FILLING SYSTEM FOR AN ANESTHETIC DISPENSER
A filling system for an anesthetic dispenser has a coding feature. An opening (29) is provided at a connection piece top side (10) of an outlet connection piece (8) of a bottle adapter (100). The opening (29) is connected to the lateral slots (9) and a length of rods on an inner wall of the filling connection piece is dimensioned such that they mesh both with the slots (9) and with the opening (29).
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This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application DE 10 2010 035 993.9 filed Sep. 1, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention pertains to a filling system for an anesthetic dispenser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA filling system for an anesthetic dispenser has become known from DE 10 2004 063 883 B3. To be able to fill anesthetic into an anesthetic evaporator, a bottle adapter is needed, which makes the connection between the reservoir for liquid anesthetic and the filling device at the anesthetic evaporator. At the bottle-side end of the bottle adapter, a threaded sleeve is provided, which has two grooves for mounting an index collar attached to the neck of the reservoir. The index collar is coded anesthetic-specific, so that only the bottle adapter fitting the reservoir can be screwed onto the bottle thread.
An anesthetic-specific coding in the form of an outer polygonal course, which meshes with a corresponding inner polygonal course at the filling connection piece of the filling device, is likewise provided at the adapter neck of the bottle adapter.
The outlet connection piece of the bottle adapter is closed by means of a spring-loaded adapter valve, so that no anesthetic can leak into the environment. A corresponding fill valve is provided at the filling device. On the inner wall of the filling connection piece are attached inwardly directed rods, which mesh with corresponding slots at the outlet connection piece of the bottle adapter and actuate the adapter valve upon pressing the reservoir. The interplay between the bottle adapter and the filling device is designed such that first the fill valve at the filling device opens and then the adapter valve at the bottle adapter opens. Liquid anesthetic can then flow from the reservoir into the tank of the anesthetic evaporator. Reference is expressly made to the entire disclosure content of DE 10 2004 063 883 B3, which is part of this patent application (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,561 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA basic object of the present invention is to provide a filling system for an anesthetic dispenser with an additional coding possibility.
According to the invention, a filling system is provided for an anesthetic dispenser. The filling system comprises an anesthetic evaporator, a bottle adapter having an adapter neck and an outlet connection piece comprising a slot running in the radial direction and a central opening connected to the slot. A filling device is provided at the anesthetic evaporator with a filling connection piece for mounting the adapter neck. A rod structure is fastened to the filling connection piece. The rod structure includes a rod extending radially from a center and meshing with the central opening.
The rod structure may comprises a spoked wheel configuration including the rod and a central flange. The slots may comprise a slot structure with a spoked wheel configuration at the outlet connection piece of the bottle adapter. The flange may be designed corresponding to the central opening. The central opening may comprise an extension of the slot.
The spoked wheel configuration of the rod structure may comprise the rod and additional rods and the flange as a central punctiform portion or a virtual connection point, at which the rods converge in a center of the filling connection piece.
Provisions are made according to the present invention to provide a central opening, on the front side of the outlet connection piece of the bottle adapter, which is connected to the lateral slots. On the inner wall of the filling connection piece are fastened rods, pointing radially inwards, which preferably protrude at right angles from the inner wall and whose length is dimensioned, such that they mesh both with the slots and with the opening. Instead of the preferred plurality of rods, at least one rod is present. With a rod length designed in this way, bottle adapters, which do not have a central opening on the front side of the bottle adapter, can no longer be inserted into the filling device. If, by contrast, the rod length is dimensioned such that the rods lie exclusively in the lateral slots, bottle adapters both with front-side and without front-side opening can be used. It is especially advantageous that the coding provided according to the present invention is downwards-compatible with the solution known from DE 10 2004 063 883 B3, such that filling devices and bottle adapters that are present can continue to be used. As alternatives to a central opening, the slots may also be continued or extended towards the center, or widen towards the center. These and equally acting solutions are also expressly intended to be covered by patent protection.
It is especially advantageous to design the rod as a spoked wheel with a central flange and to design the slots at the outlet connection piece of the bottle adapter and front-side opening corresponding to the spoked wheel and to the flange. The spoked wheel consists of individual rods, which are directed towards the center of the filling connection piece and are connected to one another in the center via the flange. Additional codings can be created via the diameter of the flange and the inside diameter of the opening. The flange may either have a circular design or it is only a connection point, which connects the spokes to one another. As an alternative, the flange may be a virtual connection point, at which the spokes converge in the center.
It also lies within the framework of the present invention that the bottle adapter does not have a threaded sleeve, but rather is rigidly connected to the reservoir for liquid anesthetic or is directly flanged to the reservoir.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings and explained in detail below. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
In the drawings:
Referring to the drawings in particular,
By contrast, the bottle adapter 1 shown in
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
Claims
1. A filling system for an anesthetic dispenser, the filling system comprising:
- an anesthetic evaporator;
- a bottle adapter having an adapter neck and an outlet connection piece comprising at least one slot running in the radial direction and a central opening connected to said at least one slot;
- a filling device at the anesthetic evaporator with a filling connection piece for adapting the adapter neck; and
- at least one rod fastened to the filling connection piece, said at last one rod extending radially from a center and meshing with said central opening.
2. A filling system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:
- said at least one rod comprises a rod spoked wheel configuration;
- said at least one slot comprises a slot spoked wheel configuration; and
- said flange is designed corresponding to said central opening.
3. A filling system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said central opening comprises an extension of said at least one slot or slots.
4. A filling system in accordance with claim 2, wherein:
- said rod spoked wheel configuration comprises said at least one rod, additional rods and said flange as a central punctiform portion or a virtual connection point, at which said rods converge in a center of said filling connection piece.
5. A filling system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said central opening comprises an extension of said slot.
6. A filling system in accordance with claim 5, wherein:
- said rod spoked wheel configuration comprises said at least one rod, additional rods and said flange as a central punctiform portion or a virtual connection point, at which said rods converge in a center of said filling connection piece.
7. A filling system for an anesthetic dispenser, the filling system comprising:
- an anesthetic evaporator;
- a bottle adapter having an adapter neck and an outlet connection piece comprising a slot structure with a central opening and a slot running in the radial direction forming a continuation of said opening;
- a filling device at the anesthetic evaporator with a filling connection piece defining a neck adapter mount; and
- a rod structure fastened to the filling connection piece, said rod structure including a rod extending radially from a center, said rod extending in an axial direction into said slot running in the radial direction as said outlet connection piece is inserted into said filling connection piece with said rod structure not being blocked by said central opening.
8. A filling system in accordance with claim 7, wherein:
- said rod structure comprises said rod and a central flange;
- said central opening comprises an extension of said slot; and
- said rod extends in an axial direction into said slot running in the radial direction and said flange extends in an axial direction into said central opening as said outlet connection piece is inserted into said filling connection piece.
9. A filling system in accordance with claim 8, wherein:
- said rod structure comprises a spoked wheel rod configuration including said central flange, said rod and additional rods extending radially from said central flange;
- said slots comprise a spoked wheel slot configuration including said central opening, said slot and additional slots extending radially from said central opening at said outlet connection piece of said bottle adapter; and
- said spoked wheel rod configuration is complementary to said spoked wheel slot configuration with said flange corresponding to said central opening.
10. A filling system in accordance with claim 9, wherein:
- said flange is a central punctiform portion or a virtual connection point, at which said rods converge in a center of said filling connection piece.
11. A filling system for an anesthetic dispenser, the filling system comprising:
- an anesthetic evaporator;
- a bottle anesthetic reservoir;
- a bottle adapter attached to said bottle anesthetic reservoir, said bottle adapter comprising an adapter neck and an outlet connection piece comprising a slot structure with a central opening and a slot running in a radial direction forming a continuation of said opening;
- a filling device at the anesthetic evaporator with a filling connection piece defining a neck adapter mount; and
- a rod structure fastened to the filling connection piece, said rod structure including a rod extending radially from a central flange center, said rod extending in an axial direction into said slot running in the radial direction as said outlet connection piece is inserted into said filling connection piece with said rod structure not being blocked by said slot structure.
12. A filling system in accordance with claim 11, wherein:
- said central opening comprises an extension of said slot; and
- said rod extends in an axial direction into said slot running in the radial direction and said flange extends in an axial direction into said central opening as said outlet connection piece is inserted into said filling connection piece.
13. A filling system in accordance with claim 12, wherein:
- said rod structure comprises a spoked wheel rod configuration including said central flange, said rod and additional rods extending radially from said central flange;
- said slot structure comprise a spoked wheel slot configuration including said central opening, said slot and additional slots extending radially from said central opening at said outlet connection piece of said bottle adapter; and
- said spoked wheel rod configuration is complementary to said spoked wheel slot configuration with said flange corresponding to said central opening.
14. A filling system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:
- said flange is a central punctiform portion or a virtual connection point, at which said rods converge in a center of said filling connection piece.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 19, 2011
Publication Date: Mar 1, 2012
Applicant: Drager Medical GmbH (Lubeck)
Inventors: Dirk-Stefan REICHERT (Lubeck), Wolfgang FALB (Gross Sarau), Sven PASDZIOR (Lubeck), Ernst-Günter SCHARMER (Krummesse), Frank GOTTSCHALK (Bargteheide)
Application Number: 13/213,710
International Classification: B65B 3/00 (20060101);