Intravenous catheter with built-in cutting tip and method for making the same

• US 5,092,848 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vincent L. Deciutiis
• Original Assignee: Vincent L. Deciutiis
• Inventors: deCiutiis, Vincent L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maglione, Corrine
• Application Number:
  US07/593,574
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 29/447, 128/334, 128/339, 264/230, 604/158, 604/164, 604/272-274, 604/170, 606/225, 606/167, 606/170
• US Class Current: 604/170.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube

Abstract

An intravenous catheter includes a tubular member made from a shrinkable material that has a built-in cutting tip located at its distal end. The cutting tip is adapted to cut through tissue and create an opening in a blood vessel of a patient that is the same diameter as the outer diameter of the tubular member. The tubular member is shrinkably affixed to at least a portion of the cutting tip to prevent removal of the cutting tip during usage or insertion. Another embodiment of the intravenous catheter includes a cutting tip disposed near the distal end of a tubular member tube and having a middle portion formed from a shrinkable material surrounding both the cutting tip and tubular member. The middle portion keeps the cutting tip and tubular member together and creates an integrated unit having a smooth outer surface and a continuous outer diameter throughout.

Claims

1. An intravenous catheter comprising:

a tubular member having a constant outer diameter and a distal end;

a cutting tip having a constant outer diameter which is the same as the outer diameter of said tubular member and including a distal cutting end and a recessed proximal end portion adapted to receive said distal end of said tubular member, said tubular member being placed on said proximal end portion; and

a layer of shrinkable thermoplastic material surrounding the outer surface of the tubular member near said distal end to maintain said tubular member on said proximal end portion, said layer of shrinkable material being shrunk flush with the other surfaces of said cutting tip and said tubular member.

2. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular member includes a recessed portion formed near its distal end for receiving said layer of shrinkable material.

3. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said proximal end portion further includes holding means defined therein for holding said tubular member.

4. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said holding means comprise at least one angular serration extending from the recessed proximal end portion of said cutting tip, each angular serration having at least three side surfaces.

5. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said holding means comprise a multiplicity of upwardly projecting finger members each spaced apart from one another and terminating at a point to protrude into said tubular member.

6. An intravenous catheter comprising:

a tubular member having an constant outer diameter and a distal end;

a cutting tip having an outer diameter that is the same as the outer diameter of said tubular member and including a distal cutting end and a recessed proximal end portion including a proximal edge, said proximal edge being in substantially abutting relationship with said distal end of said tubular member, said cutting tip having an opening extending from said distal cutting end to said proximal edge; and

at least one layer of shrinkable theremoplastic material surrounding said recessed end portion and said distal end of said tubular member, said layer being shrinkably affixed to said cutting tip and said tubular member, said layer of shrinkable material being shrunk flush with the outer surfaces of said cutting tip and said tubular member.

7. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 6 wherein said proximal end portion further includes holding means defined therein for holding said layer of shrinkable material.

8. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein said holding means comprise at least one angular serration extending from the outer surface of said proximal end portion adapted to form a structure that helps receive and hold said layer of shrinkable material.

9. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein said holding means comprise a multiplicity of upwardly projecting finger members each spaced apart from one another, each finger member terminating at a point to protrude into said tubular member to hold it to said cutting tip.

10. The intravenous catheter as defined in claim 6 wherein said tubular member includes a recessed portion formed near its distal end for receiving said layer of shrinkable material.

11. An intravenous catheter comprising:

a tubular member made from a shrinkable thermoplastic material having a distal end and an outer surface;

a cutting tip having a distal cutting end and a recessed proximal end portion adapted to receive said distal end of said tubular member, said cutting tip having a longitudinal opening extending from said distal cutting end to said proximal end portion and having an outer surface that is continuous with said outer surface of said tubular member, said tubular member being shrinkably affixed to said proximal end portion; and

a multiplicity of upwardly projecting finger members adapted to extend upward from the recessed proximal end portion of the cutting tip, each finger member being spaced from one another and terminating at a tip to protrude into said tubular member.

12. A method for making an intravenous catheter from a tubular member having a constant outer diameter and a cutting tip having a distal cutting edge and a recessed proximal end portion, the cutting tip having a constant outer diameter which is the same as the tubular member, comprising the steps of:

placing the distal end of the tubular member in close proximity to the proximal end of the cutting tip;

placing at least one layer of a shrinkable thermoplastic material around at least a portion of cutting tip and a portion of the tubular member; and

subjecting the shrinkable material to an external source that shrinks the shrinkable material flush with the outer surfaces of the cutting tip and tubular member.

13. An intravenous catheter manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 12.

14. A method for making an intravenous catheter from a tubular member having constant outer diameter and a distal end and a cutting tip having a distal cutting edge and a recessed proximal end portion, said cutting tip having a constant outer diameter which is the same as the tubular member, comprising the steps of:

placing the distal end of the tubular member over the proximal end portion of the cutting tip;

placing shrinkable thermoplastic material around the outer surface of the tubular member near its distal end; and

subjecting the shrinkable material to an external shrinking source which shrinks the material flush with the outer surfaces of the cutting tip and tubular member.

15. An intravenous catheter manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 14.