Abstract:
In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a fluid bag stand for a patient, comprising a pole, a base and at least one bag support. The pole includes a plurality of sections including at least a lower section and an upper section wherein the plurality of sections mate together. The base is mateable with the pole to support the pole in an upright orientation. The at least one bag support is connectable with the pole. The at least one bag support is configured for supporting a fluid bag for a patient.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a fluid bag stand and more particularly to a fluid bag stand for home use by a patient. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In a typical hospital setting, a fluid bag stand may be provided for holding a fluid bag for a patient who is being provided the fluid (eg. intravenously). Typically, such fluid bag stands are made from metallic materials and are portable by virtue of having casters for rolling along a hospital floor. Traveling between floors of the hospital may be carried out by elevator, thereby reducing the need to lift the fluid bag stand. However, such fluid bag stands may be ill-suited for use in a home setting. Homes are typically not equipped with elevators, and so a patient may be required to lift a fluid bag stand up and down a set of stairs. Additionally, casters may not be well suited to rolling on certain types of carpeting, which may be present in a home setting. Additionally, such fluid bag stands can be relatively expensive particularly for a patient who will only use one for a limited period of time and who will thereafter not need it. 
         [0003]    It would be advantageous to provide a fluid bag stand that addresses one or more of the above shortcomings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a fluid bag stand for a patient, comprising a pole, a base and at least one bag support. The pole includes a plurality of sections including at least a lower section and an upper section wherein the plurality of sections mate together. The base is mateable with the pole to support the pole in an upright orientation. The at least one bag support is connectable with the pole. The at least one bag support is configured for supporting a fluid bag for a patient. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fluid bag stand in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1  in a disassembled state; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of a leg that is a variant of one of the legs of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a bag support that is part of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a sectional side view of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1 , with a variant of the legs shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the variant of the legs, shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1  with a variant of the legs shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the fluid bag stand shown in  FIG. 1  with another variant of the legs shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fluid bag stand in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention in an exploded view; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the fluid bag stand of  FIG. 9  in a tabletop configuration; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a magnified view of a leg and caster from the fluid bag stand of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Reference is made to  FIG. 1 , which shows a fluid bag stand  10  that can be used to hold intravenous fluid bags and the like for a patient. The fluid bag stand  10  may be used by a patient at home or at a patient care facility such as a hospital, nursing home or the like. 
         [0018]    The fluid bag stand  10  includes a pole  12 , a base  14  and a plurality of bag supports  16 . Reference is made to  FIG. 2 , which shows the kit of parts  19  from which the stand  10  ( FIG. 1 ) is made. The pole  12  may be made from a plurality of sections  17  including a lower section  18 , a middle section  20  and an upper section  22 . The upper section  22  has a body  23  and has an upper end  24  and a lower end  26 . At the upper end  24  is an upper lip  28  that has an upper lip thickness. The bag supports  16  are configured to be securely mounted onto the lip  28 , eg. by means of a press-fit of the bag support  16  onto the lip  28 . At the lower end  26  is a downwardly extending tongue  30  that mates with the upper end  32  of the subjacent middle section  20 . 
         [0019]    The upper section  22  may be formed by a first tube  34  and a second tube  36 . The first tube  34  makes up the upper section body  23 . The second tube  36  mounts within the first tube  34  and extends downwardly therefrom such that the exposed portion of the second tube  36  forms the downwardly extending tongue  30 . A suitable adhesive may be used to adhere the mating surfaces of the first and second tubes  34  and  36 . The outer surface of the exposed portion of the second tube  36  that makes up the tongue  30  is shown at  38  and may be provided with dimples  39  thereon to assist in forming a secure joint with the upper end  32  of the middle section  20  when the tongue  30  is press fit into the upper end  32  of the middle section  20 . The dimples  39  may be provided by any suitable means, such as by knurling. The dimples  39  may be oriented to form a helical pattern on the surface  38 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . As a result, the upper section  22  may be fit into the middle section  20  by rotating the upper section  22  relative to the middle section in a first selected rotational sense, shown at  40 . To remove the upper section  30  from the middle section  20  the upper section  30  may be rotated in an opposing rotational sense to that used to fit the upper section  22  onto the middle section  20 . 
         [0020]    The middle section  20  may be identical to the upper section  22  and may thus be equally configured to hold the bag supports  16  in the event that it is desired for the pole  12  to stand only as high as two sections  17 , perhaps for use as a floor stand for a fluid bag for a child patient. 
         [0021]    The lower section  18  may be similar to the upper and middle sections  22  and  20 , but may lack a downwardly extending tongue. The lower section  18  may comprise only a first tube  40  which makes up a lower section body  42 . The upper end of the lower section is shown at  43  and includes an upper lip  44 . The upper lip  44  may be identical to the upper lip  28  so that the bag supports  16  may be mounted on the lower section in the event that it is desired for the pole  12  to stand only as high as the lower section  18 , eg. for use as a table stand for a fluid bag for a patient. The lower end of the lower section body  42  is shown at  45  and includes a lower lip  46  that has a lower lip thickness. 
         [0022]    It will be understood that the pole  12  may include more than one middle section  20 . For example, the pole  12  may optionally include two or more middle sections  20 . 
         [0023]    The sections  17  may each have a length that is less than approximately 24 inches long. 
         [0024]    The sections  17  may each be made from a cardboard material, similar to poster tubes, and may further be coated with a water-resistant coating to inhibit damage from moisture during use. 
         [0025]    The base  14  may include a plurality of legs  48  which are individually connectable to the lower lip  46  of the lower section  18 . The legs  48  may have any suitable shape and size. For example, the legs  48  may be generally triangular extending radially outwards from the pole  12  (see  FIG. 1 ), and having a larger, radially inner end  50  and a smaller, radially outer end  52 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , proximate the radially inner end  50  each leg  48  may have a slot  54  that mates by press-fit with the lower lip  46  of the lower section  18 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , there may be four legs  48  which are spaced at 90 degree intervals circumferentially about the pole  12 . It will be understood that the base  14  may comprise more or fewer legs than the four legs  48  shown in the figures. For example, the base  14  may comprise two legs. In order to stably support the pole  12 , each of the two legs preferably has a more substantial footprint circumferentially about the pole  12  than the legs  48  are shown to have in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the base  14  may comprise a single unitary piece, eg. a circular piece, that mounts to the lower section  18 . The legs  48  may be made from any suitable material, such as a polymeric material, such as ABS. Preferably, the legs  48  are made from a recyclable polymeric material. 
         [0027]    The legs  48  may have a length of approximately 11 inches. 
         [0028]    The legs  48  may be made as solid shapes that have a constant cross-sectional shape. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3 , legs  56  may be provided with a shape that requires less material than that shown in  FIG. 1 , thereby saving weight and cost, but which function similarly to the legs  48  of  FIG. 1 . The legs  56  have a peripheral flange portion  58  that surrounds a central web portion  60 . 
         [0029]    The bag supports  16  may have any suitable shape. For example, referring to  FIG. 4 , each bag support  16  may have a pole-mounting portion  62  and a bag support portion  64 . The pole-mounting portion  62  may comprise a clamp  65  that is configured to mount onto the upper lip  28  of the upper section  22 . Since the upper lips of the middle and lower section may be the same as the upper lip  28 , the pole-mounting portion  62  may thus be configured to mount to the upper lip of any of the other sections  17  (eg. the middle section  20  and the lower section  18 ) that make up the pole  12 . 
         [0030]    The clamp  65  of the bag support  16  may include a plurality of teeth to assist in gripping the upper lip  28  of the upper section  22 . The bag support  16  may be provided with a relatively thicker cross section proximate to the hinge of the clamp  65 , shown at  66 . 
         [0031]    The bag support portion  64  may have any suitable shape for holding a fluid bag (not shown). As shown in  FIG. 4 , the bag support portion  64  may comprise a hook  69  that is sized to fit through an aperture on a fluid bag (not shown). The bag support portion  64  may have any other suitable shape, and may comprises an arm that is angle slightly upwardly, which effectively acts as a hook, but without having a typically-shaped bight. Alternatively, the bag support portion  64  may be configured to support a fluid bag in some other way, such as with an alligator clip. 
         [0032]    The bag supports  16  may be made from any suitable material, such as a polymeric material, such as polypropylene. 
         [0033]    The bag supports  16  may be relatively small, and may measure less than 4″ long. Thus, all of the components of the fluid bag stand  10  may be less than 24″ long, and may thus fit in a relatively compact box, thereby potentially reducing the cost associated with shipping the box and making the box relatively easy to carry by a single user. 
         [0034]    By making the fluid bag stand  10  out of cardboard, and polymeric materials, as shown and described herein, the fluid bag stand  10  may not be suitable for re-use across multiple patients as is typically done in certain settings, such as in a hospital setting. However, the fluid bag stand  10  may be sufficiently inexpensive that it may be considered disposable without representing an inordinate cost burden. Furthermore, the inexpensiveness of the fluid bag stand  10  makes it particularly suited for use in the home of the patient, thereby rendering a large expenditure by the patient unnecessary. 
         [0035]    By making the fluid bag stand  10  out of removably connectable sections  17 , the fluid bag stand  10  is particularly adapted for conversion from a full-height unit to a unit that is two sections  17  high, to a unit that is one section  17  high. 
         [0036]    It will be understood that all of the components of the fluid bag stand  10  mate together and are self-supporting without the need for adhesives or fasteners, thereby facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the fluid bag stand  10 . 
         [0037]    Reference is made to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , it is optionally possible for legs, shown at  67 , to be provided that accommodate feet of some kind, such as casters  68 . Note that in  FIG. 5 , only three legs  67  are shown, one leg has been omitted for greater clarity of the figure. In such an embodiment, each caster  68  imposes an upward force on each leg  67 , proximate the outer end of the leg  67 , shown at  70 . At the same time, the pole  12  (shown in section in  FIG. 5 ) and the load imposed thereon by the fluid bag (not shown) exerts a downward force on each leg  67  proximate the inner end of the leg  67 , shown at  72 . As a result of the forces exerted on the legs  67  by the pole  12  and the casters  68 , a moment is exerted on each leg that urges the leg  67  to rotate its outer end  70  upwardly and its inner end  72  downwardly. To inhibit such rotation from taking place, the legs  67  may each be provided with mating surfaces  74  which permit each leg  67  to assist in resisting the rotation of one or more of the other legs  67 . The mating surfaces  74  may each generally extend along a vertical plane that is radial relative to the axis of the pole  12 . Such a configuration permits all four legs  67  to be identical, thereby permitting them to be manufactured from a single mold. It is alternatively possible to provide other configurations for the mating surfaces of the legs  67  that would nonetheless permit all four legs  67  to be identical. As an example, the mating surfaces  74  may extend along vertical planes that are not radial planes, as shown in  FIG. 7 . It is also alternatively possible for the legs  67  to be different from each other (see  FIG. 8 ). For example, four legs  67  may be made up of two pairs of legs, a first pair of legs  76  that have vertical mating surfaces  78  that extend vertically and that bisect the pole  12 , and a second pair of legs  80  that have mating surfaces  82  that engage the sides of the first pair of legs  76 . 
         [0038]    It is alternatively possible for the legs  67  to be fitted with some other type of feet instead of casters  68 . For example, the feet could be height-adjustable feet to assist the fluid bag stand in resting on an uneven surface. 
         [0039]    Reference is made to  FIG. 9 , which shows a kit of parts  100  which is used to make up a fluid bag stand  101  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The fluid bag stand  101  includes a pole  102 , a base  104  and a plurality of bag supports  16 . The pole  102  may be configurable in a floor mode ( FIG. 9 ) and a tabletop mode ( FIG. 10 ). In the floor mode, the pole  102  is made from a plurality of sections  106  including a lower section  108 , a first middle section  110 , a second middle section  111  and an upper section  112 . The lower section  108  may be similar to the lower section  18  of the pole  12  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The lower section  108  may be generally tubular and has an inner surface  113 . The first middle section  110  may be generally tubular and has an inner surface  114  that has the same diameter as the lower section. A first joining member  116  joins the first middle section  110  to the lower section  108 . The first joining member  116  may be generally tubular and has an outer surface  118  with an outer diameter selected so that it fits snugly within the inner diameters of the first middle section  110  and the lower section  108 . The joining member  116  may be permanently joined to the middle section  110  by means of an adhesive or some other joining means. 
         [0040]    The exposed portion of the outer surface  118  may be dimpled or otherwise provided with a surface texture that enhances the engagement between it and the inner surfaces of the middle and lower sections  110  and  108 . The dimpled surface treatment, shown at  120 , may be oriented in a particular direction to act as a rough thread, to facilitate the insertion of the joining member  116  into the lower section  108  by rotating the joining member as it is inserted. 
         [0041]    The second middle section  111  may join to the first middle section  110  using a second joining member  116 . A difference however, Is that the second joining member  116  may join at its inner surface to the outer surface of the second middle section  111  by means of an adhesive or some other joining means. The inner surface of the second joining member is shown at  122  and the outer surface of the second middle section  111  is shown  124 . 
         [0042]    The upper section  112  may join to the second middle section  111  using a third joining member  126 . The third joining member  126  may be similar to the first and second joining members  116  but may have an outer surface  128  with a diameter to fit snugly within the inner surface (shown at  129 ) of the second middle section  111 , and may have an inner surface  130  sized to fit snugly with the outer surface, shown at  132 , of the upper section  112 . The third joining member  126  may be adhered or otherwise permanently joined to the upper section  112 . 
         [0043]    The pole  102  has a tapered appearance which may be preferable for some users. To provide this tapered appearance, however, the third joining member  126  may be smaller in inner and outer diameter than the first and second joining members  116 . In the tabletop mode ( FIG. 10 ), the upper section  112  joins directly to the lower section  108  by means of the third joining member  126  and an insert  133  that reduces the effective inner diameter of the lower section  108 . The insert has an outer diameter that is similar to the outer diameter of the first joining member  116 , and has an inner diameter that is similar to the inner diameter of the second middle section  111 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the base  104  is made of legs  134  that may be similar to the legs  67  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) and casters  136  that may be similar to casters  68  ( FIG. 5 ). The casters  136  may have a U-shaped sleeve  137  for mounting to the legs  134 . In order to hold the casters, the legs  134  may have molded inner and outer ribs  138  and  140  that capture the inner and outer edges  142  and  144  of the sleeve  137  and may further include bosses  146  to engage apertures  148  in the sleeve  137  to prevent the casters  136  from falling off the legs  134  when the stand  101  is picked up. 
         [0045]    It will be understood that the fluid bag stand  101  may include more or fewer middle sections, depending on the specific application it is configured for. 
         [0046]    All of the pole sections  106 , the joining sections  116  and  126 , and the insert  132  may be made from simple tubes of cardboard material that are cut to the needed lengths. Additionally, as noted the base  104  is removable from the pole  102  and is itself separable into individual legs  134  and casters  136 . The legs  134  are preferably made from molded polymeric material, although selected portions of the casters (eg. the shaft (not shown), and the sleeve  138 ) may optionally be made from metal or polymer. These aforementioned features combine to provide a reduce the weight of the stand  101  and permit the stand  101  to occupy a relatively small volume when broken down for shipping purposes, thereby reducing the cost for shipping the stand to remote customers. Additionally these features make the stand more usable by the patient, who may find it easier to maneuver the stand  101  relative to some metallic stands of the prior art. Additionally, these features reduce the cost of manufacture of the stand  101  relative to some other fluid bag stands of the prior art. Furthermore, these aforementioned features permit the fluid bag stand to have multiple configurations (eg. floor mode and tabletop mode). Thus, these stands would be particularly applicable for use in certain countries such as some developing countries where it is important to keep the cost of medical care low and where there is a poorly developed local transport infrastructure (eg. dirt roads, small trucks). 
         [0047]    While the above description constitutes a plurality of embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the present invention is susceptible to further modification and change without departing from the fair meaning of the accompanying claims.