US3831814A - Trocar-cannula - Google Patents

Abstract

A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm. A piercing point is provided on the end of a trocar, providing three large openings for passage of fluid into the interior of the cannula tube, as defined by three ribs shaped to provide maximum size of openings, to minimize cutting or tearing action on the diaphragm, to maximize stretching action thereon, and to prevent possible collapse of part of the container from closing off the opening area. Also, a combination trocar-cannula-drip barrel unit is shown.

Description

[11] 3,831,814 [451 Aug. 27, 1974 TROCAR-CANNULA William F. Butler, Oakland, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Cutter Laboratories, Inc., Berkeley,

Calif.

[22] Filed: July 25, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 844,946

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 222/81 [51] Int. Cl. G071 11/00 [58] Field of Search .L 222/81-90, 222/159; 128/214 C, 347-351, 221

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 547,370 10/1895 Chalefou 222/81 1,465,793 8/1923 Schilling 222/90 1,485,298 2/1924 Schroger 128/347 1,514,225 11/1924 Phillips ZZZ/83.5

1,710,239 4/1929 Paulson 222/835 1,889,557 11/1932 Lange 222/90 2,040,615 5/1936 Lyon 222/85 2,711,740 6/1955 Pickens.... 128/349 R 2,733,836 2/1956 Switzer 222/82 2,806,635 Kader et a1. 222/88 2,827,081 3/1958 Little 222/85 X 2,954,768 10/1960 Hamilton 128/221 3,030,954 4/1962 Thornton, Jr. 128/214 C 3,064,651 11/1962 Henderson 128/221 3,343,724 9/ 1 967 Malpas 3,364,930 1/1968 Ryan 3,448,740 6/1969 Figge 128/221 Primary ExaminerAl1en N. Knowles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Owen, Wickersham & Erickson [5 7] ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENliumsamu SEEN IN 4 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F BUTLER 0 u/M a/M ATTORNEYS PATENTEU W SHEUZUF4 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F BUTLER 0mm,(1/M M ATTORNEYS PAIENTED 3.831.814

sum sur 4 FIG5 FIG.6 FIG.7

FIGS F169 H610 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. BUTLER ATTORNEYS PAIENTEH 3.831 ,814 SW t 4 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F BUTLER ATTORNEYS TROCAR-CANNULA This invention relates to a novel trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm.

Now that venoclysis diaphragms are made from plastic, it has become important to prevent the point which cuts through them from tearing or cutting the diaphragm to a point where there is leakage around the cannula. It has also become important to prevent closure of the area of the openings into the cannula, by collapse of the wall of the container. Furthermore, it is important to obtain maximum delivery for any given diameter of cannula.

All these objectives are simply stated, but are not so easily achieved. However, these problems are solved by the apparatus of this invention, which employs a trocar with a generally rounded extremity serving as the point for piercing and with three openings defined by three ribs and recessed end portions of the tube, with the rib walls rounded and shaped to provide narrow areas of contact while at the same time avoiding any cutting edges. These features that solve the problem are all absent from the prior art devices, where reliance was made on sharp edges with cutting functions and where insufficient attention was given to the dangers that might be produced by collapse of the wall of the container or by insufficient feed of fluid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred form thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged head-on view of a trocarcannula embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken along theline 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the end portion of the trocar-cannula as viewed along the arrows 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation and partly in section on a somewhat reduced scale showing how the trocar-cannula of FIGS. 1-3 is used to pierce a venoclysis diaphragm, broken lines showing the position after piercing.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified form of trocar-cannula also embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the trocarcannula of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6. 2

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 5 of another modified form of trocar-cannula, also embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 6 of the trocarcannula of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view in section taken along the line l010 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view in elevation and in section of a combination trocar-cannula-drip barrel unit, also embodying the principles of the invention.

FIGS. 1-3 show a trocar-cannula 10 that embodies the principles of the invention, having a trocar 11 at one end and acylindrical cannula tube 12 at the other end. Spaced from theend 13 of thecannula 12 is adisclike flange 14, against which a flexible tube or conduit shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 may be pushed, encircling thecannula 12 and conveying liquid therefrom. On the other side of thedisc flange 14, the exterior diameter of thecannula tube 12 is narrowed at an exteri' orly slopingportion 16, while the interior diameter remains the same, thereby providing a thinner andnarrower wall portion 17 where less strength is needed. Thisthinner wall portion 17 is integrally joined to the trocar or three-segmentedportion 11.

Atthe end of thetrocar 11 is a rounded point-likeextremity 20 which serves to pierce the venoclysis diaphragm 21 (FIG. 4), but, due to its rounded shape, does this with a minimum of cutting or tearing action, though there is, of course, some cutting. Three narrowradial ribs 22, 23, 24 join thisextremity 20 smoothly to thetube portion 17. Theribs 22, 23, 24 are made as narrow as is feasible, but their outer surfaces and edges are rounded so as to prevent any cutting action, as would occur from a sharp edge; as a result movement of thetrocar 11 into the diaphragm 21, after piercing by theextremity 20, results mostly in spreading and stretching the diaphragm wall rather than tearing or cutting it, so that when thetrocar 11 is fully inserted (FIG. 4) the diaphragm wall ends up encircling thetubular portion 17, going, of course, no further than the flange.

Thesidewalls 25, 26 of theribs 22, 23, 24 are generally radial and are perhaps better described as parallel to the radial plane which bisects theirribs 22, 23, 24 so that eachrib 22, 23, 24 is generally rectangular in cross-section, except for theinterior wall 27 which may be slightly concave. Again, the edges are rounded and not sharp. v

Moreover, the end of thetubular portion 17 is itself cut back by threerecesses 28, 29, 30 with convergingwalls 31, 32, and again theside walls 31, 32 of theserecesses 28, 29, 30 lie generally radially, so that they are perpendicular to all planes perpendicular to the radial plane through theribs 22, 23, 24. Thewalls 31, 32, in each recess converge but do not meet at a sharp point, but rather meet at a short cylindrical are 33, on the interior surface, whice is joined to the exterior surface by a smooth bevel or slopingface 34.

As a result, three large openings (shown in FIGS. 14 as generally lozenge-shaped) are provided with approximately the maximum size of opening that can be obtained while still getting the strength necessary for entry of thetrocar 11 into the diaphragm.

Due to the three-fold nature of the structure, collapse of thewalls 35 of the venoclysis bag 36 (FIG. 4) against thedevice 10 is not able to block off the full area of the openings as they might, for example, if there were only two such openings diametrically opposite each other. At the most, one of these openings could be blocked off, and the blocking off of one would insure that the other two would be rather wide-open.

In using the trocar-cannula 10., theextremity 20 is forced through the diaphragm 21. Instead of theextremity 20 beginning a cutting action that is carried out by sharp ribs, along with tearing, the cutting action stops just beyond therounded extremity 20 itself, and the remaining action of therounded ribs 22, 23, 24 is astretching action, which minimizes tear, and therefore minimizes leakage around the cannula.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 show a modified form of the invention differing principally in the shape of the openings through the trocar. Most of the parts of the device are the same, but here atrocar 40 is provided withribs 41, 42, and 43 and withopenings 44, 45, and 46 whichare generally in the form of a three-sided pyramid. Thus,

there areribs 51, 52, and 53 withelliptical openings 54,

55, and 56.

FIG. 11 shows how the principles of the invention can be used to make a combination trocar-cannula-drip barrel 60. The trocar itself is substantially identical to that shown inFIGS. 1-4 but instead of merely terminating in theend 13 of thetube 12, it terminates in adrip barrel 61. Thedrip barrel 61 empties into afilter unit 62. Theunit 60 itself may be made of transparent plastie with aflexible housing 63. Thiscomplete combination unit 60 enables the user to dispense with the separate units and the connections heretofore that had to be used between them.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim: 1. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm of a fluid-containing container, comprising,

a cylindrical tube portion with an integral trocar on one end, said trocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, said ribs having smooth outer surfaces free from sharp edges, said trocar having three openings, one opening between each two adjacent ribs, I

whereby after piercing a said diaphragm, said trocar stretches it and said fluid passes into said tube through the three openings, the threefold nature acting to prevent collapse of said container on more than one said opening and acting to provide the maximum size opening at all times consonant with the needed strength.

2. The trocar-cannula of claim 1 wherein said trocar tip is generally pyramidal.

3. The trocar-cannula ofclaim 2 wherein said openings are generally triangular.

4. The trocar-cannula ofclaim 2 wherein said openings are generally elliptical.

5. The trocar-cannula of claim 1 wherein said trocar ribs are generally radial with nearly radial sidewalls meeting their outer surfaces at rounded edges.

6. The trocar-cannula of claim 5 wherein said openings are generally,lozenge-shaped.

7. The trocar-cannula of claim 5 wherein said openings are generally triangular.

8. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm of a fluid-containing container, comprising,

a cylindrical tube portion with an integral trocar on one end, saidtrocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three narrow generally radial ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, said ribs having nearly radial sidewalls and smooth outer surfaces inscribable in a three sided pyramid and with rounded edges, said tube being recessed from where said ribs meet it to describe three generally triangular cylindrical shell segments with sidewalls generally perpendicular to the outer surface of said tube, the sidewalls of each said recesses being joined by a face sloping from the inner to the outer surface of the tube, thereby providing three generally lozenge-shaped large openings,

whereby after piercing a said diaphragm, said trocar stretches it and fluid from said container passes into said tube through the three lozenge-shaped openings, the threefold nature acting toprevent collapse of said container on more than one said opening and acting to providethe maximum size openings at all times consonant with the needed strength, the walls of the opening being so shaped as to minimize cutting or tearing action.

9. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm to enable passage of fluid therethrough, comprising,

a cylindrical tube having spaced from one end a disclike flange, said tube on the opposite side from said end narrowing to a smaller exterior diameter while maintaining the same inner diameter, and,

a trocar integral with said tube on the end of the smaller diameter portion, said trocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three narrow radial ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, each of said ribs having nearly radial sidewalls generally parallel to the radial plane through the center of the rib, and outer surfaces inscribable in a cone, meeting said sidewalls at rounded edges, said tube being recessed on each side from where said ribs meet it to describe three. triangular cylindrical-shell segments, each with two sidewalls each perpendicular to planes perpendicular to the radial plane through the rib which it joins, the two sidewalls being joined by a face with a sloping surface, sloping away from said extremity from the inner to the outer surface of the tube,

thereby providing between said ribs and said shell segments three large generally lozenge-shaped openings, whereby after its extremity pierces a said diaphragm, said trocar ribs stretch it and said fluid passes into said tube through the three lozenge-shaped openings.

Claims (9)

1. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm of a fluid-containing container, comprising, a cylindrical tube portion with an integral trocar on one end, said trocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, said ribs having smooth outer surfaces free from sharp edges, said trocar having three openings, one opening between each two adjacent ribs, whereby after piercing a said diaphragm, said trocar stretches it and said fluid passes into said tube through the three openings, the threefold nature acting to prevent collapse of said container on more than one said opening and acting to provide the maximum size opening at all times consonant with the needed strength.

2. The trocar-cannula of claim 1 wherein said trocar tip is generally pyramidal.

3. The trocar-cannula of claim 2 wherein said openings are generally triangular.

4. The trocar-cannula of claim 2 wherein said openings are generally elliptical.

5. The trocar-cannula of claim 1 wherein said trocar ribs are generally radial with nearly radial sidewalls meeting their outer surfaces at rounded edges.

6. The trocar-cannula of claim 5 wherein said openings are generally lozenge-shaped.

7. The trocar-cannula of claim 5 wherein said openings are generally triangular.

8. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm of a fluid-containing container, comprising, a cylindrical tube portion with an integral trocar on one end, said trocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three narrow generally radial ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, said ribs having nearly radial sidewalls and smooth outer surfaces inscribable in a three sided pyramid and with rounded edges, said tube being recessed from where said ribs meet it to describe three generally triangular cylindrical shell segments with sidewalls generally perpendicular to the outer surface of said tube, the sidewalls of each said recesses being joined by a face sloping from the inner to the outer surface of the tube, thereby providing three generally lozenge-shaped large openings, wheReby after piercing a said diaphragm, said trocar stretches it and fluid from said container passes into said tube through the three lozenge-shaped openings, the threefold nature acting to prevent collapse of said container on more than one said opening and acting to provide the maximum size openings at all times consonant with the needed strength, the walls of the opening being so shaped as to minimize cutting or tearing action.

9. A trocar-cannula for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm to enable passage of fluid therethrough, comprising, a cylindrical tube having spaced from one end a disc-like flange, said tube on the opposite side from said end narrowing to a smaller exterior diameter while maintaining the same inner diameter, and, a trocar integral with said tube on the end of the smaller diameter portion, said trocar comprising a rounded point-like extremity for piercing a venoclysis diaphragm with a minimum of cutting action, three narrow radial ribs joining said extremity smoothly to said tube, each of said ribs having nearly radial sidewalls generally parallel to the radial plane through the center of the rib, and outer surfaces inscribable in a cone, meeting said sidewalls at rounded edges, said tube being recessed on each side from where said ribs meet it to describe three triangular cylindrical-shell segments, each with two sidewalls each perpendicular to planes perpendicular to the radial plane through the rib which it joins, the two sidewalls being joined by a face with a sloping surface, sloping away from said extremity from the inner to the outer surface of the tube, thereby providing between said ribs and said shell segments three large generally lozenge-shaped openings, whereby after its extremity pierces a said diaphragm, said trocar ribs stretch it and said fluid passes into said tube through the three lozenge-shaped openings.

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