Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Various types of self-lubricating catheters and catheters specifically
designed for sterile packaging have been heretofore designed. E~amples
of such previously patented catheters may be found in U. S. Patent Nos.
3, 077,194, 3,154, 080, 3,345,988, 3,444,860, 3,515,173, 3,556,294, 3,595,230,
3, 566,874, 3,592,192, 3,605, 752, 3, 606,889, 3,672,376, 3,677,244, 3,682,173,
3,683,928 and 3, 776,915. Although these numerous prior types of catheters
have been developed, a need still exists for a catheter construction which
will lend itself to sterile packaging, ease in lubrication by lubricant also
contained within the sterile packaging and ease of insertion by way of a
10 tubular guide through which the catheter is advanced during insertion and
which may be readily separated from about the catheter after insertion.
The automated catheter assembly of the instant invention has been
designed to simplify the catheterization of either the male urinary bladder
or the female urinary bladder. The automated catheter assembly may utilize
,~ substantially any accepted rubber catheter or its equivalent and includes
structure whereby the associated catheter may be lubricated in a sterile -
manner as it is placed in use and inserted into the female urethra or male
penis without contamination of the rubber catheter during insertion. Also,
the automated catheter assembly i9 provided with a support body having a
20 bore formed therethrough and the associated catheter is advanced through the
bore while one hand supports the body in alignment with the female urethra
or the male penis. Also, the body includes opposite side shield portions
whereby adjacent portions of the patient's body are shielded against contact
with the distal end of the catheter and the body and the shield may be readily
broken away from the proximal end of the catheter after the latter has been
ins erted.
` The main object of this invention is to provide a catheter assembly
` designed to simplify the catheterization of male and female patients.
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Another object of this invention i~ to provide a catheterassembly wherein the catheter may be readily lubricated in a
sterile state immediately prior to insertion of the distal end ~ ;
of the catheter.
Still another object of this invention, in accordance with
-~, the immediately preceding object, is to provide a catheter assem~
bly including shield structure for shielding the distal end of the
~i catheter from contact with parts of the body other than the urethra
of a female patient and the penis of a male patient,
1~ Another important ob~ect of this invention is to provide an
automated cathéter assembly in accordance with the preceting ob-
~, Jects and which may be used in con~unction with a conventional ;~
catheter. `
,, A final object of this invention to be specifically enumer-
. ated herein i8 to provite a catheter assemblage in accordance with
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the preceding objects and which wlll conform to conventional forms
of manufacture, be of slmple construction and easy to use so as to
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provide a device that will be economically feasible, simple to use
; and relatively trouble free in operatlon.
In one pBrticula r aspect the present invention provides a
catheter asse~bIy for packaging in 9terile condition withln a
~ remov-ble protective envelope, said assembly including an elon-
'~ gatet separable body having a longitudinal passageway formed
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therethrough open at its opposite ends, a catheter having its dis-
tal end telescoped into said passageway from one end thereof at
one end of said body for subsequent projection of said catheter
from the other end of said passageway, said body being provided
- with, on one side thereof, a longitudinally extending weakened
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zone and on the opposite side thereof longitudinally spaced and
~` 30 aligned slots, connecting portions of said opposite side of said
body disposed between adjacent ends of adjacent slots and the
latter defining a second weakened zone extending longitudinally
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; o f said body, whereby said body may be parted along said weakened
zones f rom about said catheter, and a tubular lubricant reservoir ` -:
open at one end and having said one end removably telescoped over
said distal end of said catheter and within said other end of said ~ .
passageway, the other end of said tubular reservoir defining a ~ :`
lubricant receiving area and including means operative to cause ; : .
displacement of said lubricant from Raid area toward said one end
of said tubular reservoir and about said distal end of sait
catheter.
~ 10 In another aspect the present invention provides a catheter
,ij assembly for packaging ln sterile condition within a removable
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;; protective envelope, said assembly including an elongated body ~ ;
having a longitudinal passageway formed therethrough open at its
opposite ends, a catheter having its distal end telescoped into
said passageway from one end thereof at one end of said b~ody for
subsequent pro~ection of said catheter from the other end of said
passageway, ant a tubular lubricant reservoir open at one end and
having said one end removably telescoped over said distal ent of
gaid catheter and wlthin sait other ent of said passageway, the
other e~d of said tubular reservoir defining a lubricant receiving
.~ area and including means operative to cause displacement of said .
lubricant from said area toward said one end of said tubular re~
~ servoir and about said distal end of said catheter. : :
-i~ Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a catheter assembly
~- constructed in accordance with the present invention and adapted
to be utilized in catheterizing a male patient;
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Figure 2 is a view of the tubular body and shield portions of
the catheter assembly;
Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the catheter ~.
assembly of the instant invention as seen from the left-hand side
of Figure 1 and prior to lubrication of the catheter;
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-~ Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
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; substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4
. of Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which the catheter may ~;
~ be lubricated and the lubricant reservoir may be removed in :
.~. phantom lines;
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,1 Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the
-~ plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the proximal end of
~`~.' the lubricant reservoir;
-.~ Figure 7 ia an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
~ub~tantially upon the plane indicated by the ~ection line 7-7 of Figure 6;
~ Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical ~ectional view similar to the
'~ central portion of Figure 4 but illustrating the lubricant reservoir in the
~ process of being endwise telescoped from the distal end of the catheter; . . . ~ .
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~,~ 10 Figure 9 iY a perspective view of the removable spring clamp by
,~ which the protective bag portion of the catheter assembly ia removably
~upported from the proximal end of the tubular body portion of the automated ~ - "
catheter;
Figure 10 is a side elevational view of a catheter asYembly con~tructed ~ - .
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in accordance with the pre~ent invention and adapted to be utilised in
catheterizing a female patient;
Figure 11 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the distal end ;
of the catheter assembly illustrated in Figure 10;
Figure 12 i~ an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional
20 view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 12-12
~! of Figure 11;
Figure 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially
upon the plane indicated by the section line 13-13 of Figure 12;
Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the
proximal end of the tubular lubricant reservoir utilized in the assembly
~,~ illustrated in Figures 10 through 13; and
Figure 15 i8 a side elevational view of the tubular body and shield
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` :~, portion of the female form of automated catheter with parts thereof being
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broken away and illustrated in vertical section and an exploded or removed
position of the top half of the tubular body illustrated in phantom iines.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10
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generally designates a catheter assembly for utilization in conjunction with
male catheterization. The catheter assembly 10 includes a generally
cylindrical body 12 having a longitudinal bore 14 formed therethrough.
The body 12 includes a forward or tistal end 16 and a rcar or proximal
ent 18 and the forward end of the bore 14 includes a slightly outwardly
flaring counterbore 20. Also, an intermediate portion of the body 12 includes
an outwardly projecting and circumferentially extending rib 29 for a purpose
to be hereinafter more fully set forth.
Formed integrally with the distal end 16 is a generally circular
plate 22 and the plate 22 projects radially outwardly from the distal end 16
and closes the rear or proximal end of a forwardly opening cup-shaped
shield 24 including a thickened reinforcing bead 26 at its forward distal
end.
Thc body 12, plat- 22 and shield Z4 are slotted along one radial plane
of the coinciding center axes of the bore 14, th- counterbore 20 and the shield
24. The diametrically opposite portions of the body 12, the plate 22 and
shield 24 are provided with slightly longitudinally spaced slots 30, 32 and
34 with unslotted portions 36 and 38 of the shield 24 and body 12 being
disposed between the slots 30 and 32 and the slots 32 and 34. The continuous
slot diametrically opposite the slots 30, 32 and 34 is referred to by the
reference numeral 40 and portions of the shield 24 closely adjacent the
slot 40 are provided with outwardly projecting manually engageable lugs 42
- and 44 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth. ~ ~ -
¦~ The distal end 46 of a catheter 48 is telescoped through the bore 14
from the proximal end 18 of the body IZ and subhtantially fully received
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within the shield 24. In addition, the open end portion 50 of an elongated
tubular envelope 52 is telescoped over the proximal end 18 of the body 12 ~ :and retained in position thereon by means of a C-shaped spring clamp 54
including a manually engageable lug 56 provided to facilitate manual removal
of the spring clamp 54. The opposite end of the tubular envelope or sleeve
52 i~ closed and fully encloses the proximal end of the catheter 48. However,
the opposite end of the sleeve 52 may be left partially open when the proximal
end of the catheter 48 is assembled in continuity with a tube (not shown)
leading to a drainage bag. ~ :
A tubular lubricant reservoir 58 is provided and includes three ~:
peripherally spaced and radially outwardly projecting wedge-type lugs 60
on its proximal end with the lugs 60 being radially inwardly displaceable
through generally radial slots 62 formed in the proximal end of the
{ reservoir 58. The proximal end of the reservoir 58 i~ tightly wedged
into the outwardly naring counterbore 20 and the distal end of the tubular ~ : :
re~ervoir i~ closed by means of a collapsibIe bulbous portion 64 disposed
outwardly of the distal end o the shield 24 and provided with a slotted
closure diaphragm 66 at least substantially closing the interior o the
bulbous portion 64 from the remainder of the lubricant reservoir 58. A
20 quantity of lubricant 68 is disposed in the bulbous portion 64 behind the
slotted diaphragm 66 and the lubricant 68 may be expressed from the
bulbous portion 64 through the slotted diaphragm 66 by manually
squeezing the bulbous portion 64. Upon expression of lubricant 68 from
the bulbous portion 64 through the diaphragm 66, the lubricant passes
through the tubular lubricant reservoir 58 about the distal end 46 of the
catheter 48 toward the proximal end of the reservoir 58.
The entire catheter assembly lO described above in detail is adapted
~J~ to be sealingly enclosed within a protective envelope for sterile purposes.
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When it is desired to use the catheter 10, the outer protective envelope is
removed and the bulbous portion 64 is manually collapsed in order to express
the lubricant 68 from the bulbous portion 64 and cause the tistal end 46 of
the catheter 48 to be lubricated. Then, the lubricant reservoir 58 is
ti8placed to the left as illustrated in phantom lines in Figure 4 to withdraw
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the lubricant reservoir 58 from its frictionally retainet but releasable position
supportet within the 81ightly outwardly flaring counterbore 20 of the bore 14.
Then, the proximal end of the boty 12 is gripped through the envelope 52
and the shield 24 is guided over the end of the male penis in order to properly
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10 po8ition the distal end 46 of the catheter 48 relative to the male organ.
Thereafter, the catheter 48 is pushed forward through the envelope 52 to
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project the distal end thereof into the male organ while the latter~ and the
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shield 24 are held in aligned relation by the other hand and with the shield
24 serving as a "docking" guide to maintain alignment of the head of the male
organ with the tistal end 46 of the catheter 48. After the catheter 48 has `
been pushet forward sufficiently for the distal end 46 thereof to be inserted
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into the blatder, the clamp 54 i9 removed from about the open end of the
envelope 52 in orter that the latter may be slippet from the proximal
ent of the catheter 48. Then, the lugs 42 and 44 are engaget in both hants
20 and pulled apart in order to split the boty 12, the plate 22 ant the shielt 24
along the slots 30, 32 ant 34. Thereafter, the two halves of the assembly
10 are removed from about the catheter 48.
In Figures 10 through 15 of the drawings there may be seen a modified
form of catheter assembly referred to in general by the reference numeral
lOt. The assembly 10~ is constructed in accordance with the present
invention, but is adapted to be used in catheterizing female patients. Various
of the components of the female catheter assembly lOt are identical, or at
least substantially identical, to corresponding components of the male catheter
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a~sembly 10. Accordingly, the various identical or nearly identical components :
of the female catheter 10' are designated by prime reference numerals
corre~ponding to the numerals applied to the corresponding components
of the male catheter illustrated in Figures 1 through 9.
The female catheter a~sembly 10' differ~ from the male catheter assembly
10 in that the female catheter 10' doe~ not include a shield corre~ponding ;
to the ~hield 24. Rather, the lower portion of the tubular body 12' of the ;
female catheter as~embly lOt is provided with a depending support rib 13
from whose lower marginal portion a horizontal transverse flange 15 is
10 supported. The oppo~ite side marginal portions of the flange 15 converge
forwardly and have upstanding opposite side shield flanges 17 and 19 supported
therefrom notched at their forward ends as at 21 and 23, respectively. Also,
the flange 19 includes an upwardly projecting handle 25 intermediate its ~ ;
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front and rear ends.
In operation, the female catheter a~sembly 101 is moved into po~ition
by one hand, while the labial folds are separated with the other hand,
upon insertion of the distal end 46t of the catheter 481 into the urethra,
the catheter assembly 10~ 1~ gra~ped by the hantle 25, and the catheter 48l
is pushed forward through the envelope 52' until the catheter 48' enter~ the
20 bladder. To free the catheter 48~, the entire lower half of the assembly 10'
comprising the rib 13, flange 15, flange~ 17 and 19 and lower half of the
body 12' are broken away from the upper half of the body 12'.
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