreading arrangement comprises an actuator mounted for movement along said exterior of said tube wall parallel to said ends to act on said ends causing said ends to move axially downwardly and radially outwardly in said opening.

3. A connection arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient element has a portion thereof passing through said interior cavity which is substantially straight.

4. A connection arrangement as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an adapter for attachment to said bottle, said adapter carrying said collar thereon.