Abstract:
A connector for connecting a medical tube set to a medical container, includes a collar connectable to a container, a cap having at least one opening for receiving a tube of a tube set, and an annular seal. The cap is located in the collar between an inner surface of the collar and the seat. The cap is rotatable relative to the collar. The collar includes a generally cylindrical side wall open at its upper and lower ends and an annular flange projects inwardly from the side wall at the upper end. The cap has a disc defining at least one opening and having an outer annular rim which locates between a lower surface of the annular flange on the collar and the seal.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a medical tube set to a medical container such as a water bottle for use in a medical procedure such as an endoscopy. Specifically, the invention relates to a connector with cap for receiving the tubes of a tube set, which is rotatable relative to other parts of the connector, and to a tube set incorporating such a connector. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0002]    When carrying, out an endoscopy, it is usual to provide a supply of liquid, such as water, and a supply of gas, such as CO 2 , to an endoscope. Water or other liquid may be used to clean the lens at the distal end of the endoscope and to irrigate or flush the site being viewed to clean away debris. Gas may be supplied to insufflate the body cavity under inspection. In many existing systems, two separate water bottles are provided, one bottle providing water for lens cleaning and the other providing water for flushing. In each case, a tube for carrying the water may pass through a cap fitted to the water bottle and have its free end below the surface of the water. The other end of the tube will be connected to the endoscope. Insufflation gas may be supplied through a second tube into one bottle to fill the space above water. A third tube may then be provided to take the insufflation gas from the bottle to the endoscope. 
         [0003]    Thus, users need to prepare two water bottles, with replacements/refills available as necessary, and the tube sets must be connected to each bottle as required. In addition, different bottle caps are required to suit different tube sets. This increases the complexity of the system and the set-up time required and may also delay the procedure if bottles need to be changed partway through. 
         [0004]    The present invention provides a connector for connecting a medical tube set to a medical container, comprising a collar connectable to a container, a cap comprising at least one opening for receiving a tube of a tube set, and an annular seal, wherein the cap is locatable in the collar between an inner surface of the collar and the seal, and wherein the cap is rotatable relative to the collar, wherein the collar comprises a generally cylindrical side wall open at its upper and lower ends, with an annular flange projecting inwardly from the side wall at the upper end, arid the cap comprises a disc defining at least one opening and having an outer annular rim, wherein the annular rim locates between a lower surface of the annular flange on the collar and the seal. 
         [0005]    In this way, as the collar is connected to or disconnected from a container, it can rotate while the cap remains stationary. This avoids twisting or straining tubes connected through the cap. 
         [0006]    The seal may contact an inner surface of the collar and a surface of the cap. 
         [0007]    Preferably, cylindrical tube receiving portions project from the cap around the or each opening. 
         [0008]    The cap may comprise four openings, and the openings may compose two or more different diameters. 
         [0009]    The present invention also provides a tube set comprising, a connector as described above, wherein the cap comprises four openings and a tube is fitted through each opening. 
         [0010]    In this way, a hybrid tube set is provided which can be used to suit different applications, as required. 
         [0011]    In a preferred embodiment, first and second tubes are adapted to supply liquid from a container to a medical instrument. A third tube may he adapted to pass gas between a container and a medical instrument. A fourth tube may be adapted to supply gas from an external source into a container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the components fainting a connector in accordance with embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the assembled connector; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a top of the assembled connector of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is cross-section of  FIG. 3  along the line AA; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a tube set incorporating the connector; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the tube set of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side view of part of the tube set of  FIGS. 5 and 6  connected to a bottle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    A connector  10  in accordance with the presence invention comprises an annular collar  12 , a cap  14  for receiving tubes of a tubing set and a seal  16 . 
         [0021]    The collar  12  comprises an annular side wall  18  open at its upper and lower ends. The exterior of the collar  12  may be provided with ribs  20  or other surface formations to assist with a user gripping a collar in use. The interior of the collar  12  is provided with means for connection, to a container, such as a thread  22  for screwing onto the neck of a water bottle. The thread  22  is preferably formed with a relatively large pitch and relatively deep threads so that it is capable of fitting on a number of different bottle or container necks which have different dimensions. An annular flange  24  projects from the side wall  18  inwardly around the open upper end of the collar  12 . 
         [0022]    The cap  14  consists of a circular base  26  with an outer annular rim  28 . A number of openings  30  are provided through the base  26  for receiving tubes of a tube set. In this example, the cap  14  is provided with four openings each surrounded by tube receiving portions  32  which projects upwardly from the base  26 . These may be provided in different diameters to suit different tubes. In this case, there are two larger diameter openings and two smaller diameter openings. The tube receiving portions  32  support and protect the tubes as they pass through the cap  14 . 
         [0023]    When assembled, the rim  28  of the cap  14  is received between the flange  24  on the collar  12  and the seal  16  as best seen in  FIG. 4 . The cap  14  is able to rotate relative to the collar  12 . Thus, when the collar  12  is screwed onto a bottle neck, or unscrewed therefrom, it can rotate while the cap  14  remains stationary, so that the tubes connected through the openings  30  and the tube receiving portions  32  are not twisted. 
         [0024]    In use, the tubes of a required tube set are fitted through the openings  30  and cylindrical tube receiving portions  32 . The connector  10  is attached to the neck of a water bottle or similar container. As the collar  12  is screwed onto the bottle neck, it is able to rotate relative to the cap  14 , which can remain stationary. This avoids twisting or putting strain on the tubes of the tube set. Similarly, if the bottle is empty and needs replacing during a procedure, or at the end of the procedure, the collar  12  can be unscrewed from bottle neck without causing rotation of the cap  14  and twisting or straining of the tubes fitted through the cap  14 . 
         [0025]    As mentioned above, the cap  14  preferably has four tube receiving portions  30  of varying diameter. These can accommodate, for example, a tube supplying gas into the bottle, a tube for passing gas from the bottle to the endoscope, a tube for passing water from the bottle to the endoscope for lens cleaning, and a tube for passing water to the endoscope for irrigation of the site under inspection. If fewer than four tubes are needed and not all of the openings  30  and tube receiving portions  32  are required, they may be left open, for example, to allow air into the bottle, or the unused tube receiving portions  32  may be closed with a suitable stopper or bung. 
         [0026]    In this way, the connector  10  can be used in a variety of different procedures where different forms of tube set are required and a hospital or medical facility need only stock one form of connector which is adaptable to different applications. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate a tube set  60  which incorporates the connector  10  and has four tubes  62 ,  68 ,  72 ,  74  fitted through the cap  14 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  shows the connector parts of the tubes when connected to a typical water bottle  58 . 
         [0029]    In this example, the first tube  62  comprises an irrigation tube  62  which is used to pass water (or other liquid) from a bottle to which the connector  10  is connected to an endoscope, to irrigate a site under observation. The proximal end  62   a  of the irrigation tube  62  passes through the connector  10  and is dimensioned to extend well into a bottle so that it will be close to the bottom surface of the bottle when the connector  10  is secured to the neck. The distal end  62   b  of the irrigation tube  62  includes a connector  64  for connecting the irrigation tube  62  to an endoscope. Typically, the connector  64  will include a one-way valve to prevent backflow of liquid from the endoscope into the tube  62 . Usually, the irrigation tube  62  will be provided with a conventional clamp  66 . This is illustrated in the open position, but in the closed position, this squeezes the tube  62  to close it, to prevent leakage when it is disconnected from an endoscope. 
         [0030]    The second tube  68  comprises a rinsing tube  68  which is used to pass water (or other liquid) from a bottle to which the connector  10  is connected to an endoscope to rinse the lens and prevent the view being obscured. As with the irrigation tube  62 , the rinsing tube  68  includes a proximal end  68   a  extending well into the bottle so that in use it will be close to the bottom surface. The distal end  68   b  includes a connector  70  for connection to an endoscope. As described below, the connector  70  may be common with a connector at the end of a third tube  72 . The rinsing tube  68  may also be fitted with a clamp  66  to close off the tube  68  when it is disconnected from an endoscope to prevent leakage. 
         [0031]    The third tube is a gas tube  72  (also commonly referred to as an air tube) which is used to supply air (or other gas) from a bottle to which the connector  10  is connected to an endoscope. The proximal end  72   a  terminates just below the seal  14  in the connector  10  so that it is well above the level of water in the container. The distal end  72   b  includes a connector for connection to the endoscope and, as noted above and illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , this may be combined with the connector  70  for the rinsing tube  68 . 
         [0032]    A fourth tube  74  is a gas supply tube, for example, for supply CO 2  into the bottle. The proximal end  74   a  terminates just beneath the seal  14  and well above the level of any water in the container. The distal end  74   b  has a connector  76  including a check valve, for connection to an external gas supply. 
         [0033]    In use, the tube set  60  is connected to a bottle or other container by screwing the connector  10  onto the bottle neck. The irrigation and rinsing tubes  62 ,  68  extend into the liquid within the bottle. If an external gas supply is used, gas is passed into the bottle to fill the space above the water. The gas pressurises the bottle to help water flow through the irrigation and rinsing tubes  62 ,  68 . Gas may also be passed from the bottle through the gas tube  72  to the endoscope for insufflation purposes. 
         [0034]    The tube set  60  can also be used without the external gas supply. In this case, the gas supply tube  74  is not used and is closed by virtue of the check valve in the connector at its distal end  74   b.  In this case, compressed air is normally supplied separately to the endoscope and the endoscope includes a control button which, when pressed by a user directs air from the separate supply for the endoscope back into the bottle via the gas tube  72 . This pressurises the bottle to force water through rinsing tube  68 . 
         [0035]    In this way, the tube set  60  provides a hybrid system which can be used with a single water bottle to supply both irrigation and rinsing liquid to an endoscope and it can be used either with a gas supply from an external source for insufflation or can be used to utilise air otherwise supplied to the endoscope. 
         [0036]    A hospital may stock the assembled hybrid tube set  60  as described above which can be used as desired, making use of all four tubes or with unused tubes closed by the clamps  66  or by virtue of the check valves in the relevant connectors. 
         [0037]    The components of the connector  10  and tube set  60  may be formed as simple plastic moldings. They may be intended for single use and subsequent disposal, or they may be formed from materials which are suitable for sterilisation and re-use.