COUPLING COMPONENT

Abstract: A coupling component comprising a female part (1) intended to be coupled together with a corresponding coupling component in the form of a male part (2). The coupling component in accordance with the invention is characterized by an inner flexible cylindrical first coupling part (4) which at its one end is provided with an orifice portion (5) which is intended to enclose a component (6) of the male part with a friction grip, whilst it is provided at its other end with means (7) for connection to a tube (8), bag or the like and by an outer torsion-proof second coupling component (3) which is connected to the inner part (4) in such a manner that the two parts can be made to move together axially.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a coupling component comprising a femal part intended to be coupled togheter with a corresponding coupling component in the form of a male part. Such couplings are used often in medical context for the joining together, for example, of tubes or for the joining together of a tube with another component, e g a bag, a dialyzer, an oxy­ genator or the like. A coupling of this type is often called a Luer coupling or Luer-Lock coupling, if it is provided with means for the locking together of the two components, e g co-operating screw threads or parts of screw threads. BACKGROUND ART For Luer-Lock couplings frequently relatively hard mater­ ial is used so that the screw threads used as locking should hold.Thanks to this locking it is possible in spite of all that to obtain a relatively good seal between coupling components included. In Luer couplings without locking frequently a relatively flexible material is used in the female part in order to ensure a satisfactory seal. Because of what is mentioned above different female parts are often used in Luer couplings with locking and in those without locking respectively. It is desirable, though, that the same female part should be usable in both types of couplings whilst achieving a satisfactory sealing and locking. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The abovementioned problem is solved in accordance with the present invention in that a coupling component comprising a female part intended to be coupled together with a corresponding coupling component in the form of a male part is designed with an inner flexible cylindrical first coupling part which at its one end is provided with an orifice portion which is intended to enclose the male part with a friction grip, whilst it is pro­ vided at its other end with means for connection to a tube, bag or the like and with an outer torsion-proof second coupling part which is connected to the inner part in such a manner that the two parts can be made to move together axially. Thanks to this design a supple and effective seal can be achieved between the male part and the female part at the same time as the locking component of the female part, e g a screw thread, may be formed in the outer coupling part, which thus can be manufactured from a harder material. In order to prevent any mutual rotation between the two parts, the outer part may be provided with one or more holes and/or slots, into which engage components projecting from the inner part. Such locking is achieved preferably at two or more points at a distance from each other seen in the longitudinal direction of the parts. The outer part is preferably provided with an external thread or part of a thread which is intended to co-operate with a corresponding thread portion on the male part for the pulling together of the two coupling components. This external thread, owing to the invention, can be made of a relatively hard mate­ rial, at the same time as the seal towards the male part is achieved with the help of the more flexible material of the inner part. A further advantage, especially in a medical con­ text, is that the outer part does not come into contact with the flow passing through the coupling component. Consequently it can be manufactured from a cheaper material and can be painted without the flow thereby being affected. In a preferred embodiment of the subject of the invention the outer part is provided at its end facing towards the male part with a hook, flange or the like, which is adapted to compress the inner part axially on decoupling. This facilitates the decoupling, since the axial compression achieves an increase of the inner diameter. The inner part, at least in the portion adjoining the said hook, flange or the like, is suitably arranged in the outer part with a clearance between the two parts so as to facilitate the said compression. In order to facilitate coupling together, the said orifice portion enclosing the male part may be of a conical design and fit to the male part so that the latter on introduction brings about an axial compression of the inner part. The coupling and decoupling are faciliated also if the outer part is designed with griping surfaces suitable for traction, compression as well as torsion. The inner part preferably is fixed in the outer in such a manner that any traction in the said tube, bag or the like produces an axial stretching of the inner part and in particular in the orifice portion of the same enclosing the male part, which as a result is made further to strengthen its grip on the male part. Special tool engineering advantages are obtained if the outer torsion-proof second cupling part is joined to the inner flexible cylindrical first coupling part in such a manner that mutual rotation between the two parts is prevented. Through this the wear of the inner part too will be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the attached drawings. Fig 1 shows a female part in accordance with the invention together with a corresponding male part before coupling to­ gether. Fig 2 shows the same components during coupling. Fig 3 shows the components coupled together. Fig 4 shows the same components during decoupling. Fig 5, 6, 7 and 8 show examples of different male coupling components without special locking components which suitably can be used together with the female part in accordance with the present invention. Fig 9-16 show in European representation different eleva­ tions and sections of a preferred embodiment of an outer part included in the coupling component in accordance with the invention. In the same manner Fig 17-22 show different elevations and sections of a preferred embodiment of an inner part included in the coupling component in accordance with the invention. More particularly Fig 9 shows a section along line A-A in fig 10. Fig 10 shows the part according to Fig 9 seen from the top. Fig 11 shows the part according to Fig 9 seen from the right. Fig 12 shows the part according to Fig 9 seen from the left. Fig 13 shows a section along line B-B in Fig 10. Fig 14 shows the detail marked x in Fig 9 on a larger scale. Fig 15 shows a section along line C-C in Fig 9. Fig 16 shows the detail marked y in Fig 9 on a larger scale. In the same manner Fig 17 shows a section along line A-A in Fig 18. Fig 18 shows the part according to Fig 17 seen from the top. Fig 19 shows the part according to Fig 17 seen from the right. Fig 20 shows the part according to fig 17 seen from the left. Fig 21 shows the part marked x in Fig 17 on a larger scale. Fig 22 finally shows the part marked y in Fig 17 on a larger scale. DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig 1-4 are intended to illustrate schematically the principles behind the present invention. In these figures is thus shown a female part 1 according to the invention together with a suitable male part 2 matching it. The female part 1 consists of an outer torsion-proof part 3 of a harder material and an inner flexible part 4 of a softer material. At its front end facing towards the male part 2 the female part 1 is provided with an inner, conical orifice portion 5 which is intended to enclose with a friction grip a corresponding coupling portion 6 on the male part 2. At its other end the inner part 4 is pro­ vided with a recess 7 intended to serve as a socket for a tube 8. Right in front of the orifice portion 5 of the inner part 4 the outer part 3 is provided with a screw thread 9. Furthermore it is provided inside of this thread with an internal flange 10 which is shown on a larger scale in Fig 14 and which co-operates with an external flange 11 on the inner part 4 which in turn is shown on a larger scale in Fig 21. In order to prevent torsion between the outer part 3 and the inner part 4 the latter is provided with two projecting wings 12 and two flanges 13. These components co-operate with holes 14 and slots 15 respectively in the outer part 3, whose detailed design can best be seen from Fig 9-16. The coupling together of the female part 1 with the male part 2 is illustrated in Fig 2. The two parts are pulled to­ gether with the help of the screw thread 9 on the female part and the screw thread 16 on the male part. In so doing the inner part 4 is axially compressed, so that the clearance 17 shown in Fig 1 wholly or partly disappears. At the same time a smaller clearance 18 is created between the hooklike flanges 10 and 11. Owing to the compression, the orifice portion 15 is slightly expanded, thereby facilitating the coupling together. In Fig 3 are shown the two coupling components fully joined together. Because of the friction forces the greater part of the axial compression persists. If it slackens slightly, the friction grip around the component 6 on the male part 2 increases instead. In Fig 4 a decoupling is illustrated. When the outer part 3 is twisted for this decoupling, the hooklike components 10 and 11 engage with one another and an axial compression of the inner part 4 is achieved, which causes the inner diameter of the orifice portion 5 slightly to increase, so that the moving asunder is facilitated. If instead a traction occurs in the tube 8, an axial stretching of the inner part 4 is produced, especially in Luer couplings without screw thread locking, which brings about an increase in the friction grip between the component 6 and the orifice portion 5 enclosing it. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In Fig 9-16 is shown a preferred embodiment of the outer part of a coupling component in accordance with the invention. In the same manner in Fig 17-22 is shown a preferred embodiment of the inner part of the same coupling component. Since the embodiment substantially agrees with that according to Fig 1-4 the same reference designations have been used. In Fig 9-22, however, the two parts are shown in greater detail, special attention being drawn to the following components. As is evident from Fig 9, the slots 15 are angled. This facilitates the insertion of the inner part 4 with its wings 12. After the insertion, the flanges 13, shown for example in Fig 18, fill the slots 15 completely. The screw thread 9 and the hole 14 respectively, inside the rings marked x and y in Fig 9, are shown on a larger scale in Fig 14 and 16 respectively. In Fig 14 the hooklike flange 10 too is evident. In Fig 10 is shown how the outer part 3 has been designed with well-shaped gripping surfaces 19 suitable for compression, traction as well as torsion. The components marked x and y in Fig 17 are shown on a larger scale in fig 21 and Fig 22 respectively. Here the hooked flange 11 and one of the wings 12 too are evident. These com­ ponents are also shown clearly in Fig 18. The design of the flanges 13 is evident best when Fig 17 and 18 are compared. Since the components according to fig 9-22 substantially func­ tion in the same manner as those according to Fig 1-4, no further description of them should be required. Fig 5-8 finally show as an example four different male couplings which may be used advantageously with the female part according to the invention, and this without any special screw thread locking. On coupling with these components the soft inner part 4 behaves essentially in the same manner as on coupling with the component 6 shown in Fig 1-4. The same applies to decoupling. Naturally the invention is not limited simply to the abovementioned examples, but may be varied within the scope of the following claims. For example the shape and function of the components included may be varied within the scope known to 40 those versed in the art.

Claims: 1. A coupling component comprising a female part (1) intended to be coupled together with a corresponding coupling component in the form of a male part (2), characterized by an inner flexible cylindrical first coupling part (4) which at its one end is provided with an orifice portion (5), which is intended to enclose a component (6) of the male part with a friction grip, whilst it is provided at its other end with means (7) for connection to a tube (8), bag or the like and by an outer torsion-proof second coupling part (3) which is connected to the inner part in such a manner that the two parts can be made to move together axially. 2. A coupling component in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the outer part (3) is provided with one or more holes (14) and/or slots (15) into which engage components (12 and 13 respectively) projecting from the inner part. 3. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the outer part (3) is provided with an external thread (9) or part of a thread which is intended to co-operate with a corresponding thread portion (16) on the male part (2) for the pulling together of the two coupling components. 4. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer part (3) on its end facing the male part (2) is provided with a hook flange or the like (10) engaging in the inner part, which is adapted to compress the inner part (4) axially on decoupling. 5. A coupling component in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the inner part (4), at least in the portion nearest the said hook, flange or the like (10) is arranged in the outer part with a clearance (17) between the two parts in order to facilitate the said compression. 6. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the orifice portion (5) enclosing the said component (6) of the male part (2) is conical and fits to the male part so that the latter on introduction brings about an axial compression of the inner part (3). 7. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer part (3) is designed with gripping surfaces (19) suitable for traction, compression as well as torsion. 8. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner part (4) is fixed in the outer (3) in such a manner that a traction in the said tube (8), bag or the like brings about an axial stretching of the inner part (4), especially in the orifice portion (5) of the same enclosing a component (6) of the male part. 9. A coupling component in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer torsion-proof second coupling part (3) is connected to the inner flexible cylindrical first coupling part (4) in such a manner that mutual rotation is prevented between the two parts.

Inventors: CARLSSON, PER-OLOV
Applicants: GAMBRO AB
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16L37
IPC codes: F16L37, F16L19, F16L15, A61M39, F16L27