Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
  • F04B43/12—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having peristaltic action
  • F04B43/1253—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having peristaltic action by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
  • F04B43/1269—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having peristaltic action by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing the rotary axes of the rollers lying in a plane perpendicular to the rotary axis of the driving motor
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
  • F04B43/0009—Special features
  • F04B43/0054—Special features particularities of the flexible members
  • F04B43/0072—Special features particularities of the flexible members of tubular flexible members

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fluidic conduit device intended to be integrated in a cassette associated with a peristaltic pump and a cassette using said conduit structure.
• the present invention can be used in particular but not exclusively for equipment for implementing the phacoemulsification technique.
• This technique is used to implement the so-called "cataract" operation which consists, initially, in breaking up the crystalline nucleus of a patient's eye and then sucking in the crystalline fragments to leave only the capsular bag in which is placed the crystalline nucleus.
• a liquid must be injected into the patient's eye to compensate for the liquid that is sucked in at the same time as the debris is extracted from the eye by aspiration.
• a peristaltic pump associated with a cannula or handpiece placed in the eye through an incision of reduced dimensions.
• Peristaltic pumps are of a well-known type and it is therefore not necessary to describe them in detail.
• Such a pump is described in particular in European patent EP 1 099 854. It is essentially constituted by a deformable pipe portion in the general shape of a circular arc on which acts a rotor equipped with rotary rollers acting with pressure on the deformable wall of driving. The action of the rollers on this pipe causes the displacement of the liquid present in the pipe.
• This pipe is connected by a first tube to the cannula or handpiece and a second tube which opens into a storage tank of debris and liquid sucked.
• a second tube which opens into a storage tank of debris and liquid sucked.
• the portion of the peristaltic pump which defines in particular the deformable conduit on which the rotor is operating and which more often than not also defines other lines and other means of connection of device attached to the peristaltic pump is often referred to as a cassette.
• the cassette and more particularly the pipe element on which the rotor of the peristaltic pump acts, is constituted on the one hand by a frame including the half of the driving element and on the other hand by a plastic film which has a thicker portion defining the other half of the pipe element.
• This plastic film is fixed on the face of the frame in which opens the recess defining a portion of the tube.
• the film of plastic material is glued or fixed on the face of the frame by any suitable means.
• a problem consists in the production of the plastic film, a part of which must constitute a semi-cylindrical surface in the form of an arc-shaped axis defining half of the conduct of the peristaltic pump.
• a first object of the invention is to provide a conduit structure which allows a simpler and more precise way to define in particular the duct structure to cooperate with the rotor of the peristaltic pump conferring a substantially constant internal diameter on all its length.
• the fluidic conduit structure intended to be integrated in a cassette associated with a peristaltic pump comprises:
• a duct assembly formed in a rigid plate having an end edge
• connection means disposed in said edge and connected to said duct assembly
• a deformable tubing extending from said plate whose two ends are respectively connected to said connecting means, said tubing having a substantially semicircular portion to cooperate with the rotor of the peristaltic pump;
• connection means of said duct assembly for connecting said ducts to fluid components intended to be mounted on the cassette, said connection means being mechanically integral with said plate.
• the duct assembly is constituted by a recessed relief formed or opening into a face of the plate and a thin film or piece fixed (e) sealingly on said face of the plate facing the relief.
• the deformable tubing which cooperates with the rotor of the peristaltic pump is constituted in one piece which thus guarantees a very good seal. Indeed, it is the two ends of this deformable tubing which are connected to end pieces made in the rigid plate of the duct structure.
• the tubing is an independent piece, it can be obtained by molding silicone. This manufacturing technique makes it possible to control with very great precision the internal diameter.
• the deformable tubing being outside the rigid plate of the conduit structure, it is possible to place it in the rigid support of the cassette of the peristaltic pump so that the rotor of the peristaltic pump acts effectively on the deformable tubing.
• the duct assembly is constituted by a recessed relief formed in a face of the plate and a thin film sealingly attached to said face of the plate facing the recessed relief.
• the ducts are formed between the face of the plate and the thin film.
• the thinness of the thin film - or at least the presence of areas of reduced thickness in the thin film - makes it possible to perform functions through the film, the film being deformable or at least locally deformable, c that is, deformable in areas of reduced thickness.
• These functions may include pressure measurement, and / or flow authorization / interruption functions. Performing these functions through the thin film advantageously allows to preserve the tightness of the duct assembly.
• the thin film is removable, which allows its replacement, or the inspection or cleaning of the ducts.
• the thin film is silicone.
• the conduit structure defines an area of larger dimensions than said ducts, said area being sealed by said thin film, said area constituting a pressure measuring region.
• an area of the thin film has a small thickness and is arranged to form a pressure measurement zone.
• a second object of the invention is to provide a peristaltic pump cassette which utilizes the conduit structure defined above.
• the cassette for a peristaltic pump is characterized in that it comprises:
• a rigid support comprising means for securing the support to the plate of the duct structure and for maintaining a constant distance between said plate and the support;
• FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the main components of the cassette of the peristaltic pump showing in particular the conduit structure according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cassette of the assembled peristaltic pump
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line HI-III of Figure 2;
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 2;
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V of Figure 2;
• FIG. 6 is a view from above of the assembled cassette showing in dashed lines the placement of the rotor of the peristaltic pump;
• FIG. 7 is a top view of the cassette
• - Figure 8 is a view of an additional structure of the cassette for mounting on the cassette of the peristaltic pump itself and some ancillary components of said pump; and - Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the complete cassette equipped with the peristaltic pump and ancillary organs.
• the cassette which bears the general reference 10 is constituted by a rigid support 12 made, for example, of polycarbonate and a conduit structure 14 which will be called later "cartridge".
• the cartridge 14 is intended to be placed in the rigid support 12 to thereby constitute the assembly of the cartridge adapted to cooperate with the peristaltic pump.
• the cartridge 14 is essentially constituted by a plate 16 formed of a rigid material, preferably a polycarbonate, which has an end face 18 and an upper face 20. In the upper face 20, recessed reliefs are provided with the general reference 22 These hollow reliefs 22 are made in a countersink 24 opening into the face 20 of the rigid plate.
• the countersink 24 may be closed by a removable part 26 made preferably of silicone.
• the end face 18 of the rigid plate 16 is equipped in its thickness with two connecting ends respectively referenced 28 and 30. These end pieces communicate with pipes 32, 34 made in the thickness of the plate 16 and which will be described later. .
• a tubing 36 which has a first part 36a in the shape of a semicircle and rectilinear branches 36b and 36c.
• the ends of the branches 36b and 36c are connected to the end pieces 28 and 30.
• the end pieces 28 and 30 could be replaced by other connecting means of the ends of the tubing 36. These could be holes capable of receiving by wedging them. ends of the tubing.
• the underside of the tubing 36 is provided with a rib 38 which projects out of the wall of the tubing 36. The function of this rib 38 will be explained later.
• the tubing 36 is preferably obtained by molding silicone. This manufacturing technique makes it possible to guarantee, on the internal diameter of the tubing, a accuracy of the order of 2/100 th of mm.
• the tubing 36 could also be made by extrusion obtaining similar performance.
• the different grooves 22 consist essentially of a central groove 40 which constitutes a conduit for the circulation of liquid and which comprises an interruption 42 for the reasons which will be explained later and two lateral grooves 44 and 46 for receiving a fixing groove 46 formed in the inner face 26a of the additional part 26.
• These grooves also define a recess of generally circular shape 48 which communicates with the pipe elements 34 and 40 and which is intended to receive a pressure sensor as well as that will be explained later.
• the recess 48 is surrounded by a substantially circular groove 50 for receiving the circular portion 52 of the rib 40 of the additional piece 26.
• a resilient clipping system not shown allows to maintain the cartridge 14 in the housing 62.
• a groove of substantially semicircular shape 64 which is opposite the tubing 36 when the cartridge 14 is placed in the housing 62. This groove 64 is intended to receive the rib 38 of the tubing 36 to immobilize the tubing 36 relative to the rigid support 12 and thus allow, as will be explained later cooperation between tubing 36 and the rotor rollers of the peristaltic pump.
• FIG. 5 shows in more detail the attachment of the tubing 36 to the rigid support 12 thanks to the cooperation of the rib 38 and the groove 64 formed in the upper face 60 of the rigid plate 12.
• FIG 3 there is shown in more detail the cooperation between the removable part 26 and the rigid plate 16 of the cartridge.
• the circular recess 48 is made to allow the measurement of the pressure of the fluid flowing in the inner pipe 34 and in the pipe 40.
• the removable part 26 comprises in addition to the rib 52 a portion of reduced thickness 70 extending above the recess 48 formed in the rigid plate 16.
• the portion 70 has preferably a thickness of the order of 0.25 mm.
• the removable part 26 is secured to the rigid plate 16 by the cooperation of a substantially circular rib 52 with a groove 50 formed in the countersink 24.
• a pressure sensor As will be explained later , it is thus possible to place against the part 70, which forms a very thin skin, the removable part 26, a pressure sensor, this sensor being able to measure through the wall of reduced thickness 70.
• FIG 4 there is shown in more detail the cooperation between the removable part 26 and the rigid plate 16 of the cartridge in a connection area between the channel groove 40 and a connecting port.
• the removable part 26 comprises in addition to the ribs 44 and 45 already described a slightly convex portion 72.
• FIG. 6 the completely assembled cartridge 10 is represented with its rigid support 12 in which the cartridge 14 is clipped.
• the removable part 26 has not been put in place. in this figure, there is shown, in dashed lines, the position of the rollers 80 of the peristaltic pump 82 which act on the semicircular-shaped portion 36a of the tubing 36.
• the groove 40 is divided into two portions, a first portion 40a and a second portion 40b separated by a wall 88, the portion 40b of the groove 40 is connected to fluid connectors 90 and 92 corresponding to the holes 67 and 68 whose function will be explained later.
• F in Figure 9 is shown the complete cassette consisting of the cassette 10 itself already described and a metal plate 93 on which is articulated about the axis 94 Ia lower part of the cassette.
• This plate 93 serves as a mechanical support for mounting various components and in particular the motor and the rotor of the peristaltic pump 82 of a pressure sensor 96 which is arranged opposite the portion of reduced thickness 70 of the removable part 26.
• connection ends of the cassette such as 100, 102, 104 and 106, are also shown, which make it possible to mount the appropriate pipes, in connection with the connection terminals already described, of the ducts, in order to allow the operation of the phacoemulsification plant and in particular the extraction of the crystalline debris by pumping out of the patient's eye and the injection of the replacement liquid.
• These terminals respectively correspond to the connecting lines to the collection bag, the irrigation line, the infusion line and the suction line connected to the chip by hand.
• the ducts defined in particular by the grooves 40, 40a, 40b or the circular recess and by the removable part 26 could be made differently.
• these conduits could consist only in the connection of the tube associated with the cannula with the peristaltic pump and in the connection of the peristaltic pump with the storage tank of the liquid and crystalline debris sucked, the injection into the eye replacement saline being made by other means external to the cassette.
• the cartridge 14 is removable relative to the support 12 of the cassette. Thus, it is possible to change only the cartridge. However, it would not go beyond the invention if the cartridge was secured to the support of the cassette or if these two elements were one and the same piece.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
• External Artificial Organs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39711928

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2008
  • 2008-01-24 FR FR0850447A patent/FR2926855A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2009
  • 2009-01-22 EP EP09705009A patent/EP2247856A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-01-22 WO PCT/FR2009/050085 patent/WO2009095586A2/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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