Medical tubing connector assembly incorporating strain relief sleeve

Abstract

A connector assembly for interconnecting separate sections of tubing, e.g., medical tubing. Connector assemblies are, in one embodiment, a two-piece construction having a connector pin and a connector sleeve. An exemplary connector sleeve includes a first end, a second end, and a passageway extending between the first and second ends. The passageway, in one embodiment, is stepped, e.g., defined by both a bore of a first diameter and a bore of a second diameter.

1 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A method of interconnecting sections of medical tubing, the method comprising: 
 inserting a first end portion of a connector pin into a first medical tube, the connector pin comprising: 
 a second end portion, wherein a lumen extends between the first end portion and the second end portion; and  
 a central portion located between the first and second end portions, the central portion comprising an outer diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of either of the first and second end portions, and wherein the central portion is bound by stop surfaces perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the connector pin;  
   inserting the second end portion into a second medical tube;    sliding a tubular sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin, wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a first end and a second end and further defines a passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the passageway forming a stop surface that is perpendicular to an axis of the tubular sleeve such that the passageway is defined by: a uniform bore having a first diameter extending between the first end of the sleeve and the stop surface of the passageway; and a uniform bore having a second diameter extending between the stop surface of the passageway and the second end of the sleeve, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and    engaging a first lock portion located within the passageway of the sleeve with a second lock portion of the connector pin.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising sliding the sleeve over the first medical tube prior to inserting the first end portion of the connector pin therein.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second medical tubes are catheters.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising securing the sleeve to tissue.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein securing the sleeve to tissue comprises suturing the sleeve to the tissue.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising delivering a substance from the first medical tube to the second medical tube through the connector pin.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein sliding the sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin comprises sliding the sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin until the stop surface of the passageway of the sleeve contacts one of the stop surfaces of the central portion of the connector pin.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein engaging the first lock portion located within the passageway of the sleeve with the second lock portion of the connector pin comprises deforming the sleeve sufficiently for an inwardly extending protrusion located within the passageway of the sleeve to engage a groove formed in the central portion of the connector pin.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein sliding the sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin comprises sliding the sleeve until it extends longitudinally beyond first and second ends of the connector pin.  
   
   
       29 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A method of interconnecting sections of medical tubing, the method comprising: 
 providing a connector pin comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein a lumen extends between the first end portion and the second end portion; and a central portion located between the first and second end portions, the central portion comprising an outer diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of one or both of the first and second end portions, and wherein the central portion is bound by stop surfaces perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the connector pin;    inserting the first end portion into a first medical tube:    inserting the second end portion into a second medical tube;    sliding a tubular sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin, wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a first end and a second end and further defines a passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the passageway comprising a stop surface that is perpendicular to an axis of the sleeve such that the passageway is defined by: a uniform bore having a first diameter extending between the first end of the sleeve and the stop surface of the passageway; and a uniform bore having a second diameter extending between the stop surface of the passageway and the second end of the sleeve, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter;    contacting one of the stop surfaces of the central portion of the connector pin with the stop surface of the passageway of the sleeve; and    engaging a first lock portion extending inwardly from the uniform bore of the first diameter of the passageway with a second lock portion associated with the connector pin.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising sliding the sleeve over the first medical tube prior to inserting the first end portion of the connector pin therein.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising delivering a substance from the first medical tube to the second medical tube through the connector pin.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein sliding the sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin comprises sliding the sleeve until it extends longitudinally beyond first and second ends of the connector pin.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein engaging the first lock portion with the second lock portion comprises engaging a protrusion formed in the passageway of the sleeve with a groove formed in the outer diameter of the central portion of the connector pin.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the sleeve comprises a flexible material.  
   
   
       37 . A method of interconnecting sections of medical tubing, the method comprising: 
 providing a connector pin comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein a lumen extends between the first end portion and the second end portion; and a central portion located between the first and second end portions, the central portion comprising an outer surface of a diameter that is greater than a diameter of both of the first and second end portions, and wherein the central portion is bound by stop surfaces perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the connector pin;    inserting the first end portion into a first medical tube:    inserting the second end portion into a second medical tube;    sliding a tubular sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin, wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a first end and a second end and further forms a stepped passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the stepped passageway defined by: 
 a first section comprising an inner surface defined by a bore of a first diameter, the bore of the first diameter extending both from an inwardly extending protrusion, formed along the inner surface of the first section, to the first end of the sleeve; and from the protrusion to a stop surface located within the stepped passageway; and  
 a second section comprising an inner surface defined by a bore of a second diameter, the bore of the second diameter extending from the stop surface of the stepped passageway to the second end of the sleeve, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter; and  
   contacting one of the stop surfaces of the central portion of the connector pin with the stop surface located within the stepped passageway of the sleeve.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising placing the inwardly extending protrusion of the stepped passageway into a groove formed in the outer surface of the central portion of the connector pin.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a flexible material.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein sliding the sleeve over the first and second medical tubes and the connector pin comprises sliding the sleeve until it extends longitudinally beyond first and second ends of the connector pin.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a flexible material.