Catheter having a wing with a stiffening member therein

Abstract

A catheter assembly is disclosed having wings extending from the catheter adapter wherein each of the wings includes a stiffening member located therein. Each of the stiffening members may also define a means for maintaining the position of the stiffening members during the molding process to ensure that the stiffening member is properly located in the wing.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A catheter assembly, comprising: a catheter; and a catheter adapter defining a main body portion and having at least one wing extending therefrom and a stiffening member disposed in the wing.  
     
     
         2 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1  wherein the at least one wing defines a suture hole extending therethrough.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter assembly of  claim 2  wherein the suture hole extends through the stiffening member.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter assembly of  claim 3  wherein the suture hole extends through an end portion of the stiffening member that is remote from the main body portion of the catheter adapter.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1  wherein the stiffening member is formed from a first material and the wing is formed from a second material.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter assembly of  claim 5  wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1  wherein a first support extends upwardly from the stiffening member.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter assembly of  claim 7  wherein a second support extends downwardly from the stiffening member.  
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a catheter adapter, comprising: 
 molding a catheter adapter having at least one stiffening member extending therefrom wherein the stiffening member defines a means thereon for maintaining the position of the stiffening member; and    molding a wing over the stiffening member.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein a first material is used to mold the catheter adapter and the at least one stiffening member and a second material is used to mold the wing.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the wing is molded over the stiffening member such that the wing extends over only a portion of the catheter adapter.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the wing is molded over the bottom of the catheter adapter.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the means thereon for maintaining the position of the stiffening member is a hole defined by the stiffening member.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of locating a pin through the hole defined in the stiffening member.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the pin forms a hole in the wing adjacent to the hole defined in the stiffening member.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the means thereon for maintaining the position of the stiffening member is a first support extending upwardly from the stiffening member.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the means thereon for maintaining the position of the stiffening member further includes a second support extending downwardly from the stiffening member.  
     
     
         19 . A catheter assembly, comprising: a translucent catheter; and a catheter adapter defining a main body portion having a translucent top portion and having at least one wing extending from a bottom portion of the catheter adapter and a stiffening member disposed in the wing, wherein the wing defines a suture hole extending through the wing and the stiffening member.  
     
     
         20 . The catheter assembly of  claim 19  wherein the stiffening member is formed from a first material and the wing is formed from a second material.  
     
     
         21 . The catheter assembly of  claim 20  wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.