Patent Application
20120150117
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drug infusion line. More specifically, this invention relates to a ratchet system for starting an intravenous line in order to deliver therapeutic agents to a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common for medical professionals to start intravenous (“I.V.”) lines to introduce fluids and medications directly into a patient or to withdraw fluids from the patient. Depending on where they are employed, healthcare professionals may be tasked with starting dozens of I.V. lines on any given day. Different I.V. lines require different combinations of equipment and it can be difficult and time consuming for a healthcare provider to gather different combinations of equipment throughout the day. The time spent gathering equipment used to start an I.V. line can be stressful for both patients and healthcare providers. For example, in emergency situations, any time used to gather I.V. line start equipment can pose serious risks for the patient.
Further, the procedure of starting an I.V. line can be difficult and time consuming. The healthcare professional must be properly trained to identify where to insert the I.V. line as well as how to insert the line. Improper insertion can lead to problems of fluids being introduced into the tissue instead of the vasculature of the patient. Further, improper insertion may require the I.V. line be removed and inserted again, which may cause discomfort to the patient.
For these reasons, a need exists for an improved way to insert IV lines into patients.
The devices and methods of the present invention have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims which follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments,” one will understand how the features of this invention provide several advantages over existing medical devices.
An aspect of the invention includes an intravenous line starting system that has a housing, a first rotating member disposed in the housing, and a catheter connected to the first rotating member. The system further includes a second rotating member disposed in the housing, a needle connected to the second rotating member, and an actuator configured to rotate the first rotating member and the second rotating member between at least a first position, a second position, and a third position. When in the first position the catheter and the needle are generally located in the housing. When in the second position the catheter and the needle extend beyond the housing. When in the third position the catheter extends beyond the housing and the needle is generally located in the housing.
An aspect of the invention includes an intravenous line starting system that has a housing including a plurality of members configured to rotate about a common axis and a catheter engaged with one of the plurality of rotating members. The system further includes a needle disposed within the catheter and engaged with another one of the plurality of members. Rotation of at least one of the plurality of members about the common axis extends and retracts the needle relative to the housing without rotating the needle.
An aspect of the invention includes an intravenous line starting device that has a first member engaged with a needle and a second member engaged with a catheter. The needle is coaxially disposed within the catheter. Rotation of the first member extends and retracts the needle and rotation of the second member extends and retracts the catheter.
The above mentioned and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of several embodiments of the present IV ratchet system. The illustrated embodiments of the infusion system are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the invention. The drawings contain the following figures:
The following description and the accompanying figures, which describe and show the preferred embodiments, are made to demonstrate several possible configurations that an I.V. ratchet system can take to include various aspects and features of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the disclosed aspects and features of the invention are not limited to any particular embodiment of an I.V. ratchet system, which can include one or more of the inventive aspects and features herein described, and can be designed for a variety of medical procedures.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide an IV ratchet system for starting an IV line into a patient and methods for using an IV ratchet system. The IV ratchet system includes a needle and a catheter. The IV ratchet system includes a housing with a movable lever that controls movement of the needle and catheter. Movement of the lever causes the needle and catheter to enter the vasculature of a patient and further retracts the needle from the vasculature. Accordingly, the catheter is inserted into the vasculature of the patient. The catheter is further connected to a medical line to allow fluids to be withdrawn or inserted to the vasculature via the medical line.
To facilitate a complete understanding of the preferred embodiments, the remainder of the detailed description describes the IV ratchet system and methods of using the same with reference to the figures, wherein like elements among embodiments are referenced with like numerals throughout the following description
The lever 104 is further connected to rotating members 110 and 112. Rotating members 110 and 112 may be connected to the lever 104 by means of a common axis 114 formed at the center of the housing 102 that extends in the transverse direction. Movement of the lever 104 may cause each of the rotating members 110 and 112 to rotate within the housing 102 about the axis 114.
The rotating member 110 may be connected to a medical line 116. The housing 102 includes an opening for the medical line 116 to connect to the rotating member 110 and pass out of the housing 102. The connection between the rotating member 110 and the medical line 116 is configured to allow the rotating member 110 to rotate with respect to the medical line 116, without causing the medical line 116 to rotate. In one embodiment, the medical line 116 may connect to a channel 118 formed in the outer portion of the rotating member 110. At least a portion of the medical line 116 may be configured to move along the channel 118 as the rotating member 110 rotates. Accordingly, the medical line 116 remains in the same position with respect to the housing 102 as the rotating member 110 rotates.
The rotating member 110 may further be connected to a catheter. The housing 102 includes an opening 119 for the catheter 120 to connect to the rotating member 110 and pass through the housing 102. The connection between the rotating member 110 and the catheter 120 is configured to allow the rotating member 110 to rotate with respect to the catheter 120, without causing the catheter 120 to rotate. In one embodiment, the catheter 120 may connect to the channel 118. At least a portion of the catheter 120 may be configured to move along the channel 118 as the rotating member 110 rotates. Accordingly, the catheter 120 remains in the same position with respect to the housing 102 as the rotating member 110 rotates. The catheter 120, however, may move in a longitudinal direction as the rotating member 110 rotates. In particular as the rotating member 110 is rotated such that a portion of the rotating member 110 with a greater radius is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the catheter 120, the catheter 120 moves in a longitudinal direction outward from the housing 102. As the rotating member 110 is rotated such that a portion of the rotating member 110 with a lesser radius is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the catheter 120, the catheter 120 moves in a longitudinal direction inward from the housing 102. The rotating member 110 may be configured to have at least two portions with a radius A and at least one portion with a radius B, wherein A is greater than B.
The rotating member 112 may further be in connection with a needle 122. The needle 122 may be configured to fit inside the catheter 120. Further, the rotating member 112 and needle 122 may fit inside the rotating member 110. The needle 122 may pass through the same opening 119 of the housing 102 as the catheter 120. The connection between the rotating member 112 and the needle 122 is configured to allow the rotating member 112 to rotate with respect to the needle 122, without causing the needle 122 to rotate. In one embodiment, the needle 122 may connect to a channel 124 formed in the outer portion of the rotating member 112. At least a portion of the needle 122 may be configured to move along the channel 124 as the rotating member 112 rotates. Accordingly, the needle 122 remains in the same position with respect to the housing 102 as the rotating member 112 rotates. The needle 122, however, may move in a longitudinal direction as the rotating member 112 rotates. In particular as the rotating member 112 is rotated such that a portion of the rotating member 112 with a greater radius is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the needle 122, the needle 122 moves in a longitudinal direction outward from the housing 102. As the rotating member 112 is rotated such that a portion of the rotating member 110 with a lesser radius is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the needle 122, the needle 122 moves in a longitudinal direction inward from the housing 102. The rotating member 112 may be configured to have at least two portions with a radius C and at least one portion with a radius D, wherein D is greater than C. Further, the at least one portion of the rotating member 112 with the radius D may be aligned with one portion of the rotating member 110 with the radius A. Further, one portion of the rotating member 112 with the radius C may be aligned with one portion of the rotating member with the radius B, and the other portion of the rotating member 112 with the radius C may be aligned with one portion of the rotating member with the radius A.
The IV ratchet system 100 may be used as discussed below to start an IV in a patient and withdraw or introduce fluids to the vasculature of the patient.
The IV ratchet system 100 may be placed on the skin of a patient, such as on the arm, over an area of tissue that includes some type of vasculature. The housing 102 may be placed on the skin with the opening 119 placed over the vasculature. During initial placement of the housing 102 on the skin, the lever 104 may be rotated such that the needle 122 and the catheter 120 are both positioned within the housing 102 as shown in
Continuing, the lever 104 may be rotated such that the needle 122 and the catheter 120 move together in the longitudinal direction through the skin and tissue of the patient, and into the vasculature of the patient as shown in
Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments. In addition to the variations described herein, other known equivalents for each feature can be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in this art to construct stabilization systems and techniques in accordance with principles of the present invention.
Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/423,013, filed Dec. 14, 2010, and entitled INFUSION LINE, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61423013 | Dec 2010 | US |
