Device for clamping and cutting a flexible tube

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1, 1', 1'', 1''') for clamping and cutting a tube (T), comprising: - an actuating module ((110000)) comprising a body (110) and a slide (120) mounted in the body so as to be able to slide, along an axis of sliding (X120), between a pulled-out position in which the slide is moved away from the body and a pushed-in position in which the slide is housed inside the body; - two tube-clamping members (200) mounted so as to be able to slide in the body along an axis parallel to the axis of sliding of the slide between an advanced position and a retracted position, and each comprising a lower arm (210) and an upper arm (220) which is rotatably mounted on the lower arm about an axis of articulation (X200) orthogonal to the axis of sliding between a tube-insertion position and a tube-clamping position, the sliding of the slide from the pulled-out position to the pushed-in position causing the clamping members to slide from the advanced position to the retracted position; and - a cutting member (300) supported by the body and extending inside the body.

Description

[0001] Device for pinching and cutting a flexible tube

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of transport of liquid or gaseous fluids and more particularly to a device for pinching and cutting a flexible tube.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In the field of biopharmaceutical production, it is known to use fluid transport lines in the form of flexible tubing to connect bioreactors to other circuit elements such as tanks, pumps, centrifuges, sensors, connectors, filters, bags...

[0006] These fluid circuits are single-use and must therefore be dismantled section by section at the end of each production run. In particular, bags filled with substances must be separated from the other circuit components aseptically, without any fluid leakage, to prevent any contamination of the production area or skin risk to the operator.

[0007] Therefore, it is common practice to equip fluid transport lines with aseptic disconnect devices at each point where a break in the fluid circuit is required at the end of production. These disconnect devices are generally sterilized valve connectors, which are particularly bulky and expensive due to their single-use nature.

[0008] It is also common practice to pre-fit metal sleeves onto the fluid transport lines at each point where a break in the fluid circuit will be required at the end of production. These sleeves are designed to be crushed to create a tight seal on the fluid transport lines, and then cut in half with a blade. However, crushing and cutting the sleeve requires a specific tool. Furthermore, once crushed and cut, the sleeve has sharp points that could injure the operator or damage the bags filled with substances, so it is necessary to cover the crushed sleeve halves with a protective cap that could easily be forgotten.

[0009] Other disconnection solutions offer the advantage of not needing to be integrated into the fluid circuit design. For example, at the end of production, a section of the fluid transport conduit is heat-sealed and then cut in the middle using a specific device. In addition to being expensive and bulky, this device requires up to four minutes to perform the heat sealing and cutting of the section of the fluid transport conduit. Furthermore, such a solution is only applicable to thermoplastic fluid transport conduits, thus excluding silicone conduits.

[0010] SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The invention therefore aims to provide a device for pinching and cutting a flexible tube, allowing at least partial relief from the aforementioned problems.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] To this end, the invention proposes a device for pinching and cutting a flexible tube, comprising:

[0014] - an actuation module comprising a body and a spool mounted to slide within the body along a sliding axis, between an extended position in which the spool is away from the body and a retracted position in which the spool is inserted into the body; - two tube clamping members mounted to slide within the body along an axis parallel to the sliding axis of the spool between an advanced position and a retracted position, each comprising a lower arm and an upper arm mounted to rotate on the lower arm along a pivot axis orthogonal to the sliding axis between a tube insertion position and a tube clamping position, the sliding of the spool from the extended position to the retracted position causing the clamping members to slide from the advanced position to the retracted position; and

[0015] - a cutting organ carried by the body and extending inside the body.

[0016] According to the invention, the body is arranged so that the passage of the pinching members from the advanced position to an intermediate position between said advanced position and the retracted position causes the upper branches of the pinching members to pass from the insertion position to the clamping position, and the cutting member is arranged so that the passage of the pinching members from the intermediate position to the retracted position causes the tube to be cut between the pinching members.

[0017] Thus, the movement of the spool from the extended position to an intermediate position between said extended position and the retracted position results in a double airtight clamping of the tube, then the movement of the spool from the intermediate position to said extended position causes the severing of said tube between the two clampings.

[0018] Such a device allows for the quick and safe pinching and cutting of a flexible tube, while also being compact, inexpensive, and compatible with all materials from which a flexible tube can be made. According to a specific feature, the drawer includes a lower wall with two longitudinal dovetail grooves, and the body internally comprises two tenons that cooperate with the grooves to allow the drawer to slide.

[0019] In particular, the lower branches of the pinching mechanisms externally include a longitudinal dovetail groove cooperating with the tenons of the body to achieve the sliding of the pinching mechanisms.

[0020] According to another particular feature, the body is arranged so that the pinching organs in the retracted position can be withdrawn from the body along an axis orthogonal to the sliding axis of the drawer.

[0021] According to another particular feature, the clamping organs include means for locking their upper branches in the clamping position.

[0022] According to another particular feature, the pinching and sectioning device includes means for locking the drawer in the extended position.

[0023] In particular, the means for locking the drawer in the extended position include a removable obstacle having a beam arranged to be inserted into a transverse groove formed in the body so as to oppose the sliding of at least one of the pinching members from the forward position to the rearward position.

[0024] In particular, the means for locking the drawer in the extended position include a deformable obstacle comprising a plate mounted on the body and having one end connected to a deformable tab, the tab being bent to partially conform to the shape of the body and that of the drawer in the extended position. In particular, the means for locking the drawer in the extended position include a pivoting obstacle comprising an arm having a locking finger at one end, the operating arm being rotatably mounted on an upper wall of the body about an axis orthogonal to the sliding axis of the drawer between a locked position in which the finger is received in a notch of the drawer in the extended position, and a release position of the drawer in which the finger is outside the notch.

[0025] Optionally, the finger is received in a window of the drawer when the obstacle is in the locked position and the drawer is in the retracted position, so that said obstacle forms means of locking the drawer in the retracted position.

[0026] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be better understood in light of the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0028] [Fig. IA] Figure IA is a perspective view of a tube pinching and sectioning device, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, before actuation;

[0029] [Fig. IB] Figure IB is a view analogous to Figure IA, after actuation;

[0030] [Fig. 2A] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the body of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figures 1A-1B;

[0031] [Fig. 2B] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the body illustrated in Figure 2A.

[0032] [Fig. 2C] Figure 2C is a side view of the body illustrated in Figure 2A. [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the drawer of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figures 1A-1B;

[0033] [Fig. 4A] Figure 4A is a perspective view of one of the pinching members of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figures 1A-1B, in which said pinching member is in the open position;

[0034] [Fig. 4B] Figure 4B is a view analogous to Figure 4A, in which the pinching member is in the closed position;

[0035] [Fig. 5A] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figures 1A-1B, after insertion of the tube;

[0036] [Fig. 5B] Figure 5B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure 5A;

[0037] [Fig. 6A] Figure 6A is a view analogous to Figure 5A, after pinching and sectioning of the tube;

[0038] [Fig. 6B] Figure 6B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure 6A;

[0039] [Fig. 7] Figure 7 is a view analogous to Figure 6A, after removal of the tube sections;

[0040] [Fig. 8A] Figure 8A is a perspective view of a first variant of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure IA, before removal of the first removable obstacle;

[0041] [Fig. 8B] Figure 8B is a view analogous to Figure 8A, after removal of the removable obstacle;

[0042] [Fig. 9A] Figure 9A is a perspective view of a second variant of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure IA, before deformation of the second obstacle;

[0043] [Fig. 9B] Figure 9B is a side view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure 9A; [Fig. 9C] Figure 9C is a view analogous to Figure 9A, after deformation of the second obstacle and pinching and sectioning of the T tube;

[0044] [Fig. 9D] Figure 9D is a side view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure 9C;

[0045] [Fig. 10A] Figure 10A is a perspective view of a third variant of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure IA, before pivoting of the third obstacle;

[0046] [Fig. 10B] Figure 10B is a side view of the pinching and sectioning device illustrated in Figure 10A;

[0047] [Fig. 10C] Figure 10C is a view analogous to Figure 10A, after pivoting the third obstacle;

[0048] [Fig. 10D] Figure 10D is a view analogous to Figure 9A, after pinching and sectioning the tube and replacing the third obstacle.

[0049] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Figures IA and IB, a pinching and sectioning device 1 for a flexible T-tube, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, comprises:

[0050] - a 100 actuation module,

[0051] - two 200mm clamping devices for the T-tube, or clamps, received inside module 100, and

[0052] - a 300 cutting element of the T tube, carried by the module 100.

[0053] The T tube, visible in figures 5A and 5B, is typically intended for biopharmaceutical applications.

[0054] Module 100 comprises a body 110 and a drawer 120 mounted to slide within the body 110 along an axis X120, between an extended position in which the drawer 120 is away from the body 110 (Figure IA) and a retracted position in which the drawer 120 is fitted into the body 110 (Figure IB). It should be noted that module 100 here has a longitudinal plane of symmetry including the sliding axis X120 of the drawer 120. The two clamping elements 200 are mounted in the body 110, on either side of the plane of symmetry of said body 110. The cutting element extends inside the body 110, in the plane of symmetry of said body 110.

[0055] With reference to figures 2A and 2B, the body 110 comprises a lower wall 111.1 of overall parallelepiped shape, an upper wall substantially parallel to the upper wall 111.2 and extending opposite a rear part of the lower wall 111.1, and a rear wall 111.3, of overall semi-cylindrical shape, having a central axis substantially perpendicular to the X120 sliding axis of the drawer 120 and connecting the upper wall 111.2 to the lower wall 111.1.

[0056] The body 110 also includes two flanges 112 extending from an internal surface of the rear wall 111.3 and connecting an internal surface of the upper wall 111.2 to a rear portion of an internal surface of the lower wall 111.1. The internal surfaces of the lower and upper walls 111.1 and 111.2 are substantially flat. The flanges 112 extend parallel to the plane of symmetry of the module 100 and are arranged on either side of said plane of symmetry to define a slot for receiving the cutting element 300 and thus form a blade holder.

[0057] With reference to Figure 2C, the cutting element 300 comprises a blade 301 having a sharp front end 301.1 extending outside the slot defined by the flanges 112, and a rear end 301.2, opposite the front end 301.1, cooperating substantially with a bottom of said slot. The blade 301 includes in its front portion a large first hole 302.1, and in its rear portion two smaller second holes 302.2. The first hole 302.1 and the second holes 302.2 are rectangular in shape. The first hole 302.1 facilitates the gripping of the blade 301 when inserting it into the blade holder defined by the flanges 112 (it is understood that the said first hole 302.1 is optional) and the second holes 302.2 allow the said blade 301 to be held irreversibly in position in the slot of the said blade holder: each of the second holes 302.2 receives a relief 112.1 in the shape of a fir tree tooth extending outward from one of the flanges 112 delimiting the slot for receiving the blade 301.

[0058] The body 110 further comprises two side panels 113, each projecting from a lateral edge of a front portion of the inner surface of the lower wall 111.1. The side panels 113 extend parallel to the plane of symmetry of the module 100 and are arranged on either side of said plane of symmetry. Each of the panels has an upper end connected to them by a cross member 114, which, together with said panels 113 and the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110, defines an opening through which the drawer 120 slides.

[0059] The front portion of the lower wall 111.1 comprises two identical tenons 115 or straight rails, projecting from the inner surface of said lower wall 111.1 to form, as will be seen later, means for guiding the drawer 120 in translation and clamping elements 200 in the body 110 (Figure 2A). The dovetail-shaped tenons 115 extend between the side panels 113 of the body 110, each along an axis Xns parallel to the sliding axis X120 of the drawer 100, on either side of the plane of symmetry of the module 100.

[0060] It should be noted that the upper wall 111.2 of the body 110 includes an external surface with reliefs 116 facilitating the gripping of the body 110.

[0061] It should also be noted that the flanges 112, the side panels 113 and the cross member 114, are made from the same material as the lower, upper and rear walls 111.1, 111.2, 111.3 and together form a single piece obtained here by molding or by 3D printing.

[0062] With reference to figure 3, the drawer 120, which is generally parallelepiped in shape, comprises a lower wall 121, an upper wall 122, two side walls 123 connecting the upper wall 122 to the lower wall 121, and a front wall 124 connecting the front edges of the lower, upper and side walls 121, 122, 123.

[0063] The lower wall 121 of the drawer 120 has two longitudinal grooves 121.1, or dovetail-shaped mortises, each extending along an axis X121 parallel to the sliding axis X120 of the drawer 120 from an external surface of the lower wall 121 and opening onto a rear end 121.2 of said lower wall 121. The grooves 121.1 cooperate with the tenons 115 of the body 110, so that the drawer is mounted to slide within said body 110 along the axis X120 between the extended and retracted positions. It should be noted that the rear end 121.2 of the lower wall 121 extends substantially beyond the tenons 115 when the drawer 120 is in the retracted position.

[0064] The upper wall 122 of the drawer 120 has, near the side walls 123, two lateral grooves 123.1 defining between them an elastically deformable tab 123.2. The tab 123.2 has a free end provided with a central notch 123.3 and two transverse ridges 123.4 in the shape of a pine cone extending on either side of the central notch 123.3. Each of the transverse ridges 123.4 cooperates with a free edge 113.1 of one of the side panels 113 of the body 110 when the drawer 120 is in the extended position. It is understood that the 123.2 tab forms means for clipping the drawer 120 into the body 110 and that the transverse reliefs 123.4 form stops for the sliding of the drawer 120 along the axis X120 outwards from the body 110.

[0065] The front wall 124 of the drawer 120 includes an upper end 124.1 which projects from an external surface of the upper wall 122 and which, when the drawer 120 is in the retracted position, cooperates with a front edge of the side panels 113 of the body 110. It is understood that the upper end 124.1 of the front wall 124 of the drawer 120 forms a stop to the sliding of the drawer 120 along the axis X120 towards the interior of the body 110.

[0066] With reference to Figures 4A and 4B, the clamping elements 200 are identical here and comprise a lower arm 210 and an upper arm 220 mounted movably for rotation about an axis X200 on the lower arm 210 via a flexible link 230, between an insertion position of the tube T in which the upper arm 220 is substantially perpendicular to the lower arm 210 (position not shown) and a closed or clamping position in which the upper arm 220 is brought closer to the lower arm 210 (Figure 4B), passing through an open or resting position in which the upper arm 220 is moved away from the lower arm 210 (Figure 4A). It should be noted that the clamping elements 200 here, like the module 100, have a longitudinal plane of symmetry that is perpendicular to the axis X200 of articulation of the clamping elements 200.

[0067] The flexible link 230 is elastically deformable between a rest state in which the upper arm 220 is in the open position, and a first deformed state in which said upper arm 220 is in the closed position. The flexible link 230 is also elastically deformable between the rest state and a second deformed state in which said upper arm 220 is in the insertion position of the T-tube. The lower arm 210, which is generally parallelepiped in shape, has an external surface 210.1, substantially flat, resting on the internal surface of the lower wall 111.1 of the module body 110, and an internal pinching surface 210.2 for the T-tube.

[0068] The external surface 210.1 of the lower branch 210 includes a longitudinal dovetail or mortise groove 211 cooperating with the corresponding tenon 115 of the lower body 110 of the module 100, so that the clamping members 200 are mounted sliding on the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 along the axis Xns between an advanced position in which the lower branch 210 rests substantially entirely on the front part of the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 and cooperates with the corresponding tenon 115 (Figure IA), and a receding position in which said lower branch 210 rests substantially entirely on the rear part of the lower wall 111.1 and is free from said tenon 115, the blade 301 then extending entirely between the clamping members 200 (Figure IB).

[0069] The internal surface 210.2 of the lower branch 210, generally rectangular in shape, is provided at its four corners by a small wall 212 extending perpendicularly from said internal surface 210.2 along an axis parallel to the X200 articulation axis of the clamping member 200. The internal surface 210.2, together with the small walls 212, forms a first clamping jaw for the tube T. It should be noted that the internal surface 210.2 has two lateral edges, each provided with a longitudinal relief 213 arranged to ensure anchoring of the clamping member 200 to the tube T, as well as a tight clamping of said tube T. The reliefs 213 extend orthogonally to the X200 articulation axis of the clamping member 200.

[0070] The lower arm 210 of the pinching members 200 also includes a front face 210.3 cooperating with the rear end 121.2 of the lower wall 121 of the drawer 120 and on which the groove 211 opens, so that a sliding of the drawer 120 from the extended position to the retracted position causes the pinching members 200 to slide from the advanced position to the retracted position.

[0071] The upper branch 220, which is generally parallelepiped in shape, has an external surface 220.1 for closing the pinching organ 200, and an internal surface 220.2 for pinching the tube T.

[0072] The outer surface 220.1 of the upper arm 220, which is generally rectangular in shape, is provided with a boss 221, substantially central, extending outward from said outer surface 220.1 such that sliding the clamping element 200 from the forward position to an intermediate position between the forward and rearward positions causes the boss 221 to cooperate with the inner surface of the upper wall 111.2 of the body 110, resulting in a rotation of the upper arm 220 of the clamping element 200 toward its clamping position. It is understood that sliding the clamping elements 200 from the forward position to the intermediate position causes said clamping elements 200 to close via their insertion inside the body 110.

[0073] The internal surface 220.2 of the upper arm 220 includes two transverse grooves defining a tenon 222 extending parallel to the axis X200 of articulation of the clamping member 200 to form a second clamping jaw for the tube T. The tenon 222 is arranged to be received between the walls 121 of the lower arm 210 when the upper arm 220 is in the clamping position so as to define a clamping section of the tube T sufficient to clamp said tube T tightly. The upper arm 220 also includes a free end provided with a locking hook 223 for said upper arm 200 in the clamping position. The locking hook 223 is arranged to cooperate, when the upper arm 220 is in the clamping position, with an edge of a relief 214, shaped like a fir tree tooth, extending transversely in projection from a free end of the lower arm 210.It is understood that the locking hook 223 and the relief 214 together form locking means for the upper branch 220 in the clamping position.

[0074] Note that the pinching and cutting device 1 is here factory sterilized to be free from any contamination before being stored in an aseptic plastic bag.

[0075] The operation of the pinching and sectioning device 1 will now be detailed with reference to figures 5A to 7.

[0076] After being removed from its plastic bag, the clamping and cutting device 1 is brought close to the tube T to be cut, with the slide 120 in the extended position and the clamping elements 200 in the forward position with their upper arms 220 in the open position. The upper arms 220 of the clamping elements 200 are then brought and held in their insertion position, and the clamping and cutting device 1 is positioned so that a section of the tube T extends between the first and second jaws of the clamping elements 200 (Figures 5A and 5B).

[0077] After the upper arms 220 of the clamping elements 200 have been elastically returned to the open position by the flexible link 230, the spool 120 of the module 100 is moved from the extended position to an intermediate position between the extended and retracted positions by manually applying an axial pressure force P on the front wall 124 of said spool 120. The sliding of the spool 120 from the extended position to the intermediate position causes the clamping elements 200 to slide from the advanced position to the intermediate position, which has the effect of bringing the upper arms 220 of the clamping elements 200 into the clamping position under the pressure force exerted by the upper wall 111.2 of the body 110 on the bosses 221 of the upper arms 220, thus resulting in a double sealing compression of the tube section T and anchoring of the tube T in the clamping elements 200 (Figures 6A and 6B).The upper branches 220 of the clamping elements 200 are held in the clamping position via the clipping of the locking hooks 223 onto the reliefs 214 of the lower branches 210 of the clamping elements 200.

[0078] It should be noted that in the event that the pressure force required to slide the drawer 120 towards its closed position is too great for the operator, the latter can exert pressure on the upper arms 220 of the pinching devices 200 in order to bring said upper arms 220 from the open position to the closed position.

[0079] By continuing the sliding of the drawer 120 until it reaches its retracted position, the pinching members 200 return to their retracted position, which causes the tube T to be cut by the blade 301 between said pinching members 200.

[0080] Finally, a tensile force F is applied to each of the clamped tube sections T along an axis substantially orthogonal to the sliding axis X120 of the drawer 120 in order to extract said tube sections T from the module 100 (Figure 7). The clamping and sectioning device 1, deprived of its clamping elements 200, is then discarded. Figures 8A and 8B illustrate a clamping and sectioning device l' which is simply a first variant of the clamping and sectioning device 1.

[0081] The pinching and sectioning device differs from pinching and sectioning device 1 in that it includes a removable obstacle 400 arranged to oppose the sliding of one of the pinching members 200 from its forward position to its forward position, and therefore to prevent the closing of the pinching member 200 via its insertion in the front part of the body 110. It should be noted that maintaining the pinching member 200 in the forward position also prevents any sliding of the drawer 120 from its extended position to its retracted position.

[0082] The obstacle 400 comprises a rectangular plate 401, a central appendage 402 extending perpendicularly in projection from a front face of the plate 401, and a locking beam 403 extending perpendicularly in projection from a rear face of the plate 401.

[0083] Appendix 402 is semi-circular in shape and forms means of grasping obstacle 400.

[0084] The beam 403, in the shape of a dovetail, is straight and is arranged to be inserted into a transverse groove 117 of complementary shape which is formed in the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 from the internal surface of said lower wall 111.1. The groove 117 extends orthogonally to the axis X120 of sliding of the drawer 120 from a free edge of the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 and delimits the front part and the rear part of said lower wall 111.1.

[0085] When the obstacle 400 is in position on the body 110, the beam 403 extends outward from the inner surface of the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 and cooperates with a rear end of the lower arm 210 of the corresponding clamping element 200. It is understood that a portion of the beam 403 extends outside the groove 117 and forms a stop to the sliding of the clamping element 200, which cannot then move from its forward position to its rearward position, so that the drawer 121 is indirectly locked in the extended position. The obstacle 400 thus forms a locking mechanism for the drawer 120 in the extended position.

[0086] It should be noted that the plate 401 forms a stop to the insertion of the obstacle 400 into the groove 117 of the body 110 and that it also prevents the operator from inserting his fingers inside the body and thus avoids any injury with the blade 301.

[0087] It should also be noted that the obstacle 400 is here held in position in the body 110 via slight reliefs 117.1 extending outward from the lateral faces of the groove 117 in which the beam 402.3 of said obstacle 400 slides to generate an insertion and withdrawal substantially by force of the beam 403 in said body 110.

[0088] It is also understood that it is necessary to remove the obstacle 400 from the body 110 before being able to proceed with pinching and cutting the tube T.

[0089] Figures 9A to 9D illustrate a pinching and sectioning device ' ' which is nothing other than a second variant of the pinching and sectioning device 1.

[0090] The pinching and sectioning device l' differs from pinching and sectioning device 1 in that it includes a deformable obstacle 500 arranged to oppose the sliding of the drawer 120 from its extended position to its retracted position, and thus to prevent the closing of the pinching members 200 via their insertion into the front part of the body 110.

[0091] The obstacle 500 includes a straight plate 501 having a first end connected to a deformable unlocking tab 502 and a second end, opposite to the first end, connected to two blade protection plates 503 for the blade 301.

[0092] The plate 501 is received by sliding on the external surface of the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110 via two slides 118 extending outward from said external surface along an axis parallel to the X120 sliding axis of the drawer 120.

[0093] The tab 502 extends in line with the first end of the plate 501 and comprises:

[0094] - a first section 502.1 connected to the first end of the plate 501 and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plate 501 to be supported against a front end of the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110;

[0095] - a second section 502.2 connected to the first section 502.1 and extending substantially parallel to the plate 501 so as to be substantially in contact with the lower wall 121 of the drawer 120; and

[0096] - a third section 502.3 connected to the second section 502.2 and extending substantially parallel to the plate 501 to rest against a rear surface of the front plate 124 of the drawer 120.

[0097] It is understood that the tongue 502 is bent so as to partially follow the shape of the body 110 and that of the drawer 120 in the extended position so as to form locking means for said drawer 120 in the extended position.

[0098] It should be noted that the third section 502.3 of the tongue 502 includes a free end which extends outward from the front wall 124 of the drawer and which includes a hole 502.4 to facilitate the pulling of said tongue 502 by the operator (figures 9A and 9B).

[0099] It should also be noted that the tongue 502 includes upstream of the hole 502.4 a window 502.5 which extends over the second and third sections 502.2, 502.3 of said tongue 502 and which receives a parallelepiped relief (not visible in the figures) extending externally in projection from the lower and front walls 121, 124 of the drawer 120 to ensure the stable locking of said drawer 120 in the extended position.

[0100] It is understood that it is necessary to pull the tongue 502 to generate a deformation of said tongue 502 and move it away from the drawer 120 so that it no longer opposes the sliding of said drawer 120 (figures 90 and 9D).

[0101] The pads 503 extend inside the body 110, on either side of the blade 301 and in the vicinity thereof so as to avoid any contact of the operator with said blade 301 before the actuation of the module 100. The pads 503 have a front edge in contact with a rear edge of the flexible links 230 of the pinching members 200, so that the sliding of said pinching members 200 from the forward position to the rearward position via the sliding of the drawer 120 causes the pads 503 and therefore the obstacle 500 to slide via the slides 118.

[0102] It should be noted that the insertion and sliding of the plates 503 inside the body 110 are made possible via longitudinal slots 119 provided in the lower wall 111.1 of the body 110.

[0103] Figures 10A to 10D illustrate a pinching and sectioning device l' ' ' which is none other than a third variant of the pinching and sectioning device 1.

[0104] The pinch and section device l' differs from the pinch and section device 1 in that it includes a tilting obstacle 600 arranged to oppose the sliding of the drawer 120 from its extended position to its retracted position, and thus prevent the closing of the pinching members 200 via their insertion inside the body 110, but also to oppose the sliding of the drawer 120 from its retracted position to its extended position.

[0105] The obstacle 600 comprises an operating arm 601 having one end provided with a gripping tab 602, and an opposite end comprising a slot defining two protective plates 603 for the blade 301. The arm 601 is rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the upper wall 111.2 of the body 110 about an axis Xeoo orthogonal to the sliding axis X120 of the drawer 120, between a locking position of the drawer 120 (Figures 10A, 10B, 10D) and a release position of said drawer 120 (Figure 10C). The arm 601 extends between the clamping elements 200 in the plane of symmetry of the body 110, and the pivot axis Xeoo of said arm 601 is arranged in the vicinity of the plates 603.

[0106] The obstacle 600 also includes a locking finger 604 extending outward from the arm 601 at the level of the tab 602. The finger 604 is received:

[0107] - in the central notch 123.3 of the upper wall 122 of the drawer 120 when the arm 601 and said drawer 120 are respectively in the locked position and in the extended position (Figures 10A and 10B); and

[0108] - in a window 122.1 provided in the upper wall 122 of the drawer 120 when the arm 601 and said drawer are respectively in the locked position and in the retracted position (10D).

[0109] The obstacle 600 thus forms means of locking the drawer 120 in the extended position and in the retracted position.

[0110] It is understood that it is necessary:

[0111] - when the drawer is in the extended position, pivot the arm 600 via the tab 602 from the locking position to the release position to allow the drawer to slide from the extended position to the retracted position (Figure 10C); and - when the drawer is in the retracted position, pivot the arm 600 via the tab 602 from the release position to the locking position to hold the drawer in the retracted position (Figure 10D).

[0112] When the obstacle 600 is in the locked position, the plates 603 extend inside the body 110, on either side of the blade 301 in the vicinity of it so as to avoid any contact of the operator with said blade 301 (figure 10C).

[0113] When the obstacle 600 is in the release position, the plates 603 extend outside the body 110 and allow the insertion of the tube T into the pinching members 300 of the pinching and sectioning device l' ' ' (figure 10B).

[0114] It should be noted that the finger 604 includes a base 605 which is press-fitted into a notch 114.1 formed in the cross member 114 of the body 110 when the obstacle 600 is in the locked position. It is understood that the base 605 of the finger 604, together with the notch 114.1, forms a means of holding the obstacle 600 in the locked position.

[0115] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0116] Although the pinching and cutting device here includes only one obstacle 400 disposed on one side of the body 110, it can also include another obstacle 400 disposed on the other side of the body 110.

[0117] Although the obstacle 400 is here forced into the groove of the body 110 between the reliefs 117.1, it can also include reliefs extending outward from the lateral faces of its beam 403 to generate a clipping of said obstacle 400 into said body 110.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. A pinching and sectioning device (1, l', 1'', l''') for a tube (T), comprising: - an actuation module (100) comprising a body (110) and a drawer (120) mounted to slide in the body along a sliding axis (X120), between an extended position in which the drawer is away from the body and a retracted position in which the drawer is fitted into the body; - two tube clamping elements (200) mounted to slide within the body along an axis parallel to the sliding axis of the drawer between an advanced position and a retracted position, each comprising a lower arm (210) and an upper arm (220) mounted to rotate freely on the lower arm along an articulation axis (X200) orthogonal to the sliding axis between a tube insertion position and a tube clamping position, the sliding of the drawer from the extended position to the retracted position causing the clamping elements to slide from the advanced position to the retracted position; and - a cutting organ (300) borne by the body and extending inside the body, the body being arranged so that the passage of the clamping organs from the advanced position to an intermediate position between said advanced position and the retracted position entails the passage of the upper branches of the clamping organs from the insertion position to the clamping position, and the cutting element being arranged so that the passage of pinching devices from the intermediate position to the retracted position causes, between the pinching devices, the sectioning of the tube.

2. Pinch and section device (1, 1', 1'', 1''') according to claim 1, wherein the drawer (120) comprises a lower wall (121.1) having two longitudinal dovetail grooves (211), and the body internally comprises two tenons (115) cooperating with the grooves to achieve the sliding of the drawer.

3. Clamping and sectioning device (1, 1', 1'', 1''') according to claim 2, wherein the lower arms (210) of the clamping members (200) externally comprise a longitudinal dovetail groove (211) cooperating with the tenons (115) of the body (110) to achieve the sliding of the clamping members.

4. Pinching and sectioning device (1, 1', 1'', 1''') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (110) is arranged so that the pinching members (200) in the retracted position can be withdrawn from the body (100) along an axis orthogonal to the sliding axis of the drawer (120).

5. Clamping and sectioning device (1, 1', 1'', 1''') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping members (200) comprise locking means (214, 223) of their upper branches (220) in the clamping position.

6. Pinch and sectioning device (1', 1'', 1''') according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising locking means (400, 500, 600) for the drawer (120) in the extended position.

7. Clamping and sectioning device (1') according to claim 6, wherein the means for locking the drawer (120) in the extended position comprise a removable obstacle (400) having a beam (403) arranged to be inserted into a transverse groove (11) formed in the body (110) so as to oppose the sliding of at least one of the clamping members (200) from the forward position to the rearward position.

8. Pinch and section device (1'') according to claim 6, wherein the means for locking the drawer (120) in the extended position comprise a deformable obstacle (500) having a plate (501) which is mounted on the body (110) and which has one end connected to a deformable tongue (502), the tongue being bent so as to partially conform to the shape of the body and that of the drawer in the extended position.

9. Pinch and section device (1' ' ' ) according to claim 6, wherein the means for locking the drawer (120) in the extended position comprise a pivoting obstacle (600) having an arm (601) provided at one end with a locking finger (604 ), the operating arm being rotatably mounted on an upper wall (111.2 ) of the body (110 ) about an axis (Xeoo ) orthogonal to the axis (X120 ) of sliding the drawer (120 ) between a locking position in which the finger (604 ) is received in a notch (123.3 ) of the drawer (120) in the extended position, and a release position of the drawer in which the finger (604 ) is outside the notch (123. 3).

10. Pinching and cutting device (1''') according to claim 9, wherein the finger (604) is received in a window (122.1) of the drawer (120) when the obstacle (600) is in the locked position and the drawer is in the retracted position, so that said obstacle forms locking means (400, 500, 600) of the drawer (120) in the retracted position.

Images