Releasable tube assembly

• US 6,423,053 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Han-Pin Lee
• Original Assignee: Han-Pin Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Han-Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kennedy, Sharon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/482,475
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 604/533, 604/411, 604/415, 604/523, 604/195, 604/905, 604/240
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A releasable tube assembly, comprising: a male tube having a male tube body and a pair of opposing arms, in which the male tube body has an outer surface and a coupling end, and each of the arms includes: an attachment section, coupled to the outer surface of the male tube body; an intermediate angled section, extending upward from the attachment section; and a handle section, extending upward from said angled section, in which the intermediate angled section and the handle section are in non-contact with the outer surface of the male tube body; a female tube including: a female tube body having a connecting end which is tightly fitted with the coupling end of the male tube body; and a receiving chamber which connects to the connecting end of and communicates to the female tube body, in which the receiving chamber has an upper opening and two diametrically protruding hollow side wings to form a dimension which accommodates the intermediate angled sections of the opposing arms coupled to the male tube body, and the upper opening of the receiving chamber is provided with an inner flange for preventing the angled sections of the arms from leaving the receiving chamber.

Claims

1. A releasable tube assembly, comprising:

a male tube having a male tube body and a pair of opposing arms made of deformable material, in which the male tube body has an outer surface and a coupling end, and each of the arms includes;

an attachment section, coupled to the outer surface of the male tube body;

an intermediate angled section, extending upward from the attachment section; and

a handle section, extending upward from said angled section, in which the intermediate angled section and the handle section are in non-contact with the outer surface of the male tube body;

a female tube including;

a female tube body having a connecting end which is tightly fitted with the coupling end of the male tube body; and

a receiving chamber which connects to the connecting end of and communicates to the female tube body, in which the receiving chamber has an upper opening and two diametrically protruding hollow side wings to form a dimension which accommodates the intermediate angled sections of the opposing arms coupled to the male tube body, and the upper opening of the receiving chamber is provided with an inner flange for preventing the angled sections of the arms from leaving the receiving chamber.

2. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the handle sections is provided with a protrusion inward extending toward the outer surface of the male tube body.

3. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a stop ring which has a cylindrical body having two diametrically opposite recesses formed thereon, in which the stop ring is fitted over the male tube body with the protrusions of said arms respectively received and positioned in the two recesses.

4. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving chamber further has a lower opening at which the connecting end of the female tube body is integrally formed.

5. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a washer fitted onto the coupling end of male tube body for further sealing the coupling end of the male tube body and the connecting end of the female tube body.

6. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the side wings of the receiving chamber has an inner side wall which has a plurality of horizontal grooves formed thereon such that the angled section of each of the arms partially engages in one of the grooves when being received in the receiving chamber.

7. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 1, wherein the male tube body has a gradually increasing diameter to define a first tapered section, which extends upward from the coupling end thereof to where the attachment section at each of the arms is coupled, and wherein the female tube body has a gradually increasing. diameter at the connecting end thereof to define a second tapered section which tightly receives the first tapered section of the male tube body by interference fitting.

8. The releasable tube assembly according to claim 1, further comprises two springs, each disposed between the attachment section and the angled section of the arm.