System and method for filling containers with fluids

• US 9,682,789 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tinnus Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Tinnus Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Malone, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): STCLAIR, ANDREW D
• Application Number:
  US14/713,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20160083122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 141 10, 141144, 141234-248, 383 3, 383 43, 383 44, 383 48, 383 49, 383 71, 383 78, 446220-226
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/007 for taking urine samples measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1427 Multiple blood sampling, e.g. at periodic or pre-established intervals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15 Devices for taking samples of blood hypodermic syringes A61M5/178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150366 Blood collection bags, e.g. connected to the patient by a catheter comprising means for removing a small sample of collected blood from the bag collection bags as such A61J1/05, A61M1/0209
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150992 Blood sampling from a fluid line external to a patient, such as a catheter line, combined with an infusion line; blood sampling from indwelling needle sets, e.g. sealable ports, luer couplings, valves tubing connectors and couplings A61M39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/155 Devices specially adapted for continuous or multiple sampling, e.g. at predetermined intervals devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously A61B5/15146
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1018 Balloon inflating or inflation-control devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1033 Inflation devices or methods for inflating balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1041 Holding or sealing means, e.g. handling rods, clamps or plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1083 Valves or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/10 Balloons connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; other than toy aspects B64B1/40
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/17 for filling valve bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/26 Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/28 : by weighing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/04 : Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips, applying separate lids or covers B65B7/28
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/02 : Closing containers or receptacles deformed by, or taking-up shape, of, contents, e.g. bags, sacks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/025 : Closing valve bags

Abstract

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a housing with an opening at a first end and a plurality of holes at a second end, a plurality of hollow tubes attached to the plurality of holes, a plurality of containers removably attached to the hollow tubes, and a plurality of elastic fasteners, each elastic fastener clamping each container to a corresponding hollow tube, such that when the containers are filled with fluid and detached from the corresponding hollow tubes, each elastic fastener seals each container with the fluid inside.

Claims

1. An apparatus for simultaneously filling balloons, comprising:

a fitting comprising an inlet and at least four outlets; and

at least four branch assemblies coupled to the fitting, each branch assembly comprising;

a tube extending from the fitting at a respective one of the at least four outlets;

a balloon with a neck disposed around an end of the tube; and

a fastener attaching the neck of the balloon to the end of the tube, the fastener configured to restrict detachment of the balloon from the tube and to automatically seal the balloon upon detachment of the balloon from the tube, the restriction of the fastener being limited such that the balloon, if filled with a sufficient amount of water, is detachable by gravity combined with a manually applied acceleration of the tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the balloons are disposed in sufficient proximity to each other such that, if water is introduced into the balloons, at least two of the balloons press against each other as they expand.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least first and second tubes of the at least four branch assemblies are flexible to accommodate filling their respective balloons with fluid, such that, in operation, the distance between the respective ends of the first and second tubes increases as theft balloons expand.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand, and is configured to enable a single operator to simultaneously introduce water into each balloon of the at least four branch assemblies and to simultaneously detach each balloon of the at least four branch assemblies.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the outlets are not disposed along a single line with respect to each other, and the tubes each extend from the fitting in the same direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the tubes are substantially parallel with respect to each other, at least while the balloons are unfilled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where in the fastener an elastic ring.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising an inlet and at least four outlets; and

at least four branch assemblies coupled to the housing, each branch assembly comprising;

a tube extending from the housing at a respective one of the at least four outlets;

a balloon with a neck disposed around an end of the tube; and

a fastener attaching the balloon to the tube, the fastener configured to restrict detachment of the balloon from the tube and to automatically seal the balloon upon detachment of the balloon from the tube, the restriction of the fastener being sufficiently limited to permit the balloon to detach from the tube by at least partially filling the balloon with water;

wherein the apparatus is configured to fill the balloons of the at least four branch assemblies substantially simultaneously with water.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the balloons are disposed in sufficient proximity to each other such that, if water is introduced into the balloons, at least two of the balloons press against each other as they expand.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least first and second tubes of the at least four branch assemblies are flexible to accommodate filling their respective balloons with fluid, such that, in operation, the distance between the respective ends of the first and second tubes increases as their balloons expand.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand of a single operator.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least first and second balloons of the at least four branch assemblies are disposed sufficiently close to each other such that they press against each other, regardless whether the first and second balloons are in a filled state or an unfilled state.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the outlets are not disposed along a single line with respect to each other, and the tubes each extend from the housing in the same direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, for the at least four branch assemblies, the tubes are substantially parallel with respect to each other, at least while the balloons are unfilled.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fastener is an elastic ring.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid; and

at least three branch assemblies extending from the fitting, each branch assembly comprising;

a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end;

a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough; and

a fastener comprising an opening having the second end of the tube inserted therethrough, the fastener configured to;

removably couple the balloon to the tube, permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon, and automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the balloon, upon being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid, is detachable from the tube by gravity in combination with an upward acceleration of the tube.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the balloon is automatically detachable from the tube in response to being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for the at least three branch assemblies, each balloon presses against at least one other balloon in response to the balloons being sufficiently pressurized with fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein for the at least three branch assemblies, each of the balloons is in contact with at least another respective one of the balloons.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the respective second ends of at least two tubes of the at least three branch assemblies are configured to flex away from each other in response to their respective balloons being pressurized with sufficient amounts of fluid from the pressurized fluid supply.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fitting comprises a female garden hose thread.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fastener is an elastic ring.