GAS WATER BOTTLE ADAPTOR

• US 20090264705A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Endoscopy Group Incorporated (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bracco Diagnostics Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Inventors: Burns, James, Stebbins, Christopher, Wolcott, Kenneth E., Cushner, Jeffrey B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,790,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00112 Connection or coupling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00119 Tubes or pipes in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00121 Connectors, fasteners and adapters, e.g. on the endoscope handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00128 mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00137 End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/16 having provision for disinfection or sterilisation A61M39/143 takes precedence; methods or apparatus for disinfection or sterilisation A61L2/00

Abstract

The present invention provides a gas water bottle adaptor that is suitable for attachment to a water bottle and to a bottle cap. The adaptor can include a gas inlet on one side thereof suitable for attachment to the gas connection of an endoscope. A sealing member can be affixed to the adaptor to prevent leakage of any fluid (e.g., liquid or gas) that is inside of the water bottle. The adaptor may be used in endoscopy methods and is particularly useful for adding a secondary gas source to a water bottle.

Claims

1. An adaptor for an endoscopic water bottle, the adaptor comprising:

a substantially tubular body having an interior surface and an exterior surface and having an upper portion and a flared lower portion;

the upper body portion having threads on the exterior surface thereof suitable for attachment to threads on a water bottle cap;

the flared lower body portion having threads on the interior surface thereof suitable for attachment to threads on a neck portion of the water bottle;

and comprising a gas inlet port extending outward from the exterior surface of the body and having a central passage extending through the body and opening on the interior surface of the body.

2. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member associated with the exterior surface of the upper body portion for forming a fluid tight seal between the adaptor and the water bottle cap.

3. The adaptor of claim 2, further comprising a groove formed in the exterior surface near the top of the upper body portion for receiving the sealing member.

4. The adaptor of claim 3, wherein the groove is formed above the threads.

5. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member associated with the interior surface of the flared lower body portion for forming a fluid tight seal between the adaptor and the water bottle.

6. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a substantially horizontal ledge on the interior surface of the body that delineates the interior surface of the upper body portion from the interior surface of the lower body portion and provides a substantially flat surface against which the top surface of the water bottle neck portions seats.

7. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the interior diameter of the upper body portion is less than the interior diameter of the lower body portion.

8. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a component for closing the gas inlet port to fluid passage.

9. The adaptor of claim 8, wherein the component comprises a cap.

10. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet port comprises a luer connector.

11. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor body and gas inlet port are a single, monolithic structure.

12. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor body is a first monolithic structure having a passage formed therein, and the gas inlet port is a second structure inserted into the passage formed in the adaptor body.

13. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor provides an open interior passage between a water bottle affixed to the lower body portion and a water bottle cap affixed to the upper body portion.

14. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet port is positioned such that the opening on the interior surface of the body is located between the threads on the upper body portion and the threads on the lower body portion.

15. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is a machined part.

16. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is a molded part.

17. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is single-use.

18. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is reusable.

19. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor body comprises a metal material.

20. The adaptor of claim 19, wherein the metal is non-corrosive.

21. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor body comprises a polymeric material.

22. The adaptor of claim 21, wherein the polymeric material is chemical resistant, heat resistant, or both chemical resistant and heat resistant.

23. The adaptor of claim 21, wherein the polymeric material is a medical grade plastic material.

24. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is a step-up or step-down convertor.

25. A method of performing an endoscopic procedure, the method comprising using an endoscope assembly including a water bottle with a cap and an adaptor according to claim 1.

27. A method of performing an endoscopic procedure, the method comprising using an endoscope assembly including a water bottle assembly according to claim 25.

26. A water bottle assembly for use with an endoscope, the assembly comprising:

a water bottle having a neck portion with threads on the exterior surface thereof;

a water bottle cap having walls and threads formed on the interior surface thereof;

an adaptor comprising;

a substantially tubular body having an interior surface and an exterior surface and having an upper portion and a flared lower portion;

the upper body portion having threads on the exterior surface thereof and being removably affixable via the threads to the water bottle cap;

the flared lower body portion having threads on the interior surface thereof and being removably affixable via the threads to the neck portion of the water bottle;

the adaptor further comprising a gas inlet port extending outward from the exterior surface of the body and having a central passage extending through the body and opening on the interior surface of the body; and

one or more tubes affixed to one or more openings formed in the cap, at least one tube extending through the cap, through an interior passage in the adaptor, and into the bottle.

28. A method for supplying a secondary gas in an endoscopic procedure, the method comprising:

using an endoscopy assembly having attached thereto a water bottle with a cap, the bottle having a neck portion with threads on the external surface thereof, the cap having walls with threads formed on the interior surface thereof;

affixing between the water bottle and the cap to an adaptor comprising

a substantially tubular body having an interior surface and an exterior surface and having an upper portion and a flared lower portion;

the upper body portion having threads on the exterior surface thereof for affixation to the water bottle cap;

the flared lower body portion having threads on the interior surface thereof for affixation to the neck portion of the water bottle;

and comprising a gas inlet port extending outward from the exterior surface of the body and having a central passage extending through the body and opening on the interior surface of the body; and

supplying a secondary gas to the endoscopy assembly via the gas inlet port on the adaptor.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the secondary gas comprises carbon dioxide.