Intravenous container support

An intravenous fluid container carrier including an elongated telescopic device having an outer tubular shell within which is positioned an extension rod spring loaded to retract the rod into the tubular shell, an anti-rotation device to prevent rotation of the tubular shell with respect to the extension rod, and a rod locking device to hold the extension rod locked in any position between full extension out of the shell and full retraction within the shell. The locking device is releasable by a spring loaded actuation collar surrounding the shell proximate to the lower end thereof. The upper end of the extension rod is formed with a loop for suspension from a ceiling track mounted carrier, from a wall mounted bracket, or from a floor supported stand or carrier. A pair of vertically spaced collars are locked to the tubular shell at the top and near the bottom, each collar having pivotally secured thereto four arms for carrying an intravenous fluid container, each arm being pivotable between a detented use position extending outward away from the tubular shell and a detented storage position extending closely parallel to the tubular shell.

This invention relates generally to intravenous fluid container carriers 
such as are used in hospitals, and more particularly, relates to a novel 
intravenous fluid container carrier which includes a quick adjustment 
mechanism for vertically positioning the intravenous fluid containers, and 
detent devices for stabilizing the carrier arms in both storage and use 
positions. 
The carrier according to the invention is relatively light in weight and 
very compact, being slim in cross sectional diameter and lengthwise 
contractible for ease of storage and shipment. It is made of stainless 
steel and plastic and can be autoclaved for sterilization. As illustrated 
it can hold up to nine intravenous fluid containers simultaneously. An 
anti-rotation feature is built into the carrier to prevent tangling of the 
intravenous fluid lines. 
Briefly, the carrier according to the invention is an elongated telescopic 
device having an outer tubular shell within which is positioned an 
extension rod spring loaded to retract the rod into the tubular shell, and 
a rod locking device to hold the extension rod locked in any position 
between full extension out of the shell and full retraction within the 
shell. The locking device is releasable by a spring loaded actuating 
collar surrounding the shell proximate to the lower end thereof. 
The upper end of the extension rod is formed with a loop for suspension 
from a ceiling track mounted carrier, from a wall mounted bracket, or from 
a floor supported stand or carrier. A pair of vertically spaced collars 
are locked to the tubular shell at the top and near the bottom, each 
collar having pivotally secured thereto four arms for carrying an 
intravenous fluid container, each arm being pivotable between a detented 
use position extending outward away from the tubular shell and a detented 
storage position extending closely parallel to the tubular shell. 
A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel sterilizable 
intravenous fluid container carrier which is compact and light in weight 
for ease of storage and shipment. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel carrier as aforesaid 
which is continuously adjustable in length to almost twice its compacted 
length, and which includes an anti-rotation device. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel carrier as 
aforesaid including a novel length adjusting lock mechanism. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel carrier as 
aforesaid in which the carrier arms are positively detented in both their 
use and storage positions.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is seen 
the intravenous fluid container carrier according to the invention 
designated generally as 20 including an elongated hollow tubular shell or 
casing 21 within which is positioned an extension rod 22 terminating at 
its upper end in a hanger loop 23 supported from a track carrier 24 
movable in a ceiling track 25. Secured to the upper end of the tubular 
shell 21 by set screws 26 is a collar 27 carrying a set of support arms 28 
from one of which is carried an intravenous fluid container 29. Spaced 
upward a short distance from the lower end of the tubular shell 21 and 
secured thereto by set screws 30 is a second collar 31 carrying a second 
set of support arms 28 from one of which is also carried an intravenous 
fluid container 29. The upper end of the extension rod 22 below the hanger 
loop 23 passes through and is secured to a stop block 32 by means of a pin 
33. The lower end of tubular shell 21 is closed by a plug hook 34 secured 
to the shell by a pin 35. The manually operable exterior ring 36 of the 
extension rod locking mechanism actuator is positioned about the lower end 
of the tubular shell 21 just below the lower collar 31. 
Considering now FIGS. 3 through 12, and principally FIG. 3, the previously 
described structures are visible in somewhat more detail, as well as 
further views which illustrate the operation of the extension rod locking 
mechanism, the anti-rotation device, and the support arms detent 
structures. Considering first the extension rod locking mechanism and 
referring to FIGS. 3 and 8 through 12, there is seen an L-shaped actuating 
rod 37 extending through the shell 21 substantially parallel to the 
extension rod 22 and having a lower horizontal leg 38 extending outward 
through a slot 39 in the tubular shell 21 and terminating within a bore 40 
in the locking actuator exterior ring 36. The actuating rod 37 extends 
upward within the tubular shell 21, passing loosely through a bore 41 in 
the guide plug 42 through which the extension rod 22 freely passes, and 
terminates in a reduced diameter meter neck 44 surmounted by an enlarged 
head 45. The neck 44 is disposed in a slot 46 in a friction lock plate 47 
through a hole 48 through which passes the extension rod 2. 
Held captive to the lower end of the extension rod 22 by means of pin 49 is 
one end of extension spring 50 the other end of which is secured by a pin 
51 within a bore 52 formed in the upper end of the interior cylindrical 
plug portion 53 of the locking actuator. Disposed within the lower bore 54 
of the locking actuator interior plug 53 is the upper end of a compression 
spring 55 the lower end of which is seated in a bore 56 in the upper end 
of plug hook 34. The compression spring 50 biases the locking actuator 
plug 53 upward until it is restrained from further upward movement by the 
lower leg 38 of the actuating rod which engages the upper end of slot 39 
in the wall of tubular shell 21. The spring 50 biases the extension rod 22 
downward into the interior of the tubular shell 21. 
With the locking mechanism parts as shown in FIGS. 3, 11 and 12, the 
extension rod 22 is frictionally wedge locked by the lock plate 47 against 
moving upward out of the tubular shell 21, which latter is accordingly 
prevented from being pulled downward to lower the containers 29. In order 
to release the lock, the locking actuator exterior ring 36 is pulled 
downward which causes the actuating rod 37 to be moved downward within the 
tubular shell 21 to thereby pull the friction locking plate 47 down into a 
horizontal position. This allows the hole 48 in the lock plate to align 
with the extension rod 22 so that the latter and slide upward out of the 
shell 21 against the restraining force of extension spring 50. 
At the desired extension the actuator ring 36 is released which immediately 
causes the friction lock plate 47 to be restored to the position shown in 
FIGS. 3, 11 and 12, which wedge locks the extension rod 22 against further 
outward movement. The extension rod 22 is withdrawn back into the tubular 
shell 21 with the assistance of the spring 50 by simultaneously pulling 
down on the actuator ring 36 and lifting the shell 21. The required 
lifting force is minimized by the contraction force of the extension 
spring 50. 
The anti-rotation device is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 and is formed by the 
actuating rod 37 and pins 57 and 58 which are projected through the 
extension rod 22 just above and below the guide plug 42, which latter is 
retained in position by the pins. As best seen in FIG. 5, the pin 57, and 
also pin 58, does not engage the inside wall of the tubular shell 21 but 
is of sufficient length that a ninety degree rotation of the extension rod 
22 in either direction within the shell 21 causes the pins to engage 
against the side of the actuating rod 37 which then prevents further 
rotation of the extension rod 22. This device prevents winding and 
unwinding of the spring 50, and tangling of the tubing leading from the 
intravenous fluid containers hung on the various support arms. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3 through 7 for details of the support arms detent 
structures, it is seen that each of the support arms 28 is retained in its 
collar 27 or 31 by a pin 59 for pivoting movement between a support 
position extending outward from the tubular shell 21 and a storage 
position extending parallel to the tubular shell 21. As best seen in FIGS. 
3, 4 and 6, each arm 28 is disposed within a channel 60 having a pair of 
resilient flaps or lips 61 presenting horizontally inward toward one 
another at an elevation above the floor of the channel equal to the 
diameter of the support arm. These flaps 61 are the "use position" detents 
and overlie a portion of the surface of the arms 28 when the arms are in 
their down or use position and are resiliently opened as the arms are 
pushed up into storage position, all as best seen in FIG. 6. 
Also disposed within each channel 60, as best seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, are 
a pair of resilient flaps or lips 62 presenting vertically inward toward 
one another and spaced from the inner wall of the channel at a distance 
equal to the diameter of the support arm. These flaps 62 are the storage 
position detents and embrace a portion of the surface of the arms 28 when 
the arms are in their up or storage position and are resiliently opened as 
the arms are pushed down into use position. 
Having now described the invention in connection with a particularly 
illustrated embodiment thereof, it will be understood that modifications 
and variations of the invention may now naturally occur to those normally 
skilled in the art, and accordingly it is intended to claim the invention 
broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.