Device for RF welding an IV tube to a catheter lumen

• US 4,574,173 A
• Filed: 05/04/1984
• Issued: 03/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deseret Medical, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Laurence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US06/607,329
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.53, 219/10.57, 219/9.5, 219/8.5, 219/10.41, 219/10.43, 219/10.81, 219/10.67, 604/96, 604/264, 604/280, 156/272.2, 156/273.3, 156/273.7, 156/274.4, 156/379.6, 156/380.2, 156/380.6, 279/41 R
• US Class Current: 219/765
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1222 comprising at least a lapped joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1224 comprising at least a butt joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5227 for forming multi-tubular articles by longitudinally joining elementary tubular articles wall-to-wall (e.g. joining the wall of a first tubular article to the wall of a second tubular article) or for forming multilayer tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/52271 one tubular article being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5344 said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends B29C66/5346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81263 Dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8167 Quick change joining tools or surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/601 Multi-tubular articles, i.e. composed of a plurality of tubes hollow-walled B29L2024/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/602 composed of several elementary tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7542 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/62 Apparatus for specific applications

Abstract

A device for welding an IV tube into fluid communication with a lumen of a catheter comprises a grounded metal adapter which is operatively associated with a dielectric collet to clampingly engage and hold a catheter in the collet. The device further comprises a metal mandrel which is partially inserted into an IV tube and positioned so that part of the IV tube and mandrel extend into a portion of a lumen of the catheter. With the IV tube and mandrel positioned in the lumen, the dielectric collet is further engaged to compressingly urge the lumen sidewall into contact with the outer surface of the IV tube. RF energy is then applied to the mandrel to weld the IV tube into the lumen.

Claims

1. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter comprising:

means cooperative with said catheter for compressively engaging a portion of said IV tube with a dimensionally incompatible portion of a lumen of said catheter;

an electrically conductive mandrel insertable into said IV tube;

an electrical ground associated with said compressive means; and

means connectable with said mandrel for generating RF energy between said mandrel and said ground to weld a continuous and integral bond at the interface between said IV tube and said catheter.

2. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said compressive means further comprises a collet.

3. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 2 wherein said collet is made of a dielectric material.

4. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 3 wherein said mandrel is made of beryllium copper alloy.

5. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a metal collet operatively associated with said dielectric collet for urging said dielectric collet into compressive engagement with said catheter; and

means to activate said metal collet.

6. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 5 wherein said metal collet is made of beryllium copper alloy.

7. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

an adapter having a bore to slidably receive said metal collet for operative association therewith to activate said metal collet; and

means for reciprocally sliding said metal collet within the bore of said adapter.

8. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 7 wherein said catheter and said IV tubes are made of polyurethane.

9. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter as recited in claim 8 wherein said catheter is made of a radiopaque polyurethane.

10. A device for welding an IV tube in fluid communicating with a lumen of a catheter comprising:

a support;

a grounded adapter having a tapered bore therethrough mounted on said support;

a metal collect forming a passageway and slidably disposed in the tapered bore of said adapter for operative association therewith;

a dielectric collect disposed in the passageway of said metal collet and operatively associated with said metal collet for clamping engagement with said catheter;

a metal mandrel insertably engaged with said IV tube;

means for clamping said dielectric collet onto said catheter;

means for positioning at least a portion of said IV tube-mandrel combination into said lumen; and

means for applying RF energy to said mandrel for welding said IV tube to said lumen.

11. A welding device as recited in claim 10 wherein said adapter, said metla collet and said mandrel are made of a beryllium copper alloy.

12. A welding device as recited in claim 11 wherein said IV tube and said catheter are made of polyurethane.

13. A welding device as recited in claim 12 wherein said catheter is made of a radiopaque polyurethane.

14. A method for RF welding an IV tube into fluid communication with a lumen of a catheter comprising the steps of:

a. positioning at least a portion of said IV tube into a portion of the lumen of said catheter;

b. placing said IV tube and catheter combination in operative association with a device comprising a support, a grounded adapter having a tapered bore therethrough mounted on said support, a metal collet forming a passageway and slidably disposed in the tapered bore of said adapter for operative association therewith, a dielectric collet disposed in the passageway of said metal collet and operatively associated with said metal collect for clamping engagement with said catheter, a metal mandrel insertably engaged with said IV tube, and means for clamping said dielectric collet onto said catheter;

c. activating said device to clampingly engage said dielectric collet with said catheter; and

d. applying RF energy to said mandrel for welding said IV tube to said lumen.

15. A device for RF welding an IV tube to a multilumen catheter comprising:

a dielectric collet cooperative with said catheter for compressively engaging a portion of said IV tube with a portion of a lumen of said catheter;

an electrically conductive mandrel insertable into said IV tube;

a metal collet for providing an electrical ground and operatively associated with said dielectric collet for urging said dielectric collet into compressive engagement with said catheter;

an adapter having a bore to slidably receive said metal collet for operative association therewith to activate said metal collet;

means for reciprocally sliding said metal collet within the bore of said adapter; and

means connectable with said mandrel for generating RF energy between said mandrel and said metal collet to weld a continuous and integral bond at the interface between said IV tube and said catheter.

16. A device as recited in claim 15 wherein said mandrel and said metal collet are made of beryllium copper alloy.

17. A device as recited in claim 16 wherein said catheter and said IV tubes are made of polyurethane.

18. A device a recited in claim 17 wherein said catheter is made of a radiopaque polyurethane.