AN ASSEMBLY AND A SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR DISPENSING A LIQUID FROM A COMPRESSIBLE BAG

Abstract

An assembly and a system suitable for dispensing liquid from a compressible bag, such as for IV treatment of a patient. The assembly includes an apparatus and a flexible mat. The apparatus includes a housing with a dispensing end and an opposite rear end, a floor comprising a flat floor surface, a pair of parallel guiding tracks and a roller arrangement including a roller body. The roller arrangement has a first roller arrangement end and a second roller arrangement end respectively engaged with the respective guiding tracks. The mat has a first mat end, which is mounted to or adapted to be mounted to the roller body and the mat is located at least partly on the flat floor between the guiding tracks.

Claims

1.-64. (canceled)

65. An assembly suitable for dispensing liquid from a compressible bag, the assembly comprising an apparatus and a flexible mat, the apparatus comprises a housing having a dispensing end and an opposite rear end, a floor comprising a flat floor surface, a pair of parallel guiding tracks and a roller arrangement comprising a roller body having a first and a second roller body ends and a roller surface with a cross-sectional circumference, the roller arrangement has a first roller arrangement end and a second roller arrangement end, respectively engaged with said respective guiding tracks, wherein said guiding tracks are located to guide said roller arrangement to roll said roller arrangement from the rear end location towards the dispensing end, said mat has a length extending between a first mat end and a second mat end, wherein the first mat end is mounted to or adapted to be mounted to said roller body and the mat is located at least partly on the flat floor between said guiding tracks when said roller is located at said rear end location.

66. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said mat has a top surface and an opposite bottom surface facing said floor surface when unrolled from the roller body, wherein said bottom surface has at least one of a lower roughness than said top surface and a coefficient of static friction (CoSF) of 0.3 or less determined according to ASTM D3702-94 (2019).

67. The assembly of claim 66, wherein said mat comprises two or more layers which are interfacially bonded or interconnected at least at the first mat end and the second mat end.

68. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said mounting of the mat to said roller body is a mounting comprising at least one of a chemical mounting, a physical mounting and a mechanical mounting.

69. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said floor surfaces has a CoSF of 0.4 or less determined according to ASTM D3702-94 (2019).

70. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said roller arrangement comprises a track engagement arrangement at each of its respective first second ends engaged with said respective guiding tracks, wherein at least one of said track engagement arrangements comprises a track slider engaged with said guiding track for sliding along the guiding tracks.

71. The assembly of claim 70, wherein the track engagement arrangements are engaged with said respective guiding tracks to hold the roller body at a predefined or selectable distance to said flat floor surface when the roller arrangement passes from the rear end towards the dispensing end.

72. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said mat at its second mat end has a stop arrangement preventing the second end of the mat to be rolled onto the roller body.

73. The assembly of claim 72, wherein said stop arrangement comprises a rigid stopper adapted for being blocked by said track engagement arrangements when the track engagement arrangements reached the second end of the mat.

74. The assembly of claim 65, wherein said apparatus comprises a drive arrangement engaged with said roller arrangement for driving said roll of the roller arrangement from the rear end towards the dispensing end, said drive arrangement comprises at least one of a spring arrangement and an electric motor.

75. The assembly of claim 74, wherein said drive arrangement comprises a spring arrangement selected from a single spring or a multi spring arrangement and wherein spring arrangement being at least partly located in the roller body.

76. The assembly of claim 75, wherein said spring arrangement comprises at least one helical torsion spring located within the roller body, wherein said roller arrangement comprises an axle and wherein said roller body is arranged to rotate around said axle preferably said roller body forms a housing for said one or more helical torsion springs.

77. The assembly of claim 76, wherein said spring arrangement is arranged to drive said roller body to rotate around the axle, wherein the axle is rigidly connected to at least one axle flange and wherein a first end of the helical torsion spring is engaged with said roller body and a second end of the helical torsion spring is engaged with said axle flange, wherein the roller body comprises a cylindrical body part and at least one roller flange perpendicular to the cylindrical body and wherein the first end of the helical torsion spring is engaged with said roller flange or said cylindrical body part and wherein at least one of said axle flanges is an engagement axle flange and at least one of said roller flanges is an engagement roller flange, wherein said engagement axle flange is engaged with said engagement roller flange.

78. The assembly of claim 77, wherein said engagement axle flange and said engagement roller flange forms a rotational restraint, wherein a first of said engagement axle flange and said engagement roller flange comprises annular channels and a second of said engagement axle flange and said engagement roller flange comprises annular flanges or sections of flanges engaged into the annular channels of said first of said engagement axle flange and said engagement roller flange.

79. The assembly of claim 78, wherein said annular channels comprises a lubricate filling up space in the annular channels between the annular flanges or sections of flanges and wherein said lubricate can pass from one annular channel to another annular channel of the annular channels.

80. The assembly of claim 75, wherein said spring arrangement comprises a loading arrangement for at least partly loading said spring arrangement wherein said loading arrangement is arranged for at least partly loading said spring arrangement by at least one of unrolling the mat from the roller body and moving the roller arrangement in a direction from the dispensing end and towards the rear end.

81. The assembly of claim 75, wherein said spring arrangement comprises a loading station for loading said spring arrangement, wherein said roller arrangement comprises a snap lock for temporarily holding said roller body in said loading station and wherein said roller arrangement comprises a lever for releasing said roller body from said loading station.

82. The assembly of claim 65, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of a monitor sensor and a display for monitoring and displaying least one condition of a compressible bag arranged on the mat, wherein the condition being selected from a temperature of a liquid in the bag, and a dispensing condition; and a regulator arrangement for automatic or remote controlling start or stop of dispensing of liquid from a bag located on the mat.

83. The assembly of claim 82, wherein the monitor sensor is a temperature regulating arrangement adapted to heat a liquid in a compressible bag located on the mat.

84. The assembly of claim 82, wherein the temperature regulating arrangement comprises one or more heating elements incorporated into at least one of the mat, the floor and the lid, wherein the temperature regulating arrangement comprises an air heat blower arranged for heating the space within the housing to a selected temperature.

85. A system suitable for dispensing liquid from a compressible bag, the system comprising an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims and a compressible bag, the compressible bag has a rear end and a dispensing end, the dispensing end comprises a dispensing port suitable for being connected to a tubing arrangement for administering the liquid.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein the track engagement arrangements are engaged with said respective guiding tracks to hold the roller at a predefined or selectable distance to said flat floor surface when the roller arrangement passes from the rear end towards the dispensing end, wherein said predefined or selectable distance to said flat floor surface is from about 1 mm to about 2.5 cm larger than the combined thickness of the mat and the compressible bag in empty condition.

87. The system of claim 85, wherein said system further comprises the tubing arrangement for administering the liquid wherein the tubing arrangement comprises a tube and a roller pinch clamp for adjusting the flow through the tube, wherein the roller pinch clamp comprises at least two adjustment rollers located opposite to each other for directly and or indirectly via a support flange pinching the tube between the rollers.

88. The system of claim 87, wherein said tubing arrangement comprises a spike and drip chamber connected between the dispensing port and the tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES AND DRAWING

[0119] The invention is illustrated further below in connection with embodiments and with reference to the figures. The figures are schematic and may not be drawn to scale.

[0120] FIG. 1 illustrates a patient using an assembly of an embodiment of the invention.

[0121] FIG. 2 illustrates an assembly comprising a set of straps e.g. as described in WO2019145004.

[0122] FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate an assembly of an embodiment of the invention seen in perspective and where the lid is closed.

[0123] FIG. 3c illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3a.

[0124] FIG. 4a is a schematic and perspective view of a roller arrangement of an assembly of an embodiment of the invention where a first end of the roller arrangement is in focus.

[0125] FIG. 4b is another schematic and perspective view of the roller arrangement shown in FIG. 4a where the second end of the roller arrangement is in focus.

[0126] FIG. 4c illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a. FIG. 4d illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4b.

[0127] FIG. 5a illustrates the roller arrangement of FIG. 4a, where the cylindrical body part of the roller body has been removed.

[0128] FIG. 5b illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5a.

[0129] FIG. 6a is a schematic and perspective view of a roller arrangement combined with a mat of an embodiment of the invention.

[0130] FIG. 6b illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6a.

[0131] FIG. 7a is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a roller arrangement of an assembly of an embodiment of the invention.

[0132] FIG. 7b illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7a.

[0133] FIGS. 8a and 8b are schematic and perspective views of a set of flanges comprising an engagement axle flange and an engagement roller flange forming a rotational restraint.

[0134] FIG. 8c illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8a.

[0135] FIG. 8d illustrates another variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8a.

[0136] FIG. 8e illustrates a first variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8b.

[0137] FIG. 8f illustrates a second variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8b.

[0138] FIG. 8g illustrates a third variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8b.

[0139] FIGS. 9a and 9b are schematic and perspective views of another set of engagement flanges forming a rotational restraint.

[0140] FIG. 10 illustrates an assembly system of an embodiment of the invention comprising a tubing arrangement for administering the liquid comprising a drip chamber a tube and a roller pinch clamp.

[0141] FIG. 1 shows a patient in different positions using an assembly system comprising an assembly of an apparatus and a mat as described above and a tubing arrangement as described above. In the right side of FIG. 1, the patient 3 is lying in a bed 4. The patient 3 may be lying flat or be sitting in the bed 4. The assembly 1 comprises the apparatus and the not shown mat and with a compressible bag from which a liquid is dispensed via a tubing arrangement 2 to the patient. The assembly 1 is hanging on the side of the bed 4, i.e. lower than the level of the heart 3a of the patient 3. This is possible because the assembly 1 provides a desired, reliable and constant dispensing of the liquid from the bag independently of the level of the assembly 1 relative to the patient's heart 3a. In the left side of the figure, the patient 3 is standing with the assembly 1 in his hand—i.e. far below heart level. The assembly 1 is ensuring a very reliable and steady dispensing rate until the compressible bag is empty. There is no risk of backflow even when the assembly 1 is located at a very low level relative to the heart 3a. At the same time, the assembly 1 is very compact and easy to handle by the patient and nurses. The assembly 1 may be carried by the patient 3 by hand, on his shoulder or bag or be hanged on a wheelchair or a walker and etc. The reliability of the assembly 1 makes the assembly very simple to use and no pole is required.

[0142] In FIG. 2 the assembly 10, comprises a set of straps e.g. as described in WO2019145004. In this embodiment, the set of straps comprises two main straps 11 and 12. A first main strap 11 is attached with one end to a first bottom portion connecting structure 16 located on a first side panel 15 of the assembly 10 adjacent to its dispensing end 18. The other end of the strap 11 may be attached to the first top portion connecting structure 13a of the assembly 1.

[0143] A second main strap 12 is attached to a second top portion connecting structure 13b with its first end. The second end of the main strap 12 may be attached to a second bottom portion connecting structure (not visible) on the assembly e.g. using a buckle 17.

[0144] Thus, a patient to carry the assembly 1 on the bag can use the main straps 11 and 12. The main strap 11 is mounted with a tube holder 14, which may be used to fix a tube of a tubing arrangement, e.g. during IV treatment. The straps may be connected to the apparatus of the assembly at several positions e.g. as described in WO2019145004.

[0145] In FIGS. 3a and 3b the assembly is shown in closed condition i.e. with the lid 20 closed. In FIG. 3b, the lid is transparent, whereas more details of the lid may be seen in FIG. 3a. The assembly comprising an apparatus with a housing having a dispensing end 22a and an opposite rear end 22b. A bottom portion 23 forms a floor comprising a flat floor surface onto which a mat 27 is located. A first mat end is fixed to the roller body 26 via a pair of knobs 27a. The apparatus comprises a pair of parallel guiding tracks 24 and a roller arrangement 25 comprising a roller body 26 having a first and a second roller body ends and a roller surface with a cross-sectional circumference.

[0146] The roller arrangement comprises a track engagement arrangement at each of its respective first second ends engaged with said respective guiding tracks roller arrangement 25 comprises a track engagement arrangement 25a at each of its respective first second ends engaged with the respective guiding tracks 24. In the FIGS. 3a and 3b only one of the track engagement arrangements 25a as visible.

[0147] The apparatus comprises a drive arrangement for driving the roller body 26. The drive arrangement comprises a spring arrangement including a torsion spring located between the roller body 26 and an axle of the roller arrangement 25. The apparatus comprises a loading station for loading the torsion spring. The loading station is located in a rear end of the housing where the housing forms a shelter 21 for the roller body 26 when located in the loading station. The loading station comprises a toothed wheel and a bar 28 for rotating the toothed wheel. The roller body comprises a ring of tooths 29 located on a periphery of a roller flange 29 located a roller body end to engage with the toothed wheel when the roller body is located in the loading station.

[0148] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the roller arrangement without the mat, where the first roller arrangement end and the second roller arrangement end can be seen on respectively FIGS. 4a and 4b.

[0149] The track engagement arrangements 25a comprises each a track slider 25b engaged with the guiding track 24 for sliding along the guiding tracks 24.

[0150] The track slider 25b comprises a grab-lock comprising an upper flange 25c located in contact with an upper side of the track 24 and a lower flange 25c located in contact with an lower side of the track thereby locking the track engagement arrangement (s) to the track and allowing it to slide lengthwise along the track(s). The grab-lock advantageously is or comprise the slider.

[0151] In FIG. 5a, the cylindrical body part of the roller body has been removed and the torsion spring 30 of the drive arrangement is visible. The drive arrangement may comprises two or more torsion springs. A first end of the helical torsion spring 31 is adapted for being engaged with the roller body directly or indirectly e.g. via a flange connected to the roller body.

[0152] FIG. 6a shows the roller arrangement in combination with the mat 27. The first mat end is fixed to the roller body 26 via a pair of knobs 27a. Thereby when the drive arrangement drives the roller body to rotate a compressible bag located onto the mat 27 will be trapped between the roller body 26 and the mat 27 and the compressible bag will be compressed to dispense the liquid from the compressible bag. At the second end of the mat 27, it comprises a stop arrangement in the form of a rigid rod 27b and a strap 27c for unrolling the mat after a terminated dispensing. The rigid rod 27b ensures that the second end of the mat 27 is not fully rolled onto the roller body, in that the slider 25b blocks the rigid rod 27b. After a terminated dispensing, the mat may be unrolled from the roller body simply by tearing in the strap 27c.

[0153] FIG. 7a shows the inside of a part of the roller arrangement. The roller arrangement comprises the roller body, two torsion springs 43a, 43b and an axle 44 with mounting holes 44a at each end thereof and axle flanges. The roller body comprises a cylindrical body part 40, an engagement roller flange 41 and the toothed flange 42 for loading the torsion springs 43a, 43b. The axle 44 is rigid connected to axle flanges 45 and 46 and indirectly rigid connected to axle flange 47. Axle flange 45 is located at an end of the roller body, but the roller body is rotatable relative to the axle flange 45. The axle flange 45 is releasable rigidly connected to the axle flange 47. The axle flange 46 is an engagement axle flange, which together with the engagement roller flange 41 forms a rotational restraint, restraining the rotation of the roller body to a predefined rotation rate.

[0154] A first end of each of the springs 43a, 43b is engaged with the roller body, here via the engagement roller flange 41. The second end of each of the springs 43a, 43b is engaged with the axle flange 47, which is rigidly connected to the axle via axle flange 45. The rigidly connection between axle flange 45 and axle flange 47 is releasable so that it may be released for adjusting the relation between the axle and the roller body relative to the spring loading stage, i.e. to ensure that the fixation means on the roller body is located in a desired position when the spring(s) is in unloaded condition. The releasable locking between axle flange 45 and axle flange 47 may be provided by an arrangement of small rollers or other suitable means.

[0155] In the variation thereof shown in FIG. 7b, the roller arrangement comprises a single torsion spring 43a

[0156] The engagement axle flange 46 and the engagement roller flange 41 forming the restraint are shown in more details in FIGS. 8a and 8b, where FIG. 8a show the engagement face of the engagement axle flange 46 facing the engagement roller flange 41 and FIG. 8b show the engagement face of the engagement roller flange 41 facing the engagement axle flange 46.

[0157] As shown in FIG. 9, the engagement axle flange 46 is engaged with the engagement roller flange 41 via their respective engagement faces to thereby forming the rotational restraint, restraining the rotation of the roller body to a predefined rotation rate.

[0158] The engagement roller flange 41 comprises annular channels 41a and engagement axle flange 46 comprises annular sections of flanges 46a engaged into the annular channels 41a of the engagement roller flange. A lubricate may be located in annular channels 41 as described above, preferably to fill up the major part of the space in the channels 41a between the annular sections of flanges 46a. There by a desired damping of the force transferred from the spring arrangement to the roller body may be ensured.

[0159] FIGS. 9a and 9b provides another view of the engagement axle flange 46 and the engagement roller flange 41. Here it can be seen that the engagement axle flange 46 has a square center hole, which is fitted to the shape of the axle and thereby rigidly locking the engagement axle flange 46 to the axle. The engagement roller flange 41 has a circular center hole, which ensures that the engagement roller flange 41 is not locked to the axle.

[0160] Returning now to FIG. 7. Here it can be seen that the axle has a mounting hole 44a at each end for rigidly mounting the track engagement arrangement, so that when the track engagement arrangement is engaged with the tracks, the axle is prevented from rotate.

[0161] Thereby in use, when the torsion springs 43a, 43b are released the springs will 43a, 43b force the roller body to rotate relative to the axle flange 47 which at this stage is locket to the axle via axle flange 45, and thereby the springs will 43a, 43b force the roller body to rotate relative to the axle 44. Since the axle 44 is restricted to rotate by the track engagement arrangements, the roller arrangement will be forced to roll and the mat will be rolled onto the roller body while simultaneously liquid will be dispensed from a compressible bag located onto the mat.

[0162] FIG. 10 shows a schematic top view of a portion of an apparatus 1 with the mat 57 and steering tracks 54. Onto the mat is located a compressible bag 56 with a liquid for dispensing via a dispensing arrangement 56a, that are arranged to drip into a drip chamber 57. The drip chamber 57 is fixed to the apparatus 1 via a holding arrangement 58. A tube 52 is arranged for transporting the liquid from the drip chamber 57 to a patient. A roller pinch clamp 59 as described above is arranged for adjusting the administration rate. The roller pinch clamp may be fixed to the holding arrangement 58 via an adjustable strap 59a.