Apparatus and system for improved set-up of multi-ingredient compounder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124308-B2
Application number	US-201615386968-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

Apparatus and systems are disclosed for improved set-up of multi-ingredient compounders. An improved apparatus includes a manifold and a plurality of valve members disposed for movement relative to different corresponding ones of a plurality of inlet ports of the manifold. The valve members are moveable to open and close a corresponding fluid passageway between the corresponding inlet port and an internal passageway of the manifold. A plurality of caps are locatable on different corresponding ones of the inlet ports, with each of the caps being engageable with the corresponding valve member for co-movement from a locked position at which the cap is restricted from removal to an unlocked position at which the cap is removable, e.g. by manual, axial retraction of the cap. An improved system includes a compounder controller operable to control valve actuators of the compounder so as to sequentially move the valve members and corresponding caps from locked to unlocked positions in a predetermined sequence, thereby reducing the potential for undesired cross-connections.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for use with a multi-ingredient compounder, comprising:
a manifold having an internal passageway, an outlet port located at one end of the internal passageway, and a plurality of inlet ports to the internal passageway;
a plurality of valve members, each disposed for movement relative to a different corresponding one of the plurality of inlet ports to open and close a corresponding fluid passageway between the corresponding inlet port and internal passageway of the manifold; and,
a plurality of caps, each locatable on a different corresponding one of said plurality of inlet ports and engageable with the corresponding valve member, wherein each of said plurality of caps is restricted from removal from the corresponding inlet port in a locked position when the corresponding valve member is located in a corresponding first predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port, and is removable from the corresponding inlet port in an unlocked position when the corresponding valve member is moved to a corresponding second predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of caps is engageable with the corresponding valve member for co-movement therewith and relative to the corresponding inlet port when the corresponding valve member is moved from the corresponding first predetermined position to the corresponding second predetermined position.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of valve members is disposed for rotatable movement between said corresponding predetermined first position and said corresponding predetermined second position, and wherein the corresponding cap is co-rotatable from the locked position to the unlocked position.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of caps is slidably removable in the unlocked position from the corresponding inlet port upon axial movement relative to the corresponding inlet port.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of valve members comprises a drive member and each of the corresponding caps comprises a complimentary mating member for abutting engagement with and driven rotational movement by the drive member of the corresponding valve member, and wherein each of said plurality of caps is slidably disengageable in the unlocked position from the drive member of the corresponding valve member upon said axial movement relative to the corresponding inlet port.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of caps comprises at least one locking element, and wherein said manifold further comprises:
a plurality of apertures, wherein each of said plurality of caps extends through a different corresponding one of said plurality of apertures when located on said corresponding inlet port, and wherein each said plurality of apertures is configured so that said manifold restricts axial movement of the locking element of the corresponding cap when located on the corresponding inlet port with the corresponding valve member located in said corresponding first predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein said at least one locking element of each of said plurality of caps comprises:
at least one peripheral protrusion.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of apertures each include at least one edge recess configured so that said manifold permits axial movement of the at least one peripheral protrusion of the corresponding cap through said at least one edge recess when the corresponding valve member is located in said corresponding second predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein said manifold further includes:
a base portion defining said internal passageway, outlet port, and plurality of inlet ports; and,
a locking plate defining said plurality of apertures, wherein said locking plate is selectively interconnectable to said base portion.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least one locking element of each of said plurality of caps is located between said base portion and said locking plate when the corresponding valve member is located in the corresponding first predetermined position.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of caps further comprises:
a top end portion having an asymmetric configuration.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said top end portion of each of the plurality of caps comprises:
two opposing side surfaces; and,
two end surfaces, wherein the side surfaces are wider than the end surfaces.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the opposing side surfaces of the top end portion of each of said plurality of caps are substantially planar.

14. An apparatus as recited, in claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of caps is initially located on the corresponding inlet port in the locked position and in a common orientation.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of valve members closes the corresponding fluid passageway when located in said corresponding first predetermined position and said corresponding second predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port, and wherein each of the plurality of valve members is disposed for rotatable movement to a corresponding third predetermined position relative to the corresponding inlet port to open said corresponding fluid passageway between the corresponding inlet port and the internal passageway of the manifold.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein each of said plurality of inlet ports includes an upper tubular portion and a lower tubular portion adjoining the upper tubular portion.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of valve members comprises:
a tubular top end portion located in the lower tubular portion of the corresponding inlet port; and,
a hole extending through a sidewall of said tubular top end portion, wherein said hole is aligned with a corresponding inlet opening extending through a sidewall of the lower tubular portion of the corresponding inlet port when the valve member is located in said corresponding third predetermined position.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of valve members comprises:
at least one bottom peripheral ring extending outward about the entirety of the valve member for sliding and sealing engagement with an inside surface of the lower tubular portion of the corresponding inlet port; and,
at least one top peripheral ring extending outward about the entirety of the valve member for sliding and sealing engagement with the inside surface of the lower tubular portion of the corresponding inlet port, wherein the said corresponding hole of the valve member is located between the at least one bottom peripheral ring and the at least one top peripheral ring thereof.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of caps comprises:
a top end portion configured for manual engagement; and,
a manifold engagement portion interconnected to the top end portion, including:
an inverted, cup-shaped housing; and,
an engagement member having a first end interconnected to and extending through the housing to define an annular recess therebetween for slidably receiving the upper

Assignees

• Baxter Corp Englewood

Inventors

• Dudar Thomas Edward

Classifications

• B01F2215/0034

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F13/1055

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• Y10T137/87684

  Valve in each inlet · CPC title

• Y10T137/8766

  With selectively operated flow control means · CPC title

• A61M39/00

  Tubes, tube connectors, tube couplings, valves, access sites or the like, specially adapted for medical use (for respiratory devices, e.g. tracheal tubes A61M16/00; artificial heart valves A61F2/24) · CPC title