Catheter tube coupling assembly and methods

• US 4,772,276 A
• Filed: 07/27/1987
• Issued: 09/20/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catheter Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catheter Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Wiita, Thomas A., Moorehead, Harvey R., Schatten, Karl L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Application Number:
  US07/078,431
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93, 604/175, 604/183, 604/283, 604/DIG. 905, 604/891, 285/239, 285/242, 128/1 R
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0208 Subcutaneous access sites for injecting or removing fluids transcutaneous access sites A61M39/0247; implantable infusion devices A61M5/14276
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/12 for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A port/catheter tube assembly which insures a stable essentially inseparable connection between the hollow male outlet stem of the port and the proximal end of the catheter tube, thereby insuring a continual supply of medication to the desired patient site while preventing inadvertent harm caused by unintended leakage of such medication into improper tissue sites due to separation of the catheter tube from the port or due to kinking.

Claims

1. A barbless catheter tube coupling assembly comprising:

a first hollow fluid flow-accommodating rigid tubular member comprising an exposed synthetic resinous material comprising an elongated gripping exterior surface highly resistant to frictional displacement of other synthetic materials along said surface and having a predetermined outside maximum transverse dimension;

a catheter tube of synthetic resinous material comprising opposed ends, one end telescopically and compressively contiguously superimposed upon substantially the entirety of the gripping surface and comprising outside and inside stressed transverse dimensions, the inside stressed transverse dimension of the one end of the catheter tube along substantially the entirety of the gripping surface of the tubular member being materially greater than the unstressed inside and outside transverse dimensions of said one end with the stressed inside transverse dimension of the assembled one end of the catheter tube being substantially the same as the outside transverse dimension of the first tubular member;

a relative short flexible sleeve of synthetic resinous material telescopically and compressively contiguously superimposed upon the one end of the catheter tube, the flexible sleeve comprising outside and inside stressed transverse dimensions, the inside and outside flexible sleeve transverse dimensions in the stressed state being materially greater than the unstressed inside and outside transverse dimensions of the sleeve, with the stressed inside transverse dimension of the assembled sleeve being substantially the same as the one end of the catheter tube;

the first tubular member, the enlarged one end of the catheter tube and the enlarged sleeve, when assembled, forming a secure ultra strong coupling, stable against inadvertent separation under normal stress conditions, the one end of the catheter tube imposing a substantial compressive memory stress upon the first tubular member, the sleeve imposing a substantial compressive memory stress upon the one end of the catheter tube and through the enlarged proximal end of the catheter tube upon substantially the entirety of the gripping surface of the stem and the gripping surface substantially restraining the one end of the catheter tube against axial displacement relative to the tubular member;

whereby the one end of the catheter tube is reliably secured to the first tubular member against both axial and blow off separation.

2. A method of making a secure barbless catheter tube coupling comprising the steps of:

providing a first hollow fluid flow-accommodating tubular member comprising an elongated non-slip gripping surface of synthetic resinous material;

force diametrally enlarging one end of a catheter tube, telescopically superimposing said one end upon substantially the entire length of the exterior of the first tubular member and causing the one end of the catheter tube to radially compressively grip and longitudinally anti-displacingly engage substantially the entire length of the non-slip gripping surface at the exterior surface of the first tubular member and further restraining the enlarged one end of the catheter tube;

placing a yieldable sleeve slidably and telescopically upon the catheter tube and force diametrally enlarging the yieldable sleeve and superimposing the enlarged sleeve upon the exterior of the enlarged one end of the catheter tube and causing the enlarged sleeve to radially compressively grip the enlarged one end of the catheter tube and substantially the entirety of the elongated gripping surface of the tubular member through the sleeve.