Tube occluder and method for occluding collapsible tubes
First Claim
1. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
- an occluding member; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to bend the occluding member from a first configuration to a second configuration, the occluding member in the first configuration being essentially non-compliant to forces applied to the occluding member along at least one direction and the occluding member in the second configuration being compliant with respect to said forces;
wherein at least one end of the occluding member is pivotally attached to a support structure;
wherein two ends of the occluding member are pivotally attached to the support structure, and wherein the force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force to a surface of the occluding member such that the force is applied at at least one point intermediate said two ends;
wherein one of said two ends is pivotally and slidably connected with an occluder blade that is constructed and positioned to occlude the collapsible tube when the occluding member is not subjected to a bending force, and to open the tube allowing fluid flow therethrough when the occluding member is subjected to a bending force.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention involves, in some embodiments, mechanisms and methods of occluding collapsible tubing with an occluder to prevent fluid flow therethrough. In some embodiments, a tube occluding mechanism is disclosed that includes a bendable occluding member for creating a force that can be applied to a collapsible tube to occlude the tube. In some embodiments, the collapsible tube can be an inlet/outlet tube on a removable pumping cartridge that is coupled to a reusable pump drive component when the system is in operation. In such embodiments, the occluding mechanism can be attached to the reusable component and can be used to block fluid flow to and from the pumping cartridge. In some embodiments, the occluding member can comprises a spring plate which can create a force to occlude tubing when in a relaxed, unbent configuration, and which can be bent to unocclude the tubing. In some preferred embodiments, in a default configuration of the tube occluder mechanism (when no external force is applied to the occluding member) the tubes are occluded, so that the tube occluder mechanism provides a fail-safe configuration preventing fluid flow to and from a pumping cartridge to which the tubes can be connected.
249 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
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an occluding member; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to bend the occluding member from a first configuration to a second configuration, the occluding member in the first configuration being essentially non-compliant to forces applied to the occluding member along at least one direction and the occluding member in the second configuration being compliant with respect to said forces;
wherein at least one end of the occluding member is pivotally attached to a support structure;
wherein two ends of the occluding member are pivotally attached to the support structure, and wherein the force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force to a surface of the occluding member such that the force is applied at at least one point intermediate said two ends;
wherein one of said two ends is pivotally and slidably connected with an occluder blade that is constructed and positioned to occlude the collapsible tube when the occluding member is not subjected to a bending force, and to open the tube allowing fluid flow therethrough when the occluding member is subjected to a bending force. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
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an occluding member; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to bend the occluding member from a first configuration to a second configuration, the occluding member in the first configuration being essentially non-compliant to forces applied to the occluding member along at least one direction and the occluding member in the second configuration being compliant with respect to said forces;
wherein said occluding member is oriented with a longitudinal axis that is essentially perpendicular to a wall of a tube to be occluded.
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4. A method for occluding at least one collapsible tube, the method comprising:
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applying a force to bend an occluding member in order to open said collapsible tube to enable fluid flow therethrough; and
releasing said force to relax the occluding member and occlude the collapsible tube. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
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an occluding member; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to apply a force to the occluding member to bend the occluding member from an occluding configuration to an open configuration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
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an occluding member having, in a first configuration, a substantially linear longitudinal axis; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to apply a force to the occluding member to bend the occluding member into a second configuration having a non-linear longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
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an occluding member; and
a force actuator constructed and positioned to disrupt column stability of the occluding member and bend the occluding member.
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15. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:
an occluding member changeable between an occluding configuration, in which the tube is occluded, and an open configuration, the occluding member being constructed and positioned so that it is most resistant to forces applied from the tube to change the occluding member from the occluding configuration to the open configuration when the occluding member is in the occluding configuration.
Specification