Device for venting containers used in enteral feeding

IS 2 300 924 T3

DESCRIPTION

Device for the introduction of air into containers used for artificial feeding.

The present invention refers to a device for introducing air into a container used in systems for artificial feeding, provided with a valve, arranged on one side to connect the equipment for artificial feeding with the connection element of the container that it contains the liquid to be fed and, on the other hand, to regulate the air supply according to the consumption of the liquid for artificial feeding.

Since this type of valve regulates the supply of air depending on the need during the admission of the enteric liquid according to the consumption of the same in the patients, it is guaranteed that the transport by gravity of the enteric liquid is carried out without difficulties.

Hitherto, in general, check valves have been provided in the connecting elements mounted on the screw cap of the container, which however did not always operate satisfactorily. To this must be added that enteric liquids are generally supplied in containers that, in addition to the closure in the form of the screw cap, are closed by a welded plastic or aluminum foil. In practice, for this reason, closure foils of this type must be opened in a separate working step, after the enteric equipment is put into service by screwing or pushing compressing the connecting element.

The present invention aims to develop a device of the type mentioned at the beginning, which, on the one hand, guarantees a completely reliable operation of the valve and simultaneously avoids the additional step involved in the uncomfortable opening of the closing foil.

This objective is basically achieved with a device mentioned above, in which the valve is configured as an oil-phobic filter fabric that is fixed, under tension, on the connection element located in front of the air intake. Such a device has been disclosed, for example, in EP-A-0379047. This has all the characteristics referred to in the general concept of claim 1. In addition, this device is also provided on the side facing the direction of the container with a cutting device for the aluminum or plastic sheets that close the container as it is received in the original state of delivery, which has been designed with a projection in shape of a circle or part of a circle with a lower part increasing towards a higher part.

It is evident that the oil-phobic filter cloth can fully assume the function of a check valve, since the cloth repels oily substances while allowing the passage of air without difficulties. As for enteric liquids, they are basically solutions containing lipids, fats, emulsions, multi-vitamins and edible oils. In artificial feeding, the oil-phobic filtering tissue is in contact with the solution, allowing, at the same time, that the air can reach the container as the solution is extracted, so that the flow towards the patient is maintained. correctly. The additional shut-off device on the valve in the direction of the container automatically opens the shut-off valve when the connection element is joined to the container, so that a simple threading or compression of the connection element without additional manipulations displaces the enteric equipment to a ready-for-service position.

As it may happen in particular cases that when compressing the device according to the present invention on the sheet that closes the container in the delivery state, it has not been pressed in enough, under unfavorable conditions a type of hatch is formed with the laminar material. , which is not completely separated from the sheet. This hatch or flap can possibly close the cutting device again and thus the supply of air as a valve. Consequently, according to the present invention, a particularly advantageous embodiment has been achieved, consisting in that the circular or partially circular projection has been subdivided into a number of segments, preferably reaching up to the window-shaped head section or section. or crevices. It is evident that these windows or slits in the previous cutting device will, in any case, have the mission of keeping the air supply open. In this case, the special shape of the windows or slits does not matter, as long as the air supply function is kept operational. On the other hand, this embodiment offers the additional advantage of making it possible to guarantee the complete emptying of the container, even the usual small remaining volume in the bottle neck. According to the present invention, the filter fabric has now been arranged in a hollow body in the form of an enveloping sheath located above the air intake. This offers the advantage that the connection elements used up to now will not have to be modified since they already had tubular connection accessories, in which the hitherto usual return valve was fixed. On the other hand, the cutting device is located on the surrounding hollow body and on the side oriented in the direction of the container.

In particular, it is an advantage that the enveloping hollow body is made of a synthetic material and that the filter fabric is attached to it by means of an over-injection operation. This facilitates economical series production.

In a favorable development of the present invention, the filter cloth is arranged in the widened head section of the hollow shell.

It is particularly advantageous that the cutting device has been designed as a monoblock with the head section by means of an over-injection operation.

IS 2 300 924 T3

In this case, it is particularly preferred that the inclination of the circular projection from the lower side to the upper side is approximately 20 °.

In another advantageous improvement of this embodiment, the circular projection has been divided into six segments by the windows or slits that reach the head section or section.

In particular here it is preferred that the circular projection as well as the segments at its upper edge have a cutting edge.

Likewise, preference will be given to the assigned edges of the slits also having sharp edges. This embodiment ensures a particularly problem-free separation of the foil with which the container is closed.

It will also be preferred that the slits converge in the direction of the head section, for which the taper should preferably reach about 2 °. This further facilitates removal from the mold of the device after the injection molding operation.

Another advantageous embodiment according to the present invention can be achieved if the wall thickness of the projection from its lower end to its upper end, from bottom to top is configured decreasingly so that a cutting edge is formed at its upper end.

On the other hand, it is preferred that the inner part of the housing hollow body is configured slightly conical to be able to establish a tight fit with the air intake. As an alternative to the aforementioned, there is the possibility of having annular projections in a single piece on the inside of the enclosing hollow body, to establish a friction or trapping joint with the air intake. The present invention will now be explained in more detail with the help of the embodiments illustrated by way of example with the drawings, in which the following are shown:

Fig. 1 a schematic view of a complete equipment for intestinal feeding, containing the device referred to in the present invention.

Fig. 2, a greatly enlarged section of figure 1 in the air intake area according to a first embodiment

Fig. 3, a perspective view of the first embodiment of the device according to the invention

Fig. 4, a side view of the device according to fig. 3, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5, a top view of the device according to fig. Four.

Fig. 6, a sectional view of the device according to FIGS. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7, a greatly enlarged section of FIG. 1 in the air intake area of ​​a second preferred embodiment of the device and of the invention.

Fig. 8, a perspective view inclined from above of the device according to fig. 7.

Fig. 9, a side view of the device according to fig. 8 from the bottom side of the device.

Fig. 10, a side view of the device according to fig. 9.

Fig. 11, a sectional view along the line VI-VI of fig. 9.

Fig. 12, a sectional view along the line VII-VII of fig. 10, and

The figs. 13 and 16 sectional views of alternative embodiments to illustrate the injection molding technique.

In the schematic view according to FIG. 1 the device 1 according to the invention appears in a kit for assisted intestinal feeding. The equipment for assisted feeding is connected to a container 2 containing the enteric liquid, which in the situation shown is additionally closed by a laminar closure 3 located on a connection element 4. In this case, according to this exemplary embodiment, it is a threaded cap 5 that is not yet fully screwed onto the container 2, so that the laminar closure still remains unchanged. The screw cap 5 also contains a drip chamber 6 connected, by means of a connecting conduit 8, controlled by a roller clamp 10, to a probe 12 which is inserted into the patient. To conduct the enteric liquid transported by gravity from container 2 and maintain it correctly, the connection element 4 has a valve 14, located in the air intake 16 that regulates the supply of air into container 2 according to the dispensing of liquid to intestinal feeding.

IS 2 300 924 T3

In figs. 2 to 6 illustrate in greater detail the particularities of the device 1 according to the present invention. As can be seen, the valve 14, according to the invention, is no longer configured as a return valve, but rather as an oil-phobic filtration tissue 18. This oleophobic filtration fabric 18 is fixed tightly above the air intake projecting from the connection element 4, so that the air can pass unhindered into the container 2, while the oily enteric liquid is repelled by the fabric of filtration 18.

According to the invention, additionally, the valve 14 on the side facing the container 2 is provided with a cutting device, generally designated by the figure 20, which, when connecting the connection element 4 with the container 2, cuts the closing foil of this container in the original state of delivery.

As can be seen especially in figure 2, apart from other particularities that are illustrated in fig. 3 and 6, the filter fabric 18 has been placed in a hollow body 24 in the form of an enveloping sheath located on the air intake 16. The enveloping hollow body 24 will preferably be made of synthetic material, forming a single body with the fabric of filtration 18 having been over-injected into the first.

The enveloping hollow body 24 is provided with a wider head section or section 26, in which the filtration fabric 18 is placed.

As shown the cutting device 20 has been designed as a single body with the head section 26 which is also made of synthetic material.

Apart from the embodiment illustrated in particular in figs. 3 to 6 of device 1, according to the present invention, the cutting device is configured as a projection 28 of a semi-circular shape, which covers approximately 180 ° of the perimeter of the head section 26, growing from its lower end 30 to its upper end 32. In the top view, as shown in fig. 5, the semi-circular configuration of the projection 28 can be seen.

The projection 28 increases at an angle of about 160 °, in the present exemplary embodiment, although in the exemplary embodiment it does so by 160.4 ° and the wall thickness of the projection 28 decreases on the one hand from its lower end 30 at its upper end 32 and simultaneously tapers from the bottom up. Thus at the upper end 32 a cutting edge 34 is formed.

In the example of the preferred embodiment, depending on the dimensions of the air intake 16, and the connection elements 4 as well as screw plugs 5 common on the market, the hollow body 24 should have an outer diameter of about 8 mm. . Head section 20 has an approximate outside diameter of 10.2mm, that of boss 28 is 9.2mm. Being its internal diameter of, about 6.4 mm. The height of the enveloping hollow body 24 is approximately 12 mm, at best 4.87.

As seen especially in fig. 6, the enveloping hollow body 24 in the area of ​​its lower end and in its lower part is provided with projections 36, annular in shape and forming a single piece, with which a friction or spring connection can be established with the socket. air 16.

Since the air intake 16, unlike the central liquid intake, has been configured by placing it eccentrically, in the connection element 4 or in the threaded cap 5 and connected by a side channel 17 with the outside air, the device of The cut 20 will separate by screwing or compressing the connecting element 4 sufficiently from the laminar closure 3 so that the transport by gravity of the enteric liquid contained in the container 2 can already begin.

In figs. 7 to 11 illustrate the particularities of the device 1 according to the present invention in a second preferred embodiment. As can be seen here, the valve 14 does not act as a return valve, but has been configured as a filter cloth 18. The oleophobic filter cloth 18 is placed tensioned on the air intake 16 projecting from the connection element, so as to allow the air stream to pass without inconvenience to the container 2, while the oily enteric liquid will be repelled by the filter cloth oil-phobic.

According to the second point of view of the present invention, the valve 14 has also been provided with a cutting device on the side oriented in the direction of the container, which is generally characterized by the figure 20, which when joining the connecting element 4 with container 2, will cut the closing sheet with which it was closed, as it came from origin.

As can be seen in fig. 7 and 11, the filter fabric 18 is arranged in the hollow body 24 in the form of a covering sheath over the air intake 16, other features are illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 and 12. The hollow body 24 is preferably made of synthetic material and it is attached to the filtration tissue 18 by an over-injection process.

The hollow body 24 is provided with an enlarged head section 26, in which the filter cloth 18 has been placed.

As can be seen, the cutting device, generally designated by 20, has been configured in a single piece, over-molding by injection with the head section 26, which is also made of synthetic material.

IS 2 300 924 T3

Apart from the embodiment illustrated in particular in Figures 8 to 12 of the device 1 according to the present invention, the cutting device has been configured as a projection 28 of circular shape, which grows at an angle of about 20 ° from its lower side 30 to its upper side 32. The circular projection 28 corresponds to the largest possible radius of the head section 26.

The circularly shaped protrusion 28 is divided into a number of circular shaped wall sections or segments 38 up to the head portion 26 by downward slits 33.

The slits 33 can alternatively be configured as windows, holes, or the like and serve to prevent the air intake from being reclosed, if when compressing the closure foil of the container in the original state of supply, it does not it would have been completely separated, but would have been left to form a hatch that could close the admission again. Now, even if such a hatch were placed over the cutting device, trouble-free function would be ensured by the recesses or windows. Thus, the complete emptying of even the small volume remaining in the bottle neck of the container 2 is guaranteed.

Both on the free upper edges of the segments 38 and on the edges in front of the slits 35, the cutting edges 40 and 42 have been formed, to facilitate passage through the closure sheets.

On the other hand, the slits 33 in the direction of the head section 26, have a slight conicity, having been configured, for example, with an angle of 2 °, to improve the cutting behavior on the one hand and on the other to facilitate the demolding. device 1 after the injection molding operation.

In the example of the preferred embodiment, depending on the dimensions of the air intake 16, as regards the connection elements and threaded plugs customary on the market, an outer diameter of approximately 8 mm must be provided for the enveloping hollow body 24 . The head section 26 has an external diameter of approximately 10 mm, the circular projection 28, one of 9 mm. and an inner diameter of about 7 mm.

The height of the housing 24 is about 18 mm, specifically 16.55 mm. On its upper side 32 and about 13 mm on its lower side 30. Consequently, the projection 28 has a maximum height of about 5 mm. And a minimum of 1.8 mm.

As can be seen especially in figure 11, the hollow body 24 at the part of its lower end, on the internal face, has been configured with a very slight taper, to allow a friction fit with the air intake 16.

As can be seen in fig. 7, the air intake, unlike the central liquid outlet 22, has been arranged eccentrically in the connection element 4 or in the threaded cap 5, being connected with the outside air by means of a lateral channel 17, so that if The cutting device 20, by screwing or pressing the connection element 4, will sufficiently separate the laminar closure 3, and will allow the transport by gravity of the enteric liquid contained in the container 2 to be started.

Concluding what has been said, it should be noted that to facilitate a more clear representation in figs. 3 to 5 and 7 filtration tissue 18 is not drawn.

Figures 13 to 16 show still other embodiments of the device 1, which make it possible to explain the connection of the enveloping hollow body 24 with the filtration fabric 18 and with the cutting device 20 by means of the over-injection technique, in where the representation of the figures speaks for itself and does not require any other description.

Everything regarding the description, claims and drawings, features and advantages of the invention, including the constructional features and the spatial arrangements, may in themselves, as in any combination, be essential with regard to the present invention.

Reference list = Device = Container = Laminar seal = Connection element = Screw cap = Drip chamber

IS 2 300 924 T3

<td> 8 =</td><td>Union duct</td>

<td> 10 =</td><td>Roller clamp</td>

<td> 12 =</td><td>Probe</td>

<td> 14 =</td><td>Valve</td>

<td> 16 =</td><td>Air intake</td>

<td> 17 =</td><td>Channel</td>

<td> 18 =</td><td>Filtration fabric</td>

<td> 20 =</td><td>Cutting device</td>

<td> 22 =</td><td>Liquid admission</td>

<td> 24 =</td><td>Surround hollow body</td>

<td> 26 =</td><td>Head section or section</td>

<td> 28 =</td><td>Circular boss</td>

<td> 30 =</td><td>Top side v.28</td>

<td> 32 =</td><td>Bottom side v-28</td>

<td> 33 =</td><td>Slit</td>

<td> 34 =</td><td>Cutting edge</td>

<td> 38 =</td><td>Segment</td>

<td> 40 =</td><td>Cutting edge</td>

<td> 42 =</td><td>Cutting edge</td>