APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MITIGATING FREE FLOW IN A FLUID ADMINISTRATION SET

• US 20140121601A1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John C. Hoenninger III
• Inventors: Hoenninger, John C. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,468,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/121 interface between cassette and base
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/28 Clamping means for squeezing flexible tubes, e.g. roller clamps tube strippers A61M1/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A free flow mitigating device for a fluid administration set includes a pump driver mechanism having a locator pin attached and positioned to register with a locator hole on the administration set, for example in a cassette. The locator pin has a surface area. A compressible material is attached to at least a portion of the surface area of the locator pin. The compressible material has a thickness such that it is frictionally received within the locator hole of the cassette sufficient to provide a retaining force to resist cassette movement during closing of a flow regulator valve of the cassette.

Claims

1. A device for mitigating free flow in an infusion pump that receives a fluid administration set, comprising:

a pump driver mechanism having a locator pin that extends outwardly from a mechanism plate;

an administration set having a locator hole that registers with the locator pin;

wherein the locator pin has a surface area; and

a compressible material positioned on at least a portion of the surface area of the locator pin and retaining the administration set by frictional engagement with the locator hole.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the compressible material is frictionally received within the locator hole when the administration set is placed on the locator pin.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the compressible material has a thickness that provides a sufficient frictional force against a sidewall of the locator hole to oppose a force applied to close a flow regulator valve of a cassette of the administration set.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the locator pin has opposite ends and a necked-in intermediate portion between the opposite ends.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the locator pin has opposite ends that include a first end attached to the mechanism plate and a free end opposite the first end, and wherein a necked-in portion is juxtapositioned adjacent to the free end.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the locator pin has a cylindrical portion and a conical tip.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the locator pin is tapered at least at one end.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the compressible material covers the surface area of a free end of the locator pin.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the locator pin has all exposed portions of the surface area covered completely with the compressible material.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the mechanism plate is generally upright and the locator pin extends horizontally outwardly from the mechanism plate.

11. A method of retrofitting an infusion pump that receives a fluid administration set with a free flow mitigating device, comprising the steps of:

attaching a locator pin having a surface area to a mechanism plate of a pump driver mechanism; and

attaching a compressible material to at least a portion of the surface area of the locator pin.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the administration set includes a cassette and the locator pin has a length sufficient to extend through and out of a locator pin opening on the cassette.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the compressible material is of a thickness that frictionally engages a sidewall of the locator pin opening of the cassette to provide sufficient retentive force to maintain the cassette fixed in position on the locator pin during movement of a flow regulator valve by an external force.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the locator pin is tapered at least at one end.