Reverse taper mounting of separate components and coupling of devices with reverse taper fittings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9863186-B2
Application number	US-201313940410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2013
Priority date	Jul 30, 2012
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A medical device has a base having an internally tapered wall mounted to a neck of a tube holder that has a reverse taper, so that rotation of the base relative to the neck may be effected with a controlled drag to provide a smooth and secure relative rotation. The base may be rotated relative to the holder by rotationally moving a needle protection housing hingedly attached to the base. The housing may be rotated to any orientation relative to the tube holder so long as a torsional force greater than the predetermined friction between the tapered surfaces is applied thereto. The base is designed to have a ring at its base that biases against the base of the neck in a self-adjustable manner. Other devices may also be fitted with reverse tapered complementary connection fittings to securely couple to each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus, comprising:
a holder having a body including a cap having a neck projecting therefrom, the neck extending away from the cap from a proximal end that is integral with the cap to a distal end, the neck having an outer circumferential wall defined by an outer diameter, the outer diameter increasing in size from the proximal end of the neck to the distal end of the neck to form a tapered outer circumferential wall;
a base to which a needle housing is hingedly attached having an aperture defined by a non-ending inner wall that extends between a proximal end of the base and a distal end of the base, the inner wall having a diameter that increases in size from the proximal end of the base to the distal end of the base to form a counterpart reverse tapered inner wall that enables the base to substantially form fit about the tapered outer circumferential wall of the neck;
wherein the respective dimensions of the tapered outer circumferential wall of the neck and the counterpart reverse tapered inner wall of the base are configured such that, after the base is fitted onto the neck, the base is prevented from disengaging from the neck and a predetermined friction is established between the base and the neck to prevent the neck and the base from freely rotating relative to each other; and
whereby the base and neck are rotatable relative to each other when a force sufficient to overcome the predetermined friction is applied to rotate the housing and the holder relative to each other.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner wall of the base comprises a plurality of flat surfaces extending between the proximal and distal ends of and interspersed about the inner wall to be in contact with the outer wall of the neck.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner wall of the base comprises a plurality of longitudinal protrusions extending between the proximal and distal ends of and interspersed about the inner wall to be in contact with the outer wall of the neck.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tapered outer wall of the neck comprises a taper having an angle of approximately from 2 degrees to 10 degrees from the distal end to the proximal end of the neck; and
wherein the tapered inner wall of the base comprises a taper having an angle in reverse to the angle of the neck.

5. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the base comprises a circumferential recess defined between a ring formed from the lower rim of the outer wall and the inner wall that defines the aperture of the base, the ring making contact with the cap of the holder.

6. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the neck has a channel that extends into the holder, the channel being threaded to receive a needle assembly.

7. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least one lock mechanism for non-removably grasping a needle attached to the holder when the housing is pivoted to a position in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the holder.

8. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the holder comprises a tube holder having an open end whereinto a vacuum tube may be inserted so that its sealed end may be pierced by one end of a double-ended needle of a needle assembly mated to the neck to establish a fluid path between the inside of the vacuum tube and an other end of the double ended needle.

9. In combination,
a holder having a body and a neck extending from a cap portion of the holder, the neck having an outer circumferential wall defined by an outer diameter, the outer diameter increasing in size from the proximal end of the neck at the cap portion of the holder to a distal end of the neck that has an opening of a channel into the holder so that the outer circumferential wall of the neck tapers from the distal end to the proximal end at a given angle;
a base having an aperture defined by a non-ending inner wall that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the base, the diameter of the inner wall from the proximal end of the base to the distal end of the base tapers at an angle in reverse to the given angle of the outer circumferential wall of the neck so that, when the base is fitted onto the neck with the proximal end of the base positioned about the proximal end of the neck, the tapered inner wall of the base substantially form fits about the tapered outer circumferential wall of the neck to prevent the base from separating from the neck.

10. Combination of claim 9 , wherein the inner wall of the base comprises a plurality of flat surfaces alternating with a plurality of circumferential surfaces.

11. Combination of claim 9 , wherein a predetermined friction is established between the base and the neck when the base form fits about the neck to thereby prevent the neck and the base from rotating relative to each other absent a force sufficiently large to overcome the predetermined friction.

12. Combination of claim 11 , further comprising:
contact surface means interspersedly provided about the inner wall of the base or the outer wall of the neck to effect the predetermined friction between the neck and the base to enable controlled rotation between the base and the holder, and to prevent lockup between the neck and the base.

13. Combination of claim 9 , wherein the proximal end of the base comprises a ring formed from the lower portion of the outer wall, a recess extending from the ring to the aperture of the base, the ring providing flexibility to ensure the base stays in place relative to the neck and to continually bias the base to the neck.

14. Combination of claim 9 , wherein the tapered outer wall of the neck comprises a taper of approximately from 2 degrees to 10 degrees from the distal end to the proximal end of the neck.

15. Combination of claim 14 , wherein the tapered outer wall of the neck comprises a taper of approximately from 3 degrees to 6 degrees from the distal end to the proximal end of the neck.

16. Combination of claim 9 , further comprising a needle housing hingedly attached to the base, and a needle assembly having a hub matingly attached to the channel of the holder.

17. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a holder to have
a body having a cap portion,
a neck extending from the cap portion of the holder, the neck having an outer circumferential wall defined by an outer diameter, the outer diameter increasing in size from the proximal end of the neck at the cap portion of the holder to a distal end of the neck so that the outer circumferential wall of the neck tapers from the distal end to the proximal end at a given angle,
an opening at the distal end of the neck of extending into the holder;

(b) forming a base to have
a housing hingedly attached thereto,
an aperture defined by a non-ending inner wall that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of the base, the diameter of the inner wall from the proximal end of the base to the distal end of the base tapers at an angle in reverse to the given angle;

wherein when the base is fitted onto the neck with the proximal end of the base positioned about the proximal end of the neck, the tapered inner wall of the base substantially form fits about the tapered outer circumferential wall of the neck to prevent the base and the neck from disengaging from each other, and to establish a predetermined friction between the base and the neck to prevent the neck and the base from rotating relative to each other absent a force sufficiently large to overcome the predetermined friction.

18. Method of claim 17 , wherein step a further compr

Assignees

• Smiths Medical Asd Inc

Inventors

• Bimbo Frank A
• Ilg John Douglas

Classifications

• A61M3/00

  Medical syringes, e.g. enemata; Irrigators (A61M5/00 takes precedence; pistons A61M5/315) · CPC title

• E06B9/01

  Grilles fixed to walls, doors, or windows; Grilles moving with doors or windows; Walls formed as grilles, e.g. claustra {(emergency release of window grilles E05B65/1033; security bars for wings E05C19/003)} · CPC title

• E06B9/52 Primary

  Devices affording protection against insects, e.g. fly screens; Mesh windows for other purposes {(screens A47G5/00)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/4984

  Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts · CPC title

• A61M5/3216

  Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base · CPC title