Patent Publication Number: US-2006020257-A1

Title: Retractable intravenous tube organizer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Not Applicable  
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
      Not Applicable  
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      This invention relates to medical instruments, specifically to a device that organizes an intravenous tube.  
      2. Discussion of Prior Art  
      Everyday, hospital patients around the world wake up to a continued fight for their own survival. Modern medicine, with its many technologies and methods, tries to help these individuals as much as possible with the continuous infusion of medicines and other fluids. These injections are usually administered into the patient&#39;s body through tubes called Intravenous lines. These Intravenous (I.V.) lines allow the medicine to be injected directly into the blood stream without the need for constant injections. Unfortunately, these lines can only carry one medicine at a time; thus, as many as ten different I.V. lines can be attached to a patient at any one moment. Because of the number of I.V. lines going to a single patient, the I.V. lines can easily tangle and very commonly do. This “spaghetti,” as it is known by the nurses, can be very dangerous for the patients and very time consuming for the nurses to unravel.  
      Many devices have been created to confront this common problem. Unfortunately, none of these previous devices is capable of solving the multitude of problems associated with the organization of the I.V. lines. The fact is that a new device is needed to solve the entire I.V. line dilemma, not just a segment of it. Without the creation of a new device, I.V. patient care will continue to be unsafe, unorganized, and cluttered.  
      The first part of the I.V. line dilemma that is not addressed by these previous devices is safety. Many of the previous devices are designed so all the I.V. lines are attached to a single piece of plastic or similar material. This design separates the I.V. lines so they cannot tangle. The problem is that since all the lines are attached to the single piece of plastic, the mobility of the individual I.V. lines is decreased. The reason for this is that since all the lines are attached to a central location, if the patient moves her arm, the I.V. line attached to her leg gets pulled the same distance, potentially pulling either I.V. line out. The requirement of a new device that allows for the safe mobility of both patients and individual I.V. lines is essential.  
      Similarly, one of the most important dilemmas in the safety of the I.V. line is being able to control the extreme length of the I.V. lines. The average I.V. line is 2.5 meters long and the majority of the previous devices do not reduce this length. This length is needed for mobility but causes many problems for the patients and nurses during transfers and other movement activities. This is because the I.V. lines can be very easily tripped on, an occurrence potentially very harmful for the patient. The necessity of a device that can shorten the I.V. lines while maintaining mobility is essential. This inability of the previous devices to solve the safety dilemma of I.V. lines defines the reason why a new device is needed.  
      The second part of the I.V. line dilemma that is not addressed by these previous devices is the need to reduce bed side clutter. All of the previous devices require space. Even the simplest devices still require a significant section of the hospital bed when considering the size and nature of current hospital rooms. As the patient&#39;s condition improves, the significance of such space becomes even greater since those patients would be expected by the hospital staff to move around. A perfect example of a device that solves a large portion of the I.V. line dilemma but increases the clutter was designed and built by the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin, Madison 1 . This device requires the hospital to attach the device to either the bed rail or to the I.V. bag pole. Such actions would significantly increase the clutter of the hospital room, especially when considering that only one line can be organized per device. This inability of the previous devices to solve the clutter dilemma of I.V. lines also defines the reason why a new device is needed.  
      In summation, although the previous devices do solve parts of the I.V. line dilemma, they certainly overlook many important segments.  
      3. Objects and Advantages  
      Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are as follows. 
          a.) To provide a device that reduces the length of the individual intravenous lines.     b.) To provide a device that organizes the intravenous lines.     c.) To provide a device that attaches directly to the intravenous lines for improved mobility.     d.) To provide a device that does not constrict the flow of medicine to the patient.     e.) To provide a device that allows for the extension and retraction of the intravenous lines for increased safety and mobility.        

      Further objects and advantages are to provide a device that can be attached and detached from the intravenous lines easily, without the crimping or tearing of the intravenous lines, is inexpensive, and is easy to use. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.  
     SUMMARY  
      In accordance with the present invention, a Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer comprises a base having a clip, a clip adjacent to the base clip, and a retractable cord attaching both.  
     DRAWINGS—FIGURES  
      In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetical suffixes.  
       FIG. 1A  shows an expanded isometric view.  
       FIG. 1B  shows an expanded side view.  
       FIG. 1C  shows an expanded top view  FIG. 2  shows an isometric view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A  shows an isometric view of the retract base.  
       FIG. 3B  shows a top view of the retract base.  
       FIG. 4  shows an isometric view of the present invention attached to an intravenous line.  
       FIG. 5  shows an isometric view of the base and base clip with a section of Intravenous line correctly snapped into the base clip.  
                               DRAWINGS-Reference Numerals                                            10-Attachment Screw           12-Base Bottom           14-Retract Spring           16-Cord Holder           18-Axle           20-Base Top           22a-Retract Clip           22b-Base Clip           24-Cord Holder Rest           26-Spring Attachment Groove           28-Spring Attachment Point           30-Hole           32-Hole           34-Hole           36-Base Assembly           38-Retract Base Assembly           40-Cord           42-Hole           44-Retracting Mechanism Assembly                        
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION—FIGS.  1 A,  1 B AND  1 C—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1A  (expanded isometric view),  FIG. 1B  (expanded side view) and  FIG. 1C  (expanded top view). The present invention has a base assembly  36  consisting of a base clip  22   b , a base top  20 , a cord holder rest  24 , an axle  18 , a retracting mechanism assembly  44 , a base bottom  12 , and an attachment screw  10 . The retracting mechanism assembly  44  consists of a cord holder  16  and a retract spring  14 . The retract base assembly  38  consists of a retract clip  22   a  and a hole  42 . ( FIGS. 3A and 3B .)  
      In the preferred embodiment of the retracting mechanism assembly  44 , the retract spring  14  rests inside the cord holder  16  and is attached to the cord holder at the spring attachment point  28 .  
      In the preferred embodiment of the base assembly  36 , the axle  18  is inserted through hole  30  until the retracting mechanism assembly  44  rests on the cord holder rest  24 . The retract spring  14  is then inserted through the spring attachment groove  26  which is cut through the center of the axle  18 . Both the axle  18  and the cord holder rest  24  are part of the base top  20 . The attachment screw  10  is then inserted through the base bottom  12  at hole  32  and into the spring attachment groove  26 . The attachment screw  10  is then screwed into the spring attachment groove  26  until tight against the axle  18 . The result allows for the rotation of the cord holder  16  around the axle  18  while allowing both the retract spring  14  to function and the base assembly  36  to be fully connected.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the retract base assembly  38  and the base assembly  36  are connected by a cord  40 . First, cord  40  is attached to the retract base assembly  38  at hole  42 . Next, cord  40  is inserted into the base assembly  36  through hole  34  and wrapped around the cord holder  16 . Finally, cord  40  is attached to the spring attachment point  28 . The result allows for the extraction of the retract base assembly  38  from its position next to the base assembly  36  and the automatic retraction of the retract base assembly  38  back to the base assembly  36  with a force that is just greater than the weight of an I.V. line filled with liquid.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the retract clip  22   a  is on the same side of the retract base assembly  38  as the base clip  22   b.    
      In the preferred embodiment, the base top  20 , the base bottom  12 , the retract base assembly  38 , the retract clip  22   a , cord holder  16  and base clip  22   b  will be made of any durable plastic. However, any material that is shock resistant could be used.  
      In the preferred embodiment, both the retract clip  22   a  and the base clip  22   b  consist of holes that are drilled to an interference fit with the intravenous line and are opened by a slot that is two thirds the diameter of these holes. However, these clips could be any apparatus of any dimension that would connect the retracting mechanism assembly  44  to the intravenous line without collapsing the I.V. line and restricting flow through the intravenous line.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the retract spring  14  will be made of non-magnetic stainless steel. However, any material that demonstrates a fixed spring constant over the range of use could be used.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the base assembly  36  will be held together by a nylon fastener. However, any type of fastener, rivet or adhesive material could be used to attach the base assembly  36 . Also, the base assembly  36  could be made of two pieces that snap together to form the required internal structure.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the cord  40  will be small gauge, nylon string that is approximately three feet in length. However, any type of string or wire could be used at any length.  
      In the preferred embodiment, the side opposite the base clip  22   b  will have a surface that would allow nurses to make notes on what type of fluid is flowing through the intravenous tube and to where the intravenous line is attached to the patient.  
      Finally, in the preferred embodiment the Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer will be a one time use device. Meaning that after the Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer is used to organize an individual patient&#39;s intravenous line; it will be thrown away for sanitary purposes along with the I.V. line.  
      Operation— FIG. 1   a ,  4 ,  5   
      The process of using the Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer is very simple. One first pushes the base clip  22   b  onto an intravenous tube at any point on the intravenous tube so the intravenous tube is contained within the base clip  22   b  as shown in  FIG. 5  and the retract base assembly  38  is below the base assembly  36 . One then extends the retract base assembly  38  to some point lower on the intravenous tube. Next, one pushes the retract clip  22   a  onto the intravenous tube at that lower point on the intravenous tube so the intravenous tube is contained within the retract clip as shown in  FIG. 5 . Finally, one releases the retract base assembly  38 , allowing the retract base assembly  38  to retract back to the base assembly  36 . The final result of attaching the Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer is shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      Advantages  
      From the description above, a number of advantages of my Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer become evident: 
          (a) The retracting action of the organizer allows for shortening of the intravenous tube.     (b) The shortening of the intravenous tube organizes the intravenous tube into an controlled loop.     (c) The clips allow for simple attachment and detachment of the intravenous line.     (d) The device organizes the intravenous tube while keeping full mobility of the I.V. line for the patient.     (e) The clips attach to the intravenous tube in such a way that will not constrict the flow of medicine to the patient.     (f) The simple design allows for plastic injection molding which reduces the price per unit by a significant margin.     (g) The simple operation of the device allows for quick and uncomplicated usage.     (h) The flat surface of the base bottom allows a place for nurses and other medical employees to label the individual lines with notes on what the tube contains.     (i) The non-magnetic qualities of the organizer also allow for the use of this device in MRI machines without danger to the patient.     (j) The small size allows for increased safety without the increase of hospital room clutter.        

     CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE  
      Accordingly, the reader will see that the present invention can be used to easily organize an intravenous line, can be easily connected and removed from an intravenous line, and can be easily implemented while still allowing full mobility to the patient. In addition to giving patience full mobility and nurses&#39; quicker access to the correct intravenous tube, the Retractable Intravenous Tube Organizer allows for the complete integration of itself into a hospital atmosphere. Its organizing qualities, small size and simple design help improve patient safety and hospital efficiency.  
      Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the base could be many other shapes, such as oval, rectangular, triangular, etc.; the retract base could also have many different shapes; the clips could be an alligator clip or similar device; all the parts of the invention could be made from any colored material; the retract base could be in an infinite number of locations around the base, with the retract clip on any side of the retract base, etc.  
      Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.