Holding jig with balancing mechanism
A holding jig for a glass former and a method for shaping an end of a breathing tube are described. The holding jig includes a glass former having an interior shaping cavity for receiving the end of the breathing tube. The holding jig also includes a floating balance plate that abuts the glass former. A base plate has a seat recess for receiving the balance plate, and a tube hole for receiving the breathing tube. A grip plate is releasably secured to the base plate, and includes a grip hole sized to receive a portion of the glass former. An adjustment plug is used to selectively position the balance plate within the seat recess to align a longitudinal axis of the glass former with a longitudinal axis of the tube hole of the base plate.
1 . A holding jig for a breathing tube, the holding jig comprising:
a glass former including a proximal end configured to receive an end of the breathing tube, and an interior shaping cavity configured to shape the end of the breathing tube;
a balance plate including a distal balance surface configured to abut the proximal end of the glass former;
a base plate including a proximal base surface, a distal base surface defining a seat recess configured to receive the balance plate, and a tube hole configured to receive the breathing tube;
a grip plate configured to be releasably secured to the base plate, the grip plate including a grip hole sized to receive a portion of the glass former; and
an adjustment plug operable to selectively position the balance plate within the seat recess to align a longitudinal axis of the glass former with a longitudinal axis of the tube hole of the base plate.
2 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of the base plate includes a plug hole configured to receive the adjustment plug.
3 . The holding jig according to claim 2 , wherein the plug hole opens to an interior space of the seat recess of the base plate to permit moving the adjustment plug into the seat recess to abut a proximal balance surface of the balance plate.
4 . The holding jig according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment plug is configured to prevent removal of the adjustment plug from the plug hole.
5 . The holding jig according to claim 4 , wherein the adjustment plug has a flexible arm that includes a flared wing configured to prevent removal of the adjustment plug from the plug hole.
6 . The holding jig according to claim 2 , wherein the proximal end of the base plate includes four plug holes annularly spaced apart for respectively receiving four adjustment plugs.
7 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the base plate includes a fastener hole extending through the base plate and configured to receive a fastener for releasably securing the base plate to the grip plate.
8 . The holding jig according to claim 7 , wherein the grip plate further comprises a lock hole corresponding to the fastener hole of the base plate, the lock hole configured to receive the fastener for releasably securing the base plate to the grip plate.
9 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the grip plate includes a proximal grip surface configured to abut the distal base surface of the base plate when receiving the glass former within the grip hole.
10 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the grip hole has a sloped inner surface configured to grip a sloped outer surface of the glass former.
11 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the grip hole of the grip plate is equal to a maximum diameter of the glass former.
12 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the glass former extends in a direction between the proximal end of the glass former and a distal end of the glass former.
13 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the interior shaping cavity of the glass former defines an inner surface configured to shape an outer surface of a distal end of the tube when the glass former is heated.
14 . The holding jig according to claim 13 , wherein a diameter of the interior shaping cavity decreases in size in a direction from the proximal end of the glass former toward a distal end of the glass former.
15 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the glass former is closed and includes an elongated core protruding into the shaping cavity along the longitudinal axis of the glass former.
16 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the glass former includes a seating surface having an outwardly extending annular flange configured to stabilize the glass former against the distal balance surface of the balance plate.
17 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the balance plate comprises acetal resin.
18 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the breathing tube is a tracheostomy tube.
19 . The holding jig according to claim 1 , wherein the breathing tube is an endotracheal tube.
20 . A method of shaping an end of a breathing tube, the method comprising:
providing the holding jig according to claim 1 ;
inserting the end of the breathing tube into the shaping cavity of the glass former;
moving the balance plate of the holding jig to a desired position within the seat recess of the base plate by manipulating the adjustment plug so that a longitudinal axis of the glass former substantially aligns with a longitudinal axis of the breathing tube;
heating the glass former for a set period of time; and
shaping a distal end of the breathing tube such that an outer surface of the distal end of the breathing tube is tapered and a tip surface at the distal end of the breathing tube is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the breathing tube.