Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-25
2003-05-27
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3749)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S181000, C604S264000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06569118
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to medical equipment, and more particularly to an adapter for “LUER LOK” receptacles, and to a method of attachment to “LUER LOK” receptacles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One well known receptacle used to connect and establish fluid communication between different medical components is known as a “LUER LOK”. “LUER LOK” receptacles are widely used to connect syringes to medical instruments, such as needles and cannulas, and to connect medical conduits to one another. In addition, “LUER LOK” receptacles have a standard configuration that allows different sizes and types of instruments to be connected to the same receptacle.
Referring to
FIGS. 1A-1F
, a syringe
10
that includes a “LUER LOK” receptacle
12
is illustrated. As shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, the syringe
10
includes a barrel
14
, and a plunger
16
configured to push a liquid or viscous fluid through the receptacle
12
and out of or into the barrel
14
. As shown in
FIG. 1C
, the receptacle
12
includes a cylindrical hub
18
having an outside diameter with a finished surface, and an inside diameter threaded with double lead female threads
20
. The hub
18
is sometimes referred to as the “female” portion of the receptacle
12
.
The receptacle
12
also includes a tapered post
22
located partially within the hub
18
but which extends outside of the confines of the hub
18
. As with the outside diameter of the hub
18
the outside surface of the tapered post
22
is also smooth. The tapered post
22
is sometimes referred to as the “male” portion of the receptacle
12
, and is sometimes referred to as a “LUER” tapered coupling. Typically, the hub
18
, the tapered post
22
, and the barrel
14
, all comprise a same plastic material, which is molded into a unitary structure using an injection molding process.
Referring to
FIGS. 1E and 1D
, a cannula
24
configured for attachment to the receptacle
12
is illustrated. The cannula
24
includes a hollow cylindrical tip portion
26
on its distal end. The tip portion
26
includes an inside diameter which provides a fluid conduit, and a sharpened post
28
in fluid communication with the inside diameter. The cannula
24
also includes a knurled portion
30
, and a threaded or flanged male portion
32
formed on an outside diameter thereof on its proximal end. In addition, the cannula
24
includes a tapered opening
34
in fluid communication with the inside diameter of the tip portion
26
, and with the sharpened post
28
. The tapered opening
34
is configured for mating engagement with the tapered post
22
of the receptacle
12
.
Referring to
FIG. 1F
, the cannula
24
is shown attached to the receptacle
12
. For attaching the cannula
24
to the receptacle
12
, the tapered post
22
of the receptacle
12
is placed into the tapered opening
34
of the cannula
24
. The mating configurations of the tapered post
22
and the tapered opening
34
forms a fluid tight seal therebetween. At the same time, the cannula
24
is twisted in a clock wise direction, so that the male threads
32
on its outside diameter, threadably engage the female threads
20
on the inside diameter of the hub
18
. This twisting motion also “locks” the cannula
24
to the receptacle
12
, and forms another fluid tight seal between the male threads
32
and the female threads
20
.
This conventional “LUER LOK” receptacle
12
is used effectively throughout the world, but still has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the receptacle
12
is prone to crack and break, particularly at the intersection
36
(
FIG. 1C
) of the hub
18
with the syringe barrel
14
, and at the intersection
38
of the tapered post
22
with the syringe barrel
14
. This cracking and breaking compromises the strength of the mechanical connection between the receptacle
12
and the cannula
24
, and compromises the fluid tight seals between the receptacle
12
and the cannula
24
. Fluids leaking from the syringe
14
are a particular problem as they can adversely affect a medical procedure, and also present a biological hazard to patients and medical personnel.
This situation is compounded by cannulas, or other instruments, which are relatively long, or which require aggressive manipulation by medical personnel. For example, harvesting of tissue and cells from different organs of the body, requires relatively long cannulas and aggressive manipulation by physicians, which can damage the receptacle
12
. In addition, the twisting motion required to lock the cannula
24
to the receptacle
12
, can cause the hub
18
to expand outwardly during engagement of the male threads
32
on the cannula
24
with the female threads
20
on the receptacle
12
. This expansion can also cause cracking and breaking to occur, or can cause micro cracks that lead to cracking and breaking.
Another disadvantage of the conventional “LUER LOK” receptacle
12
is that the inside diameter (ID-
FIG. 1C
) of the tapered post
22
is relatively small. Typically this inside diameter (ID-
FIG. 1C
) is only about 1.9-2.0 mm in size. An opening this small can cause problems for some medical procedures. For example, with harvesting of tissue and cells from the body, it is advantageous to treat the harvested material as gently as possible, in order to minimize damage and trauma. With a relatively small inside diameter (ID-
FIG. 1C
) the harvested material is squeezed into a relatively small area which can damage the material. Also, the relatively small diameter column of fluid moving through the inside diameter (ID-
FIG. 1C
) means a large percentage of the harvested material can be damaged by contact with the inside diameter (ID-
FIG. 1C
) of the tapered post
22
.
The present invention is directed to an adapter for “LUER LOK” receptacles which functions to strengthen, to rigidify, to prevent spreading, and to prevent cracking of the receptacle. In addition, the adapter can be used to increase the inside diameter of the receptacle, such that medical fluids and/or harvested cells and tissue, can be more effectively processed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an adapter for a “LUER LOK” receptacle, and a method for attaching a medical instrument to the receptacle, are provided.
The “LUER LOK” receptacle can be molded on a first medical instrument, such as a syringe, substantially as previously described. The receptacle includes a cylindrical hub having a smooth outside diameter, and a threaded inside diameter having female threads. The receptacle also includes a tapered post located partially within the hub, but extending outside of the confines of the hub.
The adapter is configured for attachment to the receptacle, and functions to strengthen and rigidify the receptacle. The adapter includes a generally cylindrical housing, which preferably comprises a rigid material such as metal, hard plastic or a composite. The housing includes a cylindrical recess configured to slip over the outside diameter of the hub on the receptacle. The inside diameter of the recess is sized relative to the outside diameter of the hub to provide a press fit, and also to seal the mating surfaces. Alternately, rather than a press fit, the inside diameter of the recess can be threaded with cutting threads adapted to cut mating threads on the outside diameter of the hub.
The adapter also includes a fitting which is attached to the housing, and to a second medical instrument, such as a cannula or a needle, having an internal conduit. The fitting includes an internal conduit in flow communication with the internal conduit on the second medical instrument. The fitting also includes a male end portion located within the recess, configured to engage the female threads on the hub of the receptacle. The male end portion can include male threads on an outside diameter thereof configured to threadably engage the female threads on the hub. Alternately the male end portion can have a flange, termed herein as a “butterfly”, which is configured to engage the female threads on the
Johnson Johnnie M.
Pilkington Marc
Gratton Stephen A.
Johnson Johnnie M.
Lazarus Ira S.
Ragonese Andrea M.
LandOfFree
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