Anchoring devices

3,046,984

July 31, 1962

F. O. EBY

ANCHORING DEVICES

Filed Dec. 29, 1958

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3,046,984

Patented July 31, 1962

United States Patent

Office

3,046,984

ANCHORING DEVICES

Florence O. Eby, 28574 Red Leaf Lane, Royal Oak, Mich. Filed Dec. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 783,361

Claims. (Cl. 128—214)

This invention relates generally to anchoring devices and more particularly to a device for anchoring an intravenous needle in a patient. It may also be used for anchoring Levine tubes to patient’s faces.

The prevalent method of anchoring intravenous needles or Levine tubes is by adhesive tape which is cut into strips and then is applied on top of the needle and tubing after it has been inserted in the patient’s vein. This method, while being generally used, is not completely satisfactory. For example, with such a method, the needle is not well stabilized in that it often pulls out of the vein resulting in extra-venous infiltration. The use of adhesive tape is also often messy and time consuming in applying and removing.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a new device which is especially adapted to anchor an intravenous needle in a neat and secure manner.

A further object is to provide an anchor which will hold a needle at a desired angle relative to the vein to facilitate fluid flow thereinto.

A further object is to provide such an anchor which is inexpensive to manufacture and which may be discarded after one use.

A further object is to provide such an anchor which is rigid enough to give support to the needle and at the same time flexible enough to make it conform to the portion of the needle and tubing to which it is applied.

A still further object is to provide such an anchoring device which may be sold attached to the intravenous tubing by the tubing manufacturer.

Other objects will be apparent from the specification, claims and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an intravenous needle and tubing secured to a patient’s arm with my anchoring device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred form of my anchoring device;

FIG. 3 is view taken substantially along the line 3—3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4—4 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along the line 5—5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is a view of my anchoring device used to secure the main intravenous needle and tubing and also the auxiliary anesthetic tubing.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates generally my anchoring device which in its most complete form comprises two separate units 2 and 4. The unit 2, which is applied over the transparent plastic shank 6 of the needle 8, comprises a substantially rectangular piece of foil 10 which is bent against the needle shank 6. Preferably the unit 2 is made of aluminum but can be made of any material which is bendable by hand pressure and which will retain the shape to which it is formed. I have found that aluminum foil .005 inch thick, 1% wide, and 1% long is satisfactory. A rectangular opening 12 is located centrally of the foil 10 and as will be explained serves as a viewing window. Preferably the opening or window 12 is nearer the edge 13 than the edge 15 and its longitudinal axis extends along the 1% dimension of the unit 2. While this arrangement is not critical, I have found that a satisfactory arrangement is to have one end located approximately % of an inch from edge 15 and the other end of the opening 12½ from the edge 13. The width of the opening 12 should be great enough to permit the shank 6 to extend there through and which may be for example ¥x inch wide. At the opposite edge portions 13 and 15 are outwardly opening concave substantially semi5 circular apertures 14 and 16 which, for example, may be of ¥s inch radius.

A slot 18 extends inwardly from one side edge 19. of the foil 10 and is substantially aligned with the end of the aperture 12 which faces the end edge 15. A similar 10 slot 20 extends inwardly from the opposite side edge 21 and is located at about the same distance from the edge 13 as the slot 18 is from the edge 15. Preferably the edges 19 and 21 are rounded as shown to remove corners which might catch on other objects.

An adhesive layer 22 is applied to one surface of the foil 10 and this is protected by a removable sheet member 24 to protect the adhesive layer 22 prior to the time the foil is secured to the patient’s arm at which time it will of course be removed and discarded. I have found that 20 an adhesive known to the trade as “Kleen-Stick” is very satisfactory and is non-allergic to the patient.

The second unit 4 comprises a piece of foil 26 of aluminum or other material as described in connection with the unit 2 to which a layer of adhesive (not shown) 25 covered with a protective backing (not shown) has been applied. The adhesive preferably is the same as used for the unit 2. The unit 4 is substantially rectangular with its corners rounded. Centrally, the foil 26 is provided with an aperture 28 to permit the tubing which 30 feeds the needle 8 to pass there through. I have found that an aperture of %e diameter is satisfactory in a foil piece 26 which is .005 inch thick, % wide and 1% long. A small outwardly facing concave aperture 30 is provided in one side edge 32 of the foil piece 26.

³⁵ The needle 8, in addition to the plastic shank 6, comprises a hollow metal portion 34 provided with a sharp end portion for insertion into the patient’s arm. As normally furnished, the needle 8 is provided with a short length of flexible tubing 36 which is designed to be con⁴⁰ nected to the container 40 for the fluid which is to be put into the patient’s vein. A flow controlling device (not shown) but of any usual construction, well known to those skilled in the art, controls the flow of fluid through the needle 8.

⁴⁰ Sometime prior to use, the anchor units 2 and 4 are threaded onto the tubing portion 36. This may be done by the manufacturer or distributor of the tubing or it may be done by the user. If desired the units 2 and 4 may not be threaded on the tubing portion 36 but may be placed thereover as shown in FIG. 6. These anchors may also be boxed separately and sold as extra items to be placed on trays on the floors of hospitals.

Sometime prior to insertion of the needle portion 34 into the patient’s vein, the protective backing is removed from the adhesive layers on the units 2 and 4. After the needle has been inserted the units 2 and 4 are firmly pressed against the patient’s skin and the foil pieces 10 and 26 formed to conform with the outer configuration of _θθ the surfaces against which they are placed. By proper manipulation and forming of the member 2 it may be used to support the needle 8 at any desired angle relative to the patient’s vein for permitting proper flow of fluid thereinto. This can best be accomplished by holding the needle at the desired angle with one hand and then forming the center part of the member 2 around the transparent shank 6 and then securing the outer portion of the member 2 to the patient’s arm. The rigidity of the foil 10 will then continue to hold the needle at the set angle relative to the patient’s vein. This is best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

In the form shown in FIG. 6 the units 2 and 4 are

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3,046,984 likewise firmly pressed against the patient’s arm over the needle shank 6 and tubing portion 36. In this form the aperture 12 overlays the shank 6 so that the flow of fluid through the transparent shank 6 may be observed.

One or both of the ears 42 of the unit 2 may be used 5 as illustrated in FIG. 6 to anchor a second tube 44 and if desired a third auxiliary tube (not shown) leading to supplemental needles one such 46 being shown and which supplemental needles may be inserted into the tubing portion 36 for supplying supplemental fluids one of which χθ might be anesthesia to . the fluid being supplied to the patient’s veins through this main tubing 36. The third tube would of course be anchored under the other of the ears 43.