Fluid dispensing or feeding device

A fluid dispensing device includes a pressurizing device coupled between a fluid bottle and a discharge tube for forcing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube without gravity, the pressurizing device includes a container having an inclined inner peripheral surface, and a piston slidably received in the container and having an outer peripheral portion for selectively engaging with the inclined inner peripheral surface of the container in order to pump the fluid into the discharge tube when the piston is moved toward the discharge tube, and for being selectively disengaged from the inner peripheral surface of the container when the piston is moved away from the discharge tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fluid dispensing or feeding device, and more particularly to a fluid dispensing or feeding device including a pressurizing device for pressurizing fluid and for allowing fluid bottle to be disposed below hearts of patients or users, and thus for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device to be easily carried by the patients or users.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typically, fluid dispensing or feeding devices have been developed and provided for feeding or injecting medicinal fluids intravenously into human body tissue, and comprise a feed tube having a hypodermic needle provided on one end thereof for engaging into a fluid bottle or container, and having an injection needle provided on the other end thereof, for penetrating into patient's body tissue and for the purposes of injecting the fluid as desired.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,884 to Wunsch discloses one of the typical fluid dispensing or feeding devices including a hydraulically operating pump for finely atomizing fluids.

However, a complicated control system or pumping mechanism is required to be provided and includes a lot of parts or elements that may not be easily manufactured and assembled.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,658 to Wang, the present applicant, discloses another fluid dispensing device including a pressurizing device coupled between a bottle and a discharge tube for forcing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube without gravity, in which the pressurizing device includes a container coupled between the bottle and the discharge tube, a piston slidably received in the container, and a motor coupled to the piston to move the piston in the reciprocating action within the container.

However, a complicated coupling mechanism is required to be provided and coupled between the motor and the piston for actuating or operating the piston to pump or to pressurize the fluid, and includes a lot of parts or elements that may not be easily manufactured and assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispensing or feeding device including a pressurizing device for pressurizing fluid and for allowing fluid bottle to be disposed below hearts of patients or users, and thus for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device to be easily carried by the patients or users.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispensing or feeding device including a simplified structure or mechanism for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device to be made with a suitably reduced or decreased manufacturing cost and a simplified assembling procedure.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid dispensing device comprising a bottle for receiving fluid therein, a discharge tube, a pressurizing device coupled between the bottle and the discharge tube for pressurizing the fluid and for forcing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube without gravity, and the pressurizing device includes a container coupled between the bottle and the discharge tube and having an inclined inner peripheral surface, a piston slidably received in the container and having an outer peripheral portion for engaging with the inner peripheral surface of the container, and the outer peripheral portion of the piston being engageable with the inner peripheral surface of the container in order to force the fluid into the discharge tube when the piston is moved toward the discharge tube, and the outer peripheral portion of the piston being disengaged from the inner peripheral surface of the container and to allow the fluid to flow through a gap between the inner peripheral surface of the container and the outer peripheral portion of the piston when the piston is moved away from the discharge tube, and a motor coupled to the piston to move the piston in a reciprocating action within the container.

The container includes a shaft rotatably supported in the container and extended into the container, and an eccentric crank coupled to the shaft and coupled to the piston for allowing the piston to be driven by the shaft.

A first pinion is attached to a spindle of the motor and coupled to the shaft for allowing the shaft to be driven by the motor. A pole is rotatably supported in the container, a first gear is attached to the pole and engaged with the first pinion, a second gear is attached to the shaft, and a second pinion is attached to pole and engaged with the second gear for allowing the shaft to be rotated and driven by the motor.

The piston includes an extension extended therefrom, and a link is coupled between the extension of the piston and the crank, to allow the piston to be moved by the motor and the crank. One or more batteries may be coupled to the motor to energize the motor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS.1and3-4, a fluid dispensing or feeding device1in accordance with the present invention comprises a fluid container or bottle10for receiving fluids, such as medicinal fluids to be fed or injected intravenously into human body tissue, and a delivery or discharge tube20having a hollow hypodermic needle21provided on one end thereof for coupling to the bottle10, and having an injection needle22provided on the other end thereof, for penetrating into patient's body tissue and for the purposes of injecting the fluid as desired. A clamp valve23is attached onto the flexible discharge tube20so as to control the dispensing or the rate of flow of the fluid in the well known manner.

Also positioned in the discharge tube20and located near the hollow hypodermic needle21or the bottle10is a drip meter or flow indicating device24usually made of transparent material for allowing the drops of fluid passing from the bottle10to the discharge tube20to be observed. An air relief valve25may further be provided and attached to the discharge tube20, and preferably disposed close to the injection needle22, for selectively relieving air, and for preventing air from being injected into human body tissue inadvertently, when no fluid is forced to flow through the discharge tube20.

The fluid dispensing or feeding device1includes a pressurizing device30attached to or coupled between the bottle10and the discharge tube20, for pressurizing the fluid and for allowing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube20despite of the gravity, and thus for allowing the fluid bottle10to be disposed below the hearts of the patients or users, and thus for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device1to be easily carried by the patients or users at any suitable position. The pressurizing means or device30includes a container31having a cap32attached to one end or upper portion33thereof, and a hollow hypodermic needle34provided on or attached onto or extended from the cap32, for engaging into the bottle neck portion11of the bottle10, and thus for receiving the fluid from the bottle10.

The container31includes a resilient plug35attached to the other end or lower portion36thereof, for blocking or enclosing the other end or lower portion36of the container31. The hollow hypodermic needle21of the discharge tube20is to be engaged through the resilient plug35and into the container31, for allowing the fluid to flow out of the fluid container31and to flow through the discharge tube20. The resilient plug35is preferably made of such as rubber or synthetic materials for resiliently clamping or engaging with the hollow hypodermic needle21and for making a water tight seal between the fluid container31and the hollow hypodermic needle21.

The pressurizing device30further includes a piston37slidably received in the container31and movable up and down relative to the container31, and the piston37is made of soft or resilient rubber or plastic materials and includes a substantially planar structure having a softer or resilient outer peripheral portion370for engaging with an inner peripheral surface38of the container31, and the inner peripheral surface38of the container31is tapered or inclined or narrowed from the upper portion33or the middle portion39toward the middle portion39or the lower portion36of the container31for forming a cone or frustum-shaped inner peripheral surface38in the container31and for suitably engaging with the outer peripheral portion370of the pinion37.

The outer diameter of the pinion37is greater than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface38at the middle portion39or the lower portion36of the container31for allowing the outer peripheral portion370of the pinion37to be selectively engaged with the inner peripheral surface38of the container31, and to allow the piston37to force the fluid toward the plug35and into the discharge tube20through the hollow hypodermic needle21when the piston37is moved toward the plug35or away from the cap32(FIG. 4), in addition, outer diameter of the pinion37is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface38at the middle portion39or the upper portion33of the container31for allowing the outer peripheral portion370of the pinion37to be selectively disengaged from the inner peripheral surface38of the container31, and to allow the fluid to flow through the gap or passage between the inner peripheral surface38of the container31and the outer peripheral portion370of the piston37when the piston37is moved away from the plug35or toward the cap32(FIGS. 1,3).

A motor40is further provided and attached to the container31, and a shaft41rotatably attached to or supported in the container31and extended into the container31, and an eccentric crank42coupled to the shaft41, for allowing the crank42to be rotated or driven by the shaft41. A link43is pivotally or rotatably to the crank42(FIG. 2) and coupled to a socket or extension44of the piston37with a pivot pin or universal joint45, to allow the piston37to be moved or driven in a reciprocating action within the container31by the motor40and the shaft41and the crank42. A coupling or connecting means or device or a speed reduction means or device or mechanism50may further be provided and coupled between the motor40and the shaft41for allowing the shaft41to be rotated or driven by the motor40with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque.

For example, a casing46is provided on or attached onto or extended from the container31for receiving or supporting the motor40and/or one or more batteries47which may further be provided and coupled to the motor40in order to energize and actuate the motor40. The motor40includes a pinion or worm or gear48(FIG. 2) attached to a spindle49thereof (FIG. 1). The speed reduction means or device50includes a pole51rotatably attached to or supported in the container31and preferably, but not necessarily arranged perpendicular to the pinion48and the shaft41, and a worm or a gear52attached to one end of the pole51for engaging with the pinion48and thus for allowing the pole51and the gear52to be rotated or driven by the motor40with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque.

The speed reduction means or device50further includes a worm or a gear or a pinion53attached to the other end of the pole51, and a further pinion or gear54attached to the shaft41and engaged with the pinion53of the pole51for allowing the shaft41and the crank42to be rotated or driven by the motor40with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque in order to move or actuate or operate the link43and the extension44and thus the piston37with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque. Alternatively, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the shaft41may also be directly coupled to the motor40in order to be rotated or driven by the motor40.

In operation, as shown inFIG. 3, when the piston37is moved or driven toward the plug35or away from the cap32by the motor40, the fluid contained in the lower portion36of the container31may be forced to flow toward the plug35and to flow into the discharge tube20through the hollow hypodermic needle21, such that the fluid may be pressurized by the motor40and may be forced to flow through the discharge tube20without gravity, such that the fluid bottle10may be disposed below the hearts of the patients or users, and thus such that the fluid dispensing or feeding device1may be easily carried by the patients or users.

As shown inFIG. 3, when the piston37is moved or driven away from the plug35or toward the cap32by the motor40, the fluid contained in the upper portion33of the container31may flow through the gap or passage between the inner peripheral surface38of the container31and the outer peripheral portion370of the piston37and may then flow into the lower portion36of the container31, for being forced to flow into the discharge tube20again when the piston37is moved or driven toward the plug35or away from the cap32by the motor40again, such that the fluid may be pressurized by the motor40in reciprocating action, and may be controlled and forced to flow through the discharge tube20without gravity. The pumping mechanism of the container31and the piston37includes a simplified structure or configuration for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device1to be made with a suitably reduced or decreased manufacturing cost and a simplified assembling procedure.

The motor40and the piston37and/or clamp valve23and/or the flow indicating device24may be suitably arranged to control the dispensing or the rate of flow of the fluid through the discharge tube20, and to prevent the fluid from being over pressurized. The motor40may be controlled or actuated by a switch (not shown) or the like, and the shaft41and the crank42and the piston37may be actuated or operated by the motor40and the speed reduction means or device50with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque for allowing the medicine fluid to be suitably injected into the patient's body tissue. The other control device (not shown) may be used to control or to adjust or to change the operating speed of the motor40and/or the rate of flow of the medicine fluid into the patient's body tissue.

Accordingly, the fluid dispensing or feeding device in accordance with the present invention includes a pressurizing device for pressurizing fluid and for allowing fluid bottle to be disposed below hearts of patients or users, and thus for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device to be easily carried by the patients or users, and includes a speed reduction device or mechanism coupled between the motor and the piston for allowing the piston to be actuated or driven by the motor with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque.