Tube holder

Abstract

A tube holder includes at least a set of clamping members having circular arc-shaped clamping concave portions, a spindle pivotably supporting end portions on one side along the circular arcs of the clamping members in a state where the clamping concave portions facing curvature center sides of the respective circular arcs face each other, and a biasing member pivoting and biasing end portions of the other side along the circular arc of the clamping member in a direction of mutual approaching. The clamping member is formed such that an inscribed circle formed between facing surfaces of the clamping concave portions is smaller than a virtual circle formed by extension of the circular arcs of the clamping concave portions in a state where a space between the other end portions is closed and the clamping concave portions are disposed on the same virtual circle formed by extension of the circular arcs in a state during opening and closing where the clamping members are pivoted and the end portions on the other side are moved close to and away from each other.

Claims

1. A tube holder comprising: at least a set of clamping members having circular arc-shaped clamping concave portions; a spindle pivotably supporting end portions on one side along the circular arcs of the clamping members in a state where the clamping concave portions facing curvature center sides of the respective circular arcs face each other; and a biasing member pivoting and biasing end portions of the other side along the circular arc of the clamping member in a direction of mutual approaching, wherein the clamping member is formed such that an inscribed circle formed between facing surfaces of the clamping concave portions is smaller than a virtual circle formed by extension of the circular arcs of the clamping concave portions in a state where a space between the other end portions is closed and the clamping concave portions are disposed on the same virtual circle formed by extension of the circular arcs in a state during opening and closing where the clamping members are pivoted and the end portions on the other side are moved close to and away from each other, a claw portion extending along the circular arc and an accommodating recess accommodating the claw portion when the clamping member is closed are formed in each the end portions on the other side of the clamping members, and a plurality of projecting portions spaced apart in a direction along the circular arc are formed in the clamping concave portion including a tip of the claw portion.

2. The tube holder according to claim 1, wherein the set of clamping members consists of a fixed side clamping member fixed to a holder main body and a movable side clamping member pivotably supported on the holder main body by the spindle, the fixed side clamping member is fixed to the holder main body by a pair of fixed arm portions having the clamping concave portion being spaced apart in a direction along the spindle in a state where curvature centers of the respective circular arcs are aligned in the direction along the spindle, the movable side clamping member is provided with a pair of movable arm portions having the clamping concave portion spaced apart in the direction along the spindle, and the fixed arm portion and the movable arm portion are respectively disposed so as to be openable and closable in a front and a back in the direction along the spindle.

3. The tube holder according to claim 1, wherein the clamping member is provided with two sets of a fixed side clamping member fixed to a holder main body and a movable side clamping member pivotably supported on the holder main body by the spindle, a pair of the fixed side clamping members is fixed back to back to the holder main body in a state where curvature centers of the respective circular arcs toward outward, and the movable side clamping member is rotatably supported on the holder main body by the spindle in a state where a pair of the movable side clamping members faces respective outer sides of the pair of fixed side clamping portions with curvature centers of the respective circular arcs toward inward.

4. The tube holder according to claim 1, wherein the clamping member is provided with two sets of a fixed side clamping member fixed to a holder main body and a movable side clamping member pivotably supported on the holder main body by the spindle, a pair of the fixed side clamping members is fixed back to back to the holder main body in a state where curvature centers of the respective circular arcs toward outward, the fixed side clamping member is fixed to the holder main body by a pair of fixed arm portions having the clamping concave portion being spaced apart in a direction along the spindle in a state where curvature centers of the respective circular arcs are aligned in the direction along the spindle, the movable side clamping member is rotatably supported on the holder main body by the spindle in a state where a pair of the movable side clamping members faces respective outer sides of the pair of fixed side clamping portions with curvature centers of the respective circular arcs toward inward, a pair of movable arm portions having the clamping concave portion is spaced apart in the direction along the spindle, and the fixed arm portion and the movable arm portion are respectively disposed so as to be openable and closable in a front and a back in the direction along the spindle.

5. The tube holder according to claim 2, wherein a finger hooking piece extending to a side opposite to the fixed side clamping member is formed between the fixed side clamping, members in the holder main body, and an operation piece is provided at a position where the movable arm portion is operable between the finger hooking piece and the operation piece, in the movable side clamping member.

6. The tube holder according to claim 5, wherein the operation piece is in a connected state between the pair of movable arm portions.

7. The tube holder according to claim 4, wherein a finger hooking piece extending to a side opposite to the fixed side clamping member is formed between the fixed side clamping members in the holder main body, and an operation piece is provided at a position where the movable arm portion is operable between the finger hooking piece and the operation piece, in the movable side clamping member.

8. The tube holder according to claim 7, wherein the operation piece is in a connected state between the pair of movable arm portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed of an incubator to which a tube holder according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of the main part of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the main part of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tube holder that is closed.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front view of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 5.

(7) FIG. 7 is a plan view of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 is a rear view of the tube holder illustrated in FIG. 6.

(9) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tube holder that is open.

(10) FIG. 10 is a front view of the tube holder that is open.

(11) FIG. 11 is a front view of the tube holder during opening and closing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) Hereinafter, an embodiment of a tube holder of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings.

(13) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed of an incubator to which the tube holder according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached.

(14) As illustrated in FIG. 1, a tube holder 100 according to the present embodiment can be preferably attached to, for example, a bed 11 of an incubator by means of a rod-shaped flexible arm 13. The flexible arm 13 has flexibility and is capable of supporting the tube holder 100 in a state where a bent shape is maintained in any direction. As a result, the tube holder 100 can be flexibly disposed at a desired position in a three-dimensional direction on the bed 11.

(15) Specifically, the flexible arm 13 detachably supports the tube holder 100 interposed a joint portion 19 with a proximal end portion 15 detachably attached to the frame of the bed 11 and the joint portion 19 provided in a tip portion 17 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. The joint portion 19 has a fixed tube 21 in the tip portion 17. A pair of support pieces 23, which are supported by the fixed tube 21, are spaced apart from each other in the radial direction of the fixed tube 21. Between the support pieces 23, a swinging piece 27 is swingably clamped by a swinging shaft 25, which is in a direction orthogonal to the support pieces 23.

(16) An engagement shaft (not illustrated) protrudes at the swinging tip of the swinging piece 27. The engagement shaft is detachably attached to a support hole 38 (see FIG. 8), which is provided in a holder main body 30 of the tube holder 100. The tube holder 100 is supported by the tip portion 17 of the flexible arm 13 interposed the joint portion 19. As a result, the tube holder 100 is swingable at least in the direction of rotation that is about the swinging shaft 25. Assuming that the flexible arm 13 is linear, the tube holder 100 is swingable about the swinging shaft 25, which is orthogonal to the axial direction of the flexible arm 13.

(17) In the present embodiment, the joint portion 19 may be a structure rotatably supporting the pair of support pieces 23 around the axis of the fixed tube 21. In this case, the joint portion 19 is capable of supporting the tube holder 100 in two degrees of freedom, one being the direction of swinging around the swinging shaft and the other being the direction of rotation around the axis of the fixed tube 21.

(18) The tube holder 100 that is closed is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8. The tube holder 100 that is fully open is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. A state during opening and closing is illustrated in FIG. 11. As for the upward-downward, forward-rearward, and leftward-rightward directions in the present embodiment, the direction of the arrow U that is illustrated in FIG. 5 is the upward direction, the direction of the arrow D that is, illustrated in FIG. 5 is the downward direction, the direction of the arrow L that is illustrated in FIG. 5 is the leftward direction, the direction of the arrow R that is illustrated in FIG. 5 is the rightward direction, the direction of the arrow F that is illustrated in FIG. 5 is the forward direction, and the arrow B that is illustrated in FIG. 5 indicates the rearward direction.

(19) The holder main body 30, a pair of clamping members 31 and 32, a spindle 35 supporting the clamping members 31 and 32 in an openable and closable manner, and a biasing member 50 biasing the clamping members 31 and 32 in the closing direction are the main elements that constitute the tube holder 100 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a movable side clamping member 32 and a fixed side clamping member 31 integrally fixed to the holder main body 30 constitute the pair of clamping members 31 and 32.

(20) The holder main body 30 is integrally injection-molded from, for example, polypropylene (PP). Each movable side clamping member 32 is integrally injection-molded from polypropylene (PP). The tube holder 100 uses the injection components whereas existing products have component configurations mainly based on machining, and thus the product cost of the tube holder 100 can be significantly reduced.

(21) The holder main body 30 is formed in a substantially inverted triangle shape in front view and a laterally long and rectangular block shape in plan view. In the upper surface of the holder main body 30, a recessed groove 30a is formed along the leftward-rightward direction. At the lower end of the holder main body 30, a finger hooking piece 37, which will be described later, extends in a suspended state. The support hole 38 is formed at a substantially middle position on the back surface side of the holder main body 30. The engagement shaft (not illustrated) protruding from the swinging piece 27 of the flexible arm 13 is attached to the support hole 38.

(22) The fixed side clamping member 31 that is fixed to the holder main body 30 and the movable side clamping member 32, which is openable and closable with respect to the fixed side clamping member 31, are respectively provided in both end portions of the holder main body 30 in the leftward-rightward direction. In other words, one set of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 is provided on each of the left and the right of the holder main body 30. Each of the clamping members 31 and 32 has arm portions 41 and 42 formed in a circular arc shape and having the same curvature, and is configured to be opened and closed in a state where clamping concave portions 45, which form a circular arc shape inside the arm portions 41 and 42, face each other. The arm portion in the fixed side clamping member 31 will be referred to as a fixed arm portion 41 and the arm portion in the movable side clamping member 32 will be referred to as a movable arm portion 42.

(23) In this case, both fixed side clamping members 31 are disposed such that one end portion along the circular arc of the fixed arm portion 41 is fixed to both end portions of the holder main body 30 and curvature centers C1 (see FIG. 10) of the circular arcs of the fixed arm portions 41 are back to back toward the outside in the fixed state. In the movable side clamping member 32, an operation piece 47 is integrally provided in one end portion along the circular arc of the movable arm portion 42 so as to extend to the side that is opposite to the movable arm portion 42. The parts that are between the movable arm portions 42 and the operation pieces 47, are the end portions of the movable arm portions 42 described above, and are disposed so as to respectively face the fixed arm portions 41 from the outer sides with curvature centers C2 of the circular arcs of the movable arm portions 42 facing the inner sides, are pivotably supported on the holder main body 30 by the spindles 35.

(24) In this state of attachment, the fixed arm portions 41 and the movable arm portions 42 are attached at both end positions of the C1 and C2 of the respective circular arcs parallel to each other and both clamping concave portions 45 facing each other and the spindles 35 are parallel to the curvature centers C1 and C2 of the circular arcs. In this state, the operation pieces 47 of both movable side clamping members 31 are disposed on the left and the right below the fixed arm portions 41 and the movable arm portions 42 and the finger hooking piece 37 integrated with the holder main body 30 is vertically disposed between the operation pieces 47. The finger hooking piece 37 is formed in a plate shape extending in the forward-rearward direction. Non-slip projecting ridges 39 extending in the forward-rearward direction are formed on the left and right plate surfaces of the finger hooking piece 37.

(25) As a result, the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are operated in the directions of approaching and separation with gripping performed between the finger hooking piece 37 and the operation piece 47. As a result, the movable arm portion 42 is opened and closed with respect to the fixed arm portion 41, which is similar to scissors.

(26) As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the respective fixed arm portions 41 of the fixed side clamping members 31 have the same shape and are spaced apart from each other in the direction along the spindles 35 (forward-rearward direction) in the holder main body 30. Likewise, the respective movable arm portions 42 of the movable side clamping members 32 have the same shape and are spaced apart in the direction along the spindles 35 (forward-rearward direction). The operation pieces 47 are integrated by connecting portions 47a so as to connect the movable arm portions 42.

(27) In this configuration, one fixed side clamping member 31 is provided on each of the left and the right and each of the fixed side clamping members 31 is provided with one fixed arm portion 41 in each of the front and the back. As a result, a total of four fixed arm portions 41 are provided. One movable side clamping member 32 is provided on each of the left and the right so as to correspond to the two fixed side clamping members 31. Each of the movable side clamping members 32 is provided with one movable arm portion 42 in each of the front and the back. As a result, a total of four movable arm portions 42 are provided. Each movable arm portion 42 is pivotably supported on the holder main body 30 by the spindle 35. Accordingly, a total of four spindles 35 are provided in the left, right, front, and back, the left spindles 35 are disposed on the same axis, and the right spindles 35 are disposed on the same axis.

(28) In the tube holder 100, the movable side clamping member 32 pivots with respect to the fixed side clamping member 31. As a result, the respective, clamping concave portions 45 of the arm portions 41 and 42 can be opened and closed.

(29) In this case, the respective clamping concave portions 45 of the arm portions 41 and 42 are formed by circular arcs having the same curvature radius. In addition, the respective clamping concave portions 45 of the fixed arm portion 41 of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable arm portion 42 of the movable side clamping member 32 that face each other are disposed on the same virtual circle K (see FIG. 11) at the positions during opening and closing where the movable side clamping members 32 pivot about the spindles 35 to move close to and away from the fixed side clamping members 31.

(30) In other words, in the tube holder 100, the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32, which are a pair of clamping members, are formed such that an inscribed circle K3 (see FIG. 8) formed between the facing surfaces of the clamping concave portions 45 is smaller than virtual circles K1 and K2 formed by extension of the circular arcs of the clamping concave portions 45 in a state where the space between the opening and closing end portions (the other end portions of the present invention) is closed, the clamping concave portions 45 are disposed on the same virtual circle K formed by extension of the circular arcs in a state during opening and closing where the opening and closing end portions are moved close to and away from each other by pivoting of the movable side clamping member 32, which is one clamping member, and the opening and closing end portions can be further opened in the direction of separation from the state during opening and closing.

(31) In the tube holder 100, the left and right movable arm portions 42 disposed on the front side in the left and right movable side clamping members 32 are biased in the closing direction by the biasing members 50. The movable arm portions 42 are integrated in the front and the back by the operation pieces 47, and thus the rear movable arm portions 42 are pivoted and biased in the same direction by the front movable arm portions 42 being biased.

(32) The pair of biasing members 50 are disposed on the left and the right after being formed in a C shape from, for example, linear spring steel. The biasing members 50 are shaped so as to be integrally connected and fixed in the middle portions of the biasing members 50. The C-shaped biasing members 50 on the left and the right may be separate from each other or the biasing members 50 may be formed of a linear synthetic resin material.

(33) An engagement hole 51 is formed in the outside surfaces of the fixed arm portion 41 and the movable arm portion 42. One end of the biasing member 50 is inserted into the engagement hole 51. The fixed arm portion 41 that is positioned on the front side of the fixed side clamping member 31 is provided with a piece member 55, which is detachable from the part of the engagement hole 51. The biasing member 50 that is inserted in the engagement hole 51 is locked by the piece member 55.

(34) The elastic force of the biasing member 50 applies a preload that biases the closed movable side clamping member 32 further in the closing direction toward the fixed side clamping member 31.

(35) In the operation piece 47 of the movable side clamping member 32, a rectangular long hole 48 through which the biasing member 50 is inserted is formed along the length direction of the operation piece 47. The biasing member 50 is inserted through the long hole 48. As a result, the biasing member 50 is disposed across the movable arm portion 42 of the movable side clamping member 32 and the fixed arm portion 41 of the fixed side clamping member 31 and interference with the operation piece 47 is prevented.

(36) Although the biasing member 50 is provided between the fixed arm portion 41 and the movable arm portion 42 on the front side in the present embodiment, the engagement hole 51 and the long hole 48 are also provided in the fixed arm portion 41 and the movable arm portion 42 on the rear side, and thus the same biasing member 50 may be disposed between the fixed arm portion 41 and the movable arm portion 42 on the rear side in a case where an especially large biasing force is desired.

(37) As illustrated in FIG. 5 and the like, claw portions 61 extending along a circular arc shape are formed in the opening and closing end portions of the respective movable arm portions 42 of the movable side clamping members 32. Accommodating recesses 63 accommodating the claw portions 61 are formed in the opening and closing end portions of the fixed arm portions 41 of the fixed side clamping members 31. As for the movable side clamping member 32 and the fixed side clamping member 31, a stopper surface 42a is formed at the proximal end position of the claw portion 61 of the movable arm portion 42, the stopper surface 42a and a stopper surface 41a formed on the tip surface of the fixed arm portion 41 abut against each other in the closed state, and the claw portion 61 is accommodated in the accommodating recess 63 in the abutting state.

(38) A plurality of projecting portions 67, which are spaced apart from each other in the direction along the circular arc, are formed in the clamping concave portions 45 of the respective arm portions 41 and 42 Of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32. The projecting portions 67 extend in the forward-rearward direction in the respective clamping concave portions 45. Groove-shaped recesses (reference numeral omitted) are formed between the projecting portions 67. As a result, the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are capable of regulating a movement of a tubular item in the direction along the circular arc by the projecting portions 67 abutting against a plurality of plate's on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular item sandwiched between the clamping concave portions 45. In a case where the tubular item is formed of an elastically deformable material, the projecting portions 67 bite into the outer peripheral portion of the tubular item and the tubular item can be reliably held. The projecting portion 67 is similarly formed at the tip of the claw portion 61 as well.

(39) In the tube holder 100 configured as described above, the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32, which area pair of clamping members, are caused to approach each other against the biasing force of the biasing member 50 and with the finger hooking piece 37 and the operation piece 47 pinched with fingers from the state of being closed as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8. Then, the opening and closing end portions of the fixed arm portion 41 of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable arm portion 42 of the movable side clamping member 32 are separated from each other and the clamping concave portion 45 is opened as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. As illustrated in FIG. 11, at this position during opening and closing, the circular arcs in the respective clamping concave portions 45 of the fixed arm portion 41 and the movable arm portion 42 are disposed so as to overlap the same (one) virtual circle K.

(40) Accordingly, in the closed state of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32, the diameter of the inscribed circle K3 (see FIG. 8) formed between the facing surfaces of the clamping concave portions 45 is smaller than the diameter of the virtual circle K (K1 and K2) (see FIG. 10), parts less than half of the virtual circles K1 and K2 overlap each other, and the overlapping parts constitute a substantially elliptical space surrounded by the circular arcs of the clamping concave portions 45. The short-axis-direction distance of this space is the diameter of the largest inscribed circle K3. Accordingly, a thin tubular item that is sufficiently smaller in diameter than virtual circle K can be held.

(41) As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are open at the maximum pivot angle, the maximum diameter at which clamping by the clamping concave portions 45 is possible exceeds the diameter of the virtual circle K described above, and thus a tubular item exceeding the diameter of the virtual circle K can be held.

(42) In this case, the opening and closing end portions of the respective movable arm portions 42 of the movable side clamping members 32 are further provided with the claw portions 61, and thus the claw portions 61 abut against the outer peripheral surface of the tubular item at the maximum opening. The extension length of the claw portion 61 is set so as to be capable of surrounding up to of the outer peripheral length of the tubular item that has an assumed maximum diameter. Accordingly, the tube holder 100 is capable of holding a tubular item having a diameter larger than in a case where the claw portion 61 is not provided.

(43) As illustrated in FIG. 5 and the like, in a state where the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are closed, the claw portions 61 are accommodated in the accommodating recesses 63 of the respective fixed arm portions 41 of the fixed side clamping members 31, and thus interference with the fixed arm portion 41 can be avoided and the minimum diameter of the tubular item that can be clamped can be maintained without the substantially elliptical space being expanded.

(44) As a result, the clamping concave portions 45 of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are capable of flexibly responding to tubular items of various sizes, that is, items smaller and larger in diameter than the virtual circle K.

(45) The movable side clamping members 32 are disposed so as to respectively face the pair of fixed side clamping members 31, and thus the tube holder 100 is capable of holding two tubular items at the same time. Two tubular items of different diameters can be independently held in this case as the pair of movable side clamping members 32 are separate bodies.

(46) The two arm portions 41 and 42 are spaced apart from each other in the direction along the spindle 35 (forward-rearward direction) in the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 alike, and thus the pair of front and rear clamping concave portions 45 (four clamping concave portions 45 in total) are opened and closed by the arm portions 41 and 42. Accordingly, two tubular items held on the left and the right are clamped in two places separated in a longitudinal direction. As a result, wobbling of the held tubular items can be suppressed and holding performance enhancement can be, achieved.

(47) Accordingly, the tube holder 100 is capable of holding tubular items of various sizes, that is, items with small and large diameters with high holding performance at medical sites.

(48) The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(49) In the embodiment, the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 are provided in two sets on the left and the right. One set is possible in an alternative configuration. In the embodiment, each of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32 is provided with two arm portions spaced apart from each other in the forward-rearward direction. The number of the arm portions may be one in an alternative configuration. In any of the embodiments, the claw portions 61 extending along the circular arc and the accommodating recesses 63 accommodating the claw portions 61 when the clamping members 31 and 32 are closed may be formed in the end portions of the fixed side clamping member 31 and the movable side clamping member 32.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(50) It is possible to provide a tube holder capable of holding tubular items of various sizes, that is, items with small and large diameters at medical sites.