Abstract:
A fitting and attachment assembly including a connector having a conventional proximal end and a distal end having a barbed portion thereon; said distal end being mateable with fluid delivery tubing. The mating end portion of said tubing including a separable annular collar in abutting relationship with the end of said tubing and a severable heat-shrinkable sleeve positioned externally of said tubing. A mechanism is further provided for severing said sleeve.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the medical and dental fields, it is standard practice to use disposable tubing to connect multiple devices. For example, tubing delivers intervenious medication from a container of medicine to the patient and tubing provides a conduit from a dental tool to a vacuum supply. A luer fitting is commonly used in conjunction with tubing in these various medical and dental settings. Luer fittings are well known in the art and are preferred as they provide standardized connection to fluidly connect two devices. Luer fittings are commonly used in applications in which the connected components are to be reused. However, luer fittings have a drawback in that they too are easily re-usable. It has been heretofore observed that the luer fittings and the tubing extending therebetween has been disconnected, cleaned and re-used. The cleaning and re-using of the tubing does not constitute a safe and sterile practice. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the medical and dental field and especially to an application where a piece of tubing is attached to a connector. A luer fitting is a standardized connector used in the medical and dental field to fluidly connect two devices. One of the advantages of utilizing a standard connector such as a luer fitting, is that the connector and tubing to which it is attached can be reused on multiple applications. However, sometimes it is not desirable for the tubing to be reused. The present invention comprises a novel way of connecting the tubing to a medical or dental device such that a portion of the tubing is destroyed when disconnected from the device. This will prevent the user from reconnecting the used tubing and advertently or inadvertently reusing it. 
     The invention comprises a barbed fitting, a flexible plastic collar, shrink wrap or shrink tubing, fluid delivery tubing, and suture wire or thread. The plastic collar is placed at the end of the fluid delivery tubing and is held in place by the shrink wrap. The suture wire or thread is located within the shrink tubing along the plastic collar-tubing interface. The fitting is provided with a barb. The tubing, along with its collar, slides over the barbed fitting and locks into place. To remove the tubing assembly, the user pulls the suture line and tear the shrink wrap, thereby breaking the connection between the collar and the fluid delivery line. With the shrink wrap removed, the collar can be easily slid back over the barbs on the luer fitting. After pulling the suture line, the end of the fluid delivery tubing will be destroyed and the tubing assembly will not be capable of reuse. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing the barbed fitting disconnected from the fluid delivery tubing. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention showing the barbed fitting inserted in and engaged with the fluid delivery tubing. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention showing the suture thread tearing the shrink wrap with the fluid delivery tubing in partial phantom. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing pre-perforated shrink wrap tubing. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the invention showing the pre-perforated portion tearing away from the shrink wrap with the fluid delivery tubing in partial phantom. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing pre-perforated shrink wrap tubing with perforations in circumferentially-spaced arrangement. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the invention showing the circumferentially-spaced perforated portion tearing away from the shrink wrap with the fluid delivery tubing in partial phantom. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing circumferentially-spaced suture thread. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the invention showing the circumferentially-spaced suture thread tearing the shrink wrap with the fluid delivery tubing in partial phantom. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
     The term “liquid”, as used herein, shall be defined as a gas, a liquid, a substance which flows, or a substance which differs from a solid in that it can offer no permanent resistance to change of shape. It shall further include mixtures of gases, mixtures of liquids, and mixtures of gases and liquids. 
     The term “barb”, is intended to include not only the structure shown in FIG. 1, but also any structure that provides an obstruction to meet a surface and resist endwise removal. The term “severing line” as used herein is intended to encompass a single filament, a corded stranded filament, a metallic wire, line such as conventional fishing line, or the like. 
     The preferred embodiment of their invention can be seen generally in FIGS. 1-5. With particular reference to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a barbed fitting, indicated generally by the reference numeral  10 . The barbed fitting  10  is comprised of a standard or conventional proximal end portion (not shown) and a modified distal end portion  14  having at least one barb  16 . The barb  16 , as shown in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, is tapered to provide a ramped surface  17 . The ramped surface  17  terminates in a radially extending shoulder  24 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the barbed fitting  10  is tubular and includes a coextensive bore  18 , which is arranged to receive and communicate with a bore  44  of an elongated, relatively flexible fluid delivery tubing  40 . The tubing  40  is of standard flexible plastic commonly used in medical and dental applications. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface  26  of a plastic annular collar  20  abuts one end  42  of the tubing  40 . The collar  20  is held in abutting relationship with tubing  40  by means of a shrink wrap tubing  30 . The opposite end of the tubing  40  (not shown) is arranged for connection with either a vacuum source or, alternatively to a fluid source, such as water for irrigation, medicine, or to an air supply. 
     It will be observed from FIGS. 3 and 4 that when the barbed fitting  10  is inserted into the tubing  40 , the barb  16  engages the collar  20  in a snap-action fit to prevent withdrawal therefrom. Further, the collar  20  is in turn held in its abutting position against the end  42  of tubing  40  by the shrink wrap tubing  30 . The shrink wrap tubing  30  provides a radially inwardly extending flange portion  32  engaged with the exterior surface portion  22  of the collar  20 . After the dental or medical procedure is completed, the severing line  50  is pulled to tear the shrink wrap tubing  30  away from the fluid delivery tubing  40  (Seen generally in FIG.  5 ). This prevents the fluid delivery tubing  40  from being inadvertently reused, but yet allows the barbed fitting  10  to be used again with another tubing  40  length. 
     In an alternate embodiment, seen generally in FIGS. 6-8, the shrink wrap tubing  30  includes a pre-perforated pull tab  60  for facile manual severing. The pre-perforated pull tab  60  includes perforations  62 , and an integrally formed gripping portion  66 . 
     The pre-perforated pull tab  60  may be positioned longitudinally relative to the shrink wrap tubing  30 , as shown in FIGS. 6-8. Also, it is within the scope of this invention to position the pre-perforated pull tab  60  circumferentially relative to the tubing  30 , as seen in FIGS. 11-12. As will be observed, a circumferentially disposed pull tab  64  is shown in detail in FIGS. 9-10. Pull tab  64  may be raised with a finger nail for more facile gripping. 
     In a further embodiment, seen generally in FIGS. 11-12, the severing line  50 , is positioned between and circumferentially spaced relative to the shrink wrap tubing  30  and fluid delivery tubing  40 . The severing line  50  is pulled to tear the shrink wrap tubing  30  away from the fluid delivery tubing  40  (seen generally in FIG.  12 ). 
     The above described embodiments of this invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be limited. The scope of this invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the following claims, including their equivalents.