Abstract:
An intravenous feed anchor system (IVFAS) that allows for unconstrained movement of a patient and IV configuration. The IVFAS includes an IV line clamp device for clamping a section of an IV line, an attach device for receiving and securing the IV line clamp device, and a securing device for securing an adjustable tie down to a patient. The IV attach device receives the IV line clamp device in a free floating condition. This prevents excessive motion and forces, caused by reasonable, unexpected or unusual conditions, from removing, or interrupting IV treatment. The IVFAS also keeps the section of the IV line between the anchor and insertion points in close proximity to the patient. This eliminates large IV line loops which have a tendency to snag or get pulled from environmental animate and inanimate objects. The IVFAS is quickly and easily attached and detached.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a feed anchor system, and more particularly, to an intravenous feed anchor system (IVFAS) for preventing certain environmental forces from interrupting intravenous (IV) treatment due to unintentional removal or breaking of a patient&#39;s IV inserted needle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, nutrients or medications are administered using intravenous (IV) lines and systems. Frequently, IV treatment is interrupted by unintentional movement, blockage or removal of the IV supply line from the patient due to “pulling forces” exerted on the IV supply line. This occurs particularly with active children and patients in considerable distress. The “pulling forces” can be a result of the IV line being snagged or pulled by environmental animate or inanimate objects. 
     Health care providers normally secure the position of an IV line using adhesive tape to fix it against a patient&#39;s skin. The inserted needle is also reinforced against movement using tape. However, taping has limited effectiveness and undesirable features, such as irritating skin, causing pain when removed, etc. As noted above, patients can move in a manner that inadvertently pulls on the tubing or catches the tubing on an object. In addition, some patients, such as small children or those with mental illness, will knowingly or unknowingly tug on an IV line. In non-critical situations, this is an inconvenience and results in patient discomfort. In critical situations, interruption of the IV supply can result in health risks, discomfort, pain, or even death. Further, the IV must be reinserted when the IV is pulled from a patient&#39;s body. This increases the number of skin punctures and increases the risk of infection and contingencies. It is also costly with respect to additional staff demands and treatment. 
     Numerous IV support and anchoring devices have been proposed to overcome the above-mentioned problem. An example of such a device includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,933 which discloses an arrangement of an IV feeding tube affixed to a strap wrapped loosely around a patient&#39;s limb at a location intermediate to the ends of the tube so that a loop is formed. Thus, any tension applied between a fluid reservoir and an intermediate point on the IV tube is transmitted to the strap and then to a patient&#39;s limb (an arm) and not to the IV line. A protective sleeve covers the limb and the IV device to prevent patient access to the IV device. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,354,282 and 5,578,013 disclose an anchoring system that includes a flexible, adhesive base pad that supports an IV tube clip and a retainer. The retainer slides relative to the base pad to precisely position the retainer relative to the IV line. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,608 discloses a protective stabilizing sleeve for an IV needle. The sleeve is secured around a patient&#39;s arm or hand. The sleeve protects the site where the needle is inserted and stabilizes the connecting tube. 
     However, the prior art devices fall short of desired ease of application and performance and are not always effective in preventing inadvertent IV line removal. Further, the prior art devices are relatively expensive, difficult to manufacture and difficult to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy to use intravenous anchor assembly that includes an IV line attach device, a patient attach device and a device to secure an adjustable tie down. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an IV feed anchor tube clamp (IVFATC) at any exposed section of an IV line. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for preventing certain environmental forces from interrupting IV treatment due to unintentional removal or breakage of a patient&#39;s IV inserted needle. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an intravenous feed anchor system for application on many parts of a body. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a low cost, highly effective, throwaway intravenous feed anchor system. 
     The above objects of the present invention are obtained by providing an intravenous anchor assembly including an IV line clamp device clamping an IV line, an attach device for receiving and securing the IV line clamp device and a securing device for securing an adjustable tie down to a patient. The securing device includes a high surface friction strap. The attach device includes a friction interface, a first rotatable member for receiving a first end of the strap, a second rotatable member, opposite the first rotatable member, for receiving and securing it second end of the strap, and a latching arm which secures the IV line clamp device. The friction interface is a high friction material which prevents the IVFAS from sliding on a patient&#39;s skin. 
     The latching arm includes a cantilever beam for receiving the IV attach device. The cantilever beam can be latched and unlatched to perform adjustments. 
     The present invention also provides a method for securing an intravenous anchor assembly to a patient. The method includes securing a first end of a strap into a first opening in an attach device, wrapping the strap around an area of a patient&#39;s body, securing a second end of a strap into a second opening, opposite the first opening, in the attach device, inserting an IV line section into a receiving region in an IV line clamp device, locking the IV line section in the receiving section of the IV line clamp device, inserting the IV line clamp device onto a top beam member of the attach device and latching the top beam member to secure the IV line clamp device to the attach device. The IV line clamp device is latched in a free floating condition. The IV line section can be repositioned by unlocking the IV clamping device from the secured IV attach device. 
     These objects, together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully described and claimed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of an intravenous feed anchor system (IVFAS), according to the present invention, attached to a limb of a patient; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the intravenous feed anchor system in FIG. 1 according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of an intravenous feed anchor tube clamp (IVFATC) that can be used in the intravenous feed anchor system of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of an intravenous feed anchor body link (IVFABL) that can be used in the intravenous feed anchor system of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The design of the intravenous feed anchor system (hereinafter referred to as IVFAS) of the present invention ameliorates or eliminates potential problems associated with the administration of intravenous (IV) nutrients or medications. These problems include interrupted or blocked treatment, removal of an IV supply line from a patient due to “pulling forces” exerted on an IV supply line, or needle breakage. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of an IVFAS  20  according to the present invention. As shown, the IVFAS  20  is secured around any portion of a patient&#39;s body  22  by an attach strap  24 . The attach strap  24  can be cut from a roll of material so that it is customized to the patient&#39;s limb, such as, but not limited to, an arm, wrist, hand, leg, abdomen, etc. The attach strap  24  can be made from a material, including an elastic material of some type, that has a high friction surface contacting a patient&#39;s skin. The attach strap  24  secures an IVFABL  26  to the patient. The IVFABL  26  secures an IVFATC  28 . The IVFATC  28  secures an IV supply line  29 . A friction interface  30  is located beneath the IVFABL  26  to resist sliding motion of the IVFAS  20  from its place on the patient&#39;s body  22 . 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the IVFAS  20  shown in FIG.  1 . The side view shows a strap compensation space  32  between the friction interface  30  and the attach strap  24 . The IVFAS  20  will now be explained in detail with respect to the remaining drawings. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of an IVFATC  28  that can be used in the IVFAS  20  of the present invention. A lower portion  31  of the IVFATC  28  of the IVFAS  20  includes a slot  34  that runs in a lengthwise direction. An upper portion  35  includes an opening  36  for receiving the IV supply line  29 . The IV supply line  29  is placed in the opening  36  in the IVFATC  28  and the IVFATC  28  is then snapped closed. A latch member  38  on a top portion  40  of the upper portion  35  of the IVFATC  28  is inserted into a side groove  42  on the upper portion  35  of the IVFATC  28  to secure the IV supply line  29 . Because the IVFATC  28  can be removed and re-attached to readjust it or to correct any misplacement it can be placed along any exposed section of the IV supply line  29 . The internal circumference of the opening  36  in the IVFATC  28  for receiving the IV supply line  29  is undersized and shaped in relation to the IV supply line  29 . The IVFATC  28  can accommodate a number of IV supply line  29  diameters. Further, choosing the length-to-diameter ratio of the IVFATC  28  to maintain axial positioning of the IV supply line  29  discourages off-axis force deformation which results in kinking of the IV supply line  29 . 
     A material selected for the IVFATC  28  provides a “natural adhesion” to the IV supply line  29  material. This prevents the IV supply line  29  from sliding under reasonable forces while in the grip of the IVFATC  28  without the use of adhesives, and without restricting fluid flow through the IV supply line  29 . An example of such a material that meets this criteria is Ciba Geigy RP6442. The invention, however, is not limited to this material. 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of an IVFABL  26  that can be used in the present invention. The IVFABL  26  secures the IVFATC  28  by way of a latching cantilever beam  44 . That is, the slot  34  in the IVFATC  28  slides over the latching cantilever beam  44  of the IVFABL  26 . The latching cantilever beam  44  is then pressed down and snapped shut so that it engages and locks in a retaining clasp  46  on one side of is the IVFABL  26 . This design allows the IVFATC  28  to be in a free-floating condition and the latching cantilever beam  44  to accommodate flexure of the base plate  48  of the IVFABL  26  in accordance with deformations encountered in conforming to body contours and to tugs and pulls applied to the IV supply line  29 . A suitable material for the IVFABL  26  can be a plastic such as, but not limited to, Dexter Hysol EA 9309-3NA. 
     The friction interface  30  can be located in a space  32  on a center section  49  of the IVFABL  26  base  48 . The center section  49  of the IVFABL  26  base  48  is thinner than at its edges. The friction interface  30  of the IVFABL  26  contacts the patient&#39;s skin and maintains the position of the IVFAS  20  to the patient. Flexure of the IVFABL  26  allows for conformance to body surfaces attached to the IVFAS  20 . The friction interface  30  includes, for example, a material that has a high coefficient of friction, such as compliant rubber, or a non-allergenic adhesive coating that is easily removed using standard home, clinic or hospital solutions, such as alcohol. The friction interface  30  has an extended thickness provided within the compensation space  32  to allow for the attach strap  24  thickness. This eliminates step transitions affecting performance and patient comfort. The friction interface  30  can include a single material having an acceptable frictional property, a part integral to the IVFABL  26  and made of a molded laminate or composite such that the portion contacting the patients&#39; skin has a high coefficient of friction, or as in the above example, is a separate piece of material. 
     The IVFABL  26  attach strap  24  has a first end  50  (see FIG. 2) inserted into a first rotatable cinching member  52  including a raised semicircular portion  53 . That is, the first end  50  of the attach strap  24  is inserted into a space between the first rotatable cinching member  52  and a first beam latch member  44  of the IVFABL  26 . The first beam latch member  54  includes a slot  54   a  for receiving the raised semicircular portion  53 . The first rotatable cinching member  52  is rotated into the base plate  48  of the IVFABL  26  engaging the slot  54   a  of the first rotatable cinching member  52  capturing the attach strap  24  and locking securely by the mating of the raised semicircular portion  53  with the slot  54   a , thereby securing the first end  50  of the attach strap  24 . The attach strap  24  is then wrapped around a desired portion of the patient&#39;s body  22 . For example, the attach strap  24  can be wrapped around an arm, leg, wrist, abdomen, etc. The free or second end  56  of the attach strap  24  is then passed through a second rotatable cinching member  58 , opposite the first rotatable cinching member  52  and a second beam latch member  60  which includes a slot (not shown) for receiving a raised semicircular portion of the second rotatable cinching member  52 . The second end  56  of the attach strap  24  is then pulled to a desired tension and secured by rotating the second rotatable cinching member  58  into the base plate  48  of the IVFABL  26  as explained above. As noted above, the attach strap  24  can be separately available on a roll. A length of the attach strap  24  can be cut to a desired length according to the patient&#39;s size and application requirements. The IVFABL  26  can be removed from the patient by releasing one or more of the rotatable cinching members. The rotatable cinching members can include, but are not limited to, a cylinder-in-groove compression mechanism. 
     Threading each end of the attach strap  24  into a fully enclosed space formed between each of the rotatable cinching members and the latching cantilever beam  44  aids strap attachment by constraining the attach strap  24  and acting as a fulcrum for the setting of strap tension. Further, adjustments are performed or errors are corrected by latching and unlatching the first or second rotatable cinching members  52  and  58  numerous times. 
     The design of the IVFAS  20  allows easy attachment and detachment by a single person. In addition, it also provides an intravenous anchor system that remains secure, when attached to a patient, without interruption of fluid flow or accidental removal from a patient. The parts of the IVFAS  20  are suited to volume production, packaging, and distribution at low cost. For example, the device can be made of injection molded plastic material that makes it an inexpensive, one-use, throw-away item. Further, the dimensions of the IVFABL  26  are chosen to work properly on either smaller girths such as a child&#39;s wrist or ankle, or larger girths such as those associated with adults. That is, the length dimension is different according to use. 
     Thus, the present invention provides an anchor system that is comfortable, is easy to use, can be used at many body positions, is sterile, reliable, disposable, affordable and mass producible. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. The device is not necessarily limited to an IV anchor system, but may be used to anchor other objects as seen fit. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and applications shown and described. That is, various configurations can be used for the IVFABL  26  and IVFATC  28 . In addition, various materials can be employed, depending on use, availability, preference, cost, etc. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention and the appended claims and their equivalents.