Tube clamp, and tube clamp set for use with an infusion pump

• US 20060079849A1
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius KABI Deutschland GmbH (Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Poncon, Gilbert, Zoltan, Hubert, Plazy, Jean-Marc, Wilmers, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/250
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/04 Tools for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/281 Automatic tube cut-off devices, e.g. squeezing tube on detection of air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/284 Lever clamps

Abstract

A tube clamp is disclosed for optional opening and closing of tubes such as infusion tubes, an infusion pump, an infusion tube set and the combination thereof, the tube clamp comprising means for opening or closing the tube clamp which interacts with a part of the infusion pump which is a lever for locking and unlocking a door in the pump, wherein an automatic opening and closing of the tube clamp can be realized without a relative movement of the tube clamp and the tube.

Claims

1. In combination, an infusion pump, an infusion tube set and a tube clamp with a tube guided through the tube clamp, the infusion pump comprising a lockable door for insertion and removal of a tube, said tube guided through the tube clamp for opening and closing the tube when the tube clamp is engaged in a locking position;

wherein the infusion pump is provided with an actuating member for one of closing or opening the tube clamp, and for cooperative engagement with a part of the tube clamp, and the infusion tube set for guiding the tube through the tube clamp for selectively opening and closing the tube; and

wherein the tube clamp comprises a shackle of generally U-shaped configuration, said shackle having first and second rigid legs provided with inside projections interacting with one another as pinch-off edges, and a flexible web interconnecting the legs and spreading the legs into a diverging position, said first leg terminating in a flexible spring latch which is configured to point in a direction of the second leg and formed with a lug to define an inner ledge surface for engagement of a free end of the second leg, when the legs are squeezed together, and wherein the web and the spring latch are provided with openings for guiding the tube therethrough;

wherein the clamp is provided actuating means responsive to a force exerted by an actuating member of the infusion pump for moving the legs of the clamp such that the clamp tube can be opened and closed.

2. The tube clamp of the combination of claim 1, wherein the second leg is urged into a locked engagement with a ledge surface of the spring latch in response to the outside force.

3. The tube clamp of the combination according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means responsive to a force exerted by the actuating member of the infusion pump, are provided at the second leg of the tube clamp.

4. The tube clamp of the combination according to claim 3, wherein the actuating means of the second leg are responsive to the force applied in a vertical direction by a rocking lever of the infusion pump.

5. The tube clamp of the combination of claim 4, wherein the actuating means of the clamp is configured as an arched portion disposed at an outer surface of the second leg for interacting with the rocking lever of the infusion pump and constructed in such a way that at least a portion of the lever, upon exertion of the force is rolled off the arched portion.

6. The tube clamp of the combination of claim 5, wherein the arched portion has a toothed surface for interacting with a complementary tooth surface of the rocking lever.

7. The tube clamp of the combination of claim 6, wherein the tube is clamped by the pinch-off edges in response to the outside force in a liquid-tight manner.

8. The tube clamp of the combination of claim 3, wherein the first leg of the tube clamp is formed with a projection in prolongation of the spring latch, said projection being responsive to an interaction with at least part of a rocking lever of the pump for moving the spring latch away from the second leg to reverse the clamped action on the tube.

9. The tube clamp of claim 8, wherein said projection is configured as a stepped shoulder.

10. The tube clamp of claim 9, wherein said projection is configured as an inclined surface.

11. The infusion pump of the combination of claim 1, wherein the actuating member of the infusion pump is rocking lever.