US20100314517A1 - Pole Clamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A pole clamp has two legs wherebetween poles of different diameters may be positioned. One of the legs is configured to grip one side surface of the pole. The other leg of the clamp member has a channel through which a threaded shaft is movable along a longitudinal axis toward the one leg. Also formed in the other leg is a bore orthogonally to the channel. A guide that may be in the form of a half nut is movable within the bore, with the threaded surface of the half nut being in a threaded relationship with the threads of the shaft, when the guide is in a first position, so that the shaft is movable along the axis when it is turned. The guide is movable to a second position to disengage its threaded surface from the shaft. When thus disengaged, the shaft is movable bidirectionally along the axis by simple push and pull movements. A second embodiment of the pole clamp utilizes a yoke slider guide having two arms with a narrow gap and a wider gap between the two arms.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to clamps and more particularly to a pole clamp that can readily attach a medical device to poles of different diameters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Poles for attaching devices come in various sizes, for example, 0.5 inch and 1.5 inch. Thus, for the different diameter poles to be used in hospitals, different U-shaped frames each with a simple screw-threaded shaft mounted to one arm are used to attach medical instruments to poles of different diameters. Each pole is usually fitted between the two arms of the clamp and the knob on the screw is rotated to bring the opposite end of the shaft to bear on the pole and clamp it firmly against the inside of the opposite arm.
• The problem with these clamps is the need to twist or rotate the threaded shaft through multiple turns in order to adjust the clamp between the different sized poles. Also, the need to provide multiple sized clamps to cover all of the poles that may be used in a hospital environment can be a problem for the user if she does not have the correct clamp, and for the manufacturer, due to the need to manufacture different clamps to fit onto the different sized poles.
• There are a number of pole clamps known in the prior art. However, those pole clamps are either not adaptable to be used with different diameter poles, or are designed to require a myriad of parts. Those pole clamps known to the assignee of the instant invention are described in: U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,397, U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,106, U.S. Pat. No.5,230,496, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,207, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,559 and GB 581429.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
• The pole clamp of the instant invention is a substantially U-shaped clamp that has two legs, with one of the legs being substantially V-shaped to be better able to grippingly hold one side of the outer circumferential surface of a pole, and another leg to which a channel is formed along a longitudinal axis toward the one leg so that a threaded shaft or screw may slide through the channel. Also formed in the other leg is a bore that intersects the channel. An actuator mechanism that has a guide in the form of either a threaded surface or a semicircular threaded opening, is fitted to the bore and is actuated to at least two positions, with one of the positions being such that the threads of the screw or the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft comes into a threaded relationship with the guide so that the threaded shaft or screw is movable longitudinally toward the interior wall of the one leg when the shaft or screw is turned or twisted.
• The threaded shaft has a contact end that faces the V-shaped leg of the clamp member and a knob at its other end that makes it easier for the user to turn the shaft, when the actuator is positioned to guide the movement of the threaded shaft. The actuator mechanism may also be moved to a second position such that the threaded guide is moved away from the threads of the screw or the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft, to thereby enable the threaded shaft to freely slide bidirectionally through the channel.
• Thus, a pole of any diameter may be placed between the two legs of the clamp member, and the user does not have to twist or turn the threaded shaft an inordinately number of turns in the event that the pole to be used is of a smaller diameter than the previously used pole, as the user only has to position the actuator to move the guide away from the threaded shaft so that the shaft may be pushed toward the V-shaped leg to come into contact with the opposite side surface of the pole. At which time, the actuator mechanism is repositioned to engage the guide with the threads of the threaded shaft, so that the user only has to turn the knob of the threaded shaft a minimal amount to fixedly hold the clamp to the pole. To remove the clamp from the pole, the user only has to move the actuator mechanism to disengage the guide from the threads of the threaded shaft, so that the threaded shaft can simply be pulled away from the pole.
• The pole clamp of the instant invention therefore is a device that is simple both in terms of its manufacture and use, that reduces the efforts a user has to spent to both attach and remove the clamp from a pole, that is adaptable to be used with poles of different diameters, and that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
• The present invention will become apparent and the invention itself will be best understood with reference to the following description of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the pole clamp of the present invention showing the contact end of the threaded shaft remote from the V-shaped leg of the clamp member;
• FIG. 2 shows the pole clamp ofFIG. 1 but with the major portion of the threaded shaft being between the two legs of the pole clamp;
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of section3-3 as shown inFIG. 1 showing the threaded surface of the push button actuator being in a threaded relationship with the threads or threaded outer circumferential surface of the threaded shaft;
• FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar toFIG. 3 but shows the threaded surface of the actuator disengaged from the threads of the threaded shaft;
• FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the actuator being pushed in so that the threaded shaft can be moved longitudinally through the channel at the one leg to make contact with the pole which is in contact with the other leg of the clamp;
• FIG. 6 shows a user turning the knob of the threaded shaft to press the contact end of the threaded shaft against the pole, so that the clamp, which has coupled thereto a bracket that may be used to hold an instrument, is fixedly held to the pole;
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the clamp of the instant invention, with the clamp being attached to a pole of a smaller diameter;
• FIG. 8 shows theFIG. 7 clamp with its actuator having been moved to a second position to allow the threaded shaft to be moved bidirectionally relative to the pole;
• FIG. 9 shows the clamp ofFIG. 7 fixedly holding a pole of a larger diameter;
• FIG. 10 shows the clamp having its actuator moved to a position whereby the threaded shaft, which is in contact with the pole, can readily be moved away from the pole;
• FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the slider actuator used with the clamp ofFIGS. 7-10; and
• FIGS. 12 and 13 are respective front and back perspective views of another exemplar slider actuator similar to that shown inFIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• With reference toFIG. 1, apole clamp2 of the instant invention is shown to have a substantially U-shaped body ormember4 with afirst leg6 and asecond leg8 extending frombody4. For theexemplar pole clamp2 shown,member4 has an elongated body with a concaveinterior wall10 that extends toleg6, which has afinger portion12 extending outwardly, so thatleg6 is substantially V-shaped, per shown bydirectional arrow14 pointing to the valley ofleg6. So configured, theinterior wall10 ofleg6 is adapted to grippingly contact a first side of the circumferential surface of a pole, such aspole16 shown inFIG. 5, and firmly hold the pole were a force applied against the opposite side surface of the pole. It should be noted that the particular shape ofleg6 is not of utmost import to the invention so long as it is understood thatleg6 may have any interior wall adaptable to hold a side surface of a pole placed betweenlegs6 and8.
• Extending frommember4 at its other end isleg8 that has a throughchannel18 extending longitudinally along anaxis20. Ashaft22 having a threaded outer circumferential surface is movably fitted throughchannel18.Shaft22 may be a screw or a screw shaft with threads, and for the remainder of this discussion is simply referred to as a threaded shaft. Threadedshaft22 has a contact end that facesinterior wall10 ofleg6 and is movable alongaxis20 to make contact with the pole positioned betweenlegs6 and8. The other end ofshaft22 is shown to have fitted thereto aknob26 that allows a user to twist or turnshaft22 per shown by bi-directionalarrow28. Thus,shaft22 may be moved bidirectionally alongaxis22, per shown bybidirectional arrows30, as well as rotated bidirectionally per shown by bidirectionalrotational arrows28.
• Also formed atleg8 is abore32 orthogonal to andintersect channel18. For the embodiment shown inFIG. 1,bore32 extends into leg8 a given distance, per shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Fitted intobore32 is an actuator slider orslide mechanism34 having one end in the shape of apush button34athat extends to a nut that has a threadedsurface36 and asmooth surface38. Thus,slide mechanism34 may be considered a half nut in that half of it, along its lower half for the exemplar embodiment, is threaded, while the other half, along its upper surface for the exemplar embodiment, is smooth. The grooves and the peaks of the threadedsurface36 ofslide member34 can best be shown inFIG. 4. As further shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, aspring38 is provided inbore32 between thefloor32bofbore32 and thebottom surface34bofslide mechanism34 to bias againstactuator slider34.
• As was discussed earlier,shaft22 has a threaded outer circumferential surface and may therefore considered to be a screw shaft or a threaded shaft. The threaded outer circumferential surface, or the screw threads, ofshaft22 are best shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, perdesignation22ashowing one of the peaks of the threads and22bshowing one of the grooves. The outer diameter (OD) of theshaft22 is represented by the peaks of the threads. As best shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the OD ofshaft22 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter (ID) of thechannel18 so thatshaft22 may be freely slidable alongchannel18, per illustrated inFIG. 4.
• With reference toFIG. 3, whenactuator34 is in the position as shown, withspring38 biasing against thebottom surface34bofslide mechanism34, the threaded surface of the half nut enters into a threaded relationship with the outer threaded circumferential surface or threads ofshaft22. Slide mechanism accordingly acts as a guide forshaft22 to move longitudinally alongchannel18. As a consequence, to moveshaft22 longitudinally along the directions per shown bydirectional arrows30, a user has to turnknob26 per shown by circularbidirectional arrows28. Given that the half nut lower portion ofslide mechanism34 has a topsmooth portion38, whenslide mechanism34 is actuated per shown inFIG. 4, i.e., pushed inwards towardsbore32, the threaded surface ofslide mechanism34 disengages from the threads ofshaft22, so that the user only needs to push or pullshaft22 in order to moveshaft22 bidirectionally, per indicated bybidirectional arrows30.
• Due tospring38 biasing againstslide mechanism34, when the pressure applied to actuateslide mechanism34, per shown bydirectional arrow40, is removed,spring38 would pushslide mechanism34 upwards, as represented bydirectional arrow42, so that the threaded portion of the halfnut slide mechanism34 engages the threads ofshaft22. Once the respective threads from theslide mechanism34 andshaft22 are engaged, to moveshaft22 bidirectionally along thelongitudinal axis20, per shown bybidirectional arrows30, a user has to turnknob26 along the circular directions per designated bydirectional arrows28. With the threaded surface of halfnut slide mechanism34 in the position as shown inFIG. 3,slide mechanism34 acts as a regulator to precisely control the movement ofshaft22 so that onceshaft22 has been moved a given distance relative toleg6, it would stay there. In other words, a pole placed betweenlegs6 and8 will be securely and fixedly held byclamp2, once contact end34 ofshaft22 presses against one side surface of the pole with another side surface of the pole being held byleg6. With additional rotations ofknob26, presumably clockwise,shaft22 may be tightly pressed against the pole, so thatclamp2 and the pole are held fixedly relative to each other.
• As shown inFIG. 2, thecontact end24 ofshaft22 may be moved to the distance shown, relative to the valley of interior wall of the V-shapedleg6, so that a pole of a smaller diameter may also be held fixedly to clamp2.
• As further shown inFIGS. 1 and 2,clamp member4 has aslot44 at its backside into which aportion46aof abracket46, per shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, may be slidably fitted, so that a device such as a blood pressure transducer, a pump or other medical devices, may be attached topole16 by way ofclamp2. To secure theflange portion46ato slot44, threaded bolts such as48aand48b,per shown inFIG. 5, may be threaded into internally threadedholes50aand50b,respectively.
• In operation, with reference toFIGS. 5 and 6,pole16 is placed betweenlegs6 and8. Thereafter, the user pushes against the button portion ofslide mechanism34 so that the threaded surface of the half nut portion ofslide mechanism34 disengages with the threads ofshaft22, per shown in cut away view ofFIG. 4. At which time the user can pushshaft22 along the direction per shown bydirectional arrow30aso thatcontact end24 ofshaft22 would make contact with aside surface16aofpole6, per shown inFIG. 6. Aspole16 is held by the interior wall ofleg6 at anotherside surface16bthat may be opposite to side surface16a,by twisting or turningknob20 clockwise as shown bydirectional arrow28a,shaft22 is threadedly moved further along the direction indicated bydirectional arrow30ato press againstpole16 via itscontact end24, so that theclamp2 is fixedly held topole16. And as thebottom surface34bofslide mechanism34 is continuously being biased byspring38, per shown inFIG. 3, without a counterclockwise rotation ofknob20 or the user pushing slide mechanism into bore32 per shown bydirectional arrow40 in FIG.4,shaft22 will remain at the position as shown inFIG. 6, to thereby fixedly holdclamp2 andpole16 relative to each other.
• To releaseclamp2 frompole16, a user applies pressure against the top button portion ofslide mechanism34, per shown inFIG. 4, to disengage the threaded surface of the half nut from the threads ofshaft22, so thatshaft22 can be pulled away frompole16, per the direction indicated bydirectional arrow30b.The pole clamp of the instant invention therefore provides a fast and easy way of attaching and removing a pole clamp from a pole. Moreover, given that the mouth ofclamp2 as defined byinner wall10 ofleg6 and the interior wall ofleg8 is of a sufficient size to accommodate poles of different diameters, the changing of a pole of a given diameter, for example the afore-mentioned 1.5 inch pole, to a pole of a much smaller diameter, for example a 0.5 inch diameter pole, would not require multiple turns of the threadedshaft22, as the horizontal movement of the shaft can be done by disengaging the threads of the shaft from the threaded surface of the half nut and pulling or pushing the shaft throughchannel18. It should be noted that the clamp of the instant invention may be used in any orientation relative to a pole, for example a horizontal pole instead of the upright pole shown inFIGS. 5 and 6.
• FIGS. 7-13 illustrate a second embodiment of the instant invention pole clamp. Elements that are the same for the second embodiment as the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-6 are labeled the same.
• As shown inFIGS. 7-11, instead of having a half nut as the actuator for engaging and disengaging the shaft, the guide that is used in this second embodiment to guide the movement ofshaft22 is in the form of a yolk slider oryoke slide mechanism51, shown in perspective view inFIG. 11 with an alternate embodiment thereof shown inFIGS. 12 and 13. Instead of the exemplar circular bore32 for the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-6, for the second embodiment, the bore inleg8 is a rectangularly shaped bore52 that extends throughleg8 orthogonally to channel18 so that there is anaperture52aon the upper surface ofmember4 atleg8 and anaperture52b,per designated inFIG. 9, on the lower surface ofmember4 atleg8.
• As shown inFIG. 11, theyolk slide mechanism51 has afirst end member54aand asecond end member54b.Each ofend members54aand54bhas a dimension that is larger thanapertures52aand52bso thatyoke slider mechanism51 is slidably confined to bore52. Connecting theend members54aand54bare twoarms56aand56b.At the portion proximate tofirst end54athere is a semicircular threadedopening58 formed by asemicircular member60 with a threaded upside downU-shaped cutout62 that defines a threadedopening58. Threadedopening58 enables the threaded outer circumferential surface ofshaft22 to be threadedly guided and moved relative tomember60. The lower portion ofyolk slide mechanism51 has a wider gap, designated63, betweenarms56aand56b.The gap is of a sufficient size that it forms an opening that is larger than the diameter or the OD of threadedshaft22.
• Anotherexemplar yoke slider51′ is shown inFIGS. 12 and 13. Elements that are the same or substantially the same as theyoke slide mechanism51 shown inFIG. 11 are labeled the same. As shown inFIG. 12, the side of theyoke slider51′ that faces theknobbed end20 ofshaft22 has a concave surface65 (into the paper) that forms anedge62′ that defines thesemicircular opening58′ proximate to endmember54a.The diameter of the semicircle formed byedge62′ is designed to enableedge62′ to fit within the grooves of the threads of threadedshaft22 so thatsemicircular opening58 defined byedge62′ forms a guide for the longitudinal movement ofshaft22, whensemicircular opening58 is in orthogonal alignment withshaft22 andshaft22 is turned.
• The wider gap between thearms56aand56bofyoke slider51′ is designatedopening63′, which has a diameter that is larger than the OD of the threadedshaft22. Thus, when opening63′ is in orthogonal alignment with threadedshaft22,shaft22 is movable through opening63′ without any hindrance. Putting it differently,shaft22 is movable longitudinally throughchannel18 by simple pull and push motions when opening63′ is in orthogonal alignment withshaft22.
• FIG. 13 shows the back side ofyoke slider51′ that, whenslider51′ is fitted into bore54, faces thecontact end24 ofshaft22.
• With reference toFIGS. 7 and 8, it can be seen that yolk slide mechanism51 (oralternate slider51′) is slidable or movable bidirectionally, per designated bybidirectional arrows64.Slide mechanism51 is shown inFIG. 7 to have itsfirst end54apositioned such that the semicircular threaded opening58 (58′) is in orthogonal alignment, or intersection, withshaft22. As a consequence, the threads ofshaft22 are guided by threadedcutout62 ofmember60, asknob20 is turned alongdirectional arrow28ato tightenshaft22 againstpole16, so thatclamp2 is fixedly held topole16.
• As shown inFIG. 8,yolk slide mechanism51 has been moved to a position whereby the wider gap opening63 (63′) is in orthogonal alignment withshaft22. As a consequence, a user only needs to moveshaft22 along the direction as indicated bydirectional arrow30a,in order to disengage thecontact end24 ofshaft22 frompole16, so thatclamp2 can readily be removed frompole16. Conversely, to tightenclamp2 topole16, the user only needs to pushshaft22 in the direction ofdirectional arrow30buntilcontact end24 ofshaft22 comes into contact withpole16. Thereafter,yoke slide mechanism51 is moved to the position as shown inFIG. 7, so that the user can twist the knob20 a minimal amount to turnshaft22 to tightly presscontact end24 againstpole16 to thereby fixedly holdclamp2 topole16.
• FIGS. 9 and 10 show the placement of a larger diameter pole betweenlegs6 and8 ofclamp2. The respective placements ofyoke slide mechanism51 relative to bore52 are again shown. As shown in a first position inFIG. 9, the semicircular threadedopening58 at one end of theyoke slide mechanism51 is in orthogonal alignment withshaft22 to guide the rotation ofshaft22 to thereby fixedly hold thelarger diameter pole16 in place withleg6. In the second position as shown inFIG. 10, the wider gap opening63 of theyoke slide mechanism51 is in orthogonal alignment withshaft22, so thatshaft22 may simply be pulled away along the direction designated bydirectional arrow30 to disengageshaft22 frompole16, and the subsequent removal ofclamp2 frompole16. So instead of having to rotateknob20 in the direction of28b,per shown inFIG. 9, in order to disengageshaft22 frompole16, which may require multiple turns ofknob20, a user can simply pushyoke slide mechanism51 to the position as shown inFIG. 10, and pullshaft22 away frompole16.
• Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter described throughout this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, it is intended that the instant invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the hereto appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A clamp, comprising: a substantially U-shaped member having one and other legs wherebetween a pole is positionable, the one leg of the U-shaped member having an interior wall configured to grippingly make contact with at least a first side surface of the pole, the other leg of the U-shaped member having a channel through which a shaft having a threaded outer circumferential surface and a contact end is movable therealong towards the interior wall of the one leg, a slide mechanism having a threaded surface provided to the other leg and slidable substantially orthogonal to the shaft, the slide mechanism movable to a first position to engage its threaded surface with the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft so that by rotating the shaft the contact end of the shaft is movable to make contact with another side surface of the pole to press the pole against the interior wall of the one leg to thereby fixedly hold the pole between the contact end of the shaft and the interior wall of the one leg, the slide mechanism movable to a second position to disengage its threaded surface from the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft to enable the shaft to freely move along the channel.

2. Clamp ofclaim 1, comprising a spring means that biases the slide mechanism to the first position absent a force applied to the slide mechanism to move it to the second position.

3. Clamp ofclaim 1, further comprising a bore extending into the other leg orthogonal to the channel, the threaded surface of the slidable member movably positioned in the bore.

4. Clamp ofclaim 1, wherein the slide mechanism comprises a half nut that has the threaded surface and a smooth surface.

5. Clamp ofclaim 1, further comprising means adapted to securely attach any of a plurality of devices to the U-shaped member.

6. Clamp ofclaim 1, wherein the interior wall of the one leg is substantially V-shaped to enhance the gripping of the pole.

7. Clamp ofclaim 4, wherein the half nut includes a button end that extends outside the bore when the half nut is in the first position, and wherein the half nut is disengaged from the shaft when the button end is pushed towards the bore.

8. Device, comprising:

a substantially U-shaped member having one and other legs, the one leg having an interior wall facing the other leg configured to make gripping contact with at least a first side surface of a pole placed between the one and other legs, the other leg having a channel extending therethrough along an axis that meets the interior wall of the one leg and a bore that intersects the channel substantially orthogonally;

a shaft having a threaded outer circumferential surface movable through the channel, the shaft having a contact end that faces the interior wall of the one leg and a rotatable end extending out of the channel at an opposite side of the other leg;

actuator means movable along the bore for selectively positioning a guide in contact with the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft so that the shaft is movable along the channel only when it is being rotated at its rotatable end, and positioning the guide away from the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft so that the shaft is freely movable along the channel;

wherein when the actuator means positions the guide to be in contact with the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft, the shaft is rotatably moved along the channel so that its contact end makes contact with a second side surface of the pole and presses at least the first side of the pole against the interior wall of the one leg to thereby fixedly hold the U-shaped member and the pole relative to each other.

9. Device ofclaim 8, wherein the actuator means comprises a yoke slider having two arms with a wider gap between the two arms at its one end than at its other end, a semi-circular threaded opening configured between the two arms at the other end of the yoke slider to form the guide that threadedly guides the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft when the yoke slider is positioned to its engagement position.

10. Device ofclaim 9, wherein when the actuator means is actuated to its disengagement position, the one end of the yoke slider is moved to intersect the shaft, the gap between the arms at the one end of the yoke slider being wider than the diameter of the shaft so that the shaft is freely movable along the channel.

11. Device ofclaim 8, wherein the actuator means comprises a half nut having a threaded surface movable along the bore, the half nut movable to a first position to engage its thread surface with the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft so that the shaft is movable along the channel when the shaft is rotated, and a second position to disengage its threaded surface from the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft so that the shaft is freely movable along the channel.

12. Device ofclaim 11, wherein the bore is closed at one end, the device further comprising a spring positioned between the closed end of the bore and the end of the half nut slidable inside the bore so that the half nut is biased to the first position unless a force is applied against the other end of the half nut to disengage its threaded surface from the threaded outer circumferential surface of the shaft.

13. Device ofclaim 8, further comprising means for securely attaching another device to the U-shaped member.

14. Device ofclaim 13, wherein the another device comprises a blood pressure transducer or a pump.

15. Device ofclaim 8, wherein the interior wall of the one leg is substantially V-shaped for grippingly holding the first side of the pole when the another side of the pole is pressedly pushed by the contact end of the shaft.

16. A clamp, comprising: a substantially U-shaped member having one and other legs wherebetween a pole is positionable, the one leg of the U-shaped member having an interior wall configured to grippingly make contact with at least a first side surface of the pole, the other leg of the U-shaped member having a channel and a bore that orthogonally intersects the channel, the channel in longitudinal alignment along an axis that extends to the interior wall of the one leg; a screw having a contact end movably fitted to the channel and movable bidirectionally along the axis; a slide mechanism having two arms connecting a first end to a second end, the two arms separated by a semi-circular threaded opening at its first end and an opening at its second end, the slide mechanism slidable along the bore with its first end outside one aperture of the bore and the second end outside other aperture of the bore; wherein the slide mechanism is movable along the bore to position its semi-circular threaded opening into a threaded relationship with the screw so that by rotating the screw the contact end of the screw is movable along the axis to make contact with another side surface of the pole to fixedly hold the pole between the contact end of the screw and the interior wall of the one leg.

17. Clamp ofclaim 16, wherein the slide mechanism is movable along the bore to position the opening at the second end of the slide mechanism in orthogonal alignment with the screw, the opening having a wider diameter than the semi-circular thread opening to enable the screw to freely move along the axis.

18. Clamp ofclaim 16, further comprising means for securely holding any of a plurality of devices to the U-shaped member.

19. Clamp ofclaim 18, wherein one of the devices comprises a blood pressure transducer or a pump.

20. Clamp ofclaim 16, wherein the interior wall of the one leg is V-shaped for grippingly holding the first side surface of the pole when the another side surface of the pole is pressed by the contact end of the screw.

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