The present invention generally relates to fluid tube connectors for fluid tubes inserted into a living body and more particularly to clips to maintain the connection between two fluid tube connectors.
A feeding tube assembly may include a gastronomy tube and a nutrition tube detachably connected. When a patient is unable to eat solid food or swallow liquids, an implant end of the gastronomy tube may be surgically implanted in their stomach. The other, connecting end of the gastronomy tube may connect to the nutrition tube, through a receptacle connector. A nutrient source end of the nutrition tube may be connected to a source of nutrient, such as a bag. The other, connecting end of the nutrient tube may connect to the gastronomy tube. Nutrients, water, and/or medicines may be provided through the nutrition tube, to the gastronomy tube, and thus to the patient.
Other type tubes may also be inserted into a human body, such as catheters. Catheters may be inserted into a urethra and connected to a urine tube first end to remove urine from the urethra so the patient will not have to move. The urine tube may have a connection end which may be connected through a receptacle connector to a disposal tube connecting to a bag to collect and dispose of the urine.
The receptacle connector for either the gastronomy or urine tube may include a socket fitting connected to the gastronomy or urine tube on the connection end, and a plug fitting connected to the nutrition or disposal tube on the connection end. Sometimes the connection fittings may be reversed, or may take the form of similar connectors. The gastronomy tube and the nutrition tube may be disconnected and reconnected many times during a day to allow for patient movement, and regular replacement of the nutrition tube. The urine tube and disposal tube may likewise be disconnected numerous times. The fitting material may become fatigued. The connection made by the receptacle connector may be weakened by this fatigue.
When the connection at the receptacle connector is weakened, the fittings may loosen. Leaks of nutritional or other substances being fed to the patient through the feeding tube assembly may occur when the connection is weak. The connection itself may also be broken, especially when the patient moves or stomach gas flows into the gastronomy tube. Leaks of urine may occur in a catheter urine tube assembly may likewise occur. Nutritional material, urine, or other substances may flow onto the patient and bedding causing discomfort to the patient. Nursing and other medical personnel must spend precious time cleaning the patient and the bedding. Nutritional material may be wasted.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0338642 A1 filed by Maulin discloses a feeding tube clip with a first tube clasp. The tube clasp has a truncated cone shape with an opening along a length of the truncated cone shape. A frame has a first end and a second end. A clip end connector is attached to the second end of the frame. The clip end connector forms a groove perpendicular to a length of the frame. A clip end has a second tube clasp perpendicular to a mating slot. The mating slot mates to the clip end connector. The mating slot has an opening that aligns with the hole of the clip end connector. In addition a stop clip may be used to engage the clip end. The stop clip has a peg that inserts into the hole of the clip end connector and the aligned opening of the clip end. The stop clip ensures a very strong secure connection.
Clips made to keep receptacle connectors connected may have problems fitting around the many different types of receptacle connectors and tubes used by the medical industry if they are rigid. They may not be flexible enough to fit the size of the connector and flex around different features of the connector. The clips may not have the size and shape to accommodate the many styles of connectors and may be expensive to manufacture.
As can be seen, there may be an ongoing need for a clip to maintain the connection of receptacle connectors in use with tubes inserted into a living body which is flexible enough to be used with many styles and size of connectors. The disclosed clip, systems, and methods may solve the above or other problems.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one aspect of the present invention, a clip for retaining the connection of a socket fitting to a plug fitting of a receptacle connector, one of the socket fitting and the plug fitting fluidly connected to an insertion in a living body through an insertion tube at a first connection port, and the other of the socket fitting and the plug fitting fluidly connected to a fluid receptacle through a receptacle tube at a second connection port is disclosed. The clip includes a first connection end, a second connection end, and an elongated retaining portion. The first connection end includes a first tube aperture configured to be rotatably connected to one of the insertion tube and the receptacle tube through having the one of the insertion tube and the receptacle tube inserted through the first tube aperture. The second connection end includes a tube connector configured to be selectively and detachably connected around the other one of the insertion tube and the receptacle tube. The elongated retaining portion includes a first retaining end and a second retaining end, the first retaining end fixedly connected to and configured to bend in relation to the first connection end, and the second retaining end fixedly connected to and configured to bend in relation to the second connection end.
In another aspect of the present invention, a socket fitting for a receptacle connector is disclosed. The receptacle connector is for fluidly connecting an insertion in a living body with a fluid receptacle and includes a plug fitting, the plug fitting including a plug port and configured to be inserted into the socket fitting, the plug port configured to fluidly connect to the fluid receptacle through a receptacle tube. The socket fitting includes a first socket port, an outer surface, and a clip. The first socket port is configured to fluidly connect to the insertion through an insertion tube. the clip includes a socket connection end, a receptacle tube connection end, and an elongated retaining portion connecting the socket connection end to the receptacle tube connection end. The socket connection end is fixedly attached to the outside surface. The tube connection end is configured to be selectively and detachably connected to the receptacle tube.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a fluid flow assembly for connecting an insertion within a living body with a fluid receptacle for collecting fluids through the insertion from the body or providing fluids through the insertion to the body is disclosed. The fluid flow assembly includes an insertion tube, a receptacle connector, a receptacle tube, and a clip. The insertion tube includes a first insertion tube end and a second insertion tube end. The first insertion tube end is fluidly connected with the insertion. The receptacle connector includes a body end, a receptacle end, a socket fitting, and a plug fitting. The socket fitting includes a socket and a socket port located on one of the body end and the receptacle end. The plug fitting includes a plug port and a plug inserted into and fluidly connected with the socket. The plug port is located at the other of the body end and the receptacle end. The receptacle tube includes a first receptacle tube end and a second receptacle tube end. The first receptacle tube end is fluidly connected with one of the socket port and the plug port. The one of the socket port and the plug port is located on the receptacle end. The second receptacle tube end is fluidly connected with the fluid receptacle. The clip includes a first connection end, a second connection end, and an elongated retaining portion. The first connection end includes a tube aperture rotably connected around one of the insertion tube at the second insertion tube end and the receptacle tube at the first receptacle tube end. The second connection end includes a tube connector configured to be selectively and detachably connected around the other of the insertion tube at the second insertion tube end and the receptacle tube at the first receptacle tube end. The elongated retaining portion includes a first retaining end and a second retaining end. The first retaining end is fixedly connected to and configured to bend in relation to the first connection end. The second retaining end is fixedly connected to and configured to bend in relation to the second connection end. The insertion tube second end is fluidly connected to the other of the socket port and the plug port. The other of the socket port and the plug port is located on the body end.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or may only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below.
While the fluid flow assembly, socket fitting, and clip are described with reference to several illustrative embodiments described herein, it should be clear that the present invention should not be limited to such embodiments. Therefore, the description of the embodiments provided herein is illustrative of the present invention and should not limit the scope of the invention. In addition, while the following description references drawings showing particular configurations and proportions, it will be appreciated that the invention may be configured to have other configurations and proportions.
Referring now to
Many times the insertion (the gastronomy tube or catheter) may be fluidly attached to a tube and/or first part of a receptacle connector. The fluid receptacle may be fluidly connected to a tube and a second part of the receptacle connector. The first part of the receptacle connector may be a socket fitting, and the second part of the receptacle may be a plug fitting. The plug fitting may be inserted into the socket fitting to fluidly connect the fluid receptacle to the insertion. The plug fitting may be detached from the socket fitting to change the fluid receptacle. For example, when the liquid nutrition has all transferred to the patient, or for a catheter, when the fluid receptacle is full and must be disposed of.
Although illustrated with the socket fitting fluidly connected to the insertion and the plug fitting fluidly connected to the fluid receptacle, this may be reversed. Over time, as the receptacle connector is used, it may wear. This may result in the socket fitting and plug fitting accidentally detached, and fluid flowing onto the patient and their bedding. In addition, movement from the patient may accidentally detach the socket fitting from the plug fitting. The fittings could be fixedly attached, but that could cause harm to patient if they moved such that the insertion was pulled out of their body. There is a need for a fluid flow assembly where the receptacle connector will not accidentally disconnect, but where if the patient moves too far, will disconnect to avoid an insertion being pulled from their body.
Referring now to
The receptacle connector 128 may be any connector known in the art for connecting an insertion tube 116 from a living body 102 to a fluid receptacle 110 (shown and described in relation to
The socket fitting 134 may include a socket 138, a first socket port 140, and an outer surface 148. The socket 138 may include a hollow into which the plug fitting 136 may be inserted. The first socket port 140 may include an aperture through which fluid flowing from or to the insertion tube may pass. The socket fitting 134 may include a channel (not shown for flow fluids from the first socket port 140 to the socket 138 for transfer to the plug fitting 136.
The socket fitting 134 may also include a second socket port 150. When the fluid flow assembly 100 is being used to provide fluids through an insertion 104, the second socket port 150 may be connected to another receptacle for providing other fluids to the living body 102. For example, medication may be provided through the second socket port 150. The socket fitting 134 may include a flap 152 on the outer surface 148 with a connection plug 154 (shown and described in relation to
The fluid flow assembly 100 includes a clip 200 for retaining the connection of the socket fitting 134 to the plug fitting 136 of the receptacle connector 134. The clip 200 includes a first connection end 202, a second connection end 204, and an elongated retaining portion 206. The first connection end 202 includes a first tube aperture 208 configured to be rotatably connected to one of the insertion tube 116 and a receptacle tube 122 (shown and described in relation to
The clip 200 may be formed of plastic, metal, or another flexible substance which will hold its' form, but provide some flexibility as would be known in the art. The clip 200 may be cut from a sheet of plastic, or another substance, and then bent into the desired form. The bending may be accomplished with machinery or tools known in the art and may be accomplished with or without heating the material. In other embodiments, the clip 200 may be molded, formed through a 3D printing process, or formed in any other process which would be known in the art.
Referring now to
The receptacle tube 122 may include a first receptacle tube end 124 fluidly connected to the plug fitting 136, and a second receptacle tube end 126 fluidly connected to the fluid receptacle 110. The receptacle tube 122 may be a long, hollow cylinder of plastic or another flexible material or any other connector known in the art for transferring fluids to and from the fluid receptacle 110.
The plug fitting 136 may include a plug 144 and a plug port 146. The plug 144 may be a tapered insertion device configured to be inserted into and be retained by the socket 138. The plug 144 may have a channel (not shown) running through it for flowing fluids from the receptacle tube 122 through the plug port 146, and to the socket fitting 134. The plug port 146 may include an aperture through which fluid flowing from or to the receptacle tube 122 into the pug fitting 136 may pass.
When it is desired to for fluid to flow to the living body 102 from the fluid receptacle 110, or from the fluid receptacle 110 to the living body 102, the insertion tube 116 may be inserted through the first tube aperture 208 of the clip 200. The plug fitting 136 may be connected to the socket fitting 134 through inserting the plug 144 into the socket 138. The clip may then be detachably connected to the receptacle tube 122 through the tube connection 210. In the embodiment where the insertion 104 is a gastronomy tube 106 and the fluid receptacle 110 is a nutrition bag 112, liquid nutrition may flow from the nutrition bag 112 into the receptacle tube 122 and to the plug port 146. The liquid nutrition may then flow through the plug port 146 and plug 144 to the socket fitting 134. The liquid nutrition may flow through the socket fitting 134 into the insertion tube 116, through the insertion tube 116 into the gastronomy tube 106 and into the stomach of the living body 102. In the embodiment where the insertion 104 is a catheter 108 and the fluid receptacle 110 is a urine collection bag 114, the direction of flow would reverse. The clip 200 may assist in ensuring the receptacle connector 128 stays connected. If the patient jerks suddenly or moves to far, the clip 200 may detach from the receptacle tube 122 allowing the receptacle connector 128 to disconnect and preventing the insertion 104 from being pulled from the patient's body.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The second connection end 204, may be flat, generally circular, and bent forward from the elongated retaining portion 206. The second connection end 204 may include the tube connector 210. In the embodiment illustrated the tube connector 210 includes an outside edge 212, a second tube aperture 214, and a slit 216 connecting the outside edge 212 and the second tube aperture. The slit 216 may be slid around the receptacle tube 122 such that the receptacle tube 122 is inserted through the second tube aperture 214. Although the slit 216 is shown rather wide in this figure, depending on the flexibility of the material the clip 200 is formed from, the slit may be much narrower.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications or variations may be made without deviating from the spirit or scope of inventive features described herein. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and figures and practice of the arrangements disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and disclosed examples be considered as exemplary only.
This application claims priority to and incorporates by reference in its' entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/146271, entitled “Feeding Tube Clip System”, and filed Apr. 11, 2015.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62146271 | Apr 2015 | US |