Interlocking catheter assembly

• US 5,971,958 A
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zhang, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn Wood
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENNEDY, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US08/998,898
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164, 604/165, 604/166, 604/264, 604/283, 604/167, 604/44, 604/30, 604/95, 604/905, 403/315, 403/320, 128/912
• US Class Current: 604/165.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A catheter assembly comprising two elements each having a hub disposed at the proximal end thereof. The hubs are constructed so as to be complementary and rotatably engageable as the result of a plurality of threads disposed on the hubs of the two catheter introducer elements. When the threads of the hubs of the two catheter elements are engaged axial disengagement of the hubs is inhibited. The catheter assembly also comprising a means of securing against accidental rotational disengagement. The size and location of the threads and the rotational securement means permits the catheter assembly to have a lower profile because the distance to the hemostasis gasket is reduced thus permitting easier access to the hemostasis gasket.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first catheter element having a proximal end, a distal end and a conduit extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the first catheter element having a hub disposed at the proximal end thereof, the hub having a proximal portion, a distal planar surface and a centrally disposed threaded distal portion;

a second catheter element having a proximal end and a distal end, the second catheter element having a hub disposed at the proximal end thereof, the hub having a proximal planar surface, a threaded proximal portion and a sheath having a bore extending from the proximal end of the second catheter element to the distal end of the second catheter element defining an inner surface into which the conduit of the first catheter element can be inserted to bring the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element into releasable engagement with the threaded distal portion of the first catheter element; and

one or more proturbances disposed on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub and one or more complimentary recesses disposed on the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub for rotatably receiving the proturbances so as to provide an interference fit and inhibit rotational disengagement of the first catheter element hub from the second catheter element hub.

2. The catheter assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element hub is disposed on an inner surface defined by the bore extending from the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub toward said distal end of the second catheter element hub.

3. The catheter assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the threaded distal portion of the first catheter element hub comprises outwardly-protruding threads and the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element hub comprises inwardly-protruding threads.

4. The catheter assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the threads of the first catheter element hub and the threads of the second catheter element hub are double lead threads.

5. The catheter assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the protuberances are spaced equally along a circumference extending radially on the distal planar surface from the centrally disposed threaded distal portion of the first catheter element hub and the recesses are spaced equally along a circumference extending radially on the proximal planar surface from the bore of the second catheter element hub.

6. The catheter assembly defined in claim 5 wherein the protuberances on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub are semi-cylindrical in shape and the recesses on the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element are semi-cylindrical in shape.

21. A catheter assembly defined in claim 6 wherein the threads of the introducer hub and dilator hub are double lead threads.

7. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first catheter element having a proximal end, a distal end and a conduit extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the first catheter element having a hub disposed at the proximal end thereof, the hub having a proximal portion, a distal planar surface and a centrally disposed threaded distal portion;

a second catheter element having a proximal end and a distal end, the second catheter element having a hub disposed at the proximal end thereof, the hub having a proximal planar surface, a threaded proximal portion and a sheath having a bore extending from the proximal end of the second catheter element to the distal end of the second catheter element defining an inner surface into which the conduit of the first catheter element can be inserted to bring the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element into releasable engagement with the threaded distal portion of the first catheter element; and

one or more proturbances disposed on the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub and one or more complimentary recesses disposed on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub for rotatably receiving the prolurbances so as to provide an interference fit and inhibit rotational disengagement of the first catheter element hub from the second catheter element hub.

8. The catheter assembly defined in claim 7 wherein the protuberances are spaced equally along a circumference extending radially on the proximal planar surface from the bore of the second catheter element hub and the recesses are spaced equally along a circumference extending radially on the distal planar surface from the centrally disposed threaded distal portion of the first catheter element hub.

9. The catheter assembly defined in claim 7 wherein the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element hub is disposed on an inner surface defined by the bore extending from the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub toward said distal end of the second catheter element hub.

10. The catheter assembly defined in claim 7 wherein the threaded distal portion of the first catheter element hub comprises outwardly-protruding threads and the threaded proximal portion of the second catheter element hub comprises inwardly-protruding threads.

11. The catheter assembly defined in claim 10 wherein the threads of the first catheter element hub and the threads of the second catheter element hub are double lead threads.

12. The catheter assembly defined in claim 8 wherein the proturbances on the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub are semi-cylindrical in shape and the recesses on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub are semi-cylindrical in shape.

13. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first catheter element having a proximal end, a distal end and a conduit extending between the proximal end and distal end;

a first catheter element hub having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the hub has a center and a distal planar surface;

the first catheter element hub disposed at the proximal end of the first catheter element;

a plurality of threads disposed on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub;

one or more protuberances disposed on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub;

a second catheter element having a proximal end and a distal end;

a second catheter element hub having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the

hub has a proximal planar surface and a sheath having a bore extending from the proximal planar surface toward the distal end defining an inner surface into which the conduit of the first catheter element can be inserted;

the second catheter element hub disposed at the proximal end of the second catheter element;

a plurality of threads disposed on the inner surface of the proximal end of the bore wherein the threads are sized and spaced so as to be rotatably engageable with the threads of the first catheter element hub so that when the threads are engaged, axial disengagement of the first and the second catheter elements is inhibited; and

one or more recesses disposed on the proximal planar surface of the second catheter element hub complementary with the protuberances disposed on the distal planar surface of the first catheter element hub so that when the recesses and protuberances rotatably come into contact an interference fit results inhibiting rotational disengagement of the first and second catheter element hubs.

14. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the protuberances are disposed equally along a circumference extending radially on the distal planar surface from the center of the first catheter element hub and the recesses are disposed equally along a circumference extending radially on the proximal planar surface from the bore of the second catheter element hub.

15. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the threads of the first catheter element hub are outwardly protruding and the threads of the second catheter element hub are inwardly protruding.

16. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the threads of the first catheter element hub and the threads of the second catheter element hub are double lead threads.

17. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the second catheter element further includes an introducer sheath.

18. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the first catheter element further includes a dilator.

19. The catheter assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the first catheter element further includes an obturator.

20. A catheter assembly comprising:

an introducer sheath comprising an elongated tubular element having a distal end and a proximal end, the introducer sheath defining an introducer conduit along a longitudinal axis;

an introducer hub having a distal end and proximal end, the introducer hub disposed at the proximal end of the introducer sheath, the hub having a proximal planar surface with a bore extending from the proximal planar surface toward the distal end defining an inner surface and further defining an introducer conduit therethrough;

a plurality of inwardly protruding threads disposed along the inner surface of the proximal end of the bore;

two recesses disposed equally on the proximal planar surface of the introducer hub along a circumference and extending radially on the proximal planar surface from the bore of the introducer hub;

a dilator comprising an elongated tubular element having a distal end and a proximal end, the dilator defining a longitudinal dilator conduit, the dilator having a tapered distal portion, the dilator being receivable through the introducer conduit so that the tapered distal portion of the dilator extends beyond the distal end of the introducer sheath;

a dilator hub having a center, a distal end and a proximal end, the dilator hub disposed at the proximal end of the dilator, the dilator having a distal planar surface and further defining a dilator conduit therethrough;

a plurality of outwardly protruding threads disposed on the distal planar surface of the dilator hub sized and spaced so as to rotatably engage and interlock with the inwardly protruding threads of the introducer hub so that when the threads are engaged axial disengagement of the introducer dilator hubs is inhibited; and

two protuberances disposed equally on the distal planar surface of the dilator hub along a circumference and extending radially from the center of the dilator hub, the protuberances sized and spaced so that the protuberances are capable of being rotatably received by the recesses of the introducer hub so that when the protuberances come into contact with the recesses an interference fit results inhibiting rotational disengagement of the introducer and dilator hubs.

22. A catheter assembly comprising:

an introducer sheath comprising an elongated tubular element having a distal end and a proximal end, the introducer sheath defining an introducer conduit along a longitudinal axis;

an introducer hub having a distal end and proximal end, the introducer hub disposed at the proximal end of the introducer sheath, said hub having a proximal planar surface with a bore extending from the proximal planar surface toward the distal end defining an inner surface and further defining an introducer conduit therethrough;

a plurality of inwardly protruding threads disposed along the inner surface of the proximal end of the bore;

two recesses disposed equally on the proximal planar surface of introducer hub along a circumference and extending radially on the proximal planar surface from the bore of the introducer hub;

an obturator comprising an elongated tubular element having a distal end and a proximal end;

an obturator hub having a center, a distal end and a proximal end, the obturator hub disposed at the proximal end of the obturator, the obturator having a distal planar surface with a center;

a plurality of outwardly protruding threads disposed on the distal planar surface of the obturator hub sized and spaced so as to rotatably engage and interlock the said inwardly protruding threads of the introducer hub so that when the threads are engaged axial disengagement of the introducer and obturator hubs is inhibited; and

two protuberances disposed equally on the distal planar surface of the obturator hub along a circumference and extending radially from the center of the obturator hub, the protuberances sized and spaced so that the protuberances are capable of being rotatably received by the recesses of the introducer hub so that when the protuberances come into contact with the recesses an interference fit results inhibiting rotational disengagement of the introducer and obturator hubs.

23. A catheter assembly defined in claim 22 wherein the threads of the introducer hub and obturator hub are double lead threads.