Infusion set improvements

• US 8,500,054 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Grant, Kevin L., Gray, Larry B., Harris, Matthew C., Klein, Jeffrey L., Steinfels, Craig R., Tracey, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDWAY, SCOTT J
• Application Number:
  US11/235,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20060065772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,870 Days
• Field of Search: 242/129.2, 242/166, 242/171, 242272-274, 242/346.1, 242/362.1, 242/388, 242/475, 242/476.9, 242/480.5, 242/480.8, 242/370, 242/404, 242/388.1, 254/271, 604/153
• US Class Current: 242/388.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/087 Tools for handling tubes, e.g. crimping tool for connecting tubes to a connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/08 Tubes; Storage means specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1418 Clips, separators or the like for supporting tubes or leads
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/36 without essentially involving the use of a core or former internal to a stored package of material, e.g. with stored material housed within casing or container, or intermittently engaging a plurality of supports as in sinuous or serpentine fashion
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4473 without arrangements or adaptations for rotating the core or former

Abstract

A method and device for adjusting the unstored length of tubing directed to improving the use of infusion sets that deliver fluids to a user. The device includes a storage module and other features for adjusting, storing and securing the length of the tubing. The method of adjusting the length of the tubing to a desired length typically comprises removably attaching the tubing to the adjuster, adjusting the tubing by wrapping the tubing around a hub or post of the adjuster, and fixing the length of the unstored tubing by attaching the tubing to a securing device such as a friction structure or fastener.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting an unstored length of tube to transfer a fluid into a living body, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a tube capable of connecting a fluid source to the living body;

providing a user-wearable tube length adjuster, the adjuster including a storage module having an inner hub sandwiched by a first exterior disc and a second exterior disc, the first exterior disc and the second exterior disc having opposed exterior surfaces formed on sides of the first and second exterior discs opposite the hub, the exterior surfaces extending over substantially the entire side of the first exterior disc and the entire side of the second exterior disc opposite the hub, at least one exterior surface having at least a first trough-shaped notch and a second trough-shaped notch formed therein, the first trough-shaped notch and the second trough-shaped notch formed next to one another in the exterior surface and traversing the entire exterior surface by extending from a first point on a circumference of the respective exterior disc to a second point on the circumference of the respective exterior disc, the first trough-shaped notch configured to contain at least a first portion of a length of tube and the second trough-shaped notch configured to contain at least a second portion of the length of tube, the storage module configured wherein the tube may be wrapped about the hub between the first exterior disc and the second exterior disc;

removably attaching the tube to the adjuster by wrapping the tube about the hub and by accommodating the first portion of the length of tube within the first trough-shaped notch and the second portion of the length of tube within the second trough-shaped notch; and

storing a portion of the tube on the storage module to adjust the unstored length of tube.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of fixing the unwrapped length of the tube onto a fastening device for maintaining the length of the tube about the storage module.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid source includes insulin.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the storage module includes at least one fastening device, and storing the portion of the tube includes fastening the tube on the at least one fastening device.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein removably attaching the tube to the adjuster includes removably attaching the tube to the storage module.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing a portion of the tube includes rotating the tube about the storage module.

7. A tube length adjuster comprising:

a storage module having an inner hub sandwiched by a first exterior disc and a second exterior disc, the first exterior disc and the second exterior disc having opposed exterior surfaces formed on sides of the first and second exterior discs opposite the hub, the exterior surfaces extending over substantially the entire side of the first exterior disc and the entire side of the second exterior disc opposite the hub, at least one exterior surface having at least a first trough-shaped notch and a second trough-shaped notch formed therein, the first trough-shaped notch and the second trough-shaped notch formed next to one another in the exterior surface and traversing the entire exterior surface by extending from a first point on a circumference of the respective exterior disc to a second point on the circumference of the respective exterior disc, the first trough-shaped notch configured to contain at least a first portion of a length of tube configured to carry fluids and the second trough-shaped notch configured to contain at least a second portion of the length of tube, the storage module configured to allow at least a portion of the length of tube to be wrapped about the hub between the first exterior disc and the second exterior disc and at least a first portion of the length of tube to be contained within the first trough-shaped notch and at least a second portion of the length of tube to be contained within the second trough-shaped notch; and

at least one fastening device for maintaining the first portion of the length of tube contained in the first trough-shaped notch and the second portion of the length of tube contained in the second trough-shaped notch;

wherein wrapping the tube about the hub shortens the tube and unwrapping the tube from the hub lengthens the tube.

8. A tube length adjuster according to claim 7, wherein the storage module includes a plurality of fastening devices, each fastening device capable of maintaining the length of tube.

9. A tube length adjuster according to claim 8, wherein the fastening devices are frictional surfaces.

10. A tube length adjuster according to claim 7, wherein the at least one fastening device is a fastener wherein the fastener wraps around the length of tube contained in the at least one notch whereby the fastener maintains the length of tube wrapped about the storage module surface.

11. A tube length adjuster according to claim 7 wherein the at least one fastening device further comprising a friction structure.