Locking catheter adapter
First Claim
1. A unitary adapter for placing the proximal end of a catheter which has been inserted in a patient'"'"'s body in liquid communication with a source of a liquid to be administered from a syringe to said patient by means of said catheter, said adapter comprising:
- a catheter connector housing having distal and proximal ends, said distal end having an opening through which said proximal end of said catheter may be inserted, said catheter connector housing having an internal bore to which said opening communicates;
an elongated elastomeric and compressible plug seated within said bore adjacent said distal end of said catheter connector in a relatively uncompressed condition, said plug having a channel extending therethrough aligned with said opening in said distal end of said catheter housing, whereby said catheter inserted within said opening can extend within said channel, the inner dimensions of said channel when uncompressed and of said opening being slightly greater than the outer dimensions of said catheter to permit insertion of said catheter therewithin;
a syringe connector housing having proximal and distal ends and a passageway for said liquid extending longitudinally between said ends thereof, said proximal end having means for releasably engaging the tip of said syringe, said distal end of said source connector housing having an opening communicating with said passageway;
retaining means inseparably housings together with said proximal end of said catheter connector housing seated within said distal end of said syringe connector housing;
means for reversibly moving said connectors longitudinally with respect to one another from an open, spaced position permitting insertion and withdrawal of said catheter from said catheter connector to a closed abutting position wherein said passageway in said syringe connector housing, said bore in said catheter connector, said channel in said plug and said catheter when contained therein are in liquid communication to define a closed channel for administering said liquid from said syringe to said patient through said catheter, said means for moving said connector housings between open and closed positions being threads on said proximal end of said catheter connector housing mating with threads on said distal end of said syringe connector housing, whereby said housings can be screwed together to provide said closed position and unscrewed to said open position;
compression means for compressing said plug when said connector housings are in said closed position, whereby to reduce the gap of said channel and thereby cause said plug to frictionally engage said catheter inserted therein and to retain said catheter in said adapter; and
locking means for securing said connectors in said closed position, whereby to prevent accidental unscrewing of said connectors toward said open position.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A unitary adapter is disclosed for placing a catheter in fluid communication with a syringe or other source of liquid medication. The adapter has a catheter connector for releasably securing the proximal end of a catheter extending from a patient'"'"'s body and a connector releasably engaging the liquid medication source, the connectors being attached to one another and movable between an open position for inserting the catheter end and a closed position for securing the catheter end within the connector.
The adapter is designed to prevent accidental opening and the resulting falling out of the catheter when the connectors are in the closed position.
166 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A unitary adapter for placing the proximal end of a catheter which has been inserted in a patient'"'"'s body in liquid communication with a source of a liquid to be administered from a syringe to said patient by means of said catheter, said adapter comprising:
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a catheter connector housing having distal and proximal ends, said distal end having an opening through which said proximal end of said catheter may be inserted, said catheter connector housing having an internal bore to which said opening communicates; an elongated elastomeric and compressible plug seated within said bore adjacent said distal end of said catheter connector in a relatively uncompressed condition, said plug having a channel extending therethrough aligned with said opening in said distal end of said catheter housing, whereby said catheter inserted within said opening can extend within said channel, the inner dimensions of said channel when uncompressed and of said opening being slightly greater than the outer dimensions of said catheter to permit insertion of said catheter therewithin; a syringe connector housing having proximal and distal ends and a passageway for said liquid extending longitudinally between said ends thereof, said proximal end having means for releasably engaging the tip of said syringe, said distal end of said source connector housing having an opening communicating with said passageway; retaining means inseparably housings together with said proximal end of said catheter connector housing seated within said distal end of said syringe connector housing; means for reversibly moving said connectors longitudinally with respect to one another from an open, spaced position permitting insertion and withdrawal of said catheter from said catheter connector to a closed abutting position wherein said passageway in said syringe connector housing, said bore in said catheter connector, said channel in said plug and said catheter when contained therein are in liquid communication to define a closed channel for administering said liquid from said syringe to said patient through said catheter, said means for moving said connector housings between open and closed positions being threads on said proximal end of said catheter connector housing mating with threads on said distal end of said syringe connector housing, whereby said housings can be screwed together to provide said closed position and unscrewed to said open position; compression means for compressing said plug when said connector housings are in said closed position, whereby to reduce the gap of said channel and thereby cause said plug to frictionally engage said catheter inserted therein and to retain said catheter in said adapter; and locking means for securing said connectors in said closed position, whereby to prevent accidental unscrewing of said connectors toward said open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A unitary adapter for placing the proximal end of a catheter which has been inserted in a patient'"'"'s body in liquid communication with a source of a liquid to be administered to the patient by means of the catheter, the adapter comprising:
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a catheter connector housing having distal and proximal ends, the distal end having an opening through which the proximal end of said catheter may be inserted, the catheter connector housing having an internal bore to which the opening communicates; an elongated elastomeric and compressible plug seated within the bore adjacent the distal end of the catheter connector in a relatively uncompressed condition, the plug having a channel extending therethrough aligned with the opening in the distal end of the catheter housing, whereby the catheter inserted within the opening can extend within the channel, the inner dimensions of the channel when uncompressed and of the opening being slightly greater than the outer dimensions of the catheter to permit insertion of said catheter therewithin; a connector housing for the liquid source means having proximal and distal ends and a passageway for the liquid extending longitudinally between the ends thereof, the proximal end having means for releasably engaging the liquid source means, the distal end of the source connector housing having an opening communicating with the passageway; retaining means inseparably retaining the housings together with the proximal end of the catheter connector housing seated within the distal end of the liquid source connector housing; means for reversibly moving the connectors longitudinally with respect to one another from an open, spaced position permitting insertion and withdrawal of the catheter from the catheter connector to a closed abutting position wherein the passageway in the syringe connector housing, the bore in the catheter connector, the channel in the plug and the catheter when contained therein are in liquid communication to define a closed channel for administering the liquid from the liquid source means to the patient through the catheter, wherein said means for moving said connectors between open and closed positions are threads on said proximal end of said catheter connector housing mating with threads on said distal end of said liquid source means connector housing, whereby said housings can be screwed together to provide said closed position and unscrewed to said open position; compression means for compressing the plug when the connector housings are in closed position, whereby to reduce the gap of the channel and thereby cause the plug to frictionally engage the catheter inserted therein and to retain the catheter in the adapter; and locking means for securing the connectors in the closed position, whereby to prevent accidental unscrewing of said connectors toward the open position, and thereby preventing accidental removal of the catheter from the adapter. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification