Catheter Guiding Flexible Connector

Abstract

A flexible connector couples the inlet end of a tracheotomy tube inner cannula to an outlet port of an in-line catheter. The catheter exit end of the connector is adapted to be serially coupled in pneumatic communication with the inlet end of the tracheotomy tube inner cannula and also to guide the downstream tip of the catheter into the inlet end of the inner cannula in response to pushing of the catheter upstream of the catheter outlet port. Thus, the in-line catheter can be inserted into the tracheotomy tube inner cannula with little likelihood of having to compress or “flip” the connector or disconnect the connector from the tracheotomy tube and the patient from the ventilator circuit.

1 . For coupling the inlet end of a tracheotomy tube inner cannula to an outlet port of an in-line catheter, a connector comprising:
 an elongated, flexible, accordion-like tubular body;   means on a catheter entry end of said tubular body for serially coupling said body in pneumatic communication with the catheter outlet port;   means on a catheter exit end of said tubular body for serially coupling said body in pneumatic communication with the inlet end of the tracheotomy tube inner cannula; and   means on said body-to-cannula coupling means for guiding a downstream tip of the catheter into the inlet end of the inner cannula in response to pushing the catheter at a location upstream of the catheter outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . A connector according to  claim 1 , said guiding means comprising a gradual taper in a downstream direction, said taper having an inner diameter at its upstream end substantially equal to an outer diameter of the inlet end of the inner cannula and an inner diameter at its downstream end not greater than an inner diameter of the inlet end of the inner cannula. 
     
     
         3 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . For coupling an inlet end of a tracheotomy tube inner cannula to an outlet port of an in-line catheter, a connector comprising:
 an elongated, flexible, tubular body; and   a catheter exit end of said tubular body having a first contour shaped to serially couple said tubular body in pneumatic communication with the inlet end of the tracheotomy tube inner cannula and a second contour shaped to guide a downstream tip of the catheter out of said tubular body into the inlet end of the inner cannula in response to pushing of the catheter at a location upstream of the catheter outlet port.   
     
     
         9 . A connector according to  claim 8 , said second contour comprising a gradual taper in a downstream direction, said taper having an inner diameter at its downstream end not greater than an inner diameter of the inlet end of the inner cannula. 
     
     
         10 . A connector according to  claim 9 , said first contour comprising a flat wall about a downstream end of said gradual taper, said wall having a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of an entry end face of the inner cannula. 
     
     
         11 . A connector according to  claim 10  further comprising a portion of constant diameter extending downstream from said flat wall and cooperable with said flat wall to form a cup for receiving the inlet end of the inner cannula. 
     
     
         12 . A connector according to  claim 11  further comprising a bearing portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of said cup extending upstream from said upstream end of said gradual taper. 
     
     
         13 . A connector according to  claim 12  further comprising a hard sleeve concentrically disposed about and spanning across said bearing portion and said cup and creating a void between said sleeve and the connector. 
     
     
         14 . A connector according to  claim 13  further comprising a radial expansion at an upstream end of said bearing portion and an annular rim on a downstream end of said cup, said radial expansion and said rim being cooperable to prevent longitudinal motion of said sleeve on the connector.