Patent Publication Number: US-7584872-B2

Title: Fluid dispensing or feeding device

Description:
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/827,584, filed 11 Jul. 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,873, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/986,416, filed 10 Nov. 2004, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,658. 

   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&#39;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. 
   The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional fluid dispensing or feeding devices. 
   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. 
   Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partial cross sectional view of a fluid dispensing or feeding device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial perspective view illustrating a portion of the fluid dispensing or feeding device; and 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are partial cross sectional views similar to  FIG. 1 , illustrating the operation of the fluid dispensing or feeding device. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS.  1  and  3 - 4 , a fluid dispensing or feeding device  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises a fluid container or bottle  10  for receiving fluids, such as medicinal fluids to be fed or injected intravenously into human body tissue, and a delivery or discharge tube  20  having a hollow hypodermic needle  21  provided on one end thereof for coupling to the bottle  10 , and having an injection needle  22  provided on the other end thereof, for penetrating into patient&#39;s body tissue and for the purposes of injecting the fluid as desired. A clamp valve  23  is attached onto the flexible discharge tube  20  so as to control the dispensing or the rate of flow of the fluid in the well known manner. 
   Also positioned in the discharge tube  20  and located near the hollow hypodermic needle  21  or the bottle  10  is a drip meter or flow indicating device  24  usually made of transparent material for allowing the drops of fluid passing from the bottle  10  to the discharge tube  20  to be observed. An air relief valve  25  may further be provided and attached to the discharge tube  20 , and preferably disposed close to the injection needle  22 , 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 tube  20 . 
   The fluid dispensing or feeding device  1  includes a pressurizing device  30  attached to or coupled between the bottle  10  and the discharge tube  20 , for pressurizing the fluid and for allowing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube  20  despite of the gravity, and thus for allowing the fluid bottle  10  to be disposed below the hearts of the patients or users, and thus for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device  1  to be easily carried by the patients or users at any suitable position. The pressurizing means or device  30  includes a container  31  having a cap  32  attached to one end or upper portion  33  thereof, and a hollow hypodermic needle  34  provided on or attached onto or extended from the cap  32 , for engaging into the bottle neck portion  11  of the bottle  10 , and thus for receiving the fluid from the bottle  10 . 
   The container  31  includes a resilient plug  35  attached to the other end or lower portion  36  thereof, for blocking or enclosing the other end or lower portion  36  of the container  31 . The hollow hypodermic needle  21  of the discharge tube  20  is to be engaged through the resilient plug  35  and into the container  31 , for allowing the fluid to flow out of the fluid container  31  and to flow through the discharge tube  20 . The resilient plug  35  is preferably made of such as rubber or synthetic materials for resiliently clamping or engaging with the hollow hypodermic needle  21  and for making a water tight seal between the fluid container  31  and the hollow hypodermic needle  21 . 
   The pressurizing device  30  further includes a piston  37  slidably received in the container  31  and movable up and down relative to the container  31 , and the piston  37  is made of soft or resilient rubber or plastic materials and includes a substantially planar structure having a softer or resilient outer peripheral portion  370  for engaging with an inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31 , and the inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31  is tapered or inclined or narrowed from the upper portion  33  or the middle portion  39  toward the middle portion  39  or the lower portion  36  of the container  31  for forming a cone or frustum-shaped inner peripheral surface  38  in the container  31  and for suitably engaging with the outer peripheral portion  370  of the pinion  37 . 
   The outer diameter of the pinion  37  is greater than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface  38  at the middle portion  39  or the lower portion  36  of the container  31  for allowing the outer peripheral portion  370  of the pinion  37  to be selectively engaged with the inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31 , and to allow the piston  37  to force the fluid toward the plug  35  and into the discharge tube  20  through the hollow hypodermic needle  21  when the piston  37  is moved toward the plug  35  or away from the cap  32  ( FIG. 4 ), in addition, outer diameter of the pinion  37  is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface  38  at the middle portion  39  or the upper portion  33  of the container  31  for allowing the outer peripheral portion  370  of the pinion  37  to be selectively disengaged from the inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31 , and to allow the fluid to flow through the gap or passage between the inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31  and the outer peripheral portion  370  of the piston  37  when the piston  37  is moved away from the plug  35  or toward the cap  32  ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 ). 
   A motor  40  is further provided and attached to the container  31 , and a shaft  41  rotatably attached to or supported in the container  31  and extended into the container  31 , and an eccentric crank  42  coupled to the shaft  41 , for allowing the crank  42  to be rotated or driven by the shaft  41 . A link  43  is pivotally or rotatably to the crank  42  ( FIG. 2 ) and coupled to a socket or extension  44  of the piston  37  with a pivot pin or universal joint  45 , to allow the piston  37  to be moved or driven in a reciprocating action within the container  31  by the motor  40  and the shaft  41  and the crank  42 . A coupling or connecting means or device or a speed reduction means or device or mechanism  50  may further be provided and coupled between the motor  40  and the shaft  41  for allowing the shaft  41  to be rotated or driven by the motor  40  with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque. 
   For example, a casing  46  is provided on or attached onto or extended from the container  31  for receiving or supporting the motor  40  and/or one or more batteries  47  which may further be provided and coupled to the motor  40  in order to energize and actuate the motor  40 . The motor  40  includes a pinion or worm or gear  48  ( FIG. 2 ) attached to a spindle  49  thereof ( FIG. 1 ). The speed reduction means or device  50  includes a pole  51  rotatably attached to or supported in the container  31  and preferably, but not necessarily arranged perpendicular to the pinion  48  and the shaft  41 , and a worm or a gear  52  attached to one end of the pole  51  for engaging with the pinion  48  and thus for allowing the pole  51  and the gear  52  to be rotated or driven by the motor  40  with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque. 
   The speed reduction means or device  50  further includes a worm or a gear or a pinion  53  attached to the other end of the pole  51 , and a further pinion or gear  54  attached to the shaft  41  and engaged with the pinion  53  of the pole  51  for allowing the shaft  41  and the crank  42  to be rotated or driven by the motor  40  with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque in order to move or actuate or operate the link  43  and the extension  44  and thus the piston  37  with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque. Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the shaft  41  may also be directly coupled to the motor  40  in order to be rotated or driven by the motor  40 . 
   In operation, as shown in  FIG. 3 , when the piston  37  is moved or driven toward the plug  35  or away from the cap  32  by the motor  40 , the fluid contained in the lower portion  36  of the container  31  may be forced to flow toward the plug  35  and to flow into the discharge tube  20  through the hollow hypodermic needle  21 , such that the fluid may be pressurized by the motor  40  and may be forced to flow through the discharge tube  20  without gravity, such that the fluid bottle  10  may be disposed below the hearts of the patients or users, and thus such that the fluid dispensing or feeding device  1  may be easily carried by the patients or users. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the piston  37  is moved or driven away from the plug  35  or toward the cap  32  by the motor  40 , the fluid contained in the upper portion  33  of the container  31  may flow through the gap or passage between the inner peripheral surface  38  of the container  31  and the outer peripheral portion  370  of the piston  37  and may then flow into the lower portion  36  of the container  31 , for being forced to flow into the discharge tube  20  again when the piston  37  is moved or driven toward the plug  35  or away from the cap  32  by the motor  40  again, such that the fluid may be pressurized by the motor  40  in reciprocating action, and may be controlled and forced to flow through the discharge tube  20  without gravity. The pumping mechanism of the container  31  and the piston  37  includes a simplified structure or configuration for allowing the fluid dispensing or feeding device  1  to be made with a suitably reduced or decreased manufacturing cost and a simplified assembling procedure. 
   The motor  40  and the piston  37  and/or clamp valve  23  and/or the flow indicating device  24  may be suitably arranged to control the dispensing or the rate of flow of the fluid through the discharge tube  20 , and to prevent the fluid from being over pressurized. The motor  40  may be controlled or actuated by a switch (not shown) or the like, and the shaft  41  and the crank  42  and the piston  37  may be actuated or operated by the motor  40  and the speed reduction means or device  50  with a reduced driving speed and/or an increased driving torque for allowing the medicine fluid to be suitably injected into the patient&#39;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 motor  40  and/or the rate of flow of the medicine fluid into the patient&#39;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. 
   Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.