Catheter assembly with seal member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545495-B2
Application number	US-82365610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2010
Priority date	Jun 25, 2010
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A catheter assembly includes a catheter hub defining an interior cavity and a catheter tube extending distally thereof. A rigid actuator extends proximally in the interior cavity and supports a seal member thereon. The seal member includes a central membrane, a distal portion, and a proximal portion. An hourglass shaped actuator cavity is formed in the distal portion and receives a barbed end of the actuator. The outer surface of the seal member is in partial circumferential engagement with the catheter hub to define an air path that allows fluid communication between areas of the interior cavity distal and proximal of the seal member. A punch tool is provided to form a tri-slit in the membrane of the seal member.

First claim

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter hub having an open proximal end and a distal end defining an interior cavity therebetween, with a catheter tube extending distally from the catheter hub distal end;
a rigid actuator extending proximally in the interior cavity of the catheter hub from the catheter hub distal end to a free end, the actuator having an enlarged proximal flange at the free end thereof;
a seal member disposed in the interior cavity of the catheter hub, the seal member including a membrane and a distal portion extending distally from the membrane to a sealing outlet bore, the distal portion having an actuator cavity therein between the membrane and the sealing outlet bore, the actuator cavity having a narrowed portion defining an hourglass shape thereto, the actuator extending through the sealing outlet bore into the actuator cavity with the proximal flange engaged against the narrowed portion of the actuator cavity, the proximal flange of the actuator being completely contained within the actuator cavity and having an outer cross dimension larger than a cross dimension of the sealing outlet bore; and
a needle cannula having a sharp distal tip, the needle cannula extending through the seal member and catheter tube with the sharp distal tip being exposed distally of the catheter tube.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 , the actuator having a shaft, the shaft sized to fit sealingly within the sealing outlet bore.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 2 , the proximal flange of the actuator being completely contained within the actuator cavity and having an outer cross dimension larger than a cross dimension of the sealing outlet bore.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 1 , the membrane being normally closed to seal the actuator cavity, the seal member being axially slidable along the actuator to force the membrane over the proximal flange and open the membrane.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 , the membrane being slit to define slit flaps adapted to distend as the membrane is forced over the proximal flange.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 5 , the seal member including a proximal portion extending proximally from the membrane, and sized to present an impact surface to a free end of a luer taper, such that insertion of a luer taper into the catheter hub interior cavity impacts the impact surface of the seal member causing the seal member to slide axially along the actuator and distend the slit flaps.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 4 , the seal member including a proximal portion extending proximally from the membrane, and sized to present an impact surface to a free end of a luer taper, such that insertion of a luer taper into the catheter hub interior cavity impacts the impact surface of the seal member causing the seal member to slide axially along the actuator.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 1 further comprising a nose extending into the catheter hub interior cavity, the needle cannula extending distally of the nose.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 1 , the seal member being a unitary member.

10. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter hub having an open proximal end and a distal end defining an interior cavity therebetween, with a catheter tube extending distally from the catheter hub distal end;
a rigid actuator extending proximally in the interior cavity of the catheter hub from the catheter hub distal end to a free end;
a seal member disposed in the interior cavity of the catheter hub and supported by the actuator, the seal member having a membrane being slit to define slit flaps;
a nose extending into the catheter hub interior cavity with a distal end adjacent the membrane; and
a needle cannula having a sharp distal tip, the needle cannula extending distally of the nose through the seal member and catheter tube with the sharp distal tip being exposed distally of the catheter tube, the nose including a recessed bore at the distal end to define an area into which the slit flaps can distend.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 10 , the needle cannula being axially slidable through the nose.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 10 , the catheter hub having an inner surface between the open proximal end and distal end thereof to define the interior cavity, the membrane of the seal member being normally closed, the seal member including a proximal portion extending proximally from the membrane and sized to define a nose receiving space, the nose having a proximal portion with a cross dimension sized to fit snugly against the inner surface adjacent the proximal opening of the catheter hub and a distal portion sized to fit within the nose receiving space of the seal member.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 12 , the distal portion of the nose having a cross dimension smaller than a cross dimension of the proximal portion of the nose.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 10 , the seal member being a unitary member.

15. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter hub having an open proximal end and a distal end and an inner surface extending therebetween to define an interior cavity, and a catheter tube extending distally from the catheter hub distal end;
a rigid actuator extending proximally in the interior cavity of the catheter hub from the catheter hub distal end to a free end; and
a seal member disposed in the interior cavity of the catheter hub, the seal member including a membrane and a distal portion extending distally from the membrane to a distal end with a sealing outlet bore and a proximal portion extending proximally from the membrane to a proximal opening, the distal portion having an actuator cavity therein between the membrane and the sealing outlet bore, the actuator extending through the sealing outlet bore into the actuator cavity with the distal end of the seal member being spaced proximal of the distal end of the catheter hub a first distance and the proximal opening of the seal member being spaced distal of a proximal end of the interior cavity a second distance, the membrane being normally closed, the seal member being axially shiftable along the actuator a third distance in a distal direction in the interior cavity to force the membrane over the free end of the actuator and open the membrane, the third distance being less than the first distance such that the seal member is not axially compressed after being axially shifted the third distance to open the membrane.

16. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter hub having an open proximal end and a distal end and an inner surface extending therebetween to define an interior cavity, and a catheter tube extending distally from the catheter hub distal end;
a rigid actuator extending proximally in the interior cavity of the catheter hub from the catheter hub distal end to a free end; and
a seal member disposed in the interior cavity of the catheter hub, the seal member including a membrane and a distal portion extending distally from the membrane to a distal end with a sealing outlet bore and a proximal portion extending proximally from the membrane to a proximal opening, the distal portion having an actuator cavity therein between the membrane and the sealing outlet bore, the actuator extending through the sealing outlet bore into the actuator cavity with the distal end of the seal member being spaced proximal of the distal end of the catheter hub a first distance and the proximal opening of the seal member being spaced distal of a proximal end of the interior cavity a second distance, the membrane having an axial thickness, the first and second dista

Assignees

• Goral David J
• Roehl Christopher D
• Muskatello James
• Munavalli Mahesh
• Michaud Jocelyn C
• Wuschner John
• Smiths Medical Asd Inc

Inventors

• Goral David J
• Roehl Christopher D
• Muskatello James
• Munavalli Mahesh
• Michaud Jocelyn C
• Wuschner John

Classifications

• A61M39/26

  Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof {(check valves A61M39/24)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/49833

  Punching, piercing or reaming part by surface of second part · CPC title

• Y10T83/9428

  Shear-type male tool · CPC title

• B26F1/14

  Punching tools; Punching dies · CPC title

• Y10T83/0481

  Puncturing · CPC title