CA1309317C - Fluid cutoff device in a line - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A fluid cutoff device in a line, includes a first coupling having a generally cylindrically shaped outer body, and a hollow generally cylindrically shaped inner body with a first inner sealing surface. The first coupling includes a first shutter valve adapted to be normally biased closed to abut against the first sealing surface to cut off fluid flow through the first coupling.
The device includes a second coupling having a generally cyclindrically shaped outer body adapted to sealably translate within the inner body of said first coupling, and a hollow generally cylindrically shaped inner body with a second inner sealing surface. The second coupling includes a second shutter valve and is adapted to be normally biased closed against the second sealing surface to cut off fluid flow through the second the first shutter valve adapted to separate the respective shutter valve from the respective sealing surface to open the couplings.

Description

FLUID CUTOFF DEVICE IN A FLUID LIN~

~ackgroun~ or the Invention The lnvention relates to a ~luld cu~ofr device in a fluid line; p~rticularly a blood carrying lino in a medical device It i9 o~ten nece3~ary to ~eal orf the ~luid ~low in a fluid carrylng llne ror example, that of ~ bypa~ llne ln a medical deYice Such line~ mu~t normally ~e cut o~ to pr-ven~ the flow of blood or other ~luid, temporarlly, thQn the cuto~ device mu~t be rolea~able ~o that the ~luid can once agBln ~low through the line Currently ~uch llne~ are ~ealed of~ by u5ing a clamp The clamped system ha3 ~everal di6advantages, namely that it ie cumber~ome ~nd requires space not normally a~ailable ~n xtracorporeal Qy~tem~
The ob~ect o~ the present ~nventlon le to provide a fluld cutoff devlce ln a ~luld line which ha~ a low cost and minlmum bulk, and allow~ the line which lead to the devl¢e to be cut off into two ealed branch~g, ~o as to aontrol ~luid flow and to allow the oonneotlon or di~conn~ction o~ a compon~nt wlthin the ~y~tem Anoth-~ ob~eat of the lnventlon ~8 to provide a one-way ~luid flow ~vlc-summary o~ the Invention Th- described objects are achleved by a ~luid cutoff device ln a line, Aooordlng to th- inventlon lnclude~ a first co~pling which has a central axi~, a proxlmal end ~or connection to a fluid lln~, a generally cyllnarloally shaped outer body, and a hollow g~nerAlly cylindrlcally shaped inn~r body with a ~irst lnner ~ealing ~urface ~he flrst coupllng include~ a flrst shutter valve anclo~ed within the flr~t coupllng and is adapt~d to be normally bla~ed clos~ to abut against the flr~t ~e~llng ~ur~ace to cut off ~luid ~low through the fir~ coupling The dev~ce includes a ~cond coupllng whlch has a centr~l axl~, a proxlmal end for connection to a ~luid line, a generally cylindrically ~hape~ outer body adapt~d to ~ala~ly tran&late within the lnner body of ~aid ~lrst ~oupling, a hollow gen~rally ~ylindrically ~haped lnner body wlth a econd inner sealing ~urfac~ The eecond coupling lnclude6 a B~cond ~hutter valve enclo~ed within th~ ~econd coupling ~nd 1G
adapt~a to be normally bia~ed closed against th~ ~econd sealing surface to cut off fluld ~low throuqh t~ aond coupllng The devic- ha~ a first actuation meane w$thin the ~ir~t coupl$ng which i~ ngagable wlth th~ gecond shutter valve and adapted ~o ~epaxate 1 30~3 1 7 the econd shutter valve rrom the ~econ~ sealing sur~ace to open the 6eaond coupling upon gufficient tranglational engagement o~
the ~econd CoUpling into said first coupllng; and has means ror controlling the tran~lational engagem~n~ o~ ~aid couplings The devlco thereby runctions a~ a one-way valve The device functionQ as a full open rlow devlce by includlng a 6econ~ actuation moane wlthin ths s~cond coupllng !' engagabls with the ~ir~t ~hutter valve and 16 adapted to ~eparate the ~ir~t shutter valve from the fir~t sealing sur~ace to open the fir~t coupling upon ~u~icient translatlonal engagement of the 6-cond coupllng lnto th~ ~irst coupling ~e~tailed Descri~tlon o~ the InventiOn .
Further characterletlcs and advantage5 o~ the invent$on will i, become apparent from the ~ollowed de~crlptlon of some pre~erred but not excluelve embodlmQnts of the lnvention, l}lustrated only by way o~ non-limitative example ln the accompany drawlng~, whereln Figure 1 i~ a perspective view o~ the invention in the po-ltlon ln whioh the ~uld ~low 1~ allowed~
Figure 2 1~ a ~wtional vlew taken along the plane II-II o$ , Flgure lJ
Flgure 3 ie a per~pective vlew o~ the invention in the ~luid cuto~ pG8itlon t Figure 4 is a ~ectional view ta~en along the plane IV-IV o~
Flgure 3l Flgure 5 15 a ~ctional view of ths invont~on, aocording to anoth-r e~bodiment with the device ~unctlonlng additionally as a on--way valves Figure 6 1~ ~ seational view of the invention acaording to the embod~m nt of Flgure 5 in Outor~ pooltlon Figure 7 is a achematic view o~ some elements o~ the invention l;
according to another embodiment Flgure 8 io a sch~matlC vlew of th~ ~ame ~lements of Flgure 7 with the shutter valve ~n a dlr~erent positlon Flgure g is a sectional view of the invention in open position with both ~hutter valveo arrang~d ~¢cordlng to the ~mbodlment illustrated in Flgure 7 ~ lguro 10 i8 a sect~onal view o~ another embodiment o~ the inventlon ~unctioning additionally ~8 a on~-way v~lv~
With rererence to the above ~e6crlbe~ Flgurea 1, 2, 3, 4, the r-~er-nce numerals 1 and 2 in~laate two interconnectea couplin~
rospectively provlded wlth oonnectore lA an~ 2a to two brAnchee of a llne and with grlp element~ con~t~tuted by A tab lb and by the pair o~ oppo~ed tabs 2b, 2c The coupllngs ~re in contact at the r~Bpectlve Cylindrical 3ur~ace~ 3a, 3b (see particularly Figuro 4) and a ~e~lin~ gasket, 3c, whlch prevent~ any external contact of the rluid whic~ ~lows ~hrough the ~evlce, ana therefOr~ ensureG ths 6eal and ~terllity o~ the device.
The outer sur~ace of the coupling 1 ha~ two identlcal groovss ln diamQtrically opposed positions. The groove generally indicated by the rererence numeral 4 ~ nearly entirely vi~ible in Figure~
1 and 3, whlle the opposed groove lndlcated by the re~er-nce num~ral 5 can be seen only at lts end portlon ln Figure 3. Groove 4 include~ two lateral portion~ 4a an~ 4~ (perpendlCUlArlY ori~nted and of~set relative to the longitu~inal axls) connected ~y an incllned portlon 4c, and the portion 4b i~ connected by an inclined portion 4d which extends to the end o~ the coupling and i5 open to provlde acce~s to the groove. The g~oove S ha~ ~he same, but diametrically oppo~ed, conflgurat1on.
A follower p~n 6 extends- ~rom the tab 2b o~ the coupling 2 And ~lideJ within the groove 4. The groove lnclude~ an obstacle constituted ~y small detent ~tuds 4e whlch can be pa~ed by 81a~tlc derormatlon of the ~n and provides a slight loc~ing action ~or an operator. Similarly, an oppo~e~ follower pln 7 extend~ from the t~b 2c of the CoUpling 2 and ~lides in the groove 5.
A BhUtter v~lve 8 is arranged wlthln the coupling 1 and ie biased by a ~pring 9 ~gainst a seal~ng ~ur~ace 10 and a gacket lOa provld-d wlthin the coupllng 1. Slmllarly, the coupllng 2 contaln6 ~hutter valve 11, which is biased by a spring 12 against a -aling surface 13 hav~ng a gasket 13~ provided within the coupling 2. The sbutter valve6 8, 11 respectlvely have facing protruslons 8a and lla to provid~ the operating ~unctlons o~ the cutor~ devlce.
A~ illustrated ln Figures 1 and 2, the two couplings 1, 2 are ln th- po~ition Or maximum mutual ~pproach, as determined by the location o~ the pln ~ in the lateral portion 4a of the groove 4 and o~ the pln 7 ln the ~imilar portion of the groove 5. In thi~
po8itiOD the two protru610nG 8a and lla are adapted to ~ in ~uf~ioient mutual oontaat, and overcome the b$as forces of the ~prings 9 And 12, to rorce the reRpectlve ~hutter valve6 a and 11 to ~e well ~epar~ted from con~ac~ wlth their re~peotive sealing ~urface 10 and 13. This is thererore the open positlon of the de~ic-, ~nd the fluld can ~low in both direatlon~.
By rotating the coupling~ 1 and 2 counter-clockWi3~ until they move to the relatlvely ~paced apart position o~ F~gure3 3 and 4, the pin 6 is withln lateral portlon 4b of the groov~ 4 and the protrusions 8a an~ l~a are a~apted to have a ~light claaranc~;
thor-~ore, the B~Utter~ valv~ 8 a~d 11 are pre~sed ~y the a¢tio~
o~ th- ~prings to ~a~e contact wlth thelr re~pectlve ~ealing ~urfac~s 10 and 130 This ~8 there~ore the cu~o~ po~ition of the l~
devlce. It ~hould be noted that 80 lonq as the p~n8 remain in t~e lateral portion~ t4b) o~ the qroove6 ~a661~te~ to so remaln by tho ~ 30~ 1 7 detent etu~a 4e), the couplings continue to be engaged but each of the two branch~s of a ~ine i9 cut o~ by an individual Qhutter.
~he branch whlch r~aoh~5 th~ coupling 1 i~ ~ealed by the shutter vAlv~ 8, nnd the branch which rea~hes the coupllng 2 i8 eealed by the ~hutter valve 11.
A furth~r counter-clockwi~e relative rotatlon o~ the couplings ~rom the above d~scrlb~d cutoff position, allows the follower pins 6 ~nd 7 to rurther 61ide along the respoctlvQ lncllned portions (lllu~rated ~ 4d in Figure 3) o~ groov~s 5 and ~, then completely out of the open ends of the grooves to disenga~e the coupling~ and therefor~ to disconnect the two ~ealed ~ranches o~ the llne without fluid lo~e~.
Flgure~ 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment and the device i~ arrang~d to ~unction A~ a one-way valve (as 6hown ln Figure 5), a~ woll aa a CUt-off device (as ~own ln Flgure 6). Couplinga 14 and 15 of thls embodiment have an external conflguratlOn whlch 1 identioal to that of the previou~ly described coupling~ 1 and 2, wlth ~imilar grooves ~or the accommodation o~ slmllar rollower pin~, and therefore have ldentlcal charact~ristlcs of r~lati~e motion from a position o~ maximum approach shown ln Flgure 5 to a rel~tlv-ly ~paced-apart po~itlon shown in ~igur~ 6.
The coupllng 14 ~ontalns A ~hut~er valvo 16, bia~ed by a ~pring 17 again~t a ~ealing ~urface 18 which h~ a gasket 18.
The coupling 15 contaln~ a ~hutter valve 19 which 1B PUBhed by a apring 29 against the ~-aling ~ur~ace 21 which has a gasket Zla. ~hutt-r valv~ 19 has a protru~ion l9a adapted to make contact with a baffl~ 22 provided within the coupling 14. Shutter valve lC doe- not have a protrualon elemen~ and i~ not actuated by contact wlth the ~a~fle 22 to op~n th~ valv~. Ag ~hown ln Flgur~
5, the coupling~ are ~n po~ition of maximum mutual approach. The protrualon l9a o~ the shutter valvo 19 is in contact with th~
~af~l- 22 o~ the coupllng 14, and therefore the ~hutter vQlve 19 1~ pu~hed again~t ~pring 20 into a position of 6eparation ~rom it6 relat~d seallng sur~ace 21. Flow can occur through the coupling 15 and a~alnst thQ lnner YurfAce of shutter v~lve 16. Under ~uch fluid force ~nd the selection o~ ~prlng 17 havlng the approprlate re~latAnce, the 6hutter valve 16 ls forced to compre~ the sprlng and ~eparate from it~ ~ealing ~ur~ace 18 to ~unction a~ a one-way ~:
v~lve. Fluid pre~eure in th~ oppo~lte direo~lo~ forcee ¢hutter r valve 16 ~gslnst ~eal~ng ~urfsce 1~ ~nd theroforc flow in th~ k oppo-ite dlrectlon i5 lmpo~ible. A¢ previou~ly di~CUB~ed, continued rel~tlve counter-clockwi~e rotAtion o~ couplinqs 14 and 15 (due to the follower pin~ ln portion ~b of the groo~) result~
ln 108~ of aontact betwee~ th~ protru-ion l9a o~ the ~hutter valve 19 and t~e barfle 22, ~na the spring 20, and forc~s shu~ter valve 19 ag~lnst the ~eallng sur~ace 21, to ~lso seal tnis branch o~ the device.
A third embodl~ent o~ the device, i8 illustrated ~n Figure6 7, 8, 9, 10, in whlch coupllngs 23 and 24 hAve an external con~lguratlon which 18 ~lmllar to that degcribed in re~erence to coupling~ 1 and 2 of Figures 1 and 2. The coupllngs lnclude ~milnr grooves ror the ~ccommodation o~ ~l~llar ~ollower pin~
wh~ch gu~de the couplings ~ro~ a po~ition of maxl~um mutual approach (as ~hown in Flgures 9 and 10), to relatively Bpaced po~tion which ~unctlons to cut off ~he fluid, and further to completely di~connec~ the coupling~. The two coupling6 23 and 24 oontain two ~hutter valves 25 and 28. The ~hutter valve 25 i~
enclo~ed ln the coupling ~3, and is provldQd wlth oppo~ite tabs 25a and 25b in the ~hape of portions of a cylindrlcal 6urface and iB
pu~hed by A spring 26 agaln~t a Qeallng ~urfaoe 27 and gasket 27a within the coupling~ The valvo 28 i8 encloee~ ln the coupllng 24, and i8 alBo provlde~l wlth t~bs 28a a"d 28b (which are outboard of tabe asa and 25b) and i~ pushed by A Bprlllg 29 AgainQt a seallng eurface 30 and ga~kat 30a withln the coupling. The coupllng Z3 lnclud-s an lnternal cylindrlcal ~ur~ace 23a whlah has a pair o~
oppo~o~ ahort axial ridg~s 31a and 31b and a palr o~ equally cpaced oppos-d longer ax~l ridge~ 32a and 32b. The ridges defln~ two d~-tinat r-lationshlp~ between the coupllnge and the oppo~ed ~hutter valve~, The tab~ 25a and a5b may be accommodated ln the space- re~psctively between the ridges 31a, 32a and 32b, 31b or in the spAce- re~pectlvely betwoen the ridge~ 31a, 3Zb and 32a, 31b.
~ he ~ame relationship occur~ ~n the coupling 24 whlch has an int~rnAl cylindrical ~urface 33 which ha6 a pair Or opposite short axlal ridg-o 34 and a pair o~ oppo~lte long axial r~dge~ 35.
8imllArly, the ridge6 deflne two distlnct relatlon~h~pA between the ooupling and the ~hutter valve tab~ 28a, 28b.
Figure 7 and 9 illu~trate (in solid line~) the shutter ~alve 28 in the ~irst rela~ion~hip o~ mutual spac~ng o~ the coupllng~.
When the coupllhgs nppro~ch one another, shutter valve 28 movo~ and rotat~- together with the coupll~g 24 duo to the rorce exerted by the ridgeg o~ the eurface 33 on the tsbs, snd moves to the po61tlon shown in broken ~nd dott~d lines with the tab 28a against the long rldge 32b o~ the cylindr~cAl sur~ace 23a o~ th~ coupling a8 . Wlth ~he tab 28b agaln~t the other long rldge 32a o~ the ~ur~ace, thu~
prov~dlng the ~paration o~ the ~hutter valve 28 rrom the r~lated soAling urface 30, a~ 1~ clearly ~hown in F~gure 9. The shutter v~lv-, a- hown in Figure 9, 1~ aloo ~rranged with lts tabs betwoen the ridgo~ o~ the surfAco 23n o~ the coupllng 23 80 a~ to ~ake contact wlth the tabs ln the relation~hlp of ~aximum mutual approach o~ the coupllngs ~galnst the long ridgee of th~ su~ace 33 0~ the coupllng ~4. Also, w~t~ the tab 25a against the long rldge 35, the shutter valve 25 18 ~eparate~ from its seallng ur~ace 27; and there~ore, the dovlce allow~ the ~low o~ the fluid ln both directions and i5 thu~ in lt~ open poBitlon-Figur~ ~ illu~trat~ in solld linec the shutter valve 28 in its ~econd relation~hlp in the po~ltlon o~ mutual 6paclng o~ the couplings In thi~ position, when the coupling~ approach, shutter v~lve 28 mov-~ to the position ~hown ln broken and dotted llnes wlth the tab 2BA at the ~hor~ rldge 31a o~ the 6urfac~ 23A o~ the ~oupllng 23 and with t~e tab 28b at the o~h~r short ridge 31b In thlc relationship, thg ~hutter valv~ 28 ig pre~ed by ~pring 29 agAinDt the ~eallng curface 30 In thi~ confl~ura~lonl th~ other ohutter valv~ ~5 muat be caused to ~eparate from it~ seallng ~ur~ace ln the po6i~ion o~ maximum mutual approach o~ the coupl~ng~, thus providing a one-way devlce which allow~ th~ rlow excluBively ih one direqtion, from the coupllng 23 towards the coupllng 24, If instead it iB required to ~rovlde a one-way devlce w1th a ~$ngle po~6ibls rlow from th~ coupling 24 to the coupling 23, the h elements of the d~vi~e are arrangea a~ lllustrated ln Figure 10 The 8hutter vslve 28 is Fositioned ~o that it~ tab~i contaat, ln the poo~tion o~ maximum mutual approach of the coupling, wlth the long rid~e~i o~ the ~oupling 23 In thi~ posltlon, ~hutt~r valve 28 i8 ¦~
-parated from it~ ~aling ~ur~ace, and th~ ~hutter valve 25 1~
po-itioned wlth it~i tab~ facing the short rldge~ of the coupling 24, agalnst ite oeallng surrace but whlch ai~n be separated by fluld pre~-ure on the inner surfACe of shutter valve 25 ~he de~cribed invention ia ~u~ceptible to numerou~
mod~ficationo and variatlons, all w~thin the scope of th~ lnventive concepts thus, ~or example, the cam action provld~d by the groove~
on the outor sur~ace of thQ coupling~ m~y dlff~r in ~hape rrOm the one d~-cribed In ths practlcal ~bodimonts o~ th~ lnventlon, all th~ d~talls may be r~placed with other oquivi~lent element~

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Claims (11)

1. A device for the connection, or cutoff, or sealed separation of two branches of a fluid line, comprising:
a first coupling having a central axis, a proximal end for connection to a fluid line, a generally cylindrically shaped outer body, and a hollow generally cylindrically shaped inner body with a first inner sealing surface;
a first shutter valve enclosed within said first coupling and adapted to be normally biased closed to abut against the first sealing surface to cut off fluid flow through the first coupling;
a second coupling having a central axis, a proximal end for connection to a fluid line, a generally cylindrically shaped outer body adapted to sealably translate within the inner body of said first coupling, a hollow generally cylindrically shaped inner body with a second inner sealing surface;
a second shutter valve enclosed within said second coupling and adapted to be normally biased closed against the second sealing surface to cut off fluid flow through the second coupling;
a first actuation means within said first coupling engagable with said second shutter valve and adapted to separate said second shutter valve from the second sealing surface to open said second coupling upon sufficient translational engagement of said second coupling into said first coupling; and means for controlling the translational engagement of said couplings.

2. A device as in Claim 1 further comprising a second actuation means within said second coupling engagable with said first shutter valve and adapted to separate said first shutter valve from the first sealing surface to open said first coupling upon sufficient translational engagement of said second coupling into said first coupling.

3. A device as in Claim 1 wherein said second shutter valve includes a second protrusion which extends from the distal end thereof, and wherein said first actuation means comprises a baffle within the inner body of said first coupling, which is adapted to abut said second protrusion upon sufficient translational engagement of said couplings.

4. A device as in Claim 2 wherein:
said first actuation means comprises a first protrusion which extends from the distal end of said first shutter valve;

said second actuation means comprises a second protrusion which extends from the distal end of said second shutter valve; and said first and second protrusions are adapted to abut each other upon sufficient translational engagement of said couplings to open said first and second shutter valves for allowing fluid to flow through the device.

5. A device as in Claim 1 wherein said translational engagement controlling means comprises:
said first coupling having a groove in the outer body thereof which has an open distal end, and which extends from the open distal end to a desired axial distance along the outer body;
said second coupling having a follower pin which extends form the proximal end thereof and is adapted to slide along the groove in said first coupling; and the groove further having means for axially engaging the follower pin at desired relative translational engagements of the couplings for controlling the functional performance of the device.

6. A device as in Claim 5 wherein the axially engaging means comprises the groove extending perpendicularly to the axis of the device.

7. A device as in Claim 6 wherein the groove extends from the open end thereof along a first longitudinally spiralled portion to a first lateral protion which is perpendicular to the axis of the device, then further along a second longitudinally spiralled portion to a second lateral protion which is perpendicular to the axis of the device; whereby the engagement of the follower pin in the first lateral portion corresponds to a spaced apart relationship of said first and second couplings so that said first and second shutter valves are closed, and the engagement of the follower pin in the second lateral portion corresponds to a maximum mutual engagement of said first and second couplings to open at least one of said shutter valves.

8. A device and in Claim 5 wherein said first coupling further comprises a second groove having the same but diametrically opposed configuration, and said second coupling having a second follower pin adapted to slide along said second groove.

9. A device as in Claim 7 wherein the first lateral portion further includes a small stud for resistance with said follower pin which can pass by elastic deformation.

10. A device as in Claim 2 wherein said first actuation means comprises a first axial ridge arranged upon the inner body of said first coupling;
and said second actuation means comprises a second axial ridge arranged upon the inner body of said second coupling;
wherein said first shutter valve further includes a tab extended axially therefrom and adapted to engage said first axial ridge upon sufficient translational engagement of said couplings.

11. A device as in Claim 2 wherein:
the inner body of said first coupling further has a first pair of opposed axial ridges, and has an equally spaced first pair of opposed extended axial ridges;
The inner body of said second coupling further has a second pair of opposed axial ridges, and has an equally spaced second pair of opposed extended axial ridges;
said first shutter valve includes a first pair of opposed tabs extending axially therefrom and adapted to engage one of said second pair of axial ridges and said second pair of extended axial ridges upon sufficient translational engagement of said coupling;
and said second shutter valve includes a second pair of opposed tabs extending axially therefrom and adapted to engage one of said first pair of axial ridges and said first pair of extended axial ridges upon sufficient translational engagement of said couplings, whereby when said first pair of tabs are arranged to engage said second pair of axial ridges, said first shutter valve is against the first sealing surface; and when said first pair of tabs are arranged to engage said second pair of extended axial ridges, said first shutter valve is separated from the first sealing surface;
and whereby when said second pair of tabs are arranged to engage said first pair of axial ridges, said second shutter valve is against the second sealing surface; and when said second pair of tabs are arranged to engage said first pair of extended axial ridges, said second shutter valve is separated from the second sealing surface.