Retaining clamp with counterbalance mechanism

Abstract

A holding fixture for a glass former and a method for shaping an end of a breathing tube are described. The holding fixture includes a glass former having an internal shaping cavity for receiving the end of the breathing tube. The holding fixture also includes a floating balance plate that interfaces with the glass former. A base plate has a seating recess for receiving the balance plate, and a tube aperture for receiving the breathing tube. A gripping plate is releasably secured to the base plate, and includes a gripping aperture sized to receive a portion of the glass former. An adjustment plug is used to selectively position the balance plate within the seating recess to align a longitudinal axis of the glass former with a longitudinal axis of the tube aperture of the base plate.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 225,628, filed July 26, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to a holding clamp for a glass forming machine and a method for forming the end of a breathing tube. Background Technology

[0004] Conventional clamping mechanisms are commonly used to secure molds during manufacturing processes when shaping various types of breathing tubes, such as tracheostomy tubes or endotracheal tubes. A typical clamping mechanism may comprise a stationary platen fixed to a base frame of the molding machine. The stationary platen can be connected to a movable platen via a tie rod, which acts as a linear guide for guiding the movable platen relative to the base plate. Such movable platens are often movable along the linear guide between the stationary platen and the base plate via a drive source operable to control the opening, closing, and clamping of the mold.

[0005] For example, when injection molding material is injected into a corresponding mold to form a molded product, the mold is held in a fixed position by a mold clamping mechanism. To ensure proper forming of the molded product, a stationary platen and a movable platen are clamped evenly across the entire surface of the mold. To achieve this uniformity, the corresponding surfaces of the stationary and movable platens need to be parallel to each other. This ensures a uniform distribution of clamping forces on the mold, which further ensures high molding accuracy. Furthermore, with conventional clamping mechanisms having a stationary platen fixed to a base frame, the stationary platen cannot be redirected relative to the movable platen to ensure they remain parallel to each other.

[0006] Other conventional mold clamping mechanisms may include a stationary pressure plate that can slide relative to a base frame without being fixed to it. This type of clamping mechanism may include a linear guide for guiding the movable pressure plate to an extended position so that it can also guide relative movement of the stationary pressure plate. This arrangement allows the stationary pressure plate to be uniformly fixed against the mold while remaining parallel to the movable pressure plate. In another known arrangement, the stationary pressure plate may be configured to slide on the base frame such that its upper and lower ends can deform freely and uniformly under clamping forces.

[0007] In another known arrangement, the stationary pressure plate can be mounted on a base frame via a mounting component for movement relative to the base frame. This allows the lower portion of the stationary pressure plate to move relative to the base frame via damping members, such as springs, provided on the mounting component. Therefore, bending of the stationary pressure plate is prevented when a clamping force is generated. Such conventional clamping mechanisms are designed to prevent or equalize bending of the stationary pressure plate when a clamping force is applied.

[0008] While conventional retaining clamps can securely hold the glass molder, surface variations within the glass molder adversely cause deviations in the perpendicularity of the shape of the breather tube formed during the shaping process. These deviations in the glass molder generally manifest as variations in its external dimensions due to the nature of the blow molding process used to produce the glass molder. This is because the blow molding process generally lacks precision control. Furthermore, since the breather tube is typically made of plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), shaping its tip with high precision via the glass molder is often extremely challenging. This is because the fully formed tip must be smooth and shaped to be perpendicular between the longitudinal axis of the tube body and the distal tip surface. To meet these requirements, several sets of retaining clamps are needed to account for the different variations in each glass molder.

[0009] Furthermore, surface variations on the glass former also affect its outer diameter, which can damage other components holding the fixture during assembly due to incompatibility. This necessitates the use of numerous replacement fixtures. Additionally, spare parts for the fixtures are frequently required to perform maintenance resulting from these wear issues. Preventing or limiting deformities at the tip of the breather tube correspondingly prevents disruption to the production line, time-consuming rework, and waste.

[0010] Therefore, there is a clear and substantial need for a novel and improved retaining clamp for a glass former used in the shaping of the end of a breathing tube. The retaining clamp of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems by firmly gripping the glass former and maintaining its perpendicularity to the clamp base regardless of uneven surface variations. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The retaining clamp of the present invention for shaping the end of a breathing tube largely satisfies the aforementioned needs. The retaining clamp includes: a glass molder having a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal shaping cavity configured to receive the end of the breathing tube; a balancing plate having a distal balancing surface configured to abut the proximal end of the glass molder; a base plate having a proximal base surface, a distal base surface defining a support recess configured to receive the balancing plate, and a tube opening configured to receive the breathing tube; a gripping plate configured to be releasably secured to the base plate, the gripping plate having a gripping hole sized to receive a portion of the glass molder; and an adjusting plug for selectively positioning the balancing plate within the support recess to align the longitudinal axis of the glass molder with the longitudinal axis of the tube opening in the base plate.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, the proximal end of the base plate includes a plug hole configured to receive an adjustment plug.

[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, the plug hole leads to the interior space of the support recess of the base plate to allow the adjustment plug to be moved into the support recess to mate with the proximal balancing surface of the balancing plate.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, the adjusting plug is configured to prevent the adjusting plug from being removed from the plug hole.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention, the flexible arm includes an openable wing portion configured to prevent the adjustment plug from being removed from the plug hole.

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, the proximal end of the base plate includes four annularly spaced plug holes for receiving four adjustment plugs respectively.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the base plate includes fastener holes extending through the base plate and configured to receive fasteners for releasably securing the base plate to the gripping plate.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, the gripping plate further includes a locking hole corresponding to the fastener hole of the base plate, the locking hole being configured to receive the fastener for releasably securing the base plate to the gripping plate.

[0019] According to another aspect of the invention, the gripping plate includes a proximal gripping surface configured to abut a distal base surface of the base plate when a glass forming device is received within the gripping hole.

[0020] According to another aspect of the invention, the gripping hole has an inclined inner surface configured to grip the inclined outer surface of a glass forming device.

[0021] According to another aspect of the invention, the diameter of the gripping hole of the gripping plate is equal to the maximum diameter of the glass forming device.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the longitudinal axis of the glass forming apparatus extends in the direction between the proximal end and the distal end of the glass forming apparatus.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, the internal shaping cavity of the glass forming apparatus defines an inner surface, which is configured to shape the outer surface of the distal end of the tube when the glass forming apparatus is heated.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the diameter of the internal shaping cavity decreases in the direction from the proximal end of the glass molder toward the distal end of the glass molder.

[0025] According to another aspect of the invention, the distal end of the glass forming apparatus is closed and includes an elongated core that protrudes into the forming cavity along the longitudinal axis of the glass forming apparatus.

[0026] According to another aspect of the invention, the proximal end of the glass forming apparatus includes a mounting surface having an outwardly extending annular flange, the outwardly extending annular flange being configured to stabilize the glass forming apparatus against the distal balancing surface of the balancing plate.

[0027] According to another aspect of the invention, the balance plate comprises acetal resin.

[0028] According to another aspect of the invention, the breathing tube is a tracheostomy tube.

[0029] According to another aspect of the invention, the breathing tube is an endotracheal tube.

[0030] According to another aspect of the invention, a method for shaping the end of a breathing tube includes: providing a retaining clamp; inserting the end of the breathing tube into a shaping cavity of a glass molder; manipulating an adjusting plug to position the balance plate of the retaining clamp within a support recess of a base plate and to orient the glass molder in a desired position; and heating the glass molder for a predetermined time period such that the outer surface of the distal end of the breathing tube is shaped to correspond to the inner surface of the glass molder, and the tip surface of the shaped breathing tube is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube body.

[0031] Therefore, certain embodiments of the invention have been outlined to provide a better understanding of the detailed description of these embodiments herein and to better appreciate the contribution of the present technology. Additional embodiments of the invention will be described below, and these additional embodiments form the subject matter of the appended claims.

[0032] In this regard, before explaining at least one aspect of the retaining clamp in detail, it should be understood that the retaining clamp in its application is not limited to the details of its construction and the arrangement of its components as set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The retaining clamp can have aspects other than those described and can be practiced and implemented in various ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein, as well as the abstract, are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting.

[0033] Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that the concepts upon which this invention is based can readily be used as the design basis for other structures, methods, and systems for achieving various purposes of holding clamps. It is therefore important that the claims be considered to encompass such equivalent constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To facilitate understanding of the invention, aspects of the retaining clamp of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are always referred to by the same reference numerals.

[0035] Figure 1 This shows a standard tracheostomy tube inserted into the patient's trachea.

[0036] Figure 2A A perspective view showing an example of a breathing tube before the distal end of the breathing tube is shaped.

[0037] Figure 2B Show Figure 2A Front view of the breathing tube.

[0038] Figure 2C Show Figure 2A A side view cross-sectional view of the breathing tube.

[0039] Figure 3A A perspective view showing an example of a breathing tube after the distal end of the breathing tube has been shaped.

[0040] Figure 3B Show Figure 3A Front view of the breathing tube.

[0041] Figure 3C Show Figure 3A A side view cross-sectional view of the breathing tube.

[0042] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the mask portion of the medical respiratory device of Figure 2.

[0043] Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of a retaining clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0044] Figure 5A cross-sectional side view of the retaining clamp of the present invention is shown.

[0045] Figure 6 This is a graph depicting the effect of the melting temperature of acetal resin on the maximum residence time in the barrel.

[0046] Figure 7 This is a PVT diagram of acetal resin. Detailed Implementation

[0047] This invention relates to a retaining clamp for a glass molder and a method for shaping the end of a breathing tube using the retaining clamp, such as a tracheostomy tube, an endotracheal tube, or other types of tubes. For example, a typical tracheostomy tube is a curved tube inserted into a hole made in the patient's neck and trachea. This hole, also known as a tracheostomy stoma, serves as the primary route of breathing, replacing the nose and mouth. The tracheostomy tube is inserted into the stoma to keep the hole open and provide an inlet passage for air to enter the lungs. Tracheostomy can be performed to provide a breathing channel for individuals requiring mechanical ventilation or those with swallowing difficulties and at risk of lung aspiration. Tracheostomy is also often performed when the patient is unable to cough up their own mucus, as this provides an easy way to aspirate mucus from the lungs.

[0048] A typical tracheostomy tube comprises an outer cannula, which acts as the body of the tube and includes a flange or neck plate extending from the side of the outer cannula to accommodate a tether or bandage wrapped around the patient's neck. In some embodiments, an optional inner cannula may be provided, which fits within the outer cannula and acts as a liner, which can be removed and cleaned to help prevent mucus buildup within the tracheostomy tube. The inner cannula can be locked in place to prevent accidental removal from the outer cannula. An obturator may also be used to facilitate insertion of the tracheostomy tube into the desired position within the trachea. The obturator fits within the tracheostomy tube to provide a smooth surface that guides the tube during insertion through the stoma and into the trachea. Once the distal end of the tracheostomy tube is positioned in the trachea, the obturator is removed.

[0049] Figure 1 An example of a breathing tube 10 is depicted, having a distal end 12 inserted into a patient's trachea 20 to provide a breathing tract. Glass molders are commonly used to form or shape the distal end of the breathing tube to facilitate insertion into the trachea. Specifically, the distal end 12 of the breathing tube 10 is shaped to include an outer surface having tapered or rounded portions to allow for smooth insertion of the breathing tube into the trachea while preventing or limiting irritation and trauma to the patient. Additionally, the tip surface at the distal end of the breathing tube is shaped substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the breathing tube to ensure uniformity of the adjacent tapered portions. Although Figure 1The breathing tube 10 depicted is a tracheostomy tube, but various other types of breathing tubes, such as endotracheal tubes, can be similarly shaped using the glass molder according to the invention to hold the clamp.

[0050] Figures 2A to 2C An example of a breathing tube 10a before its distal end 12a is shaped by a glass molder is shown. The breathing tube 10a is made of a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The breathing tube 10a has a cylindrical shape and includes an outer surface 14a having a first diameter and an inner surface 15a having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. Ideally, the first diameter and the second diameter are constant along the length of the tube at the distal end 12a. However, under other conditions, the first and second diameters may not be constant along the length of the tube. The distal end 12a of the tube 10a has a tip surface 18a that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 19a of the tube body.

[0051] Figures 3A to 3C An example of a breathing tube 10b after its distal end 12b has been shaped using the retaining clamp of the present invention is shown. The shaped breathing tube 10b includes an outer surface 14b having a first diameter and an inner surface 15b having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. The outer surface 14b includes a tapered portion 16b at the shaped distal end 12b of the tube, wherein the first diameter decreases in the direction toward the tip surface 18b. The inner surface 15b has a diameter that is constant along the length of the tube at the shaped distal end 12b. The tip surface 18b of the shaped distal end 12b of the tube is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 19b of the tube body.

[0052] The retaining clamp of the present invention is configured to firmly grip the glass molder while it is heated during the process of shaping the distal end of the breathing tube. The blow molding process used to manufacture glass molders is generally lacking in precision, and therefore often results in dimensional and surface variations in the resulting glass molder. These dimensional and surface variations in the glass molder pose a significant challenge when shaping the distal end of the breathing tube. For example, such variations in the glass molder can result in the tip surface of the tube not being shaped to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube body, but rather shaped to be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

[0053] Variations within the glass former can also prevent the complete formation of the tapered distal end of the tube. Other defects resulting from variations in the glass former can include rough patches or bubbles forming on the distal end of the tube, as well as other types of deformation. Additionally, variations in the glass former surface can damage conventional retaining clamps due to differences in size and / or roundness of the clamp's locking plate. This can lead to increased maintenance and / or replacement of clamp components due to the resulting frequent wear. The retaining clamp of the present invention solves these problems by ensuring that the axis of the glass former's diameter remains perpendicular to the base surface of the retaining clamp. This is achieved by a balancing mechanism configured to grip the glass former to maintain the desired perpendicularity to the retaining clamp, regardless of any deviations or inhomogeneities in the surface of the glass former.

[0054] Figure 4 and 5 A retaining clamp 100 for shaping the end of a breathing tube according to the present invention is shown. The retaining clamp 100 includes a glass molder 120, a balancing plate 130 for orienting the glass molder, a base plate 140 configured to receive the balancing plate, and a gripping plate 150 configured to be releasably fixed to the base plate.

[0055] The glass forming apparatus 120 includes a proximal end 121, a distal end 122, and a longitudinal axis 123 extending in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end. The glass forming apparatus 120 includes an internal shaping cavity 125 defining an inner surface 126 configured to shape the outer surface of the distal end of the tube when the glass forming apparatus is heated. The proximal end 121 of the glass forming apparatus includes a placement surface 129 and an opening 127 configured to receive the distal end 12 of the breathing tube 10 such that the distal end of the tube can be inserted into the shaping cavity 125. The diameter of the internal shaping cavity 125 decreases in size in the direction from the proximal end 121 toward the distal end 122. For example, when the glass forming apparatus is heated, this narrowing diameter of the internal cavity 125 of the glass forming apparatus correspondingly forms a tapered outer surface of the distal end 12 of the tube 10. Therefore, this reduction in diameter corresponds to a tapered profile of the tube for easy release from the holding clamp after the shaping process is complete. The distal end 122 of the glass forming apparatus is closed and includes an elongated core 128 that protrudes along the longitudinal axis 123 into the forming cavity 125.

[0056] During setup for the tube forming process, the user first assembles the glass former 120 with the retaining clamp 100. The user then secures the glass former in place by pushing one or more adjusting plugs 160 against the balancing plate 130 until the glass former achieves a firm positioning and perpendicularity relative to the tube, as will be discussed in further detail below. The user can then perform a tube forming test to estimate whether any readjustment of the glass former's position is needed.

[0057] During the tube forming process, as the inner surface 126 of the glass forming apparatus shapes the outer surface of the distal end 12 of the tube 10 correspondingly when heated in the glass forming apparatus, a core 128 is received within the distal end 12 of the tube to help maintain the position of the tube. Therefore, the shape of the outer surface of the distal end of the tube becomes tapered, while the shape of the inner surface of the distal end of the tube remains unchanged. Thus, the core 128 also helps maintain a constant diameter for the inner surface of the distal end of the tube, which is the same diameter extending through the rest of the tube body. According to some aspects, the glass forming apparatus 120 with the holding clamp 100 is heated on the heating platform for a set time period. The heated glass forming apparatus can then be transferred to the forming platform, where the tube is formed without a continuous heat supply. Therefore, only the heat stored in the glass forming apparatus is used to shape the tube.

[0058] The balance plate 130 includes a proximal balance surface 131 and a distal balance surface 132. The distal balance surface 132 is configured to abut a mounting surface 129 at the proximal end 121 of the glass former 120. More specifically, the mounting surface 129 at the proximal end 121 of the glass former may include an outwardly extending annular flange to increase the stability of the glass former against the distal balance surface 132 of the balance plate 130. The balance plate 130 also includes a through-hole 133 sized to receive the breather tube 10. The balance plate 130 is movable, and the distal balance surface 132 serves as a complementary mounting surface for the mounting surface 129 of the glass former. Because the balance plate 130 is a separate portion from the main retaining clamp body (i.e., the base plate 140 and the gripping plate 150), the balance plate can be easily removed and replaced when maintenance is performed on the retaining clamp due to damage or deformation caused by wear, rather than replacing the entire retaining clamp assembly. In addition, the balance plate can be custom-made to match the contours corresponding to the surface variations of the alternative glass formulator.

[0059] The base plate 140 includes a proximal base end 141 and a distal base end 142. The base plate 140 also includes a tube hole 143 having a longitudinal axis 149, configured to receive a breathing tube 10. The tube hole 143 is also configured to ensure the perpendicularity of the tube relative to the base plate 140 when the glass forming device and the retaining clamp grip the tube at the core 128 and the hole 143, respectively. The distal base end 142 includes a distal base surface 144 circumferentially surrounding a support recess 145. The support recess 145 is configured to receive a balancing plate 130 such that, when the balancing plate is in its initial position, the through-hole 133 of the balancing plate 130 is substantially aligned with the tube hole 143 of the base plate 140. In some aspects, the depth of the support recess 145 may be approximately equal to 0.5 mm plus the thickness of the balancing plate 130 and the thickness of the flanged support surface 129 of the glass forming device. The depth of the support recess ensures that it can accommodate the balance plate and part of the glass forming device.

[0060] The proximal end 141 of the base plate 140 includes a plug hole 146 leading to the interior space of the support recess 145. The plug hole 146 is configured to receive an adjustment plug 160 for selectively adjusting the position of the balance plate 130 when it is received within the support recess 145. In some embodiments, a plurality of plug holes 146 are provided to receive corresponding plurality of adjustment plugs 160. For example, four plug holes may be provided to receive four corresponding adjustment plugs. In this example, each of the plurality of plug holes 146 may be circumferentially spaced at equal distances, for example, circumferentially spaced at ninety degrees. Thus, in this arrangement, two plug holes can be effectively positioned and spaced apart along the x-axis of the plane of the base plate, and the remaining two plug holes can be effectively positioned and spaced apart along the y-axis of the plane of the base plate. Depending on some aspects, the plug hole can be a threaded hole with a size of M4 x 0.5 to provide fine-tuning thread movement of 0.5 mm per pitch for maintaining the clamp.

[0061] The proximal end 141 of the base plate further includes fastener holes 148 radially spaced from the plug hole 146. The fastener holes 148 extend through the base plate to the distal base surface 144 and may be threaded to receive threaded fasteners, such as M5 screws, for releasably securing the base plate to the gripper plate 150. In some aspects, two or more fastener holes 148 may be provided in the base plate 140 and spaced apart from each other. For example, such as... Figure 4 As shown, a pair of fastener holes 148 are spaced apart on opposite sides of the base plate along the x-axis of the plane of the base plate.

[0062] The gripping plate 150 includes gripping holes 153 sized to receive a portion of the glass molder. The gripping plate 150 also includes a proximal gripping surface 151 configured to abut a distal base surface 142 of the base plate to grip or capture the glass molder 120 therebetween. Locking holes 158 in the gripping plate correspond to corresponding fastener holes 148 in the base plate 140 and may be threaded to allow threaded fasteners to releasably secure the base plate to the gripping plate. The gripping holes 153 may be angled or tapered to ensure a tight grip on the glass molder. According to some aspects, the minimum diameter of the gripping holes may be equal to the maximum diameter of the glass molder body to prevent excessive pressure and friction from being applied to the glass molder. This helps prevent cracking and breakage of the glass molder and also prevents unintended deviations in the perpendicularity of the glass molder relative to the gripping plate and base plate when the glass molder is secured between the gripping plate and the base plate.

[0063] Each of the plurality of adjusting plugs 160 is operable to selectively position the balancing plate 130 within the support recess 145 of the base plate 140 to align the longitudinal axis 123 of the glass forming apparatus with the longitudinal axis 149 of the tube hole 143 of the base plate. Since the plug hole 146 of the base plate opens into the support recess 145, each adjusting plug 160 can move into the support recess to engage the proximal balancing surface 131 of the balancing plate 130. Thus, each adjusting plug secures the balancing plate 130 in a floating position within the support recess 145 of the base plate 140 such that the locked floating position corresponds to the desired orientation of the glass forming apparatus, thereby achieving sufficient perpendicularity of the shape of the tip surface at the distal end of the tube after heating the glass forming apparatus, as will be discussed in further detail below.

[0064] Each adjustment plug 160 further includes a locking mechanism that enables balance adjustment during setup to allow quick and easy adjustment of the position of the balance plate 130 within the support recess 145. For example, each adjustment plug 160 includes a proximal end with a flexible arm 162 extending therefrom to allow easy insertion into a corresponding plug hole 146 in the base plate. In some instances, multiple flexible arms may be provided. For example, each adjustment plug 160 may include four flexible arms.

[0065] The adjusting plug is configured to ensure unidirectional adjustment, maintaining the position and orientation of the balance plate within the support recess. For example, the adjusting plug 160 can be configured to be irreversibly inserted into the corresponding plug hole 146 in the base plate. Specifically, each flexible arm 162 may include an opening airfoil 164 to prevent removal of the adjusting plug from the plug hole 146. In some aspects, removal of the adjusting plug from the plug hole can be achieved by inwardly pressing each flexible arm to create a sufficient gap between the opening airfoil and the diameter of the plug hole to allow the adjusting plug to be pulled out of the base plate.

[0066] During operation, surface variations of the mounting surface 129 of the glass molder 120 affect the perpendicularity of the mounting surface relative to its longitudinal axis 123, resulting in a corresponding deviation in the perpendicularity of the tip surface of the breather tube 10 during the tube forming process. This is because such non-perpendicularity of the mounting surface 129 prevents the longitudinal axis 123 of the glass molder from aligning with the longitudinal axis 149 of the tube hole 143 of the base plate when the gripping plate 150 is tightly secured to the base plate. Depending on some aspects, the relative flatness of the mounting surface 129 of the glass molder can vary by ±0.5 mm. Furthermore, surface variations on the outer surface of the glass molder may also prevent the longitudinal axis 123 of the glass molder from aligning with the longitudinal axis 149 of the tube hole 143 of the base plate. In some instances, the relative ellipticity of the gripping area of ​​the glass molder can vary by ±0.2 mm.

[0067] To address this issue, the balance plate 130 is located within the support recess 145 of the base plate 140 and is pressed between the adjusting plug 160 and the placement surface 129 at the proximal end 121 of the glass molder 120. The user can then rotate or push one or more of the adjusting plugs into the corresponding plug holes 146 in the base plate, causing the tip 166 of the corresponding adjusting plug to push against the proximal surface 131 of the balance plate. The user can thus correspondingly move the balance plate 130 by directional displacement or tilting the balance plate relative to the base plate 140 until the distal surface 132 of the balance plate abuts the placement surface 129 at the proximal end of the glass molder. Therefore, the user can adjust any of the adjusting plugs 160 to selectively position or orient the balance plate and the glass molder such that the longitudinal axis 123 of the glass molder is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis 149 of the base plate, ensuring that the tip surface of the breathing tube 10 is shaped perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube body. In other words, the balance plate is pushed by one or more of the adjusting plugs until the glass former is fixed in the desired position relative to the base plate. In some aspects, each adjusting plug 160 is configured to achieve an adjustment of ±0.5 mm per pitch of the balance plate.

[0068] Therefore, once the glass former is fixed between the base plate and the gripping plate, the user can move the balance plate via one or more adjusting plugs to lock the glass former in the desired orientation, wherein the longitudinal axis of the glass former is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tube hole in the base plate. The glass former is then heated for approximately 380 ± 10°C for twenty seconds. For example, when the heater is set to approximately 390°C, the brass heater block temperature is approximately 150°C and the glass former temperature is approximately 100°C. In some embodiments, the base plate, gripping plate, and balance plate are each made of a high-performance acetal resin, such as Delrin, which has a melting point of 175°C. Delrin, for example, also exhibits high stiffness and excellent dimensional stability. Therefore, the balance plate, base plate, and gripping plate can withstand the forming temperature of the glass former during the tube forming process. See also Figure 6 This shows the relationship between the melting temperature of the derelin and the maximum residence time in the barrel. Furthermore, the turning... Figure 7 The PVT diagram of deltaline acetal resin with a melt density of 1.17 g / cc (0.85 cc / g) and a solids density of 1.42 g / cc (0.70 cc / g) is shown.

[0069] Before heating the glass forming apparatus during the tube shaping process using the retaining clamp 100 of the present invention, the unshaped breathing tube 10 is first inserted through the tube hole 143 in the base plate until the distal end 12 of the tube is securely placed in the shaping cavity 125 of the glass forming apparatus, such that the core 128 is received within the distal end of the tube. When the glass forming apparatus is heated, heat transfer from the glass forming apparatus to the tube allows the outer surface of the distal end of the tube to be shaped corresponding to the shape of the inner surface 126 of the glass forming apparatus, thus obtaining a tapered portion at the distal end of the tube. The tip surface of the tube maintains its optimal perpendicularity to the longitudinal axis of the tube body due to the selective positioning of the balance plate and the resulting orientation of the glass forming apparatus. The glass forming apparatus is then cooled to complete the tip forming process for the breathing tube.

[0070] Therefore, after the tube shaping process, the resulting breathing tube is shaped, such as... Figures 3A to 3C As depicted. For example, the distal end 12b of the breathing tube 10b includes an outer surface 14b having a tapered or rounded portion 16b to facilitate smooth insertion of the tube into the trachea while preventing or limiting irritation and trauma to the patient. Furthermore, the tip surface 18b at the distal end 12b of the tube is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 19b of the tube body, which ensures the uniformity of the adjacent tapered portion 16b.

[0071] While the corresponding methods for holding clamps for glass forming equipment and shaping breathing tubes have been described in terms of aspects that can be considered specific, the invention is not limited to the disclosed aspects. Additional modifications and improvements to the corresponding methods for holding clamps and shaping breathing tubes will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, many features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed descriptions, and therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Additionally, it is not intended to limit this disclosure to the exact constructions and operations illustrated and described; therefore, all suitable modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of this disclosure may be employed. Thus, this disclosure should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. Consequently, this disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements contained within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be interpreted in the broadest possible sense to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. A retaining clamp for a breathing tube, the retaining clamp comprising: A glass forming apparatus comprising a proximal end configured to receive the end of the breathing tube, and an internal shaping cavity configured to shape the end of the breathing tube. A balance plate, comprising a distal balance surface configured to dock with the proximal end of the glass forming apparatus; A base plate includes a proximal base surface, a distal base surface defining a support recess configured to receive the balance plate, and a tube opening configured to receive the breathing tube. A gripping plate, configured to be releasably fixed to the base plate, the gripping plate including gripping holes sized to receive a portion of the glass forming device; as well as Adjust the plug to selectively position the balance plate within the support recess to align the longitudinal axis of the glass forming device with the longitudinal axis of the tube hole in the base plate.

2. The retaining clamp of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the base plate includes a plug hole configured to receive the adjusting plug.

3. The retaining clamp of claim 2, wherein the plug hole leads to the interior space of the support recess of the base plate to allow the adjusting plug to be moved into the support recess to mate with the proximal balancing surface of the balancing plate.

4. The retaining clamp according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the adjusting plug is configured to prevent the adjusting plug from being removed from the plug hole.

5. The retaining clamp of claim 4, wherein the flexible arm includes an openable wing portion configured to prevent the adjustment plug from being removed from the plug hole.

6. The retaining clamp according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the proximal end of the base plate includes four circumferentially spaced plug holes for receiving four adjustment plugs respectively.

7. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base plate includes a fastener hole extending through the base plate and configured to receive a fastener for releasably securing the base plate to the gripping plate.

8. The retaining clamp of claim 7, wherein the gripping plate further includes a locking hole corresponding to the fastener hole of the base plate, the locking hole being configured to receive the fastener for releasably securing the base plate to the gripping plate.

9. The retaining clamp according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping plate includes a proximal gripping surface configured to abut the distal base surface of the base plate when the glass forming device is received in the gripping hole.

10. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping hole has an inclined inner surface configured to grip the inclined outer surface of the glass forming device.

11. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diameter of the gripping hole of the gripping plate is equal to the maximum diameter of the glass forming device.

12. The retaining clamp according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal axis of the glass forming device extends in the direction between the proximal end and the distal end of the glass forming device.

13. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal shaping cavity of the glass forming device defines an inner surface, the inner surface being configured to shape the outer surface of the distal end of the tube when the glass forming device is heated.

14. The retaining clamp of claim 13, wherein the diameter of the internal shaping cavity decreases in size in the direction from the proximal end of the glass molder toward the distal end of the glass molder.

15. The retaining clamp according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distal end of the glass molder is closed and includes an elongated core projecting into the molding cavity along the longitudinal axis of the glass molder.

16. The retaining clamp according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the proximal end of the glass forming device includes a placement surface having an outwardly extending annular flange, the outwardly extending annular flange being configured to stabilize the glass forming device against the distal balancing surface of the balancing plate.

17. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the balance plate comprises acetal resin.

18. The retaining clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the breathing tube is a tracheostomy tube.

19. The retaining clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the breathing tube is an endotracheal tube.

20. A method for shaping the end of a breathing tube, the method comprising: Provide a retaining clamp as claimed in claim 1; The end of the breathing tube is inserted into the shaping cavity of the glass forming apparatus; By manipulating the adjusting plug to substantially align the longitudinal axis of the glass forming device with the longitudinal axis of the breathing tube, the balance plate of the holding clamp is moved to the desired position within the support recess of the base plate. The glass forming apparatus is heated for a set time period; as well as The distal end of the breathing tube is shaped such that the outer surface of the distal end of the breathing tube is tapered, and the tip surface of the breathing tube is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the breathing tube.

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