Adjustable clamp

Oct. 23, 1962 p, _A. hasbrouck etal 3,059,645

ADJUSTABLE CLAMP

Filed Nov. 28, 1960

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ZSttbriteif

United States Patent Office

3,059,645

Patented Oct. 23, 1962

3,059.645 ADJUSTABLE CLAMP

Paul A. Hasbrouck, 16W 590 W. Red Oak St., Bensenville, III., and Jon W. Hauser, Box 387-A, St. Charles Township, Kane County, Hl,

Filed Nov. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 72,139

Claims. (Cl. 128—346)

The invention relates to improvements in clamping devices and is particularly concerned with an improved strap or band suitable for securing in position a length of tubing and an attached needle of the character used in intravenous, subcutaneous or parenteral feeding and wherein at least the needle is retained at an appropriate angle commensurate with the angle of insertion of said needle beneath the skin of a patient.

Commonly accepted practice has been to secure the needle and tube in place by means of adhesive coated bandages or the like, a practice which is objectionable because of patient discomfort and the frequency with which the needle is disturbed because of movement of the patient.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a strap of shape retaining resiliently flexible material, such as plastic material, formed adjacent to one of its ends with transverse needle and tube receiving means in the form of recesses or troughs. The end portion of said strap bearing said means carries lock elements one of which is engaged by the other strap end portion to secure the strap adjusted in an annular form firmly about the arm of the wearer. The lock elements are closely adjacent to the recesses and after the needle and tubing are seated in said recesses, the free end portion of said strap then is carried over across the top of said ribs, bridging the recesses, and is engaged with the other lock element so as to secure the tubing and needle in position. The recesses preferably are inclined in the direction of their length so as to hold the needle at an angle responding to the angle of insertion of the needle in the skin.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel clamp of the character referred to.

Another object is to provide such a clamp with novel means to facilitate retention of an intravenous needle and its supply tubing in position.

Another object is to provide a clamp of the character described with novel means to receive a needle and its supply tube seated therein and secured firmly in place, and in a manner to facilitate easy and quick placement and removal.

Another object is to provide a unitary clamp of the character described which is not expensive to manufacture, is mounted and removed in a simple and efficient manner, and which is very satisfactory in use.

Other objects and more detailed advantages of the invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It should be understood however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the clamp in position of use.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the strap forming the clamp.

FIG. 3 is an edge elevational view of the strap.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the connected ends of the strap, showing portions broken away.

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 5—5 of FIG. 4.

Referring particularly to the accompanying disclosure, the clamp element is comprised of a unitary structure pref2 erably of a molded plastic material having flexible resilient qualities such as for example, polyethylene. As shown, the clamp element is essentially a strap 11 having adjacent to one of its ends, mounting and locking means 5 generally indicated at 12, and a series of mutually spaced openings 13 in its other end portion. These openings are in suitable number and preferably are rectangular in shape, and they extend for some suitable distance throughout the length of said other end portion of the 10 strap for purposes to be made apparent presently. Preferably, the portion of the strap having openings 13 is slightly narrower than the remaining portions, as shown.

More specifically, the mounting and locking means 12 comprises a pair of ribs 14 extending transversely of the 15 strap and projecting upwardly from the same surface thereof. These ribs are spaced apart, as at 15, so as not to impair the flexibility of the strap which, when in use, is applied to and secured about the arm of the wearer somewhat in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. However, 20 a single rib of sufficient width may be used with slight sacrifice of flexibility in the area of the rib. The ribs are inclined upwardly in the direction of their length and each has a similarly inclined longitudinal recess 16 in its top face affording seats for a needle 17 and a supply tube 18 25 connecting said needle with the usual source of solution for intravenous or parenteral feeding.

Spaced one on each side of said ribs and on the same face of strap 11, are a pair of lock elements 19—21, each formed integral with the strap and each having an 30 overhanging projection 22 extending in a direction inwardly from the related strap end to define a shoulder 23 on each.

In use, the strap 11 is wrapped about the arm of the wearer and a related one of the series of openings 13 is 35 fitted over lock element 19. When so positioned, the strap is engaged in an area adjacent one edge of the engaged opening, beneath the overhanging projection 22 so as to securely retain the strap in an annular form about the arm of the wearer. The needle 17 then is in40 serted under the skin and it is laid in one of the rib recesses 16 and the supply tube 18 is then looped, as now commonly practiced, and laid in the other of said recesses 16. The free end portion of strap is carried across the top face of the ribs 14 and drawn taut whereupon an45 other related one of the openings 13 is engaged beneath the overhanging projection 22 of the other lock element 21 to secure the free end portion of the strap in place. This effectively secures the needle and tube in position and owing to the inclination of the recesses retains said ₅₀ needle at the requisite angle relative to the arm. If desired, the lock elements 19—21 may be inclined in the direction of the inclination of recesses 16, as shown, to insure flat surface engagement of the strap portion with the needle and tube.

Means in the form of upstanding flanges 24 may be provided on the ends of ribs 15 and between which the overlying strap portion may lie so as to prevent lateral shifting and possible disturbance of the needle and tubing secured thereby.

₆₀ From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be carried out will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art.