CA1283141C - Anesthesiology connector - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A female anesthesiology connector is provided for connecting a tube supplying anesthesiology gases to an endotracheal tube. The female connector is provided with a longitudinally extending finger having a bevelled locking tooth thereon for providing a positive securement of the male connector of an endotracheal tube with the present female anesthesiology connector.
The finger is on a ring inserted into the body of the female connector and secured in place by means of sonic or solvent welding, or a suitable adhesive. The ring and the body together provide an internal groove receiving an O-ring which makes a positive seal with the male connector of the endotracheal tube.

Description

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It is common practice in the administration of anesthesia for surgery to utiliæe an endotracheal tube inserted through the patient's mouth into the trachea.
The external end of this tube has a 1 degree taper and forms a friction fit with an anesthesia tube leading to a mixer for anesthetic gas and oxygen. The free end comprises a male component having s-tandard dimensions of 22 mm. outside diameter and 15 mm. inside diameter.
The male component is a~ssembled with a female component that may be in the form of an elbow, a straight tube, or a Y. It is common practice to reinforce the friction fit between the male and female members by wrapping adhe~ive tape around the connection.

Both the male and Eemale component~ are commonly made of molded plaskic material. If great care is not exercised in the manufacture of the parts, th~re is the pos~ibility oE a leak. Furthermore, there are usually many people in the immediate vicinity of a patient in ~urgery, and the ane~the~la tube or the endotracheal tube may be bumped, sometimes causinq the junction between the male and Eemale members to come apart, `

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particularly if they have not been tapecl securely. A leaJc between malformed plastic ~rts or a leak cJenerated by partial separa~.ion of the male and cemale members, or a total disassembly thereof is dangerous. A patient can die or suffer permanent brain dama~e in a rather short period of time if a leak of separation causes improper administra~ion o~ anesthesia, while leaki.ng gas can be dangerou3 to the suryical team.
SUMMARY OF THE PXESENT IEVENTION
Accordingly, there i5 a need for an anesthesia connect.or in the form of a female fittincJ forming a positive connection with the male fitting on the end of an endotracheal tube remote from the patient.
The present invention provides a female anesthesiology connector comprising a tubular body having a receiving end, said body having an axial bore extending therethrough, said body having a counterbore in said receiving end, a shoulder in said body bet~een said bore and said counterbore, an insert ring having an lnner end, said inner end having a counterbore, a sealing O-ring laid in said insert ring counterbore, said insert rlng havlng its inner end secured within said body counterbore against said shoulder wherein said insert ring counterbore and said shoulder define an inwarclly opening circumferential yroove having said O-ring therein, and a loc-)c finger on said insert ring havlng a free encl extending longitudinally beyoncl said tubular body in readily acce.ssible position for manual release, said finger having lockincJ
means ad~acent said free end for locking engagement with a cooperating part on a male connector.

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DRAWING DESCRIPTION
The invention will ~est be understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompany drawings wherein:
Figure 1 comprises a longitudinal sectional view through a female anesthesiolocJ~ connector constructed in accordance with the present inventior; and Fiyure 2 comprises a riyht end view of the connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
The end of an endotracheal tube which is remote from the patient is shown at 10 in Figure 1, being omitted from ~igure 2 for clarity in illustration. Specifically, this portion of the endotracheal tube 10 includes a plastic molding 12 having a cylindrical inner bore 14 and an outer surface 16 taperiny at 1 degree to a further entering taper 18 at the extreme end 20.
Spaced some distance from the end 20 an integral collar 22 is provided on the external circumference of the male connector or flttin~ l2. Thls is common or unlversal practice with existing endotracheal tube male connectors and does not require any change for cooperation with the present inventlon.

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The present invention is illustrated as comprising a female connector in the form of an elbow 24, but it will be understood that the principles oE the invention are equally well adapted to a straight tube or a Y
connector~ The elbow 24 comprises a first tubular portion 26 for connection to the male Eitting 12 and a second tubular portion 2~ integral with the first tubular portion 26, and at right angles thereto. The second tubular portion has an external 1 degree taper and i8 provided with a circumEerential collar 30.
flexible conduit to a mixer-valve for anesthesiology gases is connected to the second tubular portion 28 by suitable known means.

The first or right hand portion 26 (as viewed in FIG.
l) comprises a tubular female fitting 32 having a cylindrical outer surface 34 and a receiving end 36.
At the opposite end of the cylindrical surface from the receiving end 36 there is provided a circumEerentially extending flange 38 providing a convenient finger grip for pushing the female fitting 32 onto the male connector 12.

The female fltting 32 is provided with an internal bore 40 with a l degree taper con~orming to the outer surface oP the male fitting or connector 12. ~t the entering end 36 there i9 also a counterbore 42 cylindrical in nature and of somewhat greater diameter than the bore 40 and o~ greater depth than the oEfset between the bores 40, 42, A retaining ring 44 has an outer diameter only very ~:83~

slightly less than the counterbore 42 diameter and is inserted therein. The retaining ring 44 has a longitudinal dimension somewhat greater than that oE
the counterbore 42, and therefore extends slightly therefrom. A locking or latching finger 46 of limited radial dimension extends Eorwardly or to the right from the ring 44 and i~ provided with a radially inwardly directing tooth 48. The Eront edge of the tooth is bevellecl at 50 to snap over the collar 22 of the male lU fitting 12, while the trailing edge comprises a right angle shoulder 52 to latch in place behind the collar 22.

It will be understood that the single finger 46 shown is illustrative in nature only.

~ The opposite end of the ring 44 is counter bored at 54 ¦ and forms with the confronting wall 55 of the counterbore 42 a groove 56 in which i5 seated an o-ring 58~ The O-ring is initially installed in the counterbore 54 before the ring 44 is inserted in the counterbore 42~ The ring 44 is held in place by sonic or solvent welding, or by a suitable cement.
A notch 60 is provided in the inner periphery of the ring 44 underlylng the finger 46 for molding purposes~
Although the inner surface 40 of the female receptacle has been disclosed a~ having a 1 degree taper similar to the external taper of the male fittingr this i8 not essential to operation of the connector. The inner surface functionally could be cylindrical, since it is the O-ring that is relled on Eor sealing.

-6- ~ 2 ~3 ~ ~ 1 In order to assemble the temale connector 24 with the male ~itting 12, it is only necessary to grab the male fitting in one hand and the female connector in the other hand, preferably placing a thumb and one or more fingers against the flange 38, and then to push the two parts together axially. The finger (or fingers) 46 cams out and snaps over L-he collar 22 provicling a positive connection between the parts. ~ Einger tip or finger nail may be plclced beneath the bevelled surface 50 oE the finger to move the latching tooth out oE
locking engagement with the collar 22 to permit separation oE the enclotracheal tube Erom the connector 24 when surgery and anesthesia have been completed.

Although the invention has been illustrated and des-cribed as taking the Eorm of an elbow connector, it will be understood that the connector could be a straight-on end to the flexible conduit.

The specific example of the invention as herein shown and described will be understood as being exemplary.
Various changes in structure will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art and will be understood as forming a part oE the present invention insoEar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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Claims (2)

1. A female anesthesiology connector comprising a tubular body having a receiving end, said body having an axial bore extending therethrough, said body having a counterbore in said receiving end, a shoulder in said body between said bore and said counterbore, an insert ring having an inner end, said inner end having a counterbore, a sealing O-ring laid in said insert ring counterbore, said insert ring having its inner end secured within said body counterbore against said shoulder wherein said insert ring counterbore and said shoulder define an inwardly opening circumferential groove having said O-ring therein, and a lock finger on said insert ring having a free end extending longitudinally beyond said tubular body in readily accessible position for manual release, said finger having locking means adjacent said free end for locking engagement with a cooperating part on a male connector.

2. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular body, said insert ring, and said finger are all made of plastic, said finger briny of lesser radial thickness than said insert ring, said ring and said finger having aligned outer surfaces, the locking means on said finger comprising a radially inwardly directed tooth, said insert ring having an inwardly opening recess aligned with said finger and said tooth.