JPS6243697B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to connector systems for use in the treatment of injured or sick individuals, and more particularly to devices for intravenously inserting drugs into a patient in a safe and convenient manner.

It is common practice to treat patients, especially those who must be cared for in critical cases, by intravenous introduction of drugs. Intravenous solutions are
Commonly referred to as parenteral fluids, this fluid is supplied from a container that is delivered through a needle inserted into a patient's vein. This needle is taped to the patient's arm and will not be able to be pulled out of the patient's arm if the patient moves. Drugs necessary to sustain the patient's life, such as drugs that maintain the patient's blood pressure at a desired level, are added to the parenteral fluid.
Conventionally, the practice is to insert a needle into a sealed inlet of a connector and flow parenteral fluid through the inlet. However, with the methods currently used to insert needles into sealed inlets, the needle can be pulled out of the seal and released with relative ease. Although this is recognized by manufacturers of conventional intravenous medical devices, this is a problem that has not yet been properly interpreted. Accidental separation of a needle from a sealed entrance can have very serious consequences and even cause death to the patient being treated.

Another problem for patients being treated is infection. Bacteria gain entry into the patient,
Very often, by infecting a patient, the patient's life is seriously endangered. In very many cases, the method by which bacteria gain entry is unknown. We have observed conditions in morbidity and confirmed that one of the ways Barteria gains entrance is through contamination of the needle inserted into the sealed entrance. This occurs when the attendant recognizes that the needle has been withdrawn and released, and simply reinserts it, and the needle now collects bacteria, for example by direct contact with the patient's bed. It may even be picked up and held on its surface.

We have recognized that the above cases pose a significant risk to patients, and have now provided an economical, convenient, and safe drug connector system useful in patient treatment. In addition to the utility of administering drugs intravenously, the connector system of the present invention can be used in a wide variety of applications where bacterial infections are sought to be minimized. For example, it can be used with a catheter or pulmonary tube.

In the venous system, it includes a delivery system that passes parenteral fluids into the patient's veins. The supply system has a conduit having a mouth and including sealing means for closing the mouth. A needle connected to the drug source can pass through this sealing means. According to the invention,
A cap member is secured to the port and supports a needle passing through the sealing means. Since the cap member is fixed to the port, movement of the patient will not cause the needle to separate from the sealing means. This needle also
It is mounted within the cavity of the cap member in a manner that eliminates or reduces the possibility of contamination. Furthermore, the inner wall of the cap engages the outer wall of the mating conduit to provide a guide path so that the needle is directed toward the center of the sealing means and does not scrape against the inner wall of the conduit. Particles scraped from the interior of the conduit wall can enter the patient's bloodstream and kill the patient. Although this potentially lethal condition is inherent in certain prior art techniques, the connector system of the present invention with interlocking conduits is designed to orient the needle so that it does not scrape the internal connector wall.

The connector system of the present invention has several advantages. First, it is easy to manufacture and convenient to use. Second, and most importantly, it provides a safe method for intravenously administering drugs to patients. The reason is as follows. (a) the cap is held tightly in place so there is no risk of the needle being released by patient movement, and (b) the cap is designed to guide the needle so the needle is (c) the connector system is designed to minimize contamination supported by the cap member;

The features of the invention, as well as the foregoing and other advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Similar numbers indicate similar parts.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2,
Parenteral fluids are introduced into the patient's veins via supply system 10. The supply system 10 includes a tube 1 extending from a container of parenteral liquid and connected to a Y-type connector 16.
4, and a tube 18 from the Y-type connector to a needle (not shown) inserted into the patient's vein. The needle is taped to the patient to prevent movement of the patient from pulling the needle out of the patient's vein.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the drug is introduced from the container 20 into the parenteral liquid flowing through the delivery system 10 at the Y connector 16. The Y-shaped connector 16 consists of two tubular conduits 22 and 24, which are recessed to form a third tubular conduit 26. Parenteral liquid container 12
The tube 14 from above is inserted into the inlet 28 of the conduit 22 and secured in place, for example, by adhesive bonding the outer surface of the tube to the inner wall surface of the conduit. There is a stop 30 that limits the extent to which this tube 14 can be inserted into the conduit. In a similar manner, the tube 18 is secured to the outlet 32 of the Y-type connector. The tube 18 is inserted into the outlet 32 until it contacts a stop 34 in the inner wall of the conduit. This tube 18 is then secured to the inner wall of the conduit 26 by adhesive. Branch conduit 24 has a latex seal 36 at its inlet 38 which seals it. Ultimately, bacteria cannot enter the Y-connector 16 through the inlet 38 because of the seal 36. This seal 36 is of conventional design and includes coaxial annular aprons 40 and 42. these aprons 4
0 and 42 fit over the walls of the conduit and grip the exterior and interior wall surfaces to seal the conduit 24.
Tightly fix it.

The drug is introduced by needle 44 into the parenteral fluid flowing through the Y connector. Needle 44 is inserted into branch conduit 24 through the central portion of seal 36. This needle 44 is connected to a suitable connector 46.
is connected to tube 48 by. Tube 48 is connected to container 20 (FIG. 1) for the drug. Parenteral fluids enter inlet 2 through Y-type connector 16.
8 and exits through outlet 32, the drug is drawn into this parenteral liquid stream and is drawn into container 2.
0 through tube 48 and into the parenteral liquid through the open end of needle 44.

A problem with using the conventional device shown in FIG. 2 is that when the patient moves, e.g. rotates or moves his or her arm, the needle 4
4 is pulled out of the seal 36. When this occurs, latex seal 36 has sufficient resiliency to close the hole in the seal caused by needle 44. Parenteral fluid continues to flow into the patient's system, but the required drug is no longer introduced into the parenteral fluid. The consequences of this condition are so dangerous that they can lead to death of the patient or serious complications in the patient's treatment. Even if the needle 44 becomes dislodged from the seal 36 and the attendant realizes that it is reinserted, the needle may be contaminated with bacteria.

In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, needle 44 is secured to Y-connector 16 so that movement of the patient will not cause the needle to be withdrawn from seal 36. . Parenteral fluids are introduced via conduit 24, and conduit 22 is designed to receive seal 36. A cap member 50 supporting needle 44 is secured to conduit 22, where the cap member covers the inlet and the needle pierces the seal covering the inlet.

The cap member 50 has three functions: first
In addition, it locks the needle 44 in place so that patient movement does not cause the needle to be withdrawn from the seal 36. Second, cap member 50 surrounds needle 44 and defines a cavity 52 within which needle 44 is received such that it does not protrude beyond an open end 54 of the cavity. The needle 44 is so housed that if an attendant actually lays the cap member on the patient's bed, for example, the needle will come into contact with the bed, which may be infected with harmful bacteria. I don't think that will happen. The patient is thus provided with additional protection because the needle 44 is deeply placed within the cavity in the cap member. Third, cap member 50 cooperates with the outer wall of conduit 22 to guide the needle into the center of seal 36. in the end,
Since the needle does not escape from the inner wall of conduit 22, no plastic particles are introduced into the patient's circulatory system. Such particles will not be able to cause death.

Cap member 50 includes a cylindrical connector portion 56 having a hollow interior defining a chamber or cavity 52.
Consisting of The needle is arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the cavity and is centrally located within the cavity. end 54
Nearby, the inner wall 55 of the connector portion 56 is threaded. Since the cap member 50 is threaded onto the conduit 22, the interior cavity wall 55 is
It slides over the outer surface of the conduit and serves to guide the needle 44 so that it pierces the center of the seal. Thus, the cap member 50 and the conduit 22 are engaged in a male-female relationship, and the needle is always housed centrally and unexposed in the cavity. In this embodiment,
The cap member serves as the female component. To further ensure that the needle 44 penetrates the center of the seal 36, the thread 69 is lowered further than the seal;
This allows the cap member to fit telescopically over the conduit 22 and then be screwed into place.

The top of the cap member 50 has a pair of outwardly extending wings 58 that facilitate threading of the cap member into the conduit 22. Spindle 59 is housed within an opening 61 in cap member 50.
The body of the spindle 59 has a cylindrical neck portion with a groove 63 at the end projecting from the opening 61 .
The cylindrical body extends slightly outwardly to form a shoulder 65. Shoulder 65 engages stop 66 when spindle 59 is positioned in the opening, and
A TRU seal C-ring 67 is housed in the groove 63 to hold the spindle in place, but allows the cap member to rotate about the spindle when screwed onto the cap member Y-type connector 16.

Along the longitudinal axis of spindle 59 there is a passage 60. Tube 48 from container 20 containing drug
is inserted into one end 60a of the passageway 60 and bonded to the inner surface of the passageway, for example by adhesive. The other end 60b of the passageway terminates in a threaded connector portion 62 to which the needle 44 is secured. This needle has an adapter 64. The adapter has internal threads that engage threads on connector portion 62. A hollow needle 44 extends outwardly from this adapter 64 and pierces the seal 36, whereupon the cap member 50 screws onto the conduit 22 and connects the threads 69 on the outer surface of the conduit with the seal 36, just below. By engaging the
It is fixed to the conduit 22. The needle 44 is thus held fixed to the Y-shaped connector 16 and the seal 3
6 through the center of the conduit 22, and its tip reaches the inner wall 5 of the conduit 22.
Placed safely away from 5.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Here, the cap member is simply snapped onto the Y-connector 16, thereby eliminating the need for the use of a threaded cap member and a threaded Y-connector. According to this embodiment of the invention:
Cap member 70 includes a hollow cylindrical member 72. Cap member 70 includes a hollow cylindrical member 72.
This cylindrical member supports a clip 74 attached to its exterior by two hinges. The clip fits into a groove 78 in the outer wall of conduit 22. Plug assembly 80 supports tube 48 and needle 44. The needle is attached to an adapter 64 as shown in FIG. The plug assembly 80 is adhesively or otherwise coupled to the open end of the cylindrical member 72.

To attach cap member 70, simply slide cap 70 over conduit 22. The clip 74 bends outward and when the clip's catch tip 76 is on the opposite side of the groove 78, the clip snaps into place as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. Features of the present invention
According to one embodiment, the centrally mounted needle 44 is guided into the center of the seal 36 by the cap member 70. The cap members are also nested,
It slides over the tubular conduit 22. There is a shoulder 82 which acts as a stop to limit movement of the cap member. This shoulder 82 aligns the catch tip 76 of the clip 74 with the groove 78 in the conduit 22, and because of the internal bias due to the elasticity of the material of construction of these clips, the clip snaps into a locking position and locks the cap member into the conduit. Herotsuk. Cap member 70, including clip 74, is made from, for example, nylon, a material having the desired elasticity. To release the cap member from the Y-connector 16, the clip 74 is simply pushed and the cap member 70 is removed from the Y-connector.

As is clear from the above description, the cap member 7
Two functions unique to 0 exist in a single structure. That is, the cap member 70 provides a cavity 52 that protects the needle 44 from contamination and
The needle is guided into the center of seal 36, away from the inner wall of conduit 22. Thus, an attendant can conveniently and safely attach and detach the cap member without extra steps or risk to the patient. Because of this feature, the present invention can be used under normal conditions of use, without creating additional work for attendants, and at the same time substantially eliminates potential harm to the patient due to inadvertence. decrease to

The above description represents the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. However, the invention is susceptible to modifications and alternative configurations from the embodiments shown in the drawings and above description. After all, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the invention embraces all modifications and alternative arrangements falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the intravenous administration of drugs to a patient according to conventional practice. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a Y-shaped connector for intravenously administering parenteral fluids and drugs to a patient as shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connector system of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector system of the present invention taken along line 4--4 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the connector system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector system of the present invention taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 10... supply system, 12... container, 14... pipe,
16...Y type connector, 18...tube, 22...
Tubular conduit, 24... Tubular conduit or branch conduit, 2
6... Third tubular conduit, 28... Inlet, 30... Stop, 32... Outlet, 34... Stop, 36
...Latex seal, 38...Entrance, 40...
Coaxial annular apron, 42... Coaxial annular apron,
44...needle, 46...connector, 48...tube,
50...Cap member, 52...Cavity, 54...
an open end, 55... an inner wall, 56... a cylindrical connector portion, 58... a pair of outwardly extending wings;
59... Spindle, 60... Passage, 61... Opening, 62... Threaded connector portion, 63...
... Groove, 64 ... Adapter, 66 ... Stop, 67 ... TRU seal C ring, 69 ... Thread, 70 ... Cap member, 72 ... Hollow cylindrical element, 74 ... Clip, 76 ... Catch Tip, 78... groove, 80... plug assembly, 82... shoulder, 60a... one end, 60b... other end.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. (A) a cap member having a cavity therein and housed within the cavity in such a manner that the needle is disposed within the cavity; (B) a cap member having a cavity therein; a bifurcated connector having a first inlet connectable to a source of oral fluid, an outlet for entering parenteral fluid into the patient via tubing means, and a second inlet having sealing means through which the needle can penetrate; (C) for firmly engaging the second inlet and the cap member and a needle passing through the sealing means together, thereby preventing movement of the patient from dislodging the needle from the sealing means; A connector system for introducing a drug into a patient, characterized in that it consists of a means for introducing a drug into a patient. 2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the cap member has internal threads that engage external threads adjacent the second inlet, and wherein the cap member is screwed into the second inlet. 3. A connector according to claim 2, wherein the cap member has outwardly extending wings to facilitate threading of the cap member into the second inlet. 4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cap member is of a snap type, and wherein the cap member is provided with clip means for removably coupling to the cap member. 5. a supply means for introducing liquid into the patient, comprising a sealing means for closing the mouth and allowing the needle to pass therethrough; a fixed cap member, the needle not projecting beyond the open end of the cavity, and when the cap member covers the mouth, the needle passes through the sealing means and the drug flows into the patient. 2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is fed through the needle into a liquid. 6. The supply means is a Y-type connector, the Y-type connector having a pair of conduits that combine into a single conduit, each of the conduits having a port, and one of the ports having a 6. A connector system according to claim 5, comprising sealing means. 7. A connector system according to claim 6, wherein the sealing means includes apron means for gripping the wall of the conduit adjacent the port containing the sealing means. 8. The connector system of claim 7, wherein there are threads on the outer wall of the conduit adjacent to the apron means. 9. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the cap member includes internal threads that engage threads on the conduit wall when it is screwed onto the port. 10 The assembly of the feeding means and cap member includes snap-on coupling means for removably securing the assembly together, the snap-on coupling means being arranged in a release position separating the feeding means and the cap member, and in a release position separating the feeding means and the cap member. 6. A connector system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said coupling means are movable between a holding position in which they are locked together. 11. The delivery means comprises a tubular conduit having an end covered by a sealing means, the needle is centrally housed within a cavity, and the cavity fits around the tubular conduit and the cap member is located on the conduit. 6. A connector system as claimed in claim 5, having an internal side wall for sometimes guiding said needle into a central portion of the sealing means. 12. The connector system of claim 11, wherein the cap member and the conduit engage in a male-female interlocking relationship when the cap member is positioned on the conduit member. 13. The connector system according to claim 12, wherein the cap member functions as a female component. 14. A supply means having a tubular conduit acting as the male component and having an open end, the open end being sealed by a sealing means closing it, and said sealing means being capable of being pierced by a needle. and a cap member removably secured to the conduit, the cap member having an interior cavity serving as the female component and centrally accommodating the needle, the cavity having interior side walls; a needle adapted to fit around the tubular conduit and guide the needle into a central portion of the seal member when the cap member is positioned on the conduit member and the cap member and the conduit cooperate in a male-female interlocking relationship; Connector system described in scope 1. 15. The connector system of claim 14, wherein the needle has a length such that it does not protrude from the cavity. 16. Claim 1, wherein the cap member comprises: a connector portion having a hollow interior defining a chamber; and a needle having a length such that the needle is located longitudinally within the chamber and does not project beyond the chamber. Connector system listed. 17. The connector system of claim 16, wherein the connector portion is cylindrical and the needle is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical connector portion. 18. The connector system of claim 16, wherein the connector portion is designed to engage the tubular conduit in a mating relationship when connected to the supply system. 19 A cap member for supporting a needle passing through the sealed tubular conduit when the delivery system includes a sealed tubular conduit and is connectable to the tubular conduit and the cap member is connected to the conduit; and means for guiding and protecting the needle during insertion so that the cap member and tubular conduit are separated so that the needle does not scrape against the inner wall of the conduit. a cap member adapted to protect the needle from direct contact with objects that could contaminate the needle when the needle is removed; means for securely and separably retaining the cap member relative to the tubular member; A connector system according to claim 1 for coupling a delivery system comprising a drug source to a drug source. 20. The connector system of claim 19, wherein the cap member includes a chamber for receiving a needle therein, the needle having a length such that it does not protrude from the chamber. 21. The connector system of claim 20, wherein the chamber is generally cylindrical and the needle is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical chamber. 22. The connector system of claim 21, wherein the tubular conduit and cap member are designed to engage in a male-female interlocking relationship when the cap member is connected to the cylindrical conduit. 23. a first conduit means having an open end and a sealing means present at the open end and sealing the open end, the sealing means being of a type that is penetrable by a needle; a second conduit having means at one end for coupling two conduits together, the coupling means including a cap member, the cap member being connected to the first conduit;
a cavity therein defining a chamber fitable over the end of the conduit means and containing a needle therein, the needle having a length that does not protrude beyond the open end of the cavity; 2. A connector system as claimed in claim 1, comprising means and a second conduit extending through said sealing means when said second conduit means are coupled together. 24. The connector system of claim 23, wherein the needle is housed in the center of the cavity, and the cavity has internal sidewalls that fit around the second conduit means. 25. The connector system of claim 24, wherein the cap member and the second conduit means engage in a male-female interlocking relationship when the cap member is positioned over the conduit means. 26. The connector system of claim 25, wherein the cap member functions as a female component.