Tube connector with a guiding tip
First Claim
1. A gastric banding system for a treatment of obesity, the gastric banding system comprising:
- a gastric band having an inflatable portion;
an access port having a septum for removing or inserting fluid into the inflatable portion of the gastric band and an access port connector;
a first tube including a first end connected to the inflatable portion of the gastric band and a second end, the first tube having a first inner diameter;
a second tube including a first end connected to the access port connector of the access port and a second end connected to the second end of the first tube, the second tube having a second inner diameter; and
a tube connector for connecting the second end of the first tube and the second end of the second tube, the tube connector for fluidly coupling the first tube and the second tube, the tube connector including;
a first barb portion located at a first end of the tube connector and having a diameter larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube, the first barb portion configured to be pressed into the first inner diameter of the first tube,a stem portion located adjacent to the first barb portion,a second barb portion located adjacent to the stem portion, the second barb portion having a diameter larger than the second inner diameter of the second tube, the second barb portion configured to be pressed into the second inner diameter of the second tube, anda guiding tip portion located at a second end of the tube connector and having an outer diameter not larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube configured to be inserted into the first inner diameter of the first tube.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Generally described herein are apparatus, systems and methods related to utilizing a guiding tip to connect two open ends of respective tubes of a gastric banding system. More particularly, one of these tubes may include a barbed element at or near the point of connection which makes it difficult to connect the two tubes as the barbed element may be larger than an opening to receive the barbed element. The guiding tip provides a solution to this problem by acting as an interface between the barbed element and the receiving tube. In this manner, the sealing functionality of the barbed element may be retained while improving the ease of inserting the barbed element into the receiving tube.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gastric banding system for a treatment of obesity, the gastric banding system comprising:
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a gastric band having an inflatable portion; an access port having a septum for removing or inserting fluid into the inflatable portion of the gastric band and an access port connector; a first tube including a first end connected to the inflatable portion of the gastric band and a second end, the first tube having a first inner diameter; a second tube including a first end connected to the access port connector of the access port and a second end connected to the second end of the first tube, the second tube having a second inner diameter; and a tube connector for connecting the second end of the first tube and the second end of the second tube, the tube connector for fluidly coupling the first tube and the second tube, the tube connector including; a first barb portion located at a first end of the tube connector and having a diameter larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube, the first barb portion configured to be pressed into the first inner diameter of the first tube, a stem portion located adjacent to the first barb portion, a second barb portion located adjacent to the stem portion, the second barb portion having a diameter larger than the second inner diameter of the second tube, the second barb portion configured to be pressed into the second inner diameter of the second tube, and a guiding tip portion located at a second end of the tube connector and having an outer diameter not larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube configured to be inserted into the first inner diameter of the first tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a gastric banding system, a tube connector for connecting a first tube and a second tube, the tube connector including:
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a first barb having a diameter larger than a first inner diameter of the first tube, the first barb configured to be pressed into the first inner diameter of the first tube; a stem portion located adjacent to the first barb; a second barb portion located adjacent to the stem portion, the second barb portion having a diameter larger than a second inner diameter of the second tube, the second barb portion configured to be pressed into the second inner diameter of the second tube; a guiding stem portion adjacent to the second barb portion; and a guiding tip portion adjacent to the guiding stem portion having an outer diameter not larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube and configured to be inserted into the first inner diameter of the first tube. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gastric banding system for a treatment of obesity, the gastric banding system comprising:
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a gastric band having an inflatable portion; an access port having a septum for removing or inserting fluid into the inflatable portion of the gastric band, the access port further having an access port connector; a first tube including a first end connected to the inflatable portion of the gastric band and a second end, the first tube having a first inner diameter; a second tube including a first end connected to the access port connector of the access port and a second end connected to the second end of the first tube, the second tube having a second inner diameter; a female tube connector for connecting the second end of the first tube and the second end of the second tube, the female tube connector including; a first barb portion located at a first end of the female tube connector, having a diameter larger than the first inner diameter of the first tube, the first barb portion configured to be pressed into the first inner diameter of the first tube, a stem portion located adjacent to the first barb portion, and a second barb portion located adjacent to the stem portion, the second barb portion having a diameter larger than the second inner diameter of the second tube, the second barb portion configured to be pressed into the second inner diameter of the second tube; and a male connector configured to be inserted into the female connector for connecting the second end of the first tube and the second end of the second tube, the male tube connector including; an enlarged stem portion located at a first end of the male tube connector, having a diameter larger than the second inner diameter of the second tube, a non-exposed stem portion adjacent to the enlarged stem portion located within the second tube, and an exposed stem portion adjacent to the enlarged stem portion located outside the second tube, the exposed stem portion configured to be inserted into the female connector to establish a fluid connection between the first tube and the second tube. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification