Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling or refilling of dispensers – By operation of means causing or controlling dispensing
Patent
1993-07-23
1995-01-17
Recla, Henry J.
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling or refilling of dispensers
By operation of means causing or controlling dispensing
141286, 141292, 141352, 141366, 12820021, 13761404, 137588, B65B 104, B65B 304
Patent
active
053818369
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a fluid delivery system for delivery of volatile liquid drugs such as might be used in anaesthesia.
A requirement of a fluid delivery system used in the delivery of drugs, especially of anaesthetic agents, is that the system should be sealed, both to minimise loss of drug, and to prevent ingress of contaminants. This concern is particularly applicable in the case of volatile drugs, which can be lost through evaporation on exposure to atmosphere.
GB-1193241 and GB-1394216 disclose filling systems for use with anaesthetic vaporising apparatus, in which anaesthetic drug is supplied to the apparatus from a bottle by means of a flexible conduit. A risk of losing drugs through evaporation exists when using the filling systems disclosed in GB-1193241 and GB-1394216 because of the nature of the connection between the bottle from which drug is supplied and the conduit: the connection is made between the end of the conduit and the bottle after the relevant closure cap has been removed from the bottle.
Another problem with the known system is that liquid can be freely dispensed from the supply container simply by pouring it into an appropriate receiving container.
The present invention seeks to provide a fluid delivery system having improvements over previously used systems, in which means are provided to prevent loss of agent from a container in which the agent is supplied to a vaporiser, and from the vaporiser whether at the inlet to the vaporiser or from ths sump or both.
In one aspect, the invention provides a delivery system for delivery of an anaesthetic agent to an anaesthetic vaporiser, comprising: assembly which includes a valve member for closing the outlet to minimise loss of the agent from it, the outlet having a first sealing surface associated with it; and inlet through which the agent can be received into the vaporiser, and a second sealing surface associated with the inlet which cooperates with the first sealing surface on the outlet from the supply container; the supply container only when a seal is made between the first and second sealing surfaces, on the supply container and the vaporiser respectively.
This delivery system has significant advantages over prior systems. In particular, the system allows a volatile liquid drug to be supplied to dispensing equipment in such a way that drug is not lost from the container in which it is supplied to that equipment.
Preferably, the valve assembly has indexing elements associated with it, by which the supply container can be identified, and the inlet to the vaporiser has indexing elements associated with it by which the vaporiser can be identified. Means for connecting the supply container and the vaporiser can then be provided which allow the supply container and the vaporiser to be connected to one another only when the indexing elements correspond, opening of the valve member being possible only when the supply container and the vaporiser are so connected. The likelihood of an incorrect drug being supplied from the supply container to the vaporiser is minimised as a result of the functional connection between the valve (by which flow of fluid from the bottle is controlled) and indexing elements provided on the vaporiser: in contrast to prior filling systems in which an indexing element was provide solely for identification purposes, in the present system, the indexing elements are associated directly with the valve by which the supply container is closed. As a result, fluid cannot be supplied from the container through the valve unless the indexing elements of the valve have been mated with corresponding indexing elements. Furthermore, fluid cannot be dispensed from the supply container by pouring freely into a vaporiser. An indexed connection to the supply container must be made before fluid can be dispensed.
Preferably, the valve on the supply container is caused to open as a direct result of the seal between the sealing surfaces being made. For example, when the valve member comprises a plate which is forced against an apert
REFERENCES:
patent: 1802523 (1931-04-01), Morangier
patent: 3540402 (1970-11-01), Kocher
patent: 3797262 (1974-03-01), Eigenbrod
patent: 4813454 (1989-03-01), Smith, III
patent: 4867212 (1989-10-01), Mohr et al.
Braatz Robert E.
Gregory Raymond S.
Heaton Robert A.
Sampson David C.
Whitaker Keith
Cassett Larry R.
Douglas Steven O.
Rathbun Roger M.
Recla Henry J.
The BOC Group plc
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