FR3106181A1 - Medical fluid dispensing socket with extractable tip guide with colored front face - Google Patents

Abstract

Title of the invention Medical fluid distribution socket with extractable tip guide with colored front face A fluid distribution socket (1), in particular a medical gas or vacuum, comprising a socket body (2) comprising an extractable bit guide (7), said extractable bit guide (7) comprising a free end (18) provided with a front face (19). The front face (19) of the extractable tip guide (7) is at least partially covered with a colored coating whose color is representative of a given year of maintenance so as to allow a user to quickly identify the year maintenance of the socket (1) considered. Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Medical fluid dispensing socket with extractable tip guide with colored front face

The invention relates to a medical fluid distribution outlet, in particular gas or vacuum, for fluidically connecting the fluid network of a hospital or the like to medical equipment, such as pipes, flowmeters, ventilators or other devices or medical devices, which are connected to them in order to supply them with fluid, i.e. gas or vacuum.

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. These sockets are also called "wall sockets" or "wall connectors" 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.

FR-A-2628820 proposes a fluid socket, called a self-locking connector, comprising an elongated socket body comprising a central cavity or passage passing axially through the socket body so as to fluidically connect its two ends. Fluid passage control elements are arranged, in a removable manner, in the central passage to control the circulation of the fluid.

These sockets generally comprise an extractable nozzle 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, authorize a passage of fluid (i.e. gas or vacuum).

The bit guide is extractable, i.e. removable, because it must be replaced regularly, for example during a maintenance operation taking place every year or every two years.

In order to distinguish the bit guides that have been replaced from those that need to be, it is usual to affix a screen print or a marking, such as a letter corresponding to a given year of manufacture, on the external face of the front end of the tip guide, i.e. its free end to which a medical device, flexible hose or other connector is connected.

However, it has been observed in use that this screen printing is not practical because it is little or badly visible, especially from a few meters away and/or in weak light, and it is therefore not easy to easily distinguish the sockets that have undergone maintenance from those that need to be maintained.

The problem is therefore to propose an improved fluid distribution outlet that does not pose the aforementioned problem, in particular allowing a user, such as maintenance personnel, to know immediately and easily, even at a distance of a few meters and/or in presence of weak lighting, whether or not the tip guide of the fluid dispensing socket in question has already been changed, and if so, when, i.e. less than a year ago, between 1 and 2 years or more than 2 years.

The solution of the invention relates to a fluid distribution socket, namely gas or vacuum (i.e. depression), comprising a socket body comprising an extractable tip guide, said extractable tip guide comprising a free end provided with a front face, characterized in that said front face of the extractable bit-guide is at least partially covered with a colored coating.

According to the embodiment considered, the fluid distribution socket of the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics:

• the front face has a disc shape.
• the front face has a disc shape comprising a central fluid passage orifice, i.e. a crown-shaped surface.
• the tip guide is arranged coaxially, along a longitudinal axis (AA), in the socket body.
• the surface plane of the front face of the bit guide is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (AA) of the bit guide.
• the colored coating is formed by depositing at least one layer of colored polymer, such as colored plastic.
• the colored coating is in a specific color representative of a given year, for example white, blue, green, red….
• the free end of the extractable tip guide is shaped to allow fluidic and mechanical connection of a fluidic connection connector of medical equipment, e.g. apparatus or medical device or fluid delivery pipe, such as a flexible pipe.

• the proximal end of the plug body includes a fluid opening, i.e. a pressurized gas outlet or vacuum suction port.
• the socket body is elongated with axis AA and comprises a central passage passing axially (axis AA) through the socket body, and gas passage control elements arranged in the central passage.
• the gas passage control elements include the extractable tip guide.
• the extractable tip guide comprises a movable head valve within an axial housing arranged in said tip guide, said head valve being normally pushed against a valve seat by an elastic element, such as a spring.
• the bit guide is fixed in a removable manner in the central passage of the socket body, for example screwed, i.e. it can be extracted or dismantled from the socket.
• the axial housing of the tip guide comprises a blind bottom.
• the elastic element is arranged between the blind bottom of the axial housing of the tip guide and the head valve.
• the head valve is axially movable (axis AA) within the axial housing of the tip guide.
• the tip guide cooperates with a safety valve, such as a ball valve, to allow fluid to circulate in the central passage passing axially through (axis AA) the socket body, when the tip guide is inserted and fixed in the body of taking.
• the central passage of the plug body fluidly connects a distal end to the proximal end.
• the tip guide forms a sleeve around the sliding head valve.
• 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, typically a fluid supply pipe, making it possible to mechanically connect thereto a fluid pipe, in particular a fluid pipe forming part of a network of fluid pipes (i.e. gas or vacuum) arranged within a hospital building so that said socket body is in fluid communication with said fluid pipe.

The invention further relates to a use of an outlet according to the invention for dispensing a fluid, typically a gas or a vacuum.

The invention also relates to a hospital building, such as a hospital, a clinic or the like, comprising one or more pipes for conveying fluid, in particular gas or vacuum, for example one or more pipe networks, in fluid communication with one or more fluid distribution sockets according to the invention, for example sockets arranged on the walls, partitions or other rooms, treatment rooms, recovery rooms, operating rooms or others.

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:

is a diagram (in section) of one embodiment of a fluid dispensing socket according to the invention;

illustrates a fluid distribution outlet according to the invention, shown arranged in a wall box; And

shows the bit guide of the socket of [Fig. 2], after its extraction from the socket body.

There represents an embodiment of a fluid distribution socket 1 according to the invention, also called a fluid socket, namely here for the distribution of pressurized gas (eg > 3 bar), comprising a socket body 2 of elongated shape , along a longitudinal axis AA, which is traversed axially by a central passage 6 forming an internal housing within which are arranged gas passage control elements 7-9. The socket body 2 is usually formed from machined brass.

The gas passage control elements 7-9 comprise a tip guide 7 which is removable and extractable because it must be replaced regularly, as explained below. The tip guide 7 comprises an axial internal housing 10 within which are arranged a head valve 8 movable along the axis AA, i.e. sliding in translation, within said axial housing 10 and an elastic element 9, such as a spring, by cylindrical example or the like, arranged in the axial housing 10, preferably between the terminal bottom of the axial housing 10 of the tip guide 7 and the head valve 8.

The tip guide 7 is placed in position in the central passage 6 by its proximal opening carried by the proximal end 5 of the body 2 of the fluid outlet 1, that is to say its free end to which are connected mechanically and fluidically the medical apparatus and devices, and through which passes the gas or the vacuum (i.e. depression). The tip guide 7 is fixed in the central passage 6 by screwing or the like so that it can be easily dismantled and replaced during a maintenance operation.

The elastic element 9 makes it possible to normally push the head valve 8 against a valve seat provided in the tip guide 7, for example within the internal wall of the axial housing 10 of the tip guide 7, so as to control the passage of fluid in the socket body 2. Sealing elements 14, arranged around the head valve 8 and around the tip guide 7, such as O-rings, provide fluid sealing within the body 2 of the socket.

Preferably, the fluid distribution socket 1 also comprises a safety system arranged in the central passage 6 making it possible to prevent the gas from escaping from the socket 1 or the vacuum suction (i.e. depression) from takes place, that is to say that air cannot enter the vacuum network connected to the socket 1 and cause the pressure (<1 atm) which reigns there to rise there, when the tip guide 7 is dismantled and extracted from the socket body 2, in particular during a verification, maintenance or replacement operation.

The safety system here comprising a safety valve 11, namely here a ball valve or the like (i.e. hemisphere or sphere) and a valve seat 12 cooperating with the safety valve 11 to control the passage of fluid. The safety valve 11 comes, under the effect of the fluidic pressure or the depression (i.e. vacuum) exerted on it, to rest against the valve seat 12, when the tip guide 7 is extracted from the body 2 socket, so as to interrupt any circulation of fluid in the central passage 6 of the socket body 2, that is to say to operate a closure of an orifice or connection channel 15 through which the fluid circulates at the within the socket body 2. Conversely, when the tip guide 7 is mounted in the socket body 2, it pushes back the safety valve 11 to detach it from the valve seat 12 and thus allow fluid communication through the connecting orifice or channel 15. This can be done via an axial rod 16 protruding from the rear outer surface of the tip guide 7 and secured thereto, which is axially oriented so as to axially cross the orifice or connection channel 15.

On the , the safety system corresponds to that of a gas distribution outlet 1 under pressure, that is to say at a pressure typically of the order of 2 to 6 bar abs, for example of the order of 4 bar ab, said pressurized gas being introduced into the intake body 2 by a conduit 16 for supplying fluid which is fluidly connected to a pressurized gas pipe of the hospital network or the like. For a vacuum outlet (not shown), the safety system would be reversed, in particular the location of the valve seat 12 would be located between the fluid supply pipe 16 (eg vacuum) and the safety valve 11.

Finally, the fluid intake 1 also comprises fixing means 17 allowing it to be fixed to a partition of the hospital building, directly to the partition or indirectly via a box 20 or the like, such as that illustrated in .

Such a fluid intake is intended to be fluidically connected to the fluid network (eg oxygen, medical air, motive air, N ₂ O, vacuum, CO ₂ , etc.) of the hospital or the like, and moreover to medical equipment ( ie pipes, flowmeters, fans, etc. which are connected to them in order to supply them with fluid (ie gas or vacuum).

There represents the distribution outlet 1 of fluid 1 according to the invention, for example that of [Fig. 1], shown arranged in a wall box 20, that is to say a box 20 fixed to a wall, a partition or the like, typically within a hospital building. The wall box 20 comprises a box body 22 of parallelepipedal shape here and a pivoting lid 21 shown in the open position. The cover 21 pivots around a hinge 23 or the like.

The fluid distribution socket 1 illustrated here, by way of example, is an oxygen (O ₂ ) distribution socket. However, it could distribute another gas or gas mixture, such as nitrous oxide or medical air, or be a vacuum outlet, i.e. providing a depression used for example to suck up biological liquids. or others. In all cases, the fluid distribution socket 1 comprises a socket body 2 in which is fixed an extractable tip guide 7, that is to say removable, arranged coaxially in the socket body 2, according to the longitudinal axis (AA) of the socket 1, for example fixed by screwing or the like.

The extractable bit guide 7 is shown extracted from socket 1 on the . The extractable tip guide 7 must be regularly changed and replaced during maintenance operations of the socket 1 typically taking place every year or every 2 years.

In order to immediately and easily distinguish the tip guides 7 having been replaced from those to be replaced, for example within a hospital building in which dozens of wall outlets 1 for fluid distribution are arranged, it is proposed according to the invention to affix a colored coating on the front face 19 carried by the free end 18 of the extractable tip guide 7, as illustrated in the and [Fig. 3].

In other words, the front face 19 of the extractable tip guide 7 is at least partially covered with a colored coating, preferably completely covered with this colored coating. The colored coating can be a polymer, such as a colored plastic. The coating can be deposited on the front face 19 of the extractable tip guide 7 by any suitable method.

Preferably, as seen on the , the front face 19 has the shape of a disc carrying, in its center, a central orifice 13 for the passage of fluid, that is to say that the front face 19 comprises a surface forming a crown covered with the colored coating.

In fact, the surface plane of the front face 19 of the bit guide 7 is therefore perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (AA) of the bit guide 7.

The presence of this colored coating is advantageous because it allows a user, such as maintenance personnel, to know immediately and easily, even from a few meters away and/or in the presence of weak lighting, whether the tip guide 7 of the fluid distribution socket 1 considered has already been changed or not, and if so, when, that is to say less than a year ago, between 1 and 2 years or more than 2 years.

Indeed, coloring the front face 19, that is to say the surface of the tip guide 7 which is visible even when it is inserted into the socket body 2, and changing this color each year makes it possible to quickly identify the year of maintenance of the considered socket 1.

For example, the front face 19 of the tip guide 7 can be colored as follows:

• Year N: front side colored white
• Year N+1: front face colored blue
• Year N+2: front face colored green
• etc…

Thus, for a maintenance having to be carried out for example every 2 years, if during the year N+1, a maintenance operator observes that sockets 1 arranged in a hospital which he is visiting are equipped with guides - bits 7 with front face 19 of white color, he understands immediately, without having to examine the bit guide 7 closely, that the maintenance was done the previous year (i.e. year N) and that these have not not to be maintained, whereas the following year (i.e. year N+2), in the same way, he will be able to easily distinguish, via a simple quick glance, the sockets 1 with white front face 19 that must be maintained ( i.e. with extraction and replacement of the tip guide 7) of those with a blue front face that do not have to be maintained because they were the previous year.

The invention also makes it possible to increase the safety of use because it makes it possible to immediately identify sockets 1 for which maintenance would have been forgotten, i.e. not carried out in time when it should have been, or sockets in which non-compatible bit guides 7 could have been mounted by mistake or otherwise.

Claims (10)

Fluid dispensing socket (1) comprising a socket body (2) comprising an extractable tip guide (7), said extractable tip guide (7) comprising a free end (18) provided with a front face (19) , characterized in that said front face (19) of the extractable bit guide (7) is at least partially covered with a colored coating. Socket according to Claim 1, characterized in that the front face (19) has the shape of a disc. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front face (19) has the shape of a disk comprising a central orifice (13) for the passage of fluid. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bit guide (7) is arranged coaxially, along a longitudinal axis (AA), in the socket body (2). Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface plane of the front face (19) of the bit guide (7) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (AA) of the bit guide (7). Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the colored coating is formed by depositing at least one layer of colored polymer. Socket according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the colored coating is in a specific color representative of a given year. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end (18) of the extractable tip guide (7) is shaped to allow fluid and mechanical connection of a fluid connection connector of medical equipment. Hospital building comprises one or more fluid delivery pipes, in particular gas or vacuum, in fluid communication with one or more fluid distribution outlets (1) according to one of the preceding claims. Use of a socket (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 8 for dispensing a fluid, typically a gas or a vacuum.