Adapter assembly for an anesthetic equipment

Abstract

A keyed filling system for delivery of a liquid anesthetic agent from an anesthetic vessel to a receiving container of an anesthetic agent delivery equipment is disclosed. The system comprises at least one movable unit that allows a relative movement of said anesthetic vessel in relation to said anesthetic agent delivery equipment when said anesthetic vessel is arranged at said anesthetic agent delivery equipment for discharging said liquid anesthetic agent into said receiving container of said anesthetic agent delivery equipment. The movable unit may be provided on an adapter for being arranged on a bottle comprising an anesthetic agent and for insertion into a filling assembly of an anesthetic agent delivery equipment, or at a filling equipment into which a bottle or adapter is insertable for filling the anesthetic delivery equipment with liquid anesthetic agent. In this manner for instance leakage of anesthetic agent and wear of the adapter is avoided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention pertains to a system comprising an adapter assembly for connecting a vessel, such as a bottle, containing a liquid anesthetic agent to anesthetic equipment devised for delivery of the anesthetic agent from the vessel to the equipment via the adapter. More particularly, the present invention relates to such an adapter assembly having improved leakage safety.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]An anesthetic vaporizer for use during medical treatment comprises usually a vessel for receiving liquid anesthetic agent, and is connected to a system for delivering the vaporized anesthetic agent from the anesthetic vaporizer to the lungs of a patient. For this purpose, the vessel is filled with the liquid anesthetic agent before starting the medical treatment. Moreover, the vessel may needs to be replenished with further liquid anesthetic agent during the medical treatment. The anesthetic agent is sup...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]According to an aspect of the invention, a keyed adapter assembly is provided. The keyed adapter is provided for arrangement on an anesthetic vessel devised for containing a liquid anesthetic agent at a first end portion of the adapter, and for arrangement at a filling assembly of an anesthetic agent delivery equipment at a second end portion of the adapter. The first end portion of the adapter comprises a movable unit in form of a cylindrical portion that is rotatably arranged in relation to body of the adapter. In an embodiment, the adapter comprises at least one keying protrusion arranged on the adapter for mating with a corresponding at least one recess of said filling assembly, wherein said protrusions are arranged on said cylindrical portion at the second end. The cylindrical portion is rotatably arranged on said adapter. Thus, the first and second end portion may have a fixed relation to each other, while providing rotatability of the adapter assembly in an advantageous manner.

[0013]In an embodiment, the cylindrical portion may be arranged in an area with reduced diameter of the adapter, wherein the cylindrical portion may comprise protrusions dimensioned to abut the area with reduced diameter of the adapter in order to form a frictional engagement. In some embodiments, the portion said with reduced diameter of said adapter body comprises the plurality of external friction protrusions dimensioned to abut said cylindrical portion internally. The protruding height of each of the protrusions may be dimensioned for providing a desired frictional engagement. The protrusions may be in the form of ridges, bulges, burls, semispheres, or have a conical, frustoconical, or pin shape, or similar projecting shapes. At least three protrusions, e.g. ridges may be provided. The cylindrical portion may comprise an extension portion extending to the end of the adapter. Moreover, the cylindrical portion may comprise a bevel for making it easier to assemble the cylindrical portion.

Problems solved by technology

However, often the key system does not mate initially, as the user may not position the two keying systems in exact register.

During such rotation and manipulation of the bottle with the adapter it may happen that the sealed screw connection between the bottle and the adapter may become loose due to a torque transmission between the bottle and the adapter, especially if the bottle is moved in a direction opposite the fastening direction of a thread of the adapter or bottle during such manipulation.

There may also exist a possibility that the adapter will jam during the insertion, which might lead to a torque transmission induced leakage, depending on the human factor, e.g. during handling of the adapter by healthcare personnel.

Furthermore, the adapter may unscrew from the bottle when locked to the filling system of the vaporizer.

For instance, during filling, the bottle may unintentionally, at least partly, be unscrewed from the adapter, as healthcare personnel may be distracted from this task.

The hinge solution comprising the two segment bottle adapter is of rather complicated design rendering manufacture of the adapter burdensome.

Moreover, this sealing O-ring may wear mechanically over time.

As liquid anesthetic agents usually are of aggressive nature, this wear is accelerated as the sealing O-ring comes into contact with the anesthetic agent.

This may lead to a leakage in the bottle adapter, when the adapter is mounted on the anesthetic bottle, and such anesthetic bottle is mounted to an anesthetic vaporizer, which is disadvantageous.

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