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[0002] An infusion holder of the above type is known from DE-U 1 950 302. Preferably, this known infusion holder is equipped with a holding element that is provided as an arrangement of two U-shaped bent hooks which are suitable for hanging up infusion bags and/or placing infusion lines.
[0003] A disadvantage of this known infusion holder is considered to be the fact that, in numerous practical cases, the possibilities provided for hanging up the infusion bags and/or placing the infusion lines are inappropriate. As a result, for example when a patient is transported by means of a stretcher or a hospital bed, parts of the medical treatment devices that have to be carried along with the patient transported on the stretcher are temporarily placed loosely on the stretcher or the bed or even on the patient himself. This poses the great danger that these parts might fall down from the stretcher, possibly causing an interruption in a vital infusion. This can be avoided only if the medical personnel accompanying the transported patient additionally directs part of its attention to the parts of the medical treatment devices that are placed on the stretcher or the bed or the patient, this being detrimental to the patient.
[0004] For that reason, the present invention aims at creating an infusion holder of the aforementioned type, that avoids the disadvantages disclosed and that, in particular, provides improved and enhanced possibilities of holding parts of medical treatment devices.
[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by an infusion holder of the above type, that is characterized in that it is additionally equipped with an adjustable, articulated or flexible gooseneck which, at its free end, comprises one or more additional holding elements, particularly for an infusion bag and/or a breathing tube and/or for other parts of a medical treatment device.
[0006] The inventive infusion holder provides the advantageous possibility of not only holding one or two infusion bags on the infusion holder and, for example, moving same together with the patient and the stretcher supporting the patient, but also of additionally holding and/or placing further parts of medical treatment devices. Another advantage is the fact that the gooseneck is adjustable and can, thus, be quickly and easily adjusted to the particular requirements regarding the position and the course of parts of the medical treatment devices. The coupling element permits quick and easy joining of the infusion holder to the device that supports the patient. If it is not required any longer, the infusion holder can be removed from the device that supports the patient in a likewise easy manner, by disconnecting the coupling element.
[0007] A further embodiment preferably provides that the gooseneck starts at the upper end of the supporting column. This spatial configuration provides the advantage that the gooseneck can be moved over a particularly great spatial range and is, at the same time, prevented from colliding with infusion bags held on the upper end of the supporting column and with infusion lines coming from these infusion bags.
[0008] The invention further suggests that the supporting column is designed in the shape of a tube with a hollow interior that is open at the top and that the gooseneck, being in its extended position, can be retracted inside and pulled out from the supporting column. This embodiment provides the advantageous possibility of retracting the gooseneck completely inside the supporting column, while the gooseneck is not required. In this case, only the upper end of the gooseneck including the holding elements arranged there will remain outside of the supporting column. This permits utilization of the holding elements even if the gooseneck is in the completely retracted position.
[0009] A further contribution to the flexible adjustment of the infusion holder to the particular requirements is made by the fact that, preferably, the gooseneck can be fixed in various positions of retraction in relation to the supporting column, by using a locking device. Hence, the gooseneck can be reliably fixed in position even if it is extended from the supporting column in part only, so that the gooseneck and the parts of medical treatment devices held on its holding elements are prevented from automatically readjusting themselves in an undesired manner. In the simplest case, a clamping screw inserted in a threaded hole in the upper end of the supporting column is appropriate as locking device.
[0010] Further, it is preferably provided that the supporting column is designed as a telescopic tube with at least two tube sections that are passed one within the other and can be pushed and fixed in position in relation to each other. In this manner, the length of the supporting column can be altered, this also contributing to the fact that the infusion holder, when in use, can be well adjusted to the particular requirements. Moreover, the infusion holder can be telescoped to a relatively small size, as long as it is not required. In this retracted state, it can be accommodated and stored in a space-saving manner.
[0011] Further, it is preferably provided that the coupling element is connected to an outer tube section that forms the lower part of the supporting column and that the holding element provided on the supporting column is attached to an inner tube section that forms the upper part of the supporting column. In this manner, it is achieved that the moving upper part of the supporting column is passed within the lower stationary part of the supporting column, so that, on readjusting the length of the telescopic supporting column, practically neither the personnel nor the patient is subjected to any danger of injury. In addition, the supporting column meets requirements by having a greater stability in its lower part where the load is heaviest, because it has its greatest diameter there.
[0012] It is further provided that the supporting column and the coupling element are connected to each other by means of a lockable swivel joint, with the swivel axis of the joint extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the supporting column and with the supporting column, while the infusion holder is mounted on the device that supports the patient, being capable of being swiveled about the swivel axis of the joint by at least 90 degrees from a position of use that is extending in an approximately vertical upward direction to a position of non-use that is extending in an approximately horizontal direction parallel to the device that supports the patient, and vice versa. This embodiment of the infusion holder provides the advantage that the supporting column, while not in use, can be swiveled into a horizontal position, where the complete infusion holder, in a save-spacing manner, extends in parallel and immediately adjacent to the device that supports the patient, such as a stretcher or hospital bed. Since, in this position, the infusion holder does not make itself felt in any disturbing way, it can remain mounted on the device that supports the patient even if it is not required. At the same time, this permits it to be brought back to its position of use quickly if it is required, by swiveling the supporting column, again in relation to the coupling element, to a vertical position and then fixing it in this position by locking the joint.
[0013] In this context, it is preferably provided that, at least in the position of use of the supporting column and with the joint being locked, two parts of the joint are in positive engagement with one another. This ensures that the supporting column is protected from folding by itself in an undesired manner that might possibly be dangerous to a patient, even if the locking device of the joint is perhaps not fully tightened because of excitement in action. Moreover, this ensures that it is not possible to swivel the supporting column in relation to the coupling element even if relatively strong forces are exerted, so that a high reliability and stability of the infusion holder is achieved with the supporting column being in its position of use.
[0014] It is further provided that the/each holding element at the upper end of the supporting column is formed by a hook that is projecting in an outward direction. This hook or these hooks can be used to hang up one or more infusion bags quickly and easily, where they are then safely held, for example even inside moving ambulance vehicles.
[0015] With regard to the further holding devices provided on the gooseneck, it is preferably provided that at least one line clamp and/or at least one hook is/are arranged as holding element(s) at the free end of the gooseneck. The line clamp is preferably used to hold and place a tube or line, for example a breathing tube or an infusion line. If provided, the hook can be used to hang up an infusion bag or to place an infusion line or to hold other parts of medical treatment devices. Preferably, both types of holding elements are provided at the free end of the gooseneck.
[0016] To ensure that a line or tube that is held and placed in the line clamp can be placed in the most favorable manner and in the optimal alignment, a further executive form of the invention provides that the line clamp at the end of the gooseneck is supported such that it can be swiveled and/or turned.
[0017] To ensure that the infusion holder can be used in as unrestricted a manner as possible and that it can be joined to different devices that support a patient, the coupling element is preferably designed in the way of a clamp with a clamping jaw and a clamping screw or a clamping lever. As a matter of course, there is the additional possibility of joining different coupling elements to otherwise identical infusion holders, in order to allow the coupling elements to be adjusted to different devices that support a patient.
[0018] As a further measure to avoid loose objects on a device that support a patient or on the patient himself, it is additionally suggested that a plastic jacket, several centimeters in height, is arranged in the lower half and on the outer circumference of the supporting column, that can be used for the attachment of perfusors.
[0019] Finally, it is additionally provided according to the invention that at least the supporting column, the coupling element and the gooseneck are made of stainless steel or aluminum. Since they are non-corroding and stable, these materials meet the requirements specified for the various components within the infusion holder. Depending on the particular load, the further components of the infusion holder can likewise be metal parts or, alternatively, also more cost-effective plastic parts. Here, the plastic parts are preferably made of such a plastic material that is sufficiently resistant to chemicals and/or heat so that the infusion holder can be sterilized, if necessary.
[0020] An executive example of the invention is illustrated below by means of a drawing. The only FIGURE of the drawing shows a side view of the infusion holder in a schematic representation.
[0021] As shown in the FIGURE of the drawing, the illustrated executive example of the infusion holder
[0022] Here, the supporting column
[0023] At its lower end, the supporting column
[0024] The connection between the lower end of the supporting column
[0025] By unscrewing the locking screw
[0026] A head piece
[0027] Starting at the upper end of the supporting column
[0028] An end piece
[0029] A further holding element that has the shape of a line clamp
[0030] Finally, a plastic jacket
[0031] As illustrated in the drawing, the infusion holder can achieve a maximum length that is sufficient for all purposes of application, in practice from about 1 to 1.5 m, while the upper part
[0032] With its coupling element