Closed-system catheter assembly

The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 as a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/673,975 entitled “Closed-System Catheter Assembly,” filed on Nov. 9, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Typically, may be difficult to couple a catheter to extension devices while also preventing blood leakage.

FIGS. 1-6B illustrates embodiments of various catheter systems in various states.

The drawings referred to in this description should fee understood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically noted.

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the technology will be described in conjunction with various embodiments), it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present technology is intended to coyer alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, the present technology may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of catheter system 100 (or catheter assembly) in a pre-insertion state. FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the catheter system 100 in the pre-insertion state. A pre-insertion state is the state of catheter system 100 prior to inserting the catheter into a patient.

Catheter system 100 includes catheter insertion device 110 coupled to catheter device 130 . Catheter insertion device 110 is resiliency coupled to catheter device 130 via latch 134 . In one embodiment, latch 134 is a spring latch that flexibly and resiliency engages (e.g., snap fit) with any physical features (e.g., protrusions, indentions, etc.) on housing 132 of catheter device 130 . It should be appreciated that catheter insertion device 110 is coupled to catheter device 130 without requiring a threaded coupling.

In contrast, conventional catheter systems a catheter device is coupled to an insertion device via threads. As such, the insertion device must be rotated to couple/decouple it from the catheter device.

In one embodiment, latch 134 resiliently couples to internal features of catheter device 130 . In another embodiment, latch 134 is rotatable with respect to catheter device 130 when resiliently coupled to catheter device 130 .

Needle 150 is held by needle collet 120 . An end of needle 150 is disposed in viewing chamber 122 . When in the pre-insertion state, needle 150 extends through and out of catheter device 130 and is also disposed within catheter 140 .

Moreover, in the pre-insertion state, spring 114 is compressed and abuts against needle collet 120 .

During insertion, needle 150 and catheter 140 are inserted into a vein of a patient. When properly inserted, blood travels within needle 150 to viewing chamber 122 . In particular, the blood does not come into contact with any internal surface of (e.g., chamber 133 ) of catheter device 130 when catheter insertion device 110 is coupled to catheter device 130 .

When blood is provided in viewing chamber 122 , the blood is able to be viewed through housing 112 and needle collet 120 to provide a visual indication that needle 150 and catheter 140 have been properly inserted into the vein. As such, both housing 112 and needle collet 120 are either translucent or transparent.

The blood is sealed in viewing chamber by filter 124 . In one embodiment, filter 124 is a hydrophobic filter. In particular, when blood enters into viewing chamber 122 , air passes through filter 124 and exits vent 126 into ambient. However, the blood is not able to pass through filter 124 .

In order to withdraw needle 150 from the vein, catheter insertion device 110 is withdrawn from catheter device 130 . However, latch 134 still remains in contact with and is coupled to catheter device 130 via features on housing 132 . During withdrawal, needle 150 is also withdrawn through catheter 140 (which remains in the vein).

Once latch 134 is completely decoupled from catheter device 130 (e.g., latch 134 does not engage with retaining features on housing 132 ), spring 114 is released info its relaxed state. In doing so, spring 114 urges needle collet 120 such that it axially slides within chamber 116 . As a result, needle 150 is completely withdrawn through catheter device 130 and is entirely disposed within housing 112 , as depicted in FIG. 3 . In other words, needle 150 is automatically withdrawn from the vein and through catheter device 130 when latch 134 is decoupled from housing 132 . When no longer coupled to catheter device 130 , catheter insertion device 110 may be properly discarded.

Once needle 150 is withdrawn through seal 136 , seal 136 reseals. As such, blood entering into chamber 133 , via catheter 140 is sealed within chamber 133 to prevent blood loss. Therefore, catheter device 130 is also a closed system because blood is securely sealed within chamber 133 . In one embodiment seal 136 is a silicone disc. In another embodiment, seal 136 is pre-slit to facilitate in the insertion/withdrawal of device (e.g., needle 150 ).

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of extension set 180 coupled to catheter device 130 . FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of extension set 180 coupled to catheter device 130 .

In order to couple extension set 180 to catheter device 130 , a user grasps base 132 an inserts cannula 188 through seal 136 until coupling features 190 and 191 (e.g., tines) mechanically couple (e.g., snap fit) with associated coupling features of housing 132 . The coupling may be provided by use of a single hand of a user.

In contrast, in conventional systems, the extension set is rotatably coupled to the catheter via treads. Moreover, a user must use both hands to couple the catheter to the extension set. For example, a user must hold onto the catheter and use the other hand to handle the extension set and rotated with respect to the catheter.

When properly coupled, blood is able to flow through tube 186 to luer access device 184 . It should be appreciated that any compatible disposable set or extension set may be coupled to catheter device 130 .

FIGS. 6A-B depict an embodiment of catheter device 630 . Catheter device 630 includes first section 632 that is joined to second section 634 . The joining can be but is not limited to an ultrasonic weld, adhesive, snap fit, etc. Seal 136 is placed between first section 632 and second section 634 prior to joining and is securely seated between first section 632 and second section 634 when the sections are joined at joint 638 .

In one embodiment, second section 634 includes funnel 636 to facilitate in the guiding of needle 150 through catheter device 630 during assembly such that needle 150 is properly aligned to puncture seal 136 .

It should be appreciated that embodiments, as described herein, can be utilized or implemented alone or in combination with one another. While the present invention has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the following claims.