PATENT SPECIFICATION
`DRAWINGS ATTACHED
`
`Inwenflor : WILBERT WILLIAM REDMER
`
`1.025.947
`
`Date of Application and filing Complete Specification Feb. I2_ I963.
`
`No 5730/63.
`
`Complete Specification Published April I4, I 966.
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`© Crown Copyright I966.
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`Index at acceptance: —-E2 BSAIA; F2 VMlL1
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`Int. Cl.: —-F 06 b//F 06 k
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`COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
`
`Tubing Clamp
`
`We, ABBOTT LABORATORIES, a Corpora-
`-tion organized and existing under the laws of
`the State
`of
`Illinois, United States
`of
`America, of 14th Street and Sheridan Road,
`North Chicago, County of Lake, State of
`Illinois, United States of America, do hereby
`declare the invention, for which we pray that
`a patent may be granted to us, and the
`method by which it is to be perfonned, to
`be particularly described in and by the fol-
`lowing statement: —
`a
`This invention relates to a tubing clamp
`-for regulating flow through a length of flex-
`ible tubing. The tubing clamp of the inven-
`tion is particularly useful
`in regulating the
`flow of
`liquid through flexible tubing em-
`ployed in the administration of parenteral
`solutions and the collection of blood but the
`invention is not to be considered limited to-
`these uses.
`It is one of the purposes of the invention
`to provide a tubing clamp» which is economi-
`cal and simple to manufacture, which is de-
`pendable in its operation, and which is of
`a character
`to be operated easily by the
`thumb and index fingers of one hand.
`In accordance with the invention, there is
`provided a tubing clamp- for regulating flow
`through a length of flexible tubing, the clamp
`comprising a clamp body having a passage
`to receive the said tubing and a lateral open-
`ing having a transverse slot portion and a
`portion perpendicular to the passage
`and
`joined to the passage by an opening and, at
`the end portion of the body remote from the
`passage, an axial opening joining the trans-
`verse slot portion to- an end face of the clamp
`body,
`a clamping member slidable in the
`openings to enter the passage and compris-
`ing a threaded shank and a tubing engaging
`portion capable of compressing the tubing
`
`[Pace 4:. 6d.]
`
`against the opposing wall of the passage, a
`nut threadably received on the shank and dis-
`posed in the transverse slot portion whereby
`the nut is prevented from substantial axial
`movement, and means to prevent the clamp‘-
`ing member from substantial rotation.
`There is preferably provision for limifing
`the movement of
`the so that no excessive
`pressure can be applied to the flexible tubing
`which is received by the passage in the clamp
`body. This‘ is of particular importance in the
`event
`that an inexperienced operator at-
`tempts to apply excessive pressure to the
`tubing.
`In a form of the invention the means to
`prevent substantial rotation of the clamping
`member is a flat face of the perpendicular
`portion of
`the lateral opening and a co-
`operating flat face of
`the threaded shank.
`Preferably the clamping member comprises
`a lug projecting into- the perpendicular por-
`tion of the
`lateral opening and abutting
`against an end wall of the perpendicular por-
`tion to limit
`the axial movement of
`the
`clamping member and prevent excessive com-
`pression of the tubing. The lug also helps to-
`prevent substantial rotation of the clamping
`member. In another form of the invention
`the clamping member is provided with a cap
`which
`limits the axial movement of
`the
`clamping member.
`In order that the invention may be more
`clearly understood two preferred embodi-
`ments thereof are now described, by way of
`example only, with reference to the accom-
`panying diagrammatic drawings in which
`Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one
`form of a tubing clamp according to the in-
`vention and a fragmentary portion of a length
`of tubing which is received therein;
`
`ACTA EX. 1026-001
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`ACTA Ex. 1026-001
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`1,025,947
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`Figure 2 is a side elevation View of the
`tubing clamp shown in Figure 1;
`Figure 3 is an elevation view, partly cut-
`away, of the tubing clamp shown in Figure 1
`showing the clamping member in maximum
`clamping engagement with the flexible tub-
`111%;
`‘
`
`Figure 4 is a cross—sectional view taken
`along line 4-4 of Figure 3;
`Figure 5 is- a cross—sectional view taken
`along line 5-5 of Figure 3;
`Figure 6 is a second form of the tubing
`clamp according to the invention.
`Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings show a
`tubing clamp generally indicated at 10. The
`tubing clamp 10 includes a clamp body 11
`which has an opposed pair of outwardly
`tapering portions 12 and 13. A passage 14 in
`the clamp body 11 is adapted to receive a
`length of flexible tubing T. The clamp body
`11 has a T-shaped lateral opening 15 therein.
`The opening 15 includes a slot portion 16
`perpendicular to and opening into the pas-
`sage 14 through an opening 11a, and an in-
`tersecting transverse slot -portion 17. The
`slot portion 16 is defined by parallel side
`walls 16:1 and 161: and an end waH 16c,
`-while the transverseslot portion 17 is de-
`fined by segmental side walls 17a: and 17b
`and end walls 17c and 17d. The end wall
`170 is the inner face of a portion 18 of the
`clamp body 11 at the end remote from the
`passage which has an axial opening 19 join-
`ing the slot portion 17 the end face of’ the
`clamp body. The portion 18 has a restricted
`lateral opening 20. A clamping member 21
`is axially received in the openings 11a, 15
`and 19 and is retained for sliding movement
`in the openings by the restricted lateral open-
`ing 20.
`The clamping member 21 includes a tub-
`ing engaging portion 22 which can enter the
`passage 14 through the opening 11a: and a
`threaded shank 23. The threaded shank 23
`has over a portion of its length, opposed flat
`surfaces 23a and 236 which lie adjacent side
`walls 16a and 1617, respectively. Since only
`slight clearance is provided between the side
`walls 16a and 166 and the flat surfaces 23a
`and 236 of
`the threaded shank 23 of the
`clamping member 21 the slidably mounted
`clamping member 21 is prevented from sub-
`stantial rotation. The tubing engaging portion
`22 is capable of
`compressing the tubing
`against the opposing wall of the passage and
`contains a pair of opposed outwardly extend-
`ing lugs 24 and 25 which limit the axial
`movement of the clamping member 21.. The
`lugs 24 and 25 also serve to prevent substan-
`tial rotation of the clamping member 21 be-
`tween the side walls 16a and 16b.
`The clamp body is preferably composed of
`a flexible resilient material; however, only
`the portion 18 defining the restricted lateral
`
`opening 20 is required to be flexible and re-
`silient.
`,
`The upper portion 23¢ of the threaded
`shank 23 is of greater width than the width of
`the restricted side opening 20 of the
`portion
`18. Since the portion 18 is resilient the shank
`23 is capable of being snapped through the
`restricted lateral opening 20 under pressure
`into the axial opening 19 of the portion 18.
`A nut 26 is threadably received by the
`threaded shank 23. It is readily apparent that
`the nut 26 is rotatable within the transverse
`slot portion 17 and that the nut 26 is pre-
`vented from substantial axial movement by
`the end walls 171: and 17d of the clamp
`body 11. As the nut 26 is rotated by the
`operator the clamping member 21 is actua-
`ted axially. The outer surface of the nut 26
`is roughened as indicated at 27 to ensure
`positive gripping. The threaded shank 23 and
`the nut 26 are each provided with right-hand
`threads for convenience since most operators
`are right handed.
`As is best shown in Figure 3 of the illus-
`trative drawing, a localized portion T’ of the
`tubing T is pinched to compress it
`to the
`maximum extent by a terminal end 29 of
`the tubing engaging portion 22.
`In this
`Figure the lugs 24 and 25 are in abutment
`with the end wall 16c of the slot portion 16.
`It is readily apparent that the operator is pre-
`vented from damaging the tubing T because
`of operator’s inability to exert further pres-
`sure on the tubing T. The opening 11¢
`axially guides the tubing engaging portion
`22 of the clamping member 21.
`In Figure 6, wherein the same reference
`characters have been employed to designate
`components having the same function, con-
`struction and relative location as in the em-
`bodiment of Figures 1 to 5, the tubing clamp
`is generally indicated at 10A. The clamping
`member 30 contains an annular cap 31 at its
`upper portion 32. The cap 31 limits the axial
`movement of the clamping member 30 upon
`abutment with the end face of the clamp body
`11A.
`
`clamping
`the
`A threaded shank 31 of
`member 30 has opposed flat surfaces 234 and
`23?: which serve -to prevent
`the
`clamping
`member 30 from substantial rotation. Enough
`clearance is provided between the side walls
`16:: and 16b and the flat surfaces 23a» and
`2317 in the embodiment of Figure 6 of the
`illustrative drawing to enable the clamping
`member 30 to move axially. The tubing en-
`gaging portion 33 of the clamping member
`30 is axially guided in an opening 34 in the
`clamp body 1'1A which is axially aligned with
`the slot portion 16.
`By way of specific example only and in
`no way intending to limit the invention each
`clamp body 11 and 11A and the clamping
`member 21 and its lugs 24 and 25, and the
`clamping member 30 and its cap 31 are com-
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`ACTA EX. 1026-002
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`ACTA Ex. 1026-002
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`injection molded nylon while the
`posed of
`nut 26 in each embodiment of the invention
`is composed of high density polyethylene.
`Other suitable materials of construction are
`within the purview of
`the invention. Of
`course, it is to be understood that the feature
`whereby the upper portion of the threaded
`shank 23 is snapped into the axial opening
`19 of the portion 18, requires the portion 18
`to be resilient.
`In assembling the tubing clamp 10 of the
`embodiment of Figures 1 -to 5 of the illus-
`trative drawing, the nut 26 is threaded onto
`the threaded shank 23. The clamping mem-
`ber 21 and the nut 26 which is threaded
`thereon are inserted into the lateral opening
`15 and simultaneously the upper portion 23c
`of the threaded shank 23 is snapped through
`the restricted lateral opening 20 into the
`axial opening 19 in the portion 18. The tub-
`ing T is then inserted through the passage
`14 in the clamp body 11 and the tubing
`clamp 10 of the invention is ready to be
`used to regulate the flow through the length
`of tubing.
`In assembling the tubing clamp 10A of
`Figure 6 of
`the illustrative drawing,
`the
`clamping member 30 with the nut
`26
`threaded thereon is simply snapped through
`the restricted lateral opening 20 into- the axial
`opening 19 in the neck 18. The tubing T is
`then inserted through the passage 14 in the
`clamp body 11 and the tubing clamp 10A
`is ready to be used.
`
`WHAT WE CLAIM IS:—
`1. A tubing clamp for regulating flow
`through a length of flexible tubing, the clamp
`comprising a clamp body having a passage
`to receive the said tubing and a lateral open-
`ing having a transverse slot portion and a
`portion perpendicular
`to the passage
`and
`joined to the passage by an opening and, at
`the end portion of the body remote from the
`passage, an axial opening joining the trans-
`verse slot portion to an end face of the clamp
`
`body, a clamping member slideable in the
`openings to enter the passage and comprising
`a threaded shank and a tubing engaging por-
`tion capable of
`compressing
`the tubing
`against
`the opposing wall of the passage, a
`nut
`threadably received on the shank and
`disposed in the transverse slot portion where-
`by the nut is prevented from substantial axial
`movement, and means to prevent the clamp-
`ing member from substantial rotation.
`2. A tubing clamp according to Claim 1
`wherein the portion of the clamp body con-
`taining the axial opening above the trans-
`verse slot is of flexible resilient material and
`a restricted lateral opening is provided to
`allow insertion of the clamping member into
`the axial opening only under pressure.
`3. A tubing clamp according to Claim 1
`or Claim 2 wherein the means to prevent sub-
`stantial
`rotation of
`the clamping member
`comprise flat face of the perpendicular por-
`tion of the lateral opening and a co-operating
`flat face of the threaded shank.
`4. A tubing clamp according to any of the
`preceding claims wherein the clamping mem-
`ber comprises a lug projecting into the per-
`pendicular portion of the lateral opening and
`abutting against an end wall of the perpen-
`dicular portion to limit the axial movement
`of the clamping member and prevent exces-
`sive compression of the tubing.
`5. A tubing clamp according to- any of
`Claims 1 to 3 wherein the clamping member
`additionally comprises a cap, the under sur-
`face of which abuts the end face of
`the
`clamp body to limit
`the axial movement of
`the clamping member and prevent excessive
`compression of the tubing.
`6. A flow regulator substantially as herein
`described with reference to the accompanying
`drawings.
`PAGE, WHITE & FARRER,
`Chartered Patent Agents,
`27, Chancery Lane,
`London, W.C.2.
`Agents for the Applicants.
`
`45
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`Leamington Spa: Printed for Her Majesty’s Stationery Olfice by the Courier Press.—l966,
`don, W.C.2, from which copies may be obtained
`Published at The Patent Oflice. 25, Southampton Buildings, Lon
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`ACTA EX. 1026-003
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`ACTA Ex. 1026-003
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`1025947
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`COM PLETE SPECIFICATION
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`SHEET
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`This drawing is a reproduction of
`the Original on a reduced scale
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`ACTA EX. 1026-004
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`ACTA Ex. 1026-004