FR3112187A1 - Die-cast medical fluid distribution wall outlet - Google Patents

Abstract

Title of the invention Medical fluid distribution wall outlet with die-cast tubing The invention relates to a fluid distribution outlet (1) comprising an outlet body (2) of elongated shape along an axis (AA), comprising a (11) passing axially (AA) through the socket body (2), and a pipe (9) in fluid communication with the central passage (11) of the socket body (2). The pipe (9) is secured to the socket body (2) along an axis (BB) perpendicular to the axis (AA) of the socket body (2). The socket body (2) and the tubing (9) are formed from a single piece shaped by stamping, in particular in copper alloy. Wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly (1, 25) comprising such a fluid distribution socket (1) and a rigid casing (25) arranged around the socket body (2) of the fluid distribution socket (1). Process for manufacturing such a stamped socket. Figure of the abstract: Fig. 3

Description

Forged Tubing Medical Fluid Dispensing Wall Outlet

The invention relates to a wall outlet for the distribution of medical fluid, in particular a wall outlet for the distribution of gas or vacuum, which is intended to be fixed to a wall within a hospital building or the like in order to supply gas or vacuum (i.e. suction/depression), as well as a wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly comprising such a fluid distribution socket and a rigid casing protecting the socket.

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 outlets 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 (i.e. suction/depression) making it possible to carry out suctions in particular of biological liquids, for example blood or other biological liquids.

Fluid distribution sockets are also commonly referred to as "wall sockets" or "wall fittings", because they are generally mounted either directly on the walls, i.e. walls, partitions 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. Installation cases can also include “bed head units”, used at the patient’s bedside in bedrooms, and “ceiling arms”, used in operating theatres.

Thus, the document FR-A-2628820 proposes a fluid distribution socket, called a self-locking coupling, comprising a socket body of elongated shape comprising an axial passage passing axially through the socket body so as to fluidically connect an upstream end to a downstream end. The fluid, such as a medical gas or vacuum (i.e. depression/suction) "flows" from one end to the other, when a connector of a device or medical equipment, such as the connector of a fluid line, is mechanically and fluidly connected to the socket.

Such a wall socket comprises a socket body to which is connected a pipe, that is to say a small conduit, which is in fluid communication with the axial passage passing through the socket body and which is also connected to the network of hospital gas or vacuum.

When the wall socket is arranged on a wall, the pipe must be vertical, while the axial passage of the socket body must be horizontal, that is to say that the axis of the pipe is generally perpendicular to the axis of the socket body.

This tubing is usually attached to the socket body by heat welding. However, it has been observed in practice that:

• if the weld is poorly made, leaks may exist or appear, which could then endanger the gas or vacuum supply of the equipment connected to the socket; And
• the tensile strength of the weldment is limited, i.e. which can lead to fractures over time.

The problem is therefore to provide an improved wall outlet for distributing fluid, that is to say gas or vacuum, that does not have all or some of the aforementioned problems.

The solution of the invention relates to a fluid distribution outlet, namely gas or vacuum, comprising:

• a socket body of elongated shape along a first axis (AA), comprising a central passage passing axially through the socket body, and
• a pipe, that is to say a small duct, in fluid communication with the central passage of the socket body, the pipe being secured to the socket body along a second axis (BB) perpendicular to the axis (AA) of the plug body,

characterized in that the socket body and the tubing are formed from a single piece shaped by stamping, that is to say they are formed in one piece.

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

• the socket body and the tubing are made of a copper alloy, preferably containing 50 to 70% by weight of copper, typically around 55 to 60% by weight of copper.
• the socket body and the tubing are made of brass, typically a so-called standard brass containing around 55 to 60% by weight of copper.

• the tubing is rigid.

• the plug body is rigid.

• the tubing forms all or part of connection means making it possible to mechanically and fluidly connect a fluid pipe, in particular a fluid pipe forming part of a network of fluid pipes (i.e. gas or vacuum) arranged within a building hospital so that said socket body is in fluid communication with said fluid line.

• the tubing comprises a lumen in which the fluid, i.e. gas or depression, circulates.
• the tubing lumen is fluidically connected to a fluid line, e.g. medical gas or vacuum (i.e. vacuum).
• a bit guide and/or a ball chamber are arranged extractably, coaxially in the socket body, i.e. they are removable.
• the tip guide comprises an axial housing comprising a movable head valve within said axial housing, a valve seat and an elastic element.
• an annular groove is arranged in the peripheral wall of the grip body.
• it comprises a rigid casing arranged around the socket body, that is to say a protective casing serving in particular to protect the socket against dust and possible shocks.
• the head poppet is normally pushed against the poppet seat by the spring element.
• the extractable tip guide comprises an annular groove arranged in its outer peripheral wall and a first annular seal arranged in said annular groove.

• the tip guide is made of a rigid material chosen from copper alloys, in particular nickel-plated brass, and zinc, aluminum and magnesium alloys, in particular zamak.
• the head valve is axially movable (i.e. along axis AA) within the axial housing, preferably movable in translation, in particular sliding.
• the head valve, the valve seat and the elastic element form all or part of the gas passage control elements.
• the elastic element comprises a spring or the like, for example a metal spring of cylindrical or frustoconical shape.
• the elastic element forms a sleeve around at least a part of the head valve.
• a second seal, such as an O-ring, is arranged around the head valve.
• the second seal cooperates with the valve seat to ensure a fluid seal between the head valve and the valve seat, when the head valve is completely pushed against the valve seat by the elastic element.
• the first and/or the second seal is made of elastomer, silicone or the like.

• the bit guide is screwed into the socket body.
• the head valve comprises a blind internal housing comprising an axial orifice and one or more lateral orifices in fluid communication with the blind internal housing, preferably at least 3 or 4 lateral orifices.
• the side orifices are arranged in a ring around the head valve
• the tip guide forms a sleeve around the head valve.
• the bit guide is formed by at least two subunits attached to each other.
• the tip guide comprises an axial housing ending in a proximal orifice.
• the axial port of the valve head and the proximal port of the tip guide are arranged coaxially.
• the head valve has (at least in part) 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 of the plug body 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 elastic element is arranged around at least a part of 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 tip guide comprises a bottom, preferably a blind bottom, against which the elastic element presses, in particular via the other of its ends.
• a safety system, arranged in the central passage, comprises 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 ball chamber is screwed into the socket body.
• the tip-guide comprises an expansion cooperating with the ball-valve of the safety system.

The invention also relates to a wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly comprising a fluid distribution socket according to the invention, in particular gas or vacuum, and a rigid box arranged around the socket body of the fluid distribution socket. This assembly is intended to be mounted on a wall, such as a wall or a partition, in particular within a hospital building. The rigid case arranged around the socket body protects it against dust and possible shocks.

Depending on the embodiment considered, the wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly of the invention may include one or more of the following characteristics:

- the rigid case includes an opening on the top allowing the tubing of the socket to pass, in particular when the tubing is in a vertical position.

- the rigid case comprises an internal compartment comprising the fluid distribution socket.

- the rigid box comprises a front face carrying a pivoting cover giving access to said internal compartment.

- the front face comprises a central orifice through which a part of the fluid distribution socket passes.

- the front face is fixed to the body of the socket by a nut element (i.e. nut or the like) which is screwed onto the socket body in order to maintain the front face fixed to the socket body, that is to say held sandwiched between nut element and socket body.

- The rigid case has a general parallelepiped shape, preferably rectangular parallelepiped.

According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a hospital building comprising a wall, such as a wall or a partition, on which is mounted a fluid distribution outlet (i.e. gas or vacuum) according to the invention or a distribution assembly wall fluid according to the invention, said fluid distribution outlet being fluidly connected to a fluid pipe of the hospital building, in particular to the network of pipes of said hospital building.

Preferably, the fluid distribution outlet (i.e. gas or vacuum) and/or the wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly according to the invention are fixed to the wall by screw means and a stirrup piece.

More specifically, in order to allow the attachment of the fluid distribution socket according to the invention to a wall, in particular within a hospital building, a stirrup piece is used comprising a central opening bordered by an arcuate rim and through holes arranged around said central opening and which receive fixing screws or the like. This stirrup part is housed in the annular groove of the socket body in order not only to fix it to the wall but also in order to allow its vertical indexing so that the tubing of the socket is vertical.

For example, the stirrup piece is a steel plate about 0.5 mm to 5 mm thick having an approximately triangular general shape, through which are arranged three (or more) fixing holes around the central opening.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a fluid distribution socket according to the invention, characterized in that the socket body and the pipe are formed in a single piece from a single piece. -blank copper alloy shaped by stamping.

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

• matrixing includes:

1. heating of the part-blank to a temperature sufficient to allow hot deformation of said part-blank,
2. deformation of the blank part by mechanical pressure between two complementary half-dies each carrying a half-imprint of the socket body and of the tubing, and
3. obtaining a stamped part comprising the socket body and the tubing of a fluid distribution socket.

• the blank piece is hollow so as to allow the formation of passages for the fluid to circulate through the socket body and the tubing.
• the blank part is made of brass, preferably a brass containing 55 to 60% by weight of copper.
• the heating of the part-blank is carried out at a temperature high enough to allow the copper alloy to be softened enough to allow it to be worked, i.e. to shape it, but insufficient to melt it.

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:

• [Fig. 1] shows a front view of an embodiment of a gas distribution socket according to the invention;
• [Fig. 2] shows a side sectional view of the socket of [Fig. 1]; And
• [Fig. 3] represents a side view dissociated from the socket [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2].

There shows a front view of an embodiment of a gas distribution socket 1 according to the invention comprising a socket body 2 of elongated shape, along a longitudinal axis AA, namely a horizontal axis when the socket 1 is fixed to a vertical wall (ie wall, partition, etc.) of a hospital building, whether directly or via an intermediate support element, such as a box or the like, itself fixed to the wall.

As seen on the , the socket body 2 is traversed axially (along axis AA) by an axial passage 11, ie central passage, forming an internal housing within which are arranged, in an extractable manner, gas passage control elements. Such architecture is classic.

The gas passage control elements comprise a tip guide 12 comprising an axial housing 13, a head valve 14 movable along axis AA, i.e. sliding in translation, within said axial housing 13 and a proximal orifice 17 for passage of fluid, i.e. gas or vacuum, which orifice 17 is of circular section. For example, when the fluid is a medical gas (i.e. pure gas or gaseous mixture), the latter is distributed, that is to say leaves the body 2 of the socket 1, through the proximal orifice 17.

An elastic element 16 is also provided, such as a cylindrical spring or the like, arranged in the axial housing 13. Preferably, the elastic element 16 is arranged around the rear portion of the head valve 14 and comes to rest, on a hand, on the blind bottom of the axial housing 13 and, on the other hand, on an annular shoulder secured to the head valve 14, for example formed in the outer peripheral wall of the head valve 14. The elastic element 16 normally allows push the head valve 14 against a valve seat 15 arranged in the tip guide 12, for example within the internal wall delimiting the axial housing 13 of the tip guide 12, so as to control the passage of fluid in the body plug 2.

Advantageously, an O-ring 18 or any other similar sealing means is arranged around the head valve 14, which cooperates with the valve seat 15 to ensure a fluid seal between the head valve 14 and the valve seat 15 when 'they are in contact with each other, that is to say when the head valve 14 is pushed against the valve seat 15 by the elastic element 16, for example a cylindrical spring.

The head valve 14 comprises, for its part, a blind internal housing comprising an axial orifice in fluid communication with the blind internal housing, as well as one or more lateral orifices, for example 4 lateral orifices, distributed in a ring around it. ci, which are also in fluid communication with the blind internal housing so that the fluid (i.e. gas or vacuum) can enter or leave said blind internal housing of the head valve 14, via these side orifices. The side ports may include filters to filter the fluid to retain pollutants that may be there, such as dust, debris or other.

Advantageously, the fluid distribution socket 1 also comprises a safety system 19-21 arranged in the axial passage 11 comprising a ball-valve 20 or the like (i.e. hemisphere or sphere) and a ball chamber 21 in which is housed the ball valve 20, and a ball valve seat 19 cooperating with said ball valve 20 to control the passage of fluid. Preferably, the valve seat 19 is arranged in the internal wall of the ball chamber 21.

This safety system 19-21 makes it possible to prevent the gas from escaping from the socket 1 (according to the embodiment presented) or vacuum suction (i.e. depression) from taking place (according to another embodiment not shown), 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, when the elements control of the passage of gas, typically the tip guide 12, are dismantled and extracted from the 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 (i.e. vacuum) exerted on the ball-valve 20, to press on and close the valve seat 19, when the gas passage control elements, typically the tip-guide 12, are extracted from the socket body 2, so as to interrupt any fluid connection.

Conversely, when the tip guide 12 is mounted in the socket body 2, it presses on the ball-valve 20 to separate it from the valve seat 19 and thus allow fluid communication through the orifice or link channel. This can be done via an axial rod visible on the , forming an expansion or the like, projecting from the rear outer surface of the tip-guide 12 and secured thereto, which is oriented so as to pass axially through the connecting orifice or channel to come to rest on the ball-valve 20 and thus detach it from the valve seat 19.

It should be noted that the ball-valve 20 can have different shapes, in particular a sphere shape as on , half-sphere or another suitable shape, for example oval, ovoid or other. Thus, in the case of a vacuum connection, the ball-valve 20 is preferably a half-sphere cooperating with a return spring.

Furthermore, depending on the embodiment chosen, the tip guide 12 may be formed of several sub-units fixed to each other, for example by screwing, interlocking, welding or other. Furthermore, the tip guide 12 can be made of metal or metal alloy, in particular, of copper alloy, such as brass, preferably nickel-plated, i. e. nickel-plated brass, or alloy of zinc, aluminum and magnesium, in particular zamak.

The tip guide 12 and the ball chamber 21 are mounted extractable within the axial passage 11 of the body 2 of the socket 1, that is to say removable, and can be extracted therefrom, in particular for maintenance.

Furthermore, the fluidic connection of the socket 1 to the network of fluid pipes is made via a pipe 9, that is to say a small gas conduit, which is in fluidic communication, via its lumen 90, with, d on the one hand, said network and, on the other hand, with the internal central passage 11 of socket 1.

The tubing 9 is secured to the socket body 2 along an axis (BB) perpendicular to the axis (AA) of the socket body 2, as illustrated in . The tubing 9 and the socket body 2 are rigid. Thus, when the wall socket 1 is fixed to a wall, the axis BB of the tubing 9 is substantially vertical and the axis (AA) of the socket body 2 is substantially horizontal, as shown in [Fig. 3].

According to the invention, the socket body 2 and the tubing 9 are formed from a single piece, that is to say in one piece, which is shaped by stamping.

More specifically, to manufacture the socket body 2 and the tubing 9 in one piece by die-stamping, a copper alloy blank part, such as brass, is first heated to a temperature sufficient to allow a hot deformation of said part-blank, that is to say a temperature making it possible to make the copper alloy more malleable but insufficient to melt it completely. Preferably, a brass-type copper alloy containing 50 to 70% by weight of copper, typically of the order of 55 to 60% by weight of copper, is used.

Next, the part-blank thus heated by mechanical pressure is deformed between two complementary half-dies each carrying a half-imprint of the socket body 2 and of the pipe 9. The part-blank is preferably hollow in order to facilitate the production of the lumen 9 of the tubing 9 and of the axial passage 11 of the body 2 of the fluid distribution socket 1.

We then obtain the desired stamped part made in one piece comprising the socket body 2 and the tubing 9 of the fluid distribution socket 1.

Thanks to this stamping, fluid leaks are impossible between tubing 9 and socket body 2 since they are made of a single piece and in one piece and, moreover, the tensile strength is greatly improved.

The tubing 9 is connected mechanically and fluidically (i.e. its lumen 90) to 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 the axial passage 11 of the socket body 2 is in fluid communication with said fluid pipe, via the lumen 90 of the tubing 9.

In order to facilitate the fixing and above all the indexing of the body 2 of the socket 1 so that the tubing 9 forming the junction between the gas or vacuum network of the hospital and the axial passage 11 of the body 2 of the socket , either vertical or quasi-vertical, an annular groove 3 is provided in the peripheral wall 4 of the grip body 2.

Furthermore, a stirrup part 5 is used, such as a steel plate about 0.5 mm to 5 mm thick, comprising an opening 7 bordered by an arcuate rim 6, ie a rounded cutout, which comes to housed in the annular groove 3 of the grip body 2, when the grip body 2 is positioned in the yoke part 5, as illustrated in to [Fig. 3].

The stirrup part 5 further comprises means for fixing to a wall, directly or via an intermediate support element, such as a wall box or the like. As seen on the and [Fig. 3], the fastening means comprise, for example, holes 8 intended to receive screws, bolts or any other element or securing means by screwing, for example a hole 8a of circular shape and two holes 8b, 8c of oblong shape , for example substantially oval or ellipsoidal.

The arcuate rim 6 of the stirrup part 5 advantageously has a shape, ie a profile, complementary to the shape of the annular groove 3 of the grip body 2, typically in an arc of a circle, so that the arcuate rim 6 comes to marry the contours (ie come to be centered) of the annular groove 3 of the grip body 2 which comprises sections of cylindrical shape, as visible on . The arched edge 6 consists of a semi-circular rounded opening or cutout in order to allow the insertion and maintenance of the grip body 2 via the annular groove 3.

Thanks to such an arrangement, it is extremely easy and quick not only to fix the grip body 2 to the stirrup part 5 but also to index these two parts with respect to each other so that the tubing 9 is vertical. This is operated by an operator, when mounting the socket 1 on the wall, via a simple orientation according to a clockwise or counterclockwise rotational movement of the body 2 in the stirrup part 5 until the pipe 9 is placed in the desired position, i.e. vertical.

Advantageously, in order to protect it from dust in particular, the wall socket 1 is arranged in a peripheral rigid box 25 defining an internal compartment 30 to receive the socket 1 and protect it, as illustrated in . The rigid case 25 is for example parallelepipedic. It can be formed of several parts connecting to each other, for example two parallelepiped subunits 28, 29 fitting into one another. It comprises a front face 10 bearing a pivoting cover 26 giving access to the internal compartment 30 and to the socket 1 located there. However, the rear sub-unit 29 (which is pierced with holes for passing screws or the like) forming the rear part of the box is optional and is omitted in certain cases, for example in the case of embedding the assembly in a wall. .

The sub-unit 28 forming the main body of the rigid box 25 is in a way "sandwiched" between the stirrup part 5 and the front face 10 carrying the pivoting cover 26.

The front face 10 is for its part kept integral with the rigid casing 25 and the body 2 of the socket by a threaded nut 31 or the like which is screwed onto a thread carried by the body 2 of the socket. The stirrup part 5 is fixed directly to the wall, that is to say to a wall for example, by screwing through the holes 8.

Furthermore, the rigid box 25 comprises an opening 27 on the top allowing the tubing 9 to pass, which is indexed in the vertical position.

A wall socket 1 according to the invention is designed to supply either therapeutic gases, such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, air or any other gas or gas mixture, or medical vacuum (i.e. depression) used to operate aspirations in particular of biological fluids, for example blood or other biological fluids.

Claims (10)

Fluid distribution socket (1) comprising:

• a socket body (2) of elongated shape along an axis (AA), comprising a central passage (11) passing axially (AA) through the socket body (2), and
• a pipe (9) in fluid communication with the central passage (11) of the socket body (2), the pipe (9) being secured to the socket body (2) along an axis (BB) perpendicular to the axis (AA ) of the socket body (2),

characterized in that the socket body (2) and the pipe (9) are formed from a single piece shaped by stamping. Socket according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the socket body (2) and the pipe (9) are formed from a copper alloy. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the socket body (2) and the socket (9) are made of brass. Socket according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bit guide (12) and a ball chamber (19) are arranged in a removable manner coaxially in the socket body (2). Wall-mounted fluid distribution assembly (1, 25) comprising a fluid distribution socket (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a rigid casing (25) arranged around the socket body (2) of the fluid distribution socket fluid (1). Assembly according to Claim 5, characterized in that the rigid casing (25) comprises an opening (27) on the top allowing the tubing (9) of the socket (1) to pass. Assembly according to Claim 6, characterized in that the lumen (90) of the tubing (9) is fluidically connected to a fluid pipe, in particular to a fluid pipe of a hospital building. Hospital building comprising a wall, such as a wall or a partition, on which is mounted a fluid distribution socket (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 or a wall fluid distribution assembly (1, 25) according to 'one of claims 5 to 7, said fluid distribution outlet (1) being fluidically connected to a fluid pipe of the hospital building. Method of manufacturing a fluid distribution socket (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the socket body (2) and the pipe (9) are formed in a single piece from a copper alloy blank part, typically brass, shaped by die-stamping. Method according to Claim 9, characterized in that the stamping comprises:

1. heating of the part-blank to a temperature sufficient to allow hot deformation of said part-blank,
2. a deformation of the blank part by mechanical pressure between two complementary half-dies each carrying a half-imprint of the gripping body (2) and of the tubing (9), and
3. obtaining a stamped part comprising the socket body (2) and the tubing (9) of a fluid distribution socket (1).