Slide clamp
First Claim
1. A slide clamp for use with a tube having a fluid passageway, the slide clamp comprising:
- a plate having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; and
a slot disposed within the plate, the slot having a width;
the slot comprising a flow section in which the width of the slot is dimensioned to allow free flow of fluid through the fluid passageway when the tube is located in the flow section and an occlusion section in which the width of the slot is dimensioned to prevent free flow of fluid through the fluid passageway when the tube is located in the occlusion section;
the slot also comprising a pinch zone interconnecting the flow section and the occlusion section in which the width of the slot has a narrow configuration at which the width of the slot is less than the width in the occlusion section, the pinch zone thereby resisting movement of the tube from either the flow section or the occlusion section to another section, the slot of the pinch zone also having an expanded configuration at which the width of the slot expands to permit movement of the tube through the pinch zone upon application of a threshold force to the tube in the desired direction of movement of the tube, the pinch zone being bi-directional in that the tube may be moved through the pinch zone from either the flow section or the occlusion section.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A slide clamp includes a slot formed in a plate though which a fluid tube is mounted. The tube may be moved to a flow section of the slot or to an occluding section of the slot. Interconnecting the flow and occluding sections is a pinch zone in which the slot is narrower than the occluding section. Because of this narrow slot, the pinch zone resists movement of the tube from either the occluding or the flow sections into another section. The pinch zone includes a pair of curved beams that are formed as a result of apertures formed in the plate at locations laterally outward from the slot of the pinch zone. As a tube is forced from the occluding section to the flow section the curved beams flex outwardly permitting the tube to pass. However, if enough force is not applied to the tube, it will not overcome the curved beams and they will stop movement of the tube. After the tube has passed, the curved beams resiliently return to their rest position once again providing a stop. The beams are symmetrically shaped and will permit movement of the tube in either direction. The apertures also provide identification markers for the slide clamp.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A slide clamp for use with a tube having a fluid passageway, the slide clamp comprising:
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a plate having a longitudinal length and a transverse width; and
a slot disposed within the plate, the slot having a width;
the slot comprising a flow section in which the width of the slot is dimensioned to allow free flow of fluid through the fluid passageway when the tube is located in the flow section and an occlusion section in which the width of the slot is dimensioned to prevent free flow of fluid through the fluid passageway when the tube is located in the occlusion section;
the slot also comprising a pinch zone interconnecting the flow section and the occlusion section in which the width of the slot has a narrow configuration at which the width of the slot is less than the width in the occlusion section, the pinch zone thereby resisting movement of the tube from either the flow section or the occlusion section to another section, the slot of the pinch zone also having an expanded configuration at which the width of the slot expands to permit movement of the tube through the pinch zone upon application of a threshold force to the tube in the desired direction of movement of the tube, the pinch zone being bi-directional in that the tube may be moved through the pinch zone from either the flow section or the occlusion section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A slide clamp for use with a tube having a fluid passageway, the clamp including a plate having a longitudinal length and a transverse width, a slot disposed within the plate having a flow section dimensioned to allow free flow of fluid through the passageway, an occlusion section dimensioned to prevent free flow of fluid through the passageway, and a necked area interconnecting the non-occlusion section and the occlusion section, the necked area comprising:
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a pair of curved beams having a space located therebetween;
a first position wherein the space between the curved beams has an unexpanded width narrower than a width of the occlusion section; and
a second position wherein the curved beams flex to expand the width of the space to permit movement of the tube from the flow section to the occlusion section and from the occlusion section to the flow section when the tube is subjected to a force adequate to flex the curved beams;
wherein the curved beams being formed so that they flex back to the first position after the tube has moved through the space; and
wherein the curved beams resist movement of the tube from the occlusion section to the flow section when the tube is subjected to a force inadequate to flex the curved beams. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification