Anti-free-flow mechanism for enteral feeding pumps

Abstract

An anti-free-flow mechanism includes an occluder mechanism which is disposed along a segment of tubing. The occluder mechanism is normally in a biased closed position, but may be moved into an open position by moving an engagement member into engagement with the tubing segment to deform the tubing segment and open a flow channel. Unless force is applied to keep the engagement member in contact with the tubing segment, the tubing will return to the first, closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid delivery set comprising:
 a flexible tube having a bore therethrough;   a cassette body comprising:
 a body portion; 
 a stop attached to the body portion, the stop being disposed in the tube bore so as to prevent flow through the tube; and 
 an actuator attached to the body, the actuator being bendable towards the stop to open fluid flow past the stop. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator extends generally parallel to the tube 
     
     
         3 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises an arm. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 3 , wherein the arm extends generally parallel to the tube to a position adjacent the stop. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is disposed outside of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises an arm extending along the tube and an actuation pad disposed adjacent the stop, the actuation pad being bendable towards the stop to thereby engage the tube and open a flow passage between the tube and the stop. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator pad presses against the stop from a single side to open a single fluid flow passage past the stop. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator extends outwardly from the body and bends to extend generally parallel to the tube. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator has a finger pad formed thereon to allow a user to manually press the actuator towards the stop and thereby allow flow past the stop. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , wherein the cassette body comprises a first connector and a second connector attached to the body portion, and wherein the tube is attached to the first connector and the second connector to form a loop. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 10 , wherein the stop is attached to the first connector. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising the fluid delivery set of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a pump;   a mounting structure disposed on the pump;   a pump door; and   wherein disposing the occluder in the mounting structure and closing the pump door moves the actuator and causes the actuator to open flow past the stop.   
     
     
         13 . A fluid delivery set comprising:
 a flexible tube having a lumen therethough;   a cassette body comprising:
 a body; 
 a stop attached to the body portion and disposed in the lumen, the stop contacting the tube to selectively prevent flow therethrough; and 
 an actuator disposed outside of the tube, the actuator being attached to the body and being bendable to press against the stop and thereby open flow past the stop. 
   
     
     
         14 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator comprises an arm extending along the tube and having an end disposed adjacent the stop. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 14 , wherein the arm extends outwardly from the body and curves to extend generally parallel to the tube. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 13 , wherein the cassette body comprises a first connector and a second connector attached to the body, and wherein the tube is attached to the first connector and the second connector to form a loop. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 16 , wherein the stop is attached to the first connector. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising the fluid delivery set of  claim 13 , and further comprising a pump, wherein the tube is disposed in the pump to thereby pump fluid through the tube, and further comprising a mounting structure in the pump for receiving the cassette body. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein loading the cassette body in the mounting structure moves the actuator to thereby open flow past the stop. 
     
     
         20 . The cassette of  claim 9 , wherein the retention member slopes downwardly away from the body member and wherein the pump wall has a correspondingly sloped recess such that the retention member biases the cassette towards the pump. 
     
     
         21 . A peristaltic pump system comprising:
 a pump body having a base and a mounting structure mounted on the base, the mounting structure having a first engagement member defining a void; and   a cassette having a pump tubing segment, the cassette having a second engagement member adapted for engagement with the first engagement member of the mounting structure to thereby secure the cassette to the pump system when the pump tubing segment is in tension and the first and second engagement members are engaged, the second engagement member of the cassette being biased into engagement with the first engagement member of the mounting structure by the tension on the pump tubing segment, the second engagement member comprising a projection having a sloped front surface for engaging the void.   
     
     
         22 . The pump system of  claim 21 , wherein the mounting structure comprises capture wall which defines a void at a bottom of the capture wall, and wherein the second engagement member comprises a projection disposed at the bottom of the cassette. 
     
     
         23 . The pump system of  claim 22 , wherein the void has a first engagement surface oriented at a first angle and a second engagement surface disposed above the first engagement surface oriented at a different angle, and wherein the projection of the cassette has a first engagement surface complementary to the first engagement surface in the void and a second engagement surface complementary to the second engagement surface in the void. 
     
     
         24 . The pump system of  claim 22 , wherein the capture wall has an upper portion disposed within 15 degrees of vertical, a middle portion disposed within 15 degrees of horizontal and a lower portion disposed within 15 degrees of vertical. 
     
     
         25 . A pump system comprising:
 a pump having a mounting structure;   a cassette comprising a cassette body including an engagement member forming a projection having an angled surface for engaging the mounting structure when the cassette is disposed in contact with the mounting structure;   a pump tubing segment attached to the cassette body such that when the pump tubing segment is placed in tension in the pump, the engagement member of the cassette is engaged with the pump such that the engagement member of the cassette is biased into engagement with the pump system by the tension on the pump tubing segment, the angled surface of the projection engages the mounting structure and holds the cassette in place.   
     
     
         26 . The pump system of  claim 25 , wherein the angled projection has an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion, and wherein the middle portion is disposed at a different angle than the upper portion or the lower portion. 
     
     
         27 . The feeding set cassette as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the upper portion is angled within 10 degrees of vertical, the middle portion is angled within 10 degrees of horizontal and the lower portion is angled within 10 degrees of vertical. 
     
     
         28 . A fluid delivery set, comprising:
 a flexible tubing segment having a lumen extending therethrough;   a body having an occluder disposed within the tubing segment at a portion of the tubing segment to prevent fluid flow through the lumen, a connector to attaching the flexible tubing segment to another tube, and a deflectable actuator extending from the body and extending to a position adjacent the portion of the tubing segment containing the occluder, the deflectable actuator being movable between a first position wherein the actuator does not deform the portion of the tubing segment adjacent the occluder to a second position wherein the actuator deforms the tubing segment adjacent the occluder to open a flow path through the lumen between the tubing segment and the occluder.   
     
     
         29 . The fluid delivery set according to  claim 28 , wherein the deflectable actuator comprises actuator pad formed thereon for engaging and distending the portion of the tubing segment adjacent the occluder. 
     
     
         30 . The fluid delivery set according to  claim 28 , wherein the deflectable actuator is attached to the body and comprises a flex joint. 
     
     
         31 . The fluid delivery set according to  claim 28 , wherein the actuator is tapered, being thicker at one end than an opposing end. 
     
     
         32 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 28 , wherein the actuation pad includes a pair of projections forming a channel, a portion of which has a radius smaller than the radius of the occluder. 
     
     
         33 . The fluid delivery set of  claim 28  wherein the actuator comprises least one load distributor formed about the flex joint. 
     
     
         34 . A fluid delivery set, comprising:
 a tubing segment and a carrier connected to the tubing segment   an occluder disposed within the tubing segment to selectively prevent flow through the tubing segment;   an actuator formed extending from the carrier and movable between a first position wherein the actuator does not forcefully contact the tubing segment so as to distend the tubing segment and open flow around the occluder, and a second position wherein the actuator forcefully contacts the tubing segment and distends the tubing segment to thereby open flow around the occluder.   
     
     
         35 . The fluid delivery set according to  claim 34 , wherein the actuator forms an arm and has an engagement member disposed adjacent an end of the arm. 
     
     
         36 . The fluid delivery set according to  claim 35  wherein the occluder defines at least one valve port in communication with a fluid communication channel. 
     
     
         37 . A fluid delivery set for receipt about a peristaltic pump system with a base having a mounting plate about a side of the base that includes a rotor and a retainer to enable the delivery set to communicate fluid from a source to a patient, comprising:
 a carrier supporting a substantially flexible tubing segment about a generally medial portion having an extensible peristalsis loop, the tubing segment having a lumen extending distally between an inflow end proximate a fluid source and an opposite outflow end;   an occluder received within the lumen and arranged nominally as an obstruction to fluid flow in the lumen to thereby form a valve with a portion of the tubing segment;   a deflectable actuator extending from the carrier proximate the occluder, the lumen primer including at least one actuation pad positioned to be biased against the valve when the lumen primer is deflected;   whereby the tubing segment is flexed by the at least one actuation pad against the occluder to establish at least one flow channel between the portion of the tubing segment and the occluder; and   wherein the carrier is received about the mounting plate to have the substantially flexible loop received about the rotor.   
     
     
         38 . A method for opening flow through a fluid delivery set, the method comprising:
 selecting a fluid delivery set having a cassette with a cassette body, a tubing segment attached to the cassette body, an occluder disposed within the tubing segment and a projection extending from the cassette body; and   pressing on the projection to force at least of portion of the projection to forcefully engage and distend the tubing adjacent the occluder to thereby open a flow channel between the occluder and the tubing segment.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the projection has a pair of rounded projections extending therefrom and a recess between the rounded projections and wherein the method comprises forcing the recess over the a portion of the tubing segment and the occlude to distend the tubing segment and open the flow channel between the occluder and the tubing segment.