FR3091741A1 - Improved medical fluid delivery socket - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid distribution outlet (1) comprising an elongated outlet body (2) comprising a central passage (3) axially passing through the outlet body (2), and gas passage control elements (7-11 ), arranged in the central passage (3), comprising a tip guide (8), said tip guide (8) comprising a proximal orifice (13) of first section area (S1), an axial housing (12), and a head valve (9) movable within said axial housing (12) and normally pushed against a valve seat (10) by an elastic member (11), said head valve (9) comprising a blind internal housing (14) ) comprising an axial orifice (15) of second section area (S2) in fluid communication with the blind internal housing (14). The first section area (S1) of the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) ) is greater than the second section area (S2) of the axial orifice (15) of the head valve (9) (ie S1> S2). Abstract figure: Fig. 3

Description

Improved medical fluid dispensing socket

The invention relates to an improved medical fluid distribution outlet, in particular gas or vacuum, which is intended to be used in a hospital building or the like to supply gas or vacuum while guaranteeing a pressure and/or a flow rate of the fluid conform to specifications.

It is customary to use fluid distribution outlets to distribute fluids, in particular medical gases (i.e. a pure gas or a gas mixture) or vacuum (i.e. depression < 1 atm), within hospital buildings. They are found in particular in patient rooms, in operating or treatment rooms, or in other parts of the building.

Fluid distribution sockets are also commonly called "wall sockets" or "wall fittings" in particular, because they are generally mounted either directly on the walls, that is to say the walls or the like, of hospital buildings, or indirectly , for example by being integrated into a box or the like which is itself mounted on a wall.

These sockets make it possible to supply the medical gases conveyed by the gas pipeline networks running through the hospital buildings, to the devices and equipment used to treat and care for the patients within these buildings, in particular therapeutic gases, such as oxygen, nitrous oxide or air, or medical vacuum (ie negative pressure) making it possible to carry out aspirations in particular of biological liquids, for example blood or other biological liquids.

Thus, the document FR-A-2628820 proposes a fluid distribution socket, called an automatic locking connector, comprising a socket body of elongated shape comprising a cavity or central passage passing axially through the socket body so as to fluidically connect one end upstream, also called inlet end or distal end, to a downstream end, also called outlet end or proximal end comprising an orifice for supplying fluid, that is to say gas or vacuum. The fluid, such as a medical gas or vacuum (ie depression/suction), "flows" from the upstream end to the downstream end, when a connector of a device or medical equipment, in particular the connector of a pipe of gas, is mechanically and fluidically connected to the socket.

Usually, gas passage control elements arranged, in a removable manner, in the central passage make it possible to control the release of the gas, in particular to prevent any delivery of the gas when no connector is connected thereto. They generally include a tip guide comprising a sliding head valve cooperating with a valve seat to ensure or, conversely, interrupt a fluid seal between valve and seat and thus prevent or, conversely, allow a passage of fluid (ie gas or vacuum).

Although this type of outlet is generally satisfactory, it has however been observed in practice that a problem could arise during the delivery of the fluid, that is to say the supply of medical gas or the aspiration ( ie circulation of vacuum), with such an outlet, namely that the pressure and/or the flow rate of the fluid could not be in conformity with the expectations, that is to say with the specifications.

The present invention therefore aims to propose an improved fluid distribution socket, in particular medical gas or vacuum (ie suction/depression), which makes it possible to guarantee that the pressure and/or the flow rate of the fluid passing through the socket and supplied comply with the specifications, i.e. with the pressure and flow levels expected in hospital buildings so as to ensure either an efficient supply of medical gas to patients, or efficient suction thanks to negative pressure (i.e. vacuum : < 1 atm) provided by the socket.

The solution of the invention relates to a fluid distribution socket, namely gas or vacuum, comprising a socket body of elongated shape comprising a central passage passing axially through the socket body, and elements for controlling the passage of gas, arranged in the central passage, comprising a tip guide, said tip guide comprising:

• a proximal orifice of first section area (S1),
• an axial housing, and
• a head valve movable within said axial housing and normally urged against a valve seat by a resilient element, said head valve comprising a blind internal housing comprising an axial port of second cross-sectional area (S2) in fluid communication with the housing internal blind,

characterized in that the first cross-sectional area (S1) of the proximal orifice of the nozzle guide is greater than the second cross-sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice of the head valve, that is to say that S1 > S2.

According to the embodiment considered, the fluid distribution/supply outlet according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics:

• the first cross-sectional area (S1) of the proximal orifice of the tip guide is equal to at least twice the second cross-sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice of the head valve, ie S1 ≥ 2.S2, preferably 3.S2≥S1≥2.S2.
• the first cross-sectional area (S1) of the proximal hole of the tip guide is between 25 and 50 mm², preferably between 30 and 45 mm².
• that the second sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice of the head valve is between 10 and 20 mm², preferably between 11 and 17 mm².
• the bit guide comprises at least one sealing element.
• the sealing element is arranged around the sliding head valve.
• the sealing element is a seal, in particular an O-ring or the like.
• the sealing element is an elastomer, silicone or other seal.
• the axial port of the valve head and the proximal port of the tip guide are arranged coaxially.
• the head valve is movable in translation along the axis AA, preferably sliding along the axis AA.
• the head valve comprises a blind internal housing comprising the second section area axial port (S2) and one or more side ports, said axial port and side ports being in fluid communication with the blind internal housing.
• the head valve comprises a blind internal housing comprising at least 3 side orifices.
• the head valve has a generally tubular shape.
• the head valve comprises a tubular front portion within which the blind internal housing is arranged.
• the side ports are drilled through the side wall of the tubular front portion.
• the central passage fluidly connects a distal end to a proximal end.
• the bit guide is removable, i.e. it can be removed or removed from the socket.
• the tip guide forms a sleeve around the sliding head valve.
• the elastic element pushing the valve head in the direction of the valve seat is a spring or the like, preferably of cylindrical or (tron)conical shape.
• the elastic element is arranged around at least a part of the head valve, in particular the distal part (or rear part) of the head valve.
• the elastic element comes to rest, in particular by one of its ends, on a shoulder arranged around the head valve and integral with the latter, in particular an annular shaped shoulder.
• the bit guide comprises a bottom, preferably a blind bottom, on which presses, in particular by the other of its ends, against said bottom of the bit guide.
• the elongated grip body extends along a longitudinal axis (AA).
• the central passage crosses axially (i.e. axis AA) the socket body.
• the bit guide is arranged axially (i.e. axis AA) in the central passage of the socket body.
• a safety system is arranged in the central passage comprising a ball valve or the like and a ball chamber in which the ball valve is housed, and a ball valve seat cooperating with said ball valve to control the passage of fluid .
• the bit guide is made of metal or polymer.
• the bit guide can be formed from several sub-units assembled together.
• the socket body comprises connection means making it possible to mechanically connect a fluid pipe thereto, in particular a fluid pipe forming part of a network of fluid pipes (ie gas or vacuum) arranged within a hospital building such that said plug body is in fluid communication with said fluid conduit.
• the plug body includes connecting means including a fitting, tubing or the like in fluid communication with the central passage of the plug body.

The invention will now be better understood thanks to the following detailed description, given by way of illustration but not limitation, with reference to the appended figures, including:

represents an embodiment of a gas distribution outlet according to the invention;

represents an embodiment of a vacuum distribution socket according to the invention;

shows a longitudinal sectional view of the tip guide of a fluid dispensing socket of [Fig. 1] or [Fig. 2]; and

shows a side view of the tip guide of [Fig. 3].

represents an embodiment of a gas distribution socket 1 according to the invention comprising a socket body 2 of elongated shape, along the longitudinal axis AA, which is traversed axially by a central passage 3 forming an internal housing within from which are arranged, in an extractable manner, gas passage control elements 7-11. Such architecture is classic.

The gas passage control elements 7-11 comprise a tip guide 8 comprising an axial housing 12, a head valve 9 movable along axis AA, ie sliding in translation, within said axial housing 12 and a proximal orifice 13 of first section area S1. In the case of taking 1 of , the gas is distributed, that is to say leaves the outlet 1, through the proximal orifice 13. This proximal orifice 13 is of circular section.

These gas passage control elements 7-11 are best visible on which details (sectional view) the tip guide 8 fitted to the fluid dispensing socket 1 of [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2]. It can be seen there that an elastic element 11 is also provided, such as a cylindrical spring or the like, arranged in the axial housing 12, preferably in the terminal bottom 12a of the axial housing 12, of the tip guide 8.

Preferably, the elastic element 11 is arranged around the rear portion 9b of the head valve 9 and bears, on the one hand, on the blind bottom 12a of the axial housing 12 and, on the other hand, on a shoulder ring 9c secured to the head valve 9, for example formed in the outer peripheral wall of the head valve 9.

The elastic element 11 makes it possible to normally push the head valve 9 against a valve seat 10 arranged in the tip guide 8, for example within the internal wall 8a delimiting the axial housing 12 of the tip guide 8, so to control the passage of fluid in the socket body 2.

Furthermore, the tip guide 8 also comprises at least one sealing element 17, here arranged around the movable head valve 9, like an O-ring. This sealing element 17 will make it possible to ensure a fluid seal between the head valve 9 and the valve seat 10 when they are in contact with each other, that is to say when the valve head 9 is pushed against the valve seat 10 by the elastic element 11, that is to say the cylindrical spring arranged around the movable head valve 9.

The head valve 9 comprises, for its part, a blind internal housing 14 comprising an axial orifice 15 of second section area S2 in fluid communication with the blind internal housing 14. It can be seen on that the axial orifice 15 of the head valve 9 and the proximal orifice 13 of the tip-guide 8 are arranged coaxial, that is to say along the axis AA of the socket 1. The axial orifice 15 of the valve head 9 is also circular in section.

In addition, the head valve 9 also comprises one or more side orifices 16, namely here 4 side orifices 16, as better visible in , which are also in fluid communication with the blind internal housing 14 so that the fluid (ie gas or vacuum) can enter or leave said blind internal housing 14 of the head valve 9, via these side orifices 16, namely here 4 side holes 16.

Advantageously, the fluid distribution socket 1 also comprises a safety system 20-22 arranged in the central passage 3 comprising a ball-valve 20 or the like (ie hemisphere or sphere) and a ball chamber 21 in which is housed the ball valve 20, and a ball valve seat 22 cooperating with said ball valve 20 to control the passage of fluid. Preferably, the valve seat 22 is arranged in the internal wall of the ball chamber 21.

This safety system 20-22 makes it possible to prevent the gas from escaping from the socket 1 or the suction by the vacuum (ie depression) from taking place, that is to say that the air cannot enter the vacuum network connected to socket 1 and raise the pressure (< 1 atm) which prevails there, when the gas passage control elements 7-11 are dismantled and extracted from socket body 2 , in particular during a verification, maintenance or replacement operation. The ball-valve 20 acts as a safety valve coming, under the effect of the fluidic pressure or the depression (ie vacuum) exerted on the ball-valve 20, to press on and close the valve seat 22, when the gas passage control elements 7-11 are extracted from the socket body 2, so as to interrupt any fluid connection. In fact, the ball-valve 20 cooperates with the valve seat 22 so as to control the opening and/or the closing of an orifice or connecting channel 23 fluidically connecting the ball chamber 21 to the proximal part of the valve body. socket 2 where the gas passage control elements 7-11 are housed

Conversely, when the gas passage control elements 7-11 are mounted in the socket body 2, the tip guide 8 comes to press on the valve ball 20 to detach it from the valve seat 22 and thus allow fluid communication through the orifice or connecting channel 23. This can be done via an axial rod 24 projecting from the rear outer surface of the tip guide 8 and secured thereto, which is oriented so as to cross axially the orifice or connecting channel 23 to come to press on the ball-valve 20 and thus take it off from the valve seat 22.

In the context of the present invention, the inventors have demonstrated, via production tests, that the problems of non-compliance with the specifications, that is to say with the expected pressure and flow levels, of the sockets 1 of the prior art essentially resulted from a poor choice of the passage sections (ie the section areas) of the fluid through the proximal orifice 13 of the tip guide 8 and the axial orifice 15 of the head valve 9 , relative to each other.

More specifically, to solve this problem, the inventors have shown that it is absolutely necessary to provide section areas S1, S2 such that the first section area S1 of the proximal orifice 13 of the tip guide 8 is always greater than the second section area S2 of the axial orifice 15 of the head valve 9, that is to say that the sections are such that: S1>S2.

Preferably, the socket 1 is configured so that the sections S1, S2 are such that: S1≥2×S2, and more preferably such that: 3×S2≥S1≥2×S2.

Advantageously, the first section area S1 of the proximal orifice 13 is between 25 and 50 mm², preferably between 30 and 45 mm², while the second section area S2 of the axial orifice 15 is between 10 and 20 mm², preferably between 11 and 17 mm².

By way of example, sockets 1 shaped with the following sections S1, S2 gave good results during the tests carried out by the inventors:

• S1 = 39.60 mm² and S2 = 13.85 mm²,
• S1 = 43.56 mm² and S2 = 15.24 mm²,
• S1 = 35.64 mm² and S2 = 12.47 mm².

It should be noted that the tip guide 8 can be formed of several sub-units fixed to each other, for example by screwing, interlocking, welding or other.

Thus, in the embodiment detailed in , we see that it comprises here two subunits 80, 81.

The first subunit 80 forms the rear or distal portion of the tip guide 8, that is to say the portion arranged like a sleeve around the head valve 9 and the elastic element 11. It comprises the bottom 8a of the tip guide 8 on which the elastic element 11 rests. It also carries the axial rod 24.

The second subunit 81 forms the forward or proximal portion of the tip guide 8 which carries the proximal port 13 of the tip guide 8 having the first cross-sectional area S1.

represents an embodiment of a vacuum distribution socket, that is to say a depression according to the invention, the overall architecture of which is very similar to that of the socket [Fig. 1]. Therefore, the same references have been used to designate identical or similar elements and/or fulfilling the same function as those of [Fig. 3]; these will therefore not be detailed below. In particular, the tip guide 8 of the socket 1 of [Fig. 2] is identical to that of socket 1 of [Fig. 1], i.e. it corresponds to that of [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4]. Similarly, here again, the first section area S1 of the proximal orifice 13 of the tip guide 8 of the vacuum port 1 of [Fig. 2] is greater, preferably equal to at least twice, than the second cross-sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice 15 of the head valve 9 of this vacuum intake 1 of [Fig. 2].

A difference between these grips 1 of and [Fig. 2] lies however in the fact that, in socket 1 of [Fig. 2], the suction of the vacuum (ie depression), ie the circulation of the air sucked in by the socket, takes place in the opposite direction to that of the circulation of gas within [Fig. 1], that is to say that in the case of socket 1 of [Fig. 2], the gas (eg air) is sucked up by the low pressure prevailing in the socket, that is to say enters the socket 1, through the proximal orifice 13, which makes it possible to obtain a suction effect, i.e. suction, upstream of socket 1, i.e. in the medical device (not shown) fluidically connected to socket 1.

In general, thanks to the invention, it is possible to guarantee the levels of pressure and/or flow rate of the fluid (ie gas or vacuum) passing through and/or delivered by the socket 1 comply with the specifications, i.e. that is to say at the pressure and flow levels expected in hospital buildings so as to ensure an effective supply of medical gas to patients by a gas distribution outlet according to the invention and/or an effective aspiration thanks to the depression ( ie vacuum: <1 atm) provided by a vacuum distribution outlet according to the invention.

The fluid distribution sockets 1 of the and [FIG. 2] can be mounted either directly on the wall 100, that is to say a wall or the like, of a hospital building, or be integrated into a box or the like which is itself mounted on a wall 100.

These outlets 1 make it possible to supply the vacuum or the medical gases conveyed by the network of fluid pipes running through the hospital building, to the apparatus and equipment used to treat and care for the patients within these buildings. They can be connected, via their lumen 51, to the network of fluid pipes via a rear pipe 50, such as a coupling or the like, in fluid communication with, on the one hand, said network and, on the other hand, with the passage internal central 3 of socket 1.

These sockets 1 are designed to make it possible to supply either therapeutic gases, such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, air or any other gas or gaseous mixture, or medical vacuum (ie depression) used to operate aspirations in particular biological fluids, for example blood or other biological fluids.

Claims (10)

Fluid distribution socket (1) comprising an elongated socket body (2) comprising a central passage (3) passing axially through the socket body (2), and gas passage control elements (7-11) , arranged in the central passage (3), comprising a tip guide (8), said tip guide (8) comprising:

• a proximal orifice (13) of first section area (S1),
• an axial housing (12), and
• a head valve (9) movable within said axial housing (12) and normally pushed against a valve seat (10) by an elastic element (11), said head valve (9) comprising a blind internal housing (14) comprising an axial orifice (15) of second cross-sectional area (S2) in fluid communication with the blind internal housing (14),

characterized in that:
- the first cross-sectional area (S1) of the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) is equal to at least twice the second cross-sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice (15) of the valve head (9) (ie S1 ≥ 2.S2 ),
- the first section area (S1) of the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) is between 25 and 50 mm², and
- the second section area (S2) of the axial orifice (15) of the head valve (9) is between 10 and 20 mm². Socket according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first section area (S1) of the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) and the second section area (S2) of the axial orifice (15) of the head valve (9) are such that: 3.S2 ≥ S1 ≥ 2.S2 Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sectional area (S1) of the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) is between 30 and 45 mm². Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second sectional area (S2) of the axial orifice (15) of the head valve (9) is between 11 and 17 mm². Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tip guide (8) comprises at least one sealing element, preferably arranged around the head valve (9). Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axial orifice (15) of the head valve (9) and the proximal orifice (13) of the tip guide (8) are arranged coaxially. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the head valve (9) comprises a blind internal housing (14) comprising the axial orifice (15) of second cross-sectional area (S2) and one or more lateral orifices ( 16), said axial orifice (15) and lateral orifices (16) being in fluid communication with the blind internal housing (14), preferably at least 3 lateral orifices (16). Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central passage (3) fluidically connects a distal end (4) to a proximal end (5). Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bit guide (8) is mounted in a removable manner. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tip-guide (8) forms a sleeve around the sliding head valve (9).