Electric clamp and gravity flow infusion control device

Abstract

To provide an electric clamp in which a structure can be simplified, and weight reduction miniaturization can be improved.SOLUTION: A pair of opposing pressure ridges 37, 37 is provided in parallel in a tube retention surface of lower side tube clamp 31. When a tube T is clamped, inner faces are overlapped together between pressure-contact parts t, t, but a flow path F is secured on both sides. Alternatively, even if the tube T is pulled in the slide direction to the lower side tube clamp 31, a long pressure-welding part t is present along the slide direction, and therefore the sliding resistance is increased and it is hard to come to slide. Accordingly, after clamping the tube T while being extended by bringing the pair of tube clamps 31 in series, it can be bent in an initial dogleg shape only by bringing it close in the linear direction with each other, while the length of the tube T between the clamps is made constant, and thereby a correlative relationship between a bending angle and a flow rate can always be reproduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric clamp and a device that utilizes the electric clamp to electrically control infusion using a gravity flow method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when controlling infusion by gravity flow, a clamp has been used, which manually compresses the tube with a roller-shaped part, narrowing it to adjust the flow rate. When administering drugs such as anticancer drugs that may cause tissue damage if extravasated, the gravity flow method is recommended to ensure safe and reliable infusion management. Furthermore, since the clamp is manually operated as described above, its use in administering drugs that require delicate flow rate control over a long period of time, such as anticancer drugs, places a heavy burden on the on-site work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-62371 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-191958 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Accordingly, instead of the manual clamp, an electric clamp has been proposed recently that electrically controls the narrowing of the tube, i.e., opening and closing, in combination with a detector that detects the dripping state. However, it requires a surprisingly large force to completely close the tube, and as described in Patent Document 1, the part responsible for opening and closing the tube is made into a large-scale device, and naturally the size and weight cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is necessary to place it on a stand or support it on an IV stand, but it is rare to find a stand of an appropriate height in a convenient location. In addition, in some hospitals, the IV bag is hung on a hanger suspended from the ceiling, and an IV stand is not used. Furthermore, it is undeniable that it is expensive in terms of cost.

[0005] In response to this, we previously proposed in Patent Document 2 an electric clamp that can be constructed so that the part responsible for opening and closing the tube is electrically operated, yet is of a size and weight that can be handled in the same way as a manual clamp. In this electric clamp, a pair of tube clamps clamp the tube in a bent ``L'' shape, and then the motor drives this part to bend it at an even sharper angle, thereby narrowing the flow path.In order to increase the accuracy of flow control, it is necessary to always maintain a constant correlation between the movement of one of the tube clamps driven by the motor and the bending angle of the tube. Therefore, if the tube is clamped tightly with a tube clamp, the tube is flexible and is compressed, narrowing the internal flow path more than necessary, making it impossible to ensure the required flow rate. On the other hand, if the tube is not clamped tightly, the tube will slide against the tube clamp due to careless pulling, shortening the part of the tube that forms the "L" shape, and destroying the above correlation.

[0006] For this reason, the upper and lower tube clamps clamp the tube diagonally so that it bulges horizontally into a "C" shape, and then the middle tube clamps the bulging part, creating a bent state of the tube between the lower tube clamp. The tube is clamped relatively lightly to ensure the necessary flow rate, but even if a force is applied to pull the tube from the outside of the upper and lower tube clamps, the pulling direction and the clamping direction of the upper and lower tube clamps do not match but cross, making it difficult for the tube to slide against the upper and lower tube clamps.

[0007] However, to improve the accuracy of flow rate control, not only does it have to maintain the length of the "L" shaped portion of the tube constant during administration of the infusion, but it is also necessary to always create the same "L" shaped portion when clamping the tube with a tube clamp prior to administering the infusion.In order to create this reproducibly with simple manual labor, a position change mechanism is provided, but because it is entangled with the "C" shaped bulge, the structure of this position change mechanism is complex and there is still room for improvement in terms of reducing weight and size.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a new and useful electric clamp that utilizes the mechanism of clamping a tube in a bent ``L'' shape with a gap between them using a pair of tube clamps, narrowing the flow path by making the ``L'' shape sharper, while simplifying the structure, thereby resulting in further weight reduction and miniaturization. Another object of the present invention is to provide a practical gravity-type infusion control device that is configured to use the above-mentioned electric clamp in combination with a detection unit to electrically control the opening and closing of a tube. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 comprises: Up and downAn electric clamp includes a pair of tube clamps and an electric moving means for moving one of the pair of tube clamps toward or away from the other of the pair of tube clamps, and the intermediate portion of a flexible tube is clamped in a bent "L" shape by the pair of tube clamps, and the flow path of the intermediate portion is narrowed by the approach of the other tube clamp, A pair of compression ridges facing each other on the tube holding surface of each tube clamp extend in the vertical direction with a length therein, have a triangular cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction with a convex apex, and face each other with a small gap between them. Each convex apex presses the flexible tube extending in the vertical direction while sandwiching it in the circumferential direction and facing each other. In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the flexible tube, a flow path is secured on both sides of a pressure-welded portion formed by overlapping the inner surfaces of the flexible tubes due to compression, and the pressure-welded portion has a length in the axial direction of the flexible tube. This is an electric clamp that features the following.

[0010] The invention of claim 2 is an electric clamp as described in claim 1, characterized in that the tube clamp has a tube holding surface formed by the inner surfaces of a guide portion with a concave cross-section and a door piece that closes the guide portion, and one of the compression ridges is provided on the side of the door piece.

[0011] The invention of claim 3 is an electric clamp as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tube holding surfaces of a pair of tube clamps are in series, and this arrangement is maintained without being affected by the contacting or separating operation of the other tube clamp.

[0012] The invention of claim 4 is an electric clamp as described in claim 3, which has a case, one tube clamp fixedly attached to the case, a slide base equipped with an electric moving means and slidably attached to the case, and the other tube clamp movably attached to the slide base, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a posture change mechanism that allows the clamp posture to be changed between a tube set clamp posture in which the middle part of the flexible tube extends straight and a flow rate control clamp posture in which the flexible tube is bent in a "L" shape by changing the position of the slide base relative to the case.

[0013] The invention of claim 5 is an electric clamp as described in claim 4, characterized in that the position change mechanism includes an engaging protrusion on the case side and an engaging protrusion on the tongue-shaped piece on the slide base side, and the electric clamp is locked in the clamping position during flow control by utilizing the elastic rotation of the tongue-shaped piece to cause the engaging protrusion to overcome the engaging protrusion and then engage it.

[0014] The invention of claim 6 is an electric clamp as described in claim 5, characterized in that in the position change mechanism, the inclined surface of the engaged protrusion and the inclined surface of the engaging protrusion face each other in a manner that allows them to be pressed against each other in the sliding direction, and a push-down shaft is provided which presses down the engaging protrusion, so that the inclined surface of the engaged protrusion is pressed against the inclined surface of the engaged protrusion to slide, or the engaging protrusion is pressed down, allowing the engaging protrusion to overcome the engaged protrusion, and the electric clamp transitions to a clamping position during flow control by using the inclined surface to overcome the protrusion, and the electric clamp is unlocked by using a push-down to overcome the protrusion.

[0015] The invention of claim 7 is an electric clamp described in any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that one tube clamp is arranged below the other tube clamp, and a guide groove for slidably guiding a flexible tube is arranged below the other tube clamp.

[0016] The invention of claim 8 is a gravity-type infusion control device comprising an electric clamp described in any one of claims 1 to 7 and a drip detection unit attached to a drip tube, and characterized in that the electric clamp is controlled based on drip information from the drip detection unit. Effect of the Invention

[0017] The electric clamp of the present invention has a lightweight and compact structure, although the part that opens and closes the tube is electrically operated, and can be used in the same way as a manual clamp. Therefore, a practical gravity-type infusion control device can be constructed by using the electric clamp together with the detection unit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a gravity-type infusion control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of the electric clamp of FIG. 1 when a door piece is open. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of the electric clamp in FIG. 2 when the door piece is closed. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 and an image of the tube in a clamped state. [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a support structure of the slide base in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 6 is a plan view showing the structure of the slide base and the front case in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the state in which the slide base is removed from FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a locking structure of the slide base in FIG. 6 with respect to the case. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an operating mechanism for the lower tube clamp of FIG. 2. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view seen from the opposite side of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. [Figure 12] This is an image of the electric clamp in Figure 2 when setting the tube and controlling the flow rate. [Figure 13] 2 is a perspective view of the drop detection unit and the electric clamp of FIG. 1 assembled together. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A gravity-type infusion control device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the gravity-flow type infusion control device 1 is composed of a drip detection unit 3 and an electric clamp 5 electrically connected via Bluetooth (registered trademark). The drip detection unit 3 is formed as a holder type and is attached to a drip tube S connected to an infusion bag, and optically detects the drip of infusion by utilizing the interruption of the optical path of the detection light. Details are described in Utility Model Registration No. 3194008. The electric clamp 5 is attached to a flexible tube T to open and close the tube T, and is controlled by receiving drip information (signal) from the drip detection unit 3.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the electric clamp 5 is configured with a case 7 that has a vertically long hollow bale-like external shape with a flat recess on the front side. This case 7 is integrated with a top case 9, a front case 11 on the front side, a rear case 13 on the rear side, and a battery case 15, and the flat recess on the front side of the front case 11 forms a mounting portion 17 for the tube clamp. Guide grooves 17a, 17b that run in the vertical direction are formed in the left-right centers of the upper and lower edges surrounding this mounting portion 17. The rear case 13 is provided with a setting dial and a display unit for the dosage and administration time. A hole is opened in the side of the rear case 13, and a USB connector 19 is provided. Furthermore, the lower part of the case 7 is recessed flatly from the edges on both the left and right sides and continues to the bottom end, and the corresponding battery case 15 side on the back side is formed in the same way, and a flat encased holding part 21 is formed on both sides. Contact elements 21a, 21a are arranged in the encased holding part 21.

[0021] An upper tube clamp 23 is attached and fixed to the upper side of the mounting portion 17. The upper tube clamp 23 is composed of a guide portion 25 in the shape of a half cylinder with a concave cross section and an opening on the front side, and a door piece 27 that is supported at one end side on one cylinder edge side of the guide portion 25 so as to be freely rotatable and is somewhat elastically deformable. When the other end side of the door piece 27 reaches the other cylinder edge side by rotation, it forms a closed loop. The guide portion 25 and the door piece 27 are positioned with respect to the mounting portion 17 so that the axial direction of this closed loop faces the up and down direction. A claw receiving hole 27a is formed at the other end side of the door piece 27, and a locking claw 25a is formed at the other end side of the other cylinder edge, and the locking claw 25a enters and locks into the claw receiving hole 27a to maintain the closed loop state. The inner surfaces of guide portion 25 and door piece 27 form a tube holding surface, and guide groove 17a is continuous with the concave bottom surface on the guide portion 25 side in the vertical direction.

[0022] Compression ridges 29, 29 are provided on the tube holding surfaces of the guide portion 25 and the door piece 27. The compression ridges 29 have a mountain-shaped cross section with a gently curved convex apex 29a in a roughly triangular shape, and extend in the vertical direction. When in a closed loop state, the compression ridges 29, 29 face each other with a small gap between them, with their respective convex apexes 29a, 29a facing each other.

[0023] A lower tube clamp 31 is disposed on the lower side within the mounting portion 17 , and together with the upper tube clamp 23 , forms a pair of tube clamps 23 , 31 . The lower tube clamp 31 has a similar configuration to the upper tube clamp 23, and is provided with a guide portion 33, a door piece 35, and a pair of compression ridges 37, 37. A guide groove 17b is connected in the vertical direction to the concave bottom surface on the guide portion 33 side. As shown in Fig. 4, when the closed loop state is established, the compression ridges 37, 37 face each other with a small gap between them, with their respective convex apexes 37a, 37a facing each other.

[0024] Both of the pair of tube clamps 23, 31 clamp the tube T in the same way, and the area circled in Fig. 4 conceptually shows the state in which the tube T is clamped by the lower tube clamp 31. When the tube T is clamped, the convex apexes 37a, 37a of the pair of compression ridges 37, 37 press the tube T while sandwiching it in the circumferential direction and facing each other. Since this compression region t is formed by the convex apexes 37a, 37a, as shown in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the tube T, the inner surfaces of the tube T overlap each other between the compression regions t, t, and flow paths F are provided on both sides of the compression regions. On the other hand, the compression ridges 37, 37 have a length parallel to the axial direction of the tube T and are in pressure contact with the tube T, and therefore the compression portion t has a length in the longitudinal direction of the tube T. Even if the tube T is pulled in the sliding direction relative to the lower tube clamp 31, the presence of the long compression portion t along the sliding direction increases the sliding resistance, making it difficult for the tube to slide. In this way, even if the tube T is clamped while being extended in the vertical direction, it is possible to secure the flow path F while firmly clamping the tube T.

[0025] The lower tube clamp 31 is adapted to move toward and away from the upper tube clamp 23. As shown in Fig. 6, a plate-shaped slide base 39 is provided inside the case 7 parallel to the mounting portion 17 facing the lower tube clamp 31. The front case 11 is adapted to cover the edge of the rear case 13, and guide grooves 41, 41 are formed on both the left and right sides by utilizing the boundary portion on the inner surface side. The guide grooves 41, 41 extend in the vertical direction, and both the left and right edges of the slide base 39 are respectively held so that they can slide. When the case 7 is in use, the slide base 39 moves in the vertical direction.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the slide base 39 is provided with a locking mechanism. Locking pieces 43, 43 are connected to the left and right edges of the slide base 39, which are on the lower side in the moving direction. The locking pieces 43 extend downward in a narrow strip shape, with their lower ends bulging outward in the left-right direction in a semicircular shape. The semicircular portions 43a of the locking pieces 43 bulge outward in the left-right direction more than the other parts of the locking pieces 43, but do not protrude outward in the left-right direction beyond the left and right edges of the slide base 39.

[0027] The guide groove 41 is provided with a semi-cylindrical locking protrusion 45 as a locking counterpart for the locking piece 43 . The locking piece 43 and the locking protrusion 45 are in an interfering relationship on a plane, but the locking piece 43 can rotate elastically to overcome the locking protrusion 45 through sliding of their peripheral surfaces. The locking protrusion 45 is provided with a gap between the lower wall of the guide groove 41 that allows the semicircular portion 43a of the locking piece 43 to enter, so that the locking piece 43 that has entered the gap is locked unless a force that allows it to rotate is applied. When a force is applied to move the slide base 39 upward, it encourages rotation and the lock is released.

[0028] The middle of the left edge of the slide base 39 is cut into an L-shape, forming a rectangular plate-like tongue piece 47. This tongue piece 47 faces the left locking piece 43 with their base ends facing each other in the sliding direction. The tongue-shaped piece 47 has a base end connected to the slide base 39 raised toward the front case 11, and the plane of the rear side of the tongue-shaped piece 47 is parallel to or has a step with the plane of the front side of the slide base 39. Therefore, the tongue-shaped piece 47 can elastically rotate toward the rear side. The front side of the tongue-like piece 47 is raised and has a half arrow shape when viewed from the side, and the raised portion is composed of an inclined surface 47a and a vertical surface 47b.

[0029] The tongue-shaped piece 47 is a locking projection, and a locking projection 49 having a right-angled isosceles cross section that protrudes inward on the inner surface of the mounting portion 17 of the front case 11 is provided as a locking counterpart of the tongue-shaped piece 47. The inclined surface 49a of the locking projection 49 faces the inclined surface 47a of the tongue-shaped piece 47, and they are in an interfering relationship on a plane, but the tongue-shaped piece 47 side can rotate elastically to overcome the locking projection 49 through the sliding of the inclined surfaces facing each other in the pressure contact direction. After climbing over the locking projection 49, the vertical surface 47b faces the vertical surface 49b, so the tongue-shaped piece 47 is locked unless a force that allows it to rotate is applied. This locking position is used during flow control.

[0030] Reference numeral 51 denotes an unlocking shaft, which passes through a through hole in the front case 11 and its tip end enters the interior. The axial direction of the unlocking shaft 51 is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide base 39, and in the above-mentioned locked state, its lower end is in a positional relationship in which it lightly contacts and faces the inclined surface 47a of the tongue-shaped piece 47. When the electric clamp 5 is attached to the drip tube S, it is difficult to slide upward due to its own weight, so this light contact also makes it impossible to slide upward. This locked position is used during flow rate control. An unlocking key 53 is attached to the unlocking shaft 51 at the point where it protrudes from the front case 11. When this unlocking key 53 is lowered, the unlocking shaft 51 is pushed down, which encourages the rotation of the tongue-shaped piece 47, thereby releasing the lock.

[0031] 10 and 11, a motor body 55a of a linear motor 55 constituting an electrically-driven moving means is fixed to the surface of the slide base 39 configured to be slidably movable as described above, opposite to the surface facing the mounting portion 17. A linear shaft 55b penetrates the motor body 55a in a skewer-like manner, and this linear shaft 55b moves linearly when driven by the motor, so that the degree to which it protrudes from both side surfaces of the motor body 55a can be changed.

[0032] A frame body 57 is disposed on the opposite surface of the slide base 39. The frame body 57 is wall-shaped and has a height in the direction rising from the slide base 39. The frame body 57 has portions parallel to both the left and right sides of the slide base 39, and guide tubes 57a, 57a protrude outwardly from both the left and right sides, respectively. A pair of guide tubes 39a, 39a protrudes toward the frame body 57 on both the left and right sides of the slide base 39, and a guide shaft (not shown) is fixed across the pair of guide tubes 39a, 39a with a guide tube 57a interposed between the pair of guide tubes 39a, 39a, and the guide tube 57a is fitted slidably around the guide shaft. Therefore, the frame body 57 is guided and supported by the slide base 39 so as to be slidable.

[0033] The frame body 57 surrounds the motor body 55a and linear motion shaft 55b of the linear motion motor 55, and the axial end of the linear motion shaft 55b is fitted in a state of abutting against the frame body 57. A connecting portion 57b is provided on the frame body 57, and one end of the linear motion shaft 55b abuts against the connecting portion 57b. Since the linear motion direction of the linear motion shaft 55b and the sliding movement direction of the frame body 57 coincide with each other, the frame body 57 moves in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the linear motion shaft 55b. There is a gap between the plate surface on the rear side of the slide base 39 and the opposing edge surface of the frame body 57. The connecting portion 57b on the frame body 57 side has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the slide base 39 side, but this protruding portion fits into the notch 39b of the slide base 39, and when the frame body 57 moves relative to the slide base 39, the protruding portion moves in the direction of entering and leaving the notch 39b, so that the movement of the frame body 57 is not impeded.

[0034] The top surface of this protrusion is flush with the front surface of the slide base 39, and an insertion hole is provided there. The stand 31a of the lower tube clamp 31 is inserted into this insertion hole, and its rear end is fixed. This stand 31a passes through the elongated hole 11a of the front case 11, and its upper end side is fixed to the bottom surface of the guide part 33. Therefore, the stand 31a is slightly raised above the front case 11. The elongated hole 11a is long enough to cover the range of movement of the stand 31a in the direction of movement.

[0035] The position change mechanism having this linkage structure allows the slide base 39 to move relative to the front case 11, and the lower tube clamp 31 to move electrically, that is, by motor drive, relative to the slide base 39. The movement of the lower tube clamp 31 is a movement to move toward and away from the upper tube clamp 23. The front case 11 is provided with a bending contact portion 59 immediately below the upper tube clamp 23, which regulates the bending direction of the tube T. The bending contact portion 59 protrudes in a tongue shape, and its tip forms a convex curved portion.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 12, when setting the tube, the slide base 39 is locked in the position for setting the tube, and the lower tube clamp 31 is raised to the upper limit by the motor drive. Since guide groove 17a-upper tube clamp 23-lower tube clamp 31-guide groove 17b are arranged in series, tube T is passed through guide grooves 17a and 17b in a linearly extended state and clamped by upper tube clamp 23 and lower tube clamp 31. However, the part of tube T that hits bending contact portion 59 bulges slightly to the opposite side. With this tube set, the length of the middle part of tube T clamped by upper tube clamp 23 and lower tube clamp 31 is always reproduced constant. This linear state is maintained without being affected by the sliding movement of slide base 39 or the approaching and separating movement of lower tube clamp 31.

[0037] Then, the slide base 39 is slid to the position for flow control and locked in place. By manually lifting the lower tube clamp 31 relative to the case 7, the slide base 39 naturally releases the locked state for tube setting and slides further upward, until it is locked in the locking position for flow control. At this position, the lower tube clamp 31 is in the clamping position for flow control. This lock causes the middle tube T clamped by the upper tube clamp 23 and the lower tube clamp 31 to bend in an "L" shape. In the initial state, the lower tube clamp 31 is at the topmost position relative to the slide base 39 and is closest to the upper tube clamp 23, so that the "L" shape is at its sharpest angle and the tube is in a water-stopping state. From this water-stopping state, the lower tube clamp 31 is driven by a motor to lower, opening the flow path F and allowing the infusion to flow. In the fully open state, the lower tube clamp 31 is in the same position relative to the front case 11 as when the tube was set. The bending angle of the tube T and the flow rate of the tube T are correlated, and the electric clamp 5 can adjust the degree of narrowing of the flow path F of the tube T by bending the tube T. The lower tube clamp 31 can be moved within a certain range by a motor, and this movement realizes flow rate control.

[0038] Since it can be bent with a much smaller force than squeezing, it is easy to completely close it to stop water flow, despite its simple structure. Therefore, the electric clamp 5 can be constructed with the same size and weight as a manual clamp. Therefore, in the gravity-flow infusion control device 1, the electric clamp 5 can be handled in the same way as an existing manual clamp.

[0039] The battery (not shown) housed in battery case 15 is composed of a secondary battery that can be charged by USB bus power, and since it can be charged in this housed state, a removal mechanism is not required, which contributes to making the device lighter and more compact. The battery is charged by receiving power from an external power source connected to USB connector 19.

[0040] The electric clamp 5 is provided with a holding portion 21, which can be integrated into one by holding it with the drop detection unit 3 as shown in Fig. 13. In addition, in this holding state, the contact element (not shown) on the drop detection unit 3 side and the contact elements 21a, 21a on the electric clamp 5 side can be electrically connected.

[0041] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the present invention includes design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. For example, the specific structure can be changed as long as the tube clamp can achieve a desired movement. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1... Gravity-drop infusion control device 3... Drop detection unit 5... Electric clamp 7...Case 9...Top case 11...Front case 11a...Oval hole 13...Rear case 15...Battery case 17...Mounting part 17a, 17b...Guide groove 19...USB connector 21: Encapsulating portion 21a: Contact element 23: Upper tube clamp 25... Guide portion 25a... Locking claw 27... Door piece 27a... Claw receiving hole 29...Compression ridge 29a...Convex top 31...Lower tube clamp 31a... Stand 33... Guide portion 33a... Locking claw 35... Door piece 35a: Claw receiving hole 37: Compression protrusion 37a: Protruding top 39: Slide base 39a: guide tube 39b: notch 41: guide groove 43: locking piece 43a: semicircular portion 45: locking protrusion 47: tongue-shaped piece 47a: inclined surface 47b…Vertical surface 49…Locking convex portion 49a…Slanted surface 49b…Vertical surface 51...Unlock shaft 53...Unlock key 55... Linear-acting motor 55a... Motor body 55b... Linear-acting shaft 57: frame body 57a: guide tube 57b: connecting portion 59: bending portion S...Drip tube T...Tube t...Pressure area F...Flow path

Claims

1. An electric clamp comprising a pair of upper and lower tube clamps and an electrically-operated moving means for moving one of the pair of tube clamps toward or away from the other, wherein an intermediate portion of a flexible tube is clamped in a bent "L" shape by the pair of tube clamps, and as the other tube clamp approaches the intermediate portion, the angle of the "L" shape becomes acute, thereby narrowing the flow path of the intermediate portion, A pair of compression ridges facing each other on the tube holding surface of each tube clamp extend in the vertical direction, have a triangular cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction, and have convex apexes, and face each other with a small gap between them with the convex apexes facing each other, This electric clamp is characterized in that each convex apex presses against a flexible tube extending in the vertical direction in a circumferentially opposed position, so that a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the flexible tube has a flow path on both sides of a pressure-welded portion formed by the inner surfaces of the flexible tube overlapping each other due to compression, and the pressure-welded portion has a length in the axial direction of the flexible tube.

2. In the electric clamp according to claim 1, This electric clamp is characterized in that the tube holding surface is formed by the inner surfaces of a guide portion with a concave cross-section and a door piece that closes the guide portion, and one of the compression ridges is provided on the side of the door.

3. In the electric clamp according to claim 1 or 2, An electric clamp characterized in that the tube holding surfaces of a pair of tube clamps are in series, and this aligned state is maintained without being affected by the contacting or separating action of the other tube clamp.

4. In the electric clamp according to claim 3, An electric clamp comprising a case, one tube clamp fixedly attached to the case, a slide base equipped with an electric moving means and slidably attached to the case, and the other tube clamp movably attached to the slide base, and characterized in that the electric clamp is equipped with a position change mechanism that allows the clamp to be changed between a tube set clamp position in which the middle portion of the flexible tube extends straight and a flow rate control clamp position in which the middle portion of the flexible tube is bent in a "L" shape by changing the position of the slide base relative to the case.

5. In the electric clamp according to claim 4, In the attitude change mechanism, An electric clamp characterized in that it has an engaging protrusion on the case side and an engaging protrusion on a tongue-shaped piece on the slide base side, and is locked in a clamped position during flow control by utilizing the elastic rotation of the tongue-shaped piece to cause the engaging protrusion to ride over the engaging protrusion and then engage.

6. In the electric clamp according to claim 5, In the attitude change mechanism, the inclined surface of the locked projection and the inclined surface of the locking projection face each other in a sliding direction so as to be able to be pressed against each other, and a push-down shaft is provided for pushing down the locking projection, so that the inclined surface of the locked projection is pressed against the inclined surface of the locked projection to slide thereon, or the locking projection is pushed down so that the locking projection can overcome the locked projection, This electric clamp is characterized in that it transitions to a clamping position during flow control by climbing over an inclined surface, and is unlocked by climbing over it by pressing down.

7. In the electric clamp according to any one of claims 3 to 6, An electric clamp characterized in that one tube clamp is arranged below the other tube clamp, and a guide groove for slidably guiding a flexible tube is arranged below the other tube clamp.

8. A gravity-type infusion control device comprising an electric clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 and a drip detection unit attached to a drip tube, and characterized in that the electric clamp is controlled based on drip information from the drip detection unit.

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