Indwelling catheter

• US 7,008,404 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medikit Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Medikit Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US10/094,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 604/905, 604/249, 604/246, 604/158, 604/523, 604160-162, 604/164.01, 604/164.02, 60416702-16704, 604/537, 251/149.1, 251/149.6
• US Class Current: 604/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0693 including means for seal penetration

Abstract

An indwelling catheter has a hollow catheter body, a catheter tube fitted to a front end of the catheter body, an elastic valve fitted inside the catheter body, and a hollow plug slidably fitted inside the catheter body. The catheter tube, the elastic valve, and the plug are aligned in this order. A connector inserted from a proximal end of the catheter pushes the plug, and the plug presses the elastic valve open.

Claims

1. An indwelling catheter, comprising:

a hollow catheter body having a front end and a rear end, wherein the rear end has a structure configured to receive and connect with a connector inserted from outside of the rear end;

a catheter tube fitted to the front end;

an elastic valve fitted inside the catheter body; and

a hollow plug slidably fitted inside the catheter body, the plug having a structure configured to allow insertion of a needle from a rear end through the catheter tube and to directly contact and be pressed by the inserted connector so as to open the elastic valve;

wherein, the catheter tube, the elastic valve and the hollow plug are aligned in this order, and

the elastic valve has an annular protrusion, and the plug has a shoulder slidably engaging the annular protrusion, whereby the plug is prevented from slipping out form the elastic valve.

2. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the catheter body has an inner surface having a tapered shape.

3. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein one or more gaps are provided between the elastic valve and the catheter body to provide an air passage.

4. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug is prevented from slipping out from inside the catheter body.

5. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug is slidably fitted to the elastic valve.

6. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a biasing means fitted outside the plug, the biasing means biasing the plug in a direction opposite to the elastic valve.

7. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 6, wherein the biasing means comprises a bellow made of a resilient material.

8. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 6, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring coil made of a resilient material.

9. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the catheter body is integrally formed.

10. An indwelling catheter, comprising:

a hollow catheter body having a chamber at a rear portion thereof;

a catheter tube fitted to a front end of the catheter body;

an elastic valve fitted inside the catheter body;

a hollow plug slidably fitted inside the catheter body, the plug having a structure configured to allow insertion of a needle from a rear end through the catheter tube;

wherein the catheter tube, the elastic valve and the hollow plug are aligned in this order;

a connector inserted from a rear end of the catheter body into the chamber to push the hollow plug forward so that the hollow plug presses the elastic valve into an open position; and

a coil spring disposed between the elastic valve and the hollow plug to exert a force on the elastic valve and the hollow plug to move them apart,

wherein the elastic valve has an annular protrusion and the hollow plug has a shoulder which engages with the annular protrusion to retain the hollow plug within the rear opening.

11. An indwelling catheter, comprising:

a hollow catheter body having a front end and a rear end, wherein the rear end has a structure defining a rear opening extending into the catheter body to receive and contact with a connector inserted into the rear opening;

a catheter tube fitted to the front end of the catheter body;

an elastic valve fitted inside the catheter body;

a hollow plug slidably fitted inside the catheter body, the plug having a structure configured to allow insertion of a needle from a rear end through the catheter tube;

wherein, the catheter tube, the elastic valve and the hollow plug are aligned in this order; and

a connector inserted from a proximal end of the catheter body into the rear opening so that an end portion of the connector abuts the rear end of the plug within the rear opening of the catheter body to push the plug forward so as to press the elastic valve open,

wherein the elastic valve has an annular protrusion, and the plug has a shoulder slidably engaging the annular protrusion, whereby the plug is prevented from slipping out from the elastic valve.

12. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 11, wherein the rear opening has an inner surface that is tapered toward one end of the catheter body.

13. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 11, wherein one or more gaps are provided between the elastic valve and the catheter body to provide an air passage.

14. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 11, wherein the plug is prevented from slipping out from inside the catheter body.

15. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 11, wherein the plug is slidably fitted to the elastic valve.

16. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a biasing means fitted outside the plug, the biasing means biasing the plug in a direction opposite to the elastic valve.

17. An indwelling catheter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the biasing means comprises a bellow or a spring coil made of a resilient material.