WO1995026770A1

WO1995026770A1 - Omnidirectional exchanger for medical use

Info

Publication number: WO1995026770A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/001172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandra Ori; Marco Filipponi; Giancarlo Possidoni
Original assignee: Baxter S.P.A.
Priority date: 1994-03-31
Filing date: 1995-03-29
Publication date: 1995-10-12
Also published as: AU2136895A; ITMO940016V0; IT234806Y1; ITMO940016U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an omnidirectional exchanger (1) for medical use, comprising an annular element which has a flattened cylindrical shape and has hermetic engagement means for respective lids; each lid has a connector (6, 7) for connection to tubes for the passage of fluid, and the engagement means of at least one of the lids allow rotation and have means for quick locking and release with respect to the annular element in any orientation.

Description

OMNIDIRECTIONAL EXCHANGER FOR MEDICAL USE Technical Field

The present invention relates to an omnidirectional exchanger for medical use. Background Art

In the particular field of medical equipment, especially in respiratory therapies (anaesthesia and resuscitation) , it is known to use exchangers which are placed along a line of tubes suitable to ventilate and humidify the respiratory system of a patient: these exchangers usually have a flattened shape, and their input and output connectors can be arranged axially, at right angles to the exchange surface with a filtration element accommodated inside, or protrude from the edge of the exchanger in a mutually aligned configuration or at an angle of ninety degrees with respect to one another.

The tube on which the exchanger with the filter is applied can be orientated in any manner and can be arranged in various positions with respect to the patient: in view of this situation, it would be advantageous, for effective connection and to avoid patient discomfort, if the input and the output could be orientated in any manner. The exchangers currently adopted usually do not allow this; accordingly, the tubes which are used to connect to conventional devices and have significant diameters to ensure a sufficient flow-rate must often follow convoluted paths and can therefore be particularly uncomfortable for the patient.

Disclosure of the Invention

The technical aim of the present invention is to obviate the above described drawbacks of known devices, in other words to provide an omnidirectional exchanger for medical use in which the output and the input can assume any mutual orientation so as to avoid useless discomfort to the patient.

Within the scope of this technical aim, an object of the present invention is to achieve the above aim with a simple structure that is relatively easy to provide in practice, is safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.

This aim and this object are both achieved by the present omnidirectional exchanger for medical use, characterized in that it comprises an annular element which has a flattened cylindrical shape and has hermetic engagement means for respective lids, each lid having a connector for connection to tubes for the passage of fluid from or to a patient, the engagement means of at least one of said lids allowing rotation and having means for quick locking and release with respect to the annular element in any orientation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further particularities will become apparent and evident from the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an omnidirectional exchanger for medical use according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a partially sectional exploded side view of the omnidirectional exchanger for medical use; figure 2 is a perspective view thereof; figure 3 is a perspective view of the exchanger in which the connectors are "lac d in a different an^gular arrangement and the exchanger itself is arranged within a packaging and carrying blister package; figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking elements in different actuation steps; figure 5 is a sectional front view of the locking elements in the release and locking configurations. Ways of carrying out the Invention

With particular reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an omnidirectional exchanger for medical use according to the invention.

Said exchanger is constituted by an annular element 2 having a flattened cylindrical shape and provided with hermetic engagement means 3 for respective lids 4 and 5 which are slightly cambered and are individually provided with a connector, respectively 6 and 7, for connection to the tubes for the passage of fluid towards or from a patient.

The connectors 6 and 7 are substantially radial with respect to the corresponding lid and can be of the type suitable to be surmounted by the tube (connector 6) or of the type (connector 7) which can be inserted in said tube.

The hermetic engagement means 3 are constituted by corresponding external grooves 8 and 9 of the annular element, in which it is possible to insert corresponding protruding internal ridges 10 and 11 of the annular edges

12 and 13 of the lids 4 and 5, and by perimetric strap-like clamps 14 and 15 which are monolithic with the edges 12 and

13 and are associated with the annular element. The engagement means of at least one of the lids allow the lid 4 to rotate and have elements 16 for quick locking and release with respect to the annular element in any orientation. The quick locking and release elements 16 are constituted by the fact that at least the perimetric clamp 14 is rigidly coupled to the annular element only along limited portions 17 and forms in practice a locking ring; said clamp 14 has a toggle-lever tensioner 18 that protrudes with an arm 19 whose end 20 can be engaged with a locking tooth 21 protruding from the clamp 14.

The lid 4 is axially provided, in a known manner, with an axial tubular opening 22 which has a cross-section that slightly diverges outwardly and can be closed with a corresponding plug.

A concentric ring 23 is formed by molding inside the annular element 2 and acts as an abutment for a disk-like element 24 made of filtration material.

Advantageously, the components of the exchanger 1 are produced by molding plastic material or the like with the necessary mechanical characteristics (to allow, where required, deformability and tightness) and non-toxic characteristics.

The operation of the exchanger 1 according to the invention is evident: while the arm 19 is released, the lid 4 is orientated so that the connector 6 is orientated in the optimum manner with respect to the connector 7, and then the end 20 of the arm is connected to the tooth 21: the connectors 6 and 7 can thus assume any mutual angle, from an overlapping arrangement at 0°, shown in figure 3, to a substantially aligned position at 180°, shown in figure 2.

It has thus been observed that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.

All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements without thereby abandoning the protective scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Omnidirectional exchanger for medical use, characterized in that it comprises an annular element which has a flattened cylindrical shape and has hermetic engagement means for respective lids, each lid having a connector for connection to tubes for the passage of fluid from or to a patient, the engagement means of at least one of said lids allowing rotation and having means for quick locking and release with respect to the annular element in any orientation.

2. Exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said engagement means are constituted by corresponding external grooves of the annular element, in which it is possible to insert, in a snap-together manner, corresponding internal ridges that protrude from the annular edges of said lids, and by strap-like clamps which are arranged perimetrically with respect to said edges and are associated with said annular element.

3. Exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that said quick locking and release elements are constituted by at least one of said perimetric clamps which is rigidly coupled to the annular element along limited portions and is provided with a toggle-lever tensioner in which one end can be engaged with a locking tooth.

4. Exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said connectors are substantially radial with respect to the corresponding lid.

5. Omnidirectional exchanger for blood or the like for medical use, according to one or more of the preceding claims and according to what has been described and illustrated for the specified purposes.