Coupling for medical apparatus tubes

• US 4,405,163 A
• Filed: 11/24/1980
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B. Braun Medical AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG), Venetec International Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co), Intermedicat GmbH
• Original Assignee: Intermedicat GmbH
• Inventors: Haacke, Claus, Voges, Karl-Friedrich, Heise, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US06/209,744
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 285/255, 285/243, 285/322, 285/DIG. 7, 285/323, 285/316, 285/315, 285/320, 285/305, 285/332, 604/93, 604/905, 604/408, 604/283, 128/207.14
• US Class Current: 285/305
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/225 a sleeve being movable axially
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/12 using hooks, pawls or other movable or insertable locking members F16L37/084 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/133 using flexible hooks F16L37/1215 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/138 using an axially movable sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/906 Equivalents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A coupling for connecting the ends of medical apparatus tubes. The coupling has male and female conical mating elements on first and second end pieces. Each end piece is adapted to receive the end of a tube. The end pieces are locked together to prevent unintentional separation. Locking is achieved by at least one finger extending from one end piece to the other end piece. The finger, in addition to its locking function, resists tension when tensile stress is applied to a coupled tube.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus coupling, for connecting the ends of two tubes, comprising:

a first end piece for receiving a first tube end, with said first end piece having a conical outer surface and with the end piece being narrower at the end to which the first tube end is joined;

a second end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a second tube end;

a male conical member on the second end piece and a female conical bore on the first end piece;

a plurality of fingers, means connecting the fingers to a ring constituting a mounting on and around the second end piece, means securing the ring against axial movement toward the first end of the second end piece with said fingers extending axially along the outside of the first end piece; and

an axially slidable ring circumscribing the ring containing the fingers, so that sliding of the slidable ring over and along the fingers presses the fingers radially inwardly towards the first end piece when the two end pieces are in coupled arrangement thereby locking the fingers to the first end piece conical outer surface and against radial outer displacement to secure the two end pieces against separation when tension is applied to the end pieces when joined into operative coupled arrangement.

2. A coupling according to claim 1 in which the fingers have smooth surfaces in contact with the ring.

3. A coupling according to claim 1 in which the fingers have serrations on the surfaces in contact with the ring.

4. A coupling according to claim 1 in which the ends of the fingers have means at the end which engage the end of the first end piece to which a tube can be connected.

5. A medical apparatus coupling, for connecting the ends of two tubes, comprising:

a first end piece for receiving a first tube end, with said first end piece having a conical outer surface and with the end piece being narrower at the end to which the first tube end is joined;

a second end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a second tube end;

a male conical member on the second end piece and a female conical bore on the first end piece;

two oppositely positioned fingers, means joining the fingers to a mounting on the second end piece, means securing the mounting against axial movement toward the first end of the second end piece, with said fingers extending axially along the outside of the first end piece; and

means at the ends of the fingers which is adapted to circumscribe and clamp the fingers to and around the first end piece when the two end pieces are in coupled arrangement, with said means including a locking element on each finger and each locking element having serrations adapted to interlock with serrations on the other locking element thereby locking the fingers to the first end piece conical outer surface and against radial outer displacement to secure the two end pieces against separation when tension is applied to the end pieces when joined into operative coupled arrangement.

6. A medical apparatus coupling, for connecting the ends of two tubes, comprising:

a first end piece for receiving a first tube end, with said first end piece having a conical outer surface and with the end piece being narrower at the end to which the first tube end is joined;

a second end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a second tube end;

a male conical member on the second end piece and a female conical bore on the first end piece; and

two oppositely positioned fingers, means joining the fingers to a mounting on the second end piece, means securing the mounting against axial movement toward the first end of the second end piece, with said fingers extending axially along the outside of the first end piece; and

means at the ends of the fingers which is adapted to circumscribe and clamp the fingers to and around the first end piece when the two end pieces are in coupled arrangement, with said means including at least one pin on one finger and at least one pin receiving hole on the other finger thereby locking the fingers to the first end piece conical outer surface and against radial outer displacement to secure the two end pieces against separation when tension is applied to the end pieces when joined into operative coupled arrangement.

7. A medical apparatus coupling, for connecting the ends of two tubes, comprising:

a first end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a first tube end;

a second end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a second tube end;

a male conical member on the second end piece, and a female conical bore on the first end piece with said first end piece having a conical outer surface tapered generally in the same direction as the conical bore;

at least one finger, means joining the finger to a mounting removably secured to the first end piece with said finger extending to locking means on the second end piece and means securing the locking means against axial movement toward the first end of the second piece;

said mounting being a C-shaped member which is adapted to engage and partially surround the first end member conical outer surface between its ends thereby restricting axial movement of the C-shaped member towards the first end of the first end piece;

whereby when the two end pieces are in coupled arrangement and the finger engages the locking means, the two end pieces are secured against separation when tension is applied to the end pieces.

8. A mdeical apparatus coupling according to claim 7 in which the locking means on the second end piece includes a ring having a finger receiving hole.

9. A medical apparatus coupling, for connecting the ends of two tubes, comprising:

a first end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a first tube end;

a second end piece having a first end, and a second end for receiving a second tube end;

a male conical member on the second end piece and a female conical bore on the first end piece;

at least one finger, means joining the finger to a mounting removably secured to the first end piece, with said finger extending to locking means on the second end piece;

means restricting axial movement of the mounting towards the first end of the first end piece;

the finger having a plurality of holes and the locking means on the second end piece having a peg engageable with one of said holes at any one time;

means securing the locking means against axial movement toward the first end of the second piece;

whereby when the two end pieces are in coupled arrangement and the finger engages the locking means, the two end pieces are secured against separation when tension is applied to the end pieces.

10. A medical apparatus coupling according to claim 9 in which the locking means comprises a ring and the peg is on the ring.