Patent Description:
Tubings, which are small tubes, pipes or hoses, are used in the handling sterile media, for example to distribute sterile media from container bags into vials or bottles. After use, these tubings are cut and closed with clamping devices. Often, the applications are carried out in a sterilized isolated chamber with very restricted space. The actions in the chamber have to be handled with gloves that restrict the ability to work precisely with the hands. Cutting the tubings with scissors is therefore cumbersome and difficult. Additionally, there is the risk of glove damage and if you forget to load the scissors in the isolator, it is necessary to start again a full process of the sterilization of the isolator chamber.

<CIT> discloses a plastic pipe cutter comprising a housing and an implement assembly disposed in the housing, the implement assembly including (i) a working implement, (ii) provisions for retracting the working implement into the interior region defined by the housing, and (iii) provisions for extending the working implement into a least one of a first and second aperture.

<CIT> discloses a tube cutting and separating implement for a conduit containing a flowing fluid comprising a housing, said housing having separable portions, an elongated base having a longitudinal axis, means in said hoursing for receiving a tube aligned substantially parallet to the longitudinal axis of said base, and severing means carried by one of said portions for severing said tube between said portions, whereby upon one-handed movement of said clamping means along a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of said base, said tube is severed, and said portions are separated.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an easy and convenient way to cut tubings in restricted space without having the danger of damaging equipment. This object is achieved by a device for cutting tubing according to claim <NUM>.

An inventive device for cutting tubing, in particular flexible tubing, comprises a frame, which is in particular loop-wise formed, having an entry window and an exit window for defining a pathway of the longitudinal axis of the tubing through the device, a cutting element arranged on the frame, wherein the cutting element is arranged lateral and opposite to the pathway of the tube and wherein at least a portion of the frame is formed mobile and the cutting element is arranged on or opposite to the mobile portion to enable the cutting element to be pressed into the pathway of the longitudinal axis of the tubing, wherein the frame is formed closed loop-like, and has a flat bottom, a first arcuate shaped side for the entry window, a second arcuate shaped side for the exit window, and an inclining top surface provided with the mobile portion, wherein an end of the mobile portion touches the second arcuate shaped side, and the mobile portion when being pushed downwards is moved along an inside of the second arcuate shaped side to perform a cutting action of the cutting element, and wherein the frame further comprises protective walls for covering the cutting element. Since the cutting element is provided inside the frame that accommodates a portion of the tubing and cutting is performed by simply pressing the mobile portion, it is not necessary to provide additional tools in the isolated chamber and cutting the tubing is easy, comfortable and risk free.

Preferably, the cutting element is a metal blade. A metal blade is cheap, but provides a clean and secure cut of the tubing. The cutting element can also be made from ceramic which is very durable, or of plastics, in particular of the same plastic material as the frame, which is cheap and easier to manufacture. The cutting element is preferably accommodated by the frame, for example glued into a corresponding reception, moulded into the frame or pushed into a respective reception.

To increase the safety of the cutting device, the frame comprises protective walls for covering the cutting element before, during and/or after cutting.

The frame may further comprise a support having at least one, preferably at least two protrusions. Even one protrusion can stabilize the tubing on its pathway in particular during the cutting action and makes cutting the tubing much easier.

Preferably, the support for the tubing is at least in part formed as a tunnel through which the tubing is led. Such a tunnel can separate multiple tubing and serves as an even better stabilizer.

In a more specific embodiment of the device, the cutting region of the cutting element is disposed adjacent to support for the tubing. In this way it is ensured that the cutting procedure is carried out at the most supported part and hence the most stable portion of the tubing.

The support of the tubing preferably comprises a recess to provide a cutting region of the cutting element within the support. In such an embodiment, the tubing is most securely supported during the cutting action.

In a preferred embodiment, the tube support comprises the entry window and the exit window for defining the pathway of the tubing. In this way, the frame can be independently constructed from the exit window and entry window of the tubing, but the tubing is supported appropriately by the support from entering and leaving the device.

The frame preferably comprises a one-way stopper for stopping the mobile portion from retracting after cutting. In this way it is ensured that the cutting element is held in a certain place after cutting the tubing so that the risk of an unwanted accident is avoided. The one-way stopper can be designed releasable, i.e. that for example a stopping element holds the mobile portion and can be disconnected from the mobile portion to enable the mobile portion to be retracted in the original position.

The one-way stopper can be formed with a ramp and/or a triangle shaped section. This enables an easy slide of the mobile portion over the stopper. The frame is preferably made of a flexible and deformable material and is in particular formed as an open loop. This is a very easy structure to provide the frame and the mobile portion simultaneously and as an integral embodiment.

If not specifically explained otherwise, the term axial, radial and circumferential are used in the following with regard to the tubing that is accommodated by the cutting device. in <FIG> the axial direction goes along the longitudinal direction of the tubing from left to right (or the opposite direction), the radial direction is any direction perpendicular to the axial direction and the circumferential direction is a direction around the tubing.

A cutting device <NUM> comprises a frame <NUM>, an entry window <NUM> via which the tubing <NUM> is introduced into the device <NUM>, an exit window <NUM> through which the tubing <NUM> leaves the device <NUM> , a mobile portion <NUM> and a cutting element <NUM>. The entry and exit windows are big enough to accommodate one tubing, but preferably they are able to accommodate at least two tubings (dual or multi channel tubing).

The frame <NUM> is preferably made of a plastic material, in particular since the cutting device is preferably disposable for one or only a few uses. The frame is furthermore made of a deformable, in particular flexible material that has elastic characteristics, which is particularly advantageous for providing a very simple mobile portion <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an isometric view of the cutting device <NUM> according to the present invention. This is a mere example of one embodiment of the present invention and merely the relative locations of the different elements are important, but not the specific locations as mentioned below. if the cutting element is described as being on the top side of the frame and the tubing is on the bottom, they could also be located on opposite locations as shown in <FIG>.

Additionally to the above mentioned features, the device shown in the embodiment in <FIG> comprises a support <NUM> for the tubing <NUM> and protective walls <NUM>. Furthermore, the frame <NUM> is formed loop-like, i.e. it is closed like a circle, although the shape can differ (as can be seen in the figures). The frame <NUM> of the present embodiment has a flat bottom <NUM>, an arcuate shaped side <NUM> for the entry window <NUM>, an arcuate shaped side <NUM> for the exit window <NUM> and an inclining top surface on which the mobile portion <NUM> is provided. At the end of the mobile portion, the mobile portion and the arcuate shaped side <NUM> with the exit window <NUM> are touching each other, but are not connected or only with a breakable connection as a tamperproof feature to avoid accidental actuation of the cutting device. Thus, the mobile portion <NUM> can be moved along the inside of the arcuate shaped side <NUM> and pushed downwards to perform the cutting action. On top of the mobile portion <NUM> is a rough surface <NUM>, for example small groove marks or ribs, which gives a tactile control when the mobile portion is pushed so as to avoid accidental slipping.

In the depicted embodiment of <FIG>, the cutting element <NUM> is formed on the mobile portion <NUM>. However, the cutting element is arranged opposite from the path of the tubing that is defined by the entry window <NUM> and the exit window <NUM>. The cutting blade <NUM> is arranged lateral to the pathway on which the longitudinal axis of the tubing is guided. The cutting element can be made of plastics and integrally molded into the frame. However, it is preferred that the cutting element <NUM> is a metal blade and is disposed in a reception <NUM> that is formed on the mobile portion <NUM>. The cutting element can be glued into the reception <NUM>, but it is also possible that the cutting element <NUM> is held in the reception <NUM> by a simple fit. Furthermore, the cutting element can have a cutting edge that is inclined or has a triangle shape with a sharp tip in the middle (see <FIG>).

On the side <NUM> of the frame <NUM> are provided two safety walls which cover the pathway on which the cutting element <NUM> moves in direction of the tubing <NUM>. The safety walls can also provide stability to the tubing so that the tubing cannot evade the cutting element <NUM> to the side. Additionally, the side <NUM> that abuts against the mobile portion is preferably also flexible to enable the release of the mobile portion <NUM> from the stopper as described below.

A support <NUM> for the tubing is arranged on the bottom of the frame. The support <NUM> serves to guide the tubing through the device <NUM> and also to stabilize the tubing in the cutting region. Generally, the support comprises at least <NUM> protrusion, in particular at least one protruding wall. In the embodiment that is shown in <FIG>, the support <NUM> is tunnel shaped, i.e. it comprises two side walls and a top wall which has a slit in the middle through which the lower and the upper tubings are connected. In <FIG> and <FIG> it is shown how the support can separate two tubings from each other. On the bottom of the support <NUM>, there can be provided a progressive slope <NUM> which pushes the tubing against the cutting element. In another embodiment, the support <NUM> is also used as the entry window <NUM> and the exit window <NUM> (see <FIG>). Furthermore, the support <NUM> is arranged adjacent to the region in which the cutting element <NUM> will cut the tubings. Preferably the support <NUM> comprises a groove <NUM> in which the cutting element will enter while or after cutting of the tubing is performed.

The frame <NUM> comprises a stopper <NUM> on the side <NUM> on which the mobile portion <NUM> is moving. The stopper serves to keep the mobile portion in the cutting position after it has been used to cut the tubing. The stopper has a cross section that is shaped to enable an easy movement for the mobile portion over the stopper, but restrict the movement of the mobile portion <NUM> when it is in the position after cutting. Such a shape is for example a triangle shape.

<FIG> show embodiments of the present invention which differ in the placement and orientation of the tube support and the cutting element. <FIG> for instance shows an embodiment in which the tube support is arranged on the mobile portion, and the cutting element is fixed on the bottom of the frame. The cutting is then carried out by pushing the tubing against the knife. In <FIG> the support <NUM> is rotated about <NUM>° degrees so that the frame <NUM> does not have entry and exit windows. Therefore, the support <NUM> serves as entry and exit windows.

For use, the tubing is introduced into the entry window <NUM> of the frame <NUM>, is guided through the support <NUM> for the tubing <NUM> on the pathway and led out of the exit window. In case there are multiple tubings, the upper and lower tubings are guided through the respective locations on the support <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, the device <NUM> can be freely moved along the tubing until the correct position is achieved (Arrow A).

Claim 1:
Device (<NUM>) for cutting tubing (<NUM>), comprising:
a frame (<NUM>) having an entry window (<NUM>) and an exit window (<NUM>) for defining a pathway of the longitudinal axis of the tubing (<NUM>) through the device (<NUM>);
a cutting element (<NUM>) arranged on the frame (<NUM>), wherein the cutting element (<NUM>) is arranged lateral and opposite to the pathway of the tubing; and
wherein at least the portion of the frame (<NUM>) is formed as a mobile portion (<NUM>) and the cutting element (<NUM>) is arranged on or opposite to the mobile portion (<NUM>) to enable the cutting element (<NUM>) to be pressed into the pathway of the longitudinal axis of the tubing (<NUM>),
wherein the frame (<NUM>) is formed closed loop-like, and has a flat bottom (<NUM>), a first arcuate shaped side (<NUM>) for entry window (<NUM>), a second arcuate shaped side (<NUM>) for the exit window (<NUM>), and an inclining top surface provided with the mobile portion (<NUM>),
wherein an end of the mobile portion (<NUM>) touches the second arcuate shaped side (<NUM>), and the mobile portion (<NUM>) when being pushed downwards is moved along an inside of the second arcuate shaped side (<NUM>) to perform a cutting action of the cutting element (<NUM>), and.
wherein the frame (<NUM>) further comprises protective walls (<NUM>) for covering the cutting element (<NUM>).