Catheter connector

Abstract

The invention discloses a catheter connector, and relates to the technical field of fluid transportation. At least one blocking frame and a locking lug, and the locking lug is configured to be capable of forming limit with the blocking frame in the other opposite catheter connector so as to joint the two catheter connectors; the valve assembly comprises a valve handle and a valve; the free rotating strip is arranged outside the connector main body and is provided with at least one protruding tooth, the protruding tooth is used for being in contact with the locking convex lug of the opposite catheter connector, and the free rotating strip is provided with a locking notch; and when the valve is in an open state, the end part of the valve handle enters the locking notch of the free rotating strip to form a limit, so as to prevent the locking lug in the relative conduit connector, which is in contact with the protruding teeth of the free rotating strip, from rotating. According to the catheter connector, the situation that the two catheter connectors are disconnected when the valves are in the open state is effectively avoided, and therefore leakage caused by misoperation at one end is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fluid transportation, and in particular to a catheter connector. Background Art

[0002] Fluid connectors have been developed for a variety of applications to connect two fluid-carrying tubes. In particular, it's common practice to place a fluid connector at the end of one tube, which mates with another connector applied to the open end of the second tube to be connected. To effectively distribute fluids, these connectors need to maintain a seal when connected and preferably have a simple and robust design.

[0003] For ease of use, a valve assembly is often combined with a fluid conduit connector. The valve assembly can be used to prevent fluid from escaping from the end of the connector when the connector is disconnected from the opposite connector, and can prevent the connector from being disconnected when the valve is in an open state.

[0004] While existing connectors with integrated valve assemblies and locking systems can prevent disconnection when the valve is open, they are often complex and require numerous separate components to work together, resulting in a bulky overall connector. This creates significant inconvenience when the connector needs to be operated and engaged in small or confined locations. Furthermore, the complex design can increase the difficulty, cost, and time of the manufacturing process.

[0005] Therefore, there are still shortcomings and deficiencies in the prior art. How to provide a catheter connector with a simple structure and capable of preventing the connector from being disconnected when the valve is in an open state is a technical problem that needs to be urgently solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a catheter connector that solves the technical problem that the connector in the prior art can prevent the connector from being disconnected when the valve is in an open state, but has a complex structure and many inconveniences during manufacturing and use.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a catheter connector, comprising:

[0008] Connector body;

[0009] at least one blocking frame provided on the connector body;

[0010] At least one locking lug provided on the connector body, the locking lug being configured to form a stopper with a blocking frame in another opposing conduit connector to couple the two conduit connectors;

[0011] a valve assembly comprising a rotatable valve handle disposed on the exterior of the connector body, and a valve disposed within the connector body and connected to the valve handle;

[0012] a free-rotating strip rotatably disposed on the exterior of the connector body, provided with at least one protruding tooth, the protruding tooth being adapted to contact a locking lug of an opposing catheter connector, the free-rotating strip being provided with a locking notch;

[0013] When the valve is in an open state, the end of the valve handle enters the locking notch of the free-rotating bar to form a limit position, thereby preventing the locking lug in the relative conduit connector that contacts the protruding teeth of the free-rotating bar from rotating.

[0014] Preferably, a biasing element is further included, one end of the biasing element is connected to the free-rotation bar, and the other end of the biasing element is connected to the exterior of the connector body.

[0015] Preferably, the connector body is provided with a sliding groove along the circumference, and the protruding teeth extend through the sliding groove to a side close to the blocking frame.

[0016] Preferably, the valve is connected to the valve handle via a connecting shaft.

[0017] Preferably, the free-rotating strip is provided with a plurality of protruding teeth, wherein at least one pair of the protruding teeth is configured to form a cradle on opposing edges of the locking lug of the opposing catheter connector.

[0018] Preferably, at least one pair of protruding teeth are spaced apart from each other on the free-rotating strip by a distance equal to the width of the locking lug.

[0019] Preferably, the locking lug is at least partially fittable beneath a stop formed relative to the conduit connector.

[0020] Preferably, the number of the locking lugs is two, and the two locking lugs are arranged opposite to each other on the connector body.

[0021] Preferably, the free-rotating strip surrounds and encircles the circumference of the connector body.

[0022] Preferably, the freely rotating bar is in the shape of a part circle.

[0023] Compared with the above-mentioned background technology, the catheter connector provided by the present invention has a simple structure and can use fewer parts to reduce manufacturing costs. In addition, the catheter connector as a whole has a slender size, which can reduce installation space. When the valve is in the open state, the end of the valve handle enters the locking notch of the free rotation bar to form a limit, and the locking lug in the relative catheter connector that contacts the protruding teeth of the free rotation bar cannot rotate, effectively preventing the two catheter connectors from being disconnected when the valve is in the open state, thereby avoiding leakage caused by improper operation of one end. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0027] Figure 3 This is one of the exploded views of the catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a second exploded view of the catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention before being connected to another catheter connector;

[0031] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention coupled with another catheter connector (with the valve closed);

[0032] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a catheter connector provided by an embodiment of the present invention after being coupled with another catheter connector (when the valve is open).

[0033] Figures 1 to 8Figure numerals in the figure: 1. Connector body; 11. Blocking frame; 12. Locking lug; 13. Slide groove; 14. Connector head; 141. Threaded portion; 2. Valve assembly; 21. Valve; 22. Valve handle; 23. Connecting shaft; 3. Free rotation bar; 31. Protruding tooth; 32. Locking cut; 33. First member; 34. Second member; 4. Biasing element; 100. Catheter connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0036] The present invention provides a catheter connector 100 for connecting two catheters while preventing accidental separation of the catheters.

[0037] The conduit connected by the conduit connector 100 can be a pipe, a transmission line, or other enclosed channel for conveying fluids. Preferably, the conduit connected to the conduit connector 100 can be used to connect a water system or a pipeline, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conduit connector 100 provided by the present invention can also be used in other application scenarios.

[0038] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 The catheter connector 100 provided by the present invention includes:

[0039] Connector body 1;

[0040] At least one blocking frame 11 provided on the connector body 1;

[0041] At least one locking lug 12 provided on the connector body 1, the locking lug 12 being configured to form a limit with a blocking frame 11 in another opposing conduit connector 100 to couple the two conduit connectors 100;

[0042] The valve assembly 2 includes a rotatable valve handle 22 provided on the outside of the connector body 1 and a valve 21 provided on the inside of the connector body 1 and connected to the valve handle 22;

[0043] The free-rotating strip 3 is rotatably disposed on the outside of the connector body 1 and is provided with at least one protruding tooth 31, the protruding tooth 31 being configured to contact the locking lug 12 of the opposing catheter connector 100, and the free-rotating strip 3 is provided with a locking notch 32;

[0044] When the valve 21 is in the open state, the end of the valve handle 22 enters the locking notch 32 of the free rotation bar 3 to form a limit position, thereby preventing the locking lug 12 in the relative catheter connector 100 that contacts the protruding teeth 31 of the free rotation bar 3 from rotating.

[0045] The connector body 1 is generally cylindrical in structure, with the blocking frame 11 and the locking lug 12 located on the same side of the connector body 1. The locking lug 12 in each catheter connector 100 protrudes longitudinally from the connector body 1. The valve 21 can be opened or closed by rotating the valve handle 22 to rotate the valve.

[0046] When a conduit connector 100 is engaged with another conduit connector 100, the end faces of the two connector bodies 1 of the two conduit connectors 100 abut against each other, and the locking lugs 12 respectively enter the opposing conduit connector 100. After the two conduit connectors 100 rotate relative to each other, the locking lugs 12 respectively lock under the blocking frame 11 of the opposing conduit connector 100, thereby achieving engagement. When the two conduit connectors 100 are engaged and the valves 21 of both conduit connectors 100 are in the open state, the end of the valve handle 22 enters the locking notch 32 of the free-rotating bar 3, forming a stop. At this time, the free-rotating bar 3 cannot rotate, and the locking lug 12 of the opposing conduit connector 100, which contacts the protruding teeth 31 of the free-rotating bar 3, cannot rotate. This prevents the locking lug 12 from being released from the blocking frame 11 of the opposing conduit connector 100 due to rotation of the locking lug 12, thereby preventing the two conduit connectors 100 from being disconnected when the valves 21 are in the open state.

[0047] With this arrangement, when the valve 21 is in the open state, the end of the valve handle 22 enters the locking notch 32 of the free-rotation bar 3 to form a limit position, and the locking lug 12 in the opposing catheter connector 100 that contacts the protruding teeth 31 of the free-rotation bar 3 cannot rotate, effectively preventing the two catheter connectors 100 from being disconnected when the valve 21 is in the open state, thereby preventing fluid leakage.

[0048] Specifically, the description in this specification also refers to a catheter having a longitudinal axis to be engaged by the catheter connector 100 and components of the catheter connector 100 that protrude in line with or rotate about the longitudinal axis. Thus, the catheter connector 100 also has a longitudinal axis defined between a front surface to be engaged with an opposing catheter connector 100 and a rear surface to be engaged with the catheter.

[0049] The locking lug 12 protrudes longitudinally from the connector body, and the locking lug 12 is at least partially capable of being assembled under the blocking frame 11 formed on the opposing catheter connector 100. The free end of the protruding locking lug 12 defines a transversely extending head that is capable of engaging with the blocking frame 11. The locking lug 12 of one catheter connector 100 is located near the blocking frame 11 of the opposing catheter connector 100. The relative coaxial rotation of the two catheter connectors 100 will hold the protruding locking lug 12 under the blocking frame 11 and align it, thereby preventing the locking lug 12 from longitudinally moving by the blocking frame 11, thereby coupling the catheter connectors 100 together.

[0050] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 1 to 5 The catheter connector 100 provided by the present invention further includes a biasing element 4 , one end of the biasing element 4 is connected to the free rotation bar 3 , and the other end is connected to the outside of the connector body 1 .

[0051] The biasing element 4 is connected to the connector body in a position to apply a biasing force to rotate the free-rotating bar 3 to a position where the catheter connector 100 can be disconnected, ensuring that the free-rotating bar 3 will normally be in the disconnected position except when the end of the valve handle 22 engages the locking notch 32.

[0052] In some embodiments, the reset element is an elastic member. Specifically, the elastic member is a spring, one end of the spring is connected to the free rotation bar 3 , and the other end is connected to the outside of the connector body 1 .

[0053] After the two catheter connectors 100 are plugged in, they rotate relative to each other, and the locking lug 12 slides under the blocking frame 11. When the catheter connector 100 rotates, the locking lug 12 contacts the protruding teeth 31 of the opposite catheter connector 100, driving the free rotation bar 3 to rotate. As the free rotation bar 3 rotates, the spring is stretched. When the valve 21 is in the open state, the end of the valve handle 22 enters the locking notch 32 of the free rotation bar 3 to form a limit, preventing the free rotation bar 3 from resetting.

[0054] In addition, the locking notch 32 of the free-rotating bar 3 has a shape that is complementary to the end of the valve handle 22. The complementary shape of the locking notch 32 does not necessarily need to physically contact the entire adjacent surface of the end of the valve handle 22. The shape of the locking notch 32 can be configured to retain the end of the valve handle 22 within the free-rotating bar 3, thereby enabling the force applied to the free-rotating bar 3 to be transmitted to the valve handle 22, and similarly, the force applied to the valve handle 22 can be transmitted to the free-rotating bar 3.

[0055] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The connector body 1 is provided with a sliding groove 13 along the circumferential direction, and the protruding tooth 31 passes through the sliding groove 13 and extends to a side close to the blocking frame 11.

[0056] The protruding teeth 31 protrude through the aforementioned slide grooves 13 to the area of ​​the connector body 1 where the locking lugs 12 are located. This allows the protruding teeth 31 to be positioned so that their sides contact the sides or edges of the locking lugs 12 of the opposing conduit connector 100. Coaxial rotation of the opposing conduit connector 100 drives the freely rotating bar 3 to rotate. Thus, the protruding teeth 31 can serve as stops on the edges of the locking lugs 12, transmitting rotational motion in one direction between the freely rotating bar 3 and the locking lugs 12 of the opposing conduit connector 100.

[0057] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 1 to 5 The valve 21 is connected to the valve handle 22 via a connecting shaft 23. The valve 21 assembly prevents fluid from flowing out of the catheter when the catheter connector 100 is not engaged with the corresponding catheter connector 100. Rotating the valve handle 22 rotates the valve 21 via the connecting shaft 23, thereby opening or closing the valve 21.

[0058] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 3 to 5 The valve 21 is a ball valve. The ball valve has a simple structure, is reliable and durable, and can effectively work in the application scenario of the catheter connector 100.

[0059] In some embodiments, the free-rotating bar 3 is provided with a plurality of protruding teeth 31 , wherein at least one pair of protruding teeth 31 is configured to form a cradle on opposite edges of the locking lug 12 of the opposing catheter connector 100 .

[0060] The free-rotating bar 3 may include a plurality of protruding teeth 31, wherein at least one pair of protruding teeth 31 is configured to form a cradle on opposite sides or edges of the locking lugs 12 of opposing catheter connectors 100. Clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the two catheter connectors 100 relative to each other will result in a corresponding rotation of the free-rotating bar 3. The clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the locking lug 12 causes the corresponding edge of the locking lug 12 to contact one of the pair of protruding teeth 31, thereby applying a rotational force to the free-rotating bar 3.

[0061] In some embodiments, at least one pair of protruding teeth 31 are spaced apart from each other on the free-rotating strip 3 by a distance equal to the width of the locking lug 12. In this embodiment, the pair of protruding teeth 31 can be spaced apart on the free-rotating strip 3 by a distance equal to the width, span, or range of the locking lug 12 of the opposing catheter connector 100. The locking lug 12 is captured between the pair of protruding teeth 31 in the opposing catheter connector 100.

[0062] In some embodiments, the free-rotating bar 3 is provided with a pair of protruding teeth 31. The free-rotating bar 3 is provided with only a pair of protruding teeth 31, and the pair of protruding teeth 31 of the free-rotating bar 3 engages with a single locking lug 12 of the opposing catheter connector 100.

[0063] In some embodiments, the locking lug 12 can fit at least partially under a barrier 11 formed relative to the catheter connector 100 .

[0064] In some embodiments, there are two locking lugs 12. The two locking lugs 12 are arranged opposite each other on the connector body 1. The two locking lugs 12 can be arranged on opposite sides of the end of the connector body 1, leaving an open area to accommodate the locking lugs 12 of the opposing catheter connector 100. This arrangement allows relative coaxial rotation of the catheter connector 100 to align and engage the two sets of locking lugs 12 and the blocking frame 11 defined therebetween.

[0065] In some embodiments, the free-rotating strip 3 is curved, and its radius of curvature is the same as the radius of the catheter to which the catheter connector 100 is coupled.

[0066] In some embodiments, the free-rotating strip 3 surrounds and encircles the circumference of the connector body 1 .

[0067] In some embodiments, the free-spinning strip 3 is a single, unitary circular component.

[0068] In some embodiments, the free-rotation bar 3 comprises several separate components. The free-rotation bar 3 includes a first member 33 and a second member 34. Both the first and second members 33 and 34 are semicircular in shape. The protruding teeth 31 are provided on the first member 33, and the locking notches 32 are provided on the second member 34. The first and second members 33 and 34 can be fixedly connected using pins, bolts, or screws.

[0069] In some embodiments, the free-spinning bar 3 is in the shape of a part circle.

[0070] In the catheter connector 100 provided by the present invention, the free-rotating strip 3 is mounted on the outside of the connector body, adjacent to the valve handle 22. The free-rotating strip 3 preferably has a curved form suitable for the radius of the connected catheter, which is the same as the radius of the connected catheter.

[0071] The free-rotating strip 3 can be shaped so as to completely surround the circumference of the connector body. For example, the free-rotating strip 3 can be a single, integral circular component, while in some embodiments, the free-rotating strip 3 can include several separate components. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the free-rotating strip 3 does not necessarily completely surround the circumference of the connector body 1, but can be semicircular or partially circular.

[0072] In some embodiments, the connector body 1 is further connected to a connector head 14, which is located on a side of the connector body 1 away from the locking lug 12. The connector head 14 is provided with a threaded portion 141. The threaded portion 141 can be engaged with a threaded fitting at the end of a catheter.

[0073] The catheter connector 100 provided by the present invention, Figure 7 The figure shows a state where two catheter connectors 100 are coupled together and their respective valves 21 are closed, with the proximal end of each valve handle 22 facing the side of the free-rotating bar 3, and the free-rotating bar 3 can be freely rotated by a force applied by the user or by a force transmitted through the locking lug 12 and the protruding teeth 31 of the free-rotating bar 3. When the valves 21 are closed, the catheter connectors 100 can freely rotate relative to each other and can be separated.

[0074] Figure 8 The figure shows a state where two catheter connectors 100 are coupled together and their respective valves 21 are open, with the distal end of each valve handle 22 located within the locking notch 32 of each free-rotating bar 3. When the valves 21 are open, the free-rotating bars 3 are retained in the position shown by the valve handles 22, so that the protruding teeth 31 of each free-rotating bar 3 prevent the two catheter connectors 100 from coaxially rotating relative to each other, thereby preventing the two catheter connectors 100 from separating when the valves 21 are open.

[0075] The catheter connector 100 provided by the present invention features an integrated valve assembly 2 on the connector body 1. When the valve 21 is open, it prevents disconnection from another catheter connector 100, thereby preventing leakage caused by misoperation of one end. Compared to existing technologies, the structure is simpler, requiring fewer parts to reduce manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the overall slender dimensions of the catheter connector 100 reduce installation space.

[0076] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are merely used to distinguish one entity from other entities, but do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0077] The principles and implementation methods of the present invention are described herein using specific examples. The description of the above examples is only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles of the present invention, and such improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A catheter connector (100), characterized in that include: Connector body (1); at least one blocking frame (11) provided on the connector body (1); at least one locking lug (12) provided on the connector body (1), the locking lug (12) being configured to form a limit with a blocking frame (11) in another opposing conduit connector (100) to couple the two conduit connectors (100); A valve assembly (2) comprising a rotatable valve handle (22) disposed outside the connector body (1), and a valve (21) disposed inside the connector body (1) and connected to the valve handle (22); a free-rotating strip (3) rotatably disposed on the exterior of the connector body (1) and provided with at least one protruding tooth (31), the protruding tooth (31) being configured to contact a locking lug (12) of an opposing catheter connector (100), the free-rotating strip (3) being provided with a locking notch (32); When the valve (21) is in an open state, the end of the valve handle (22) enters the locking notch (32) of the free-rotating bar (3) to form a limit position, thereby preventing the locking lug (12) in the relative catheter connector (100) in contact with the protruding teeth (31) of the free-rotating bar (3) from rotating.

2. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes a biasing element (4), one end of which is connected to the free-rotation bar (3) and the other end of which is connected to the exterior of the connector body (1).

3. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The connector body (1) is provided with a sliding groove (13) along the circumferential direction, and the protruding tooth (31) passes through the sliding groove (13) and extends to a side close to the blocking frame (11).

4. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The valve (21) is connected to the valve handle (22) via a connecting shaft (23).

5. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The free-rotating strip (3) is provided with a plurality of protruding teeth (31), wherein at least one pair of protruding teeth (31) is configured to form a cradle on opposite edges of a locking lug (12) of an opposing catheter connector (100).

6. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that At least one pair of protruding teeth (31) are spaced apart from each other on the free-rotating strip (3) by a distance equal to the width of the locking lug (12).

7. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The locking lug (12) is at least partially capable of fitting under a blocking frame (11) formed relative to the catheter connector (100).

8. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The number of the locking lugs (12) is two, and the two locking lugs (12) are arranged opposite to each other on the connector body (1).

9. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The free-rotating strip (3) surrounds and encircles the circumference of the connector body (1).

10. The catheter connector (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that The free-rotating bar (3) is in a partially circular shape.

Images