Intravenous catheter apparatus

Claim 1

A CATHETER APPARATUS FOR INTRAVENOUS USE COMPRISING: (A) AN ADAPTER WHICH INCLUDES A TUBULAR INNER PORTION WITH A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, AND AN OUTER PORTION SURROUNDING AND SPACED FROM SAID TUBULAR INNER PORTION AND INTEGRALLY CONNECTED THERETO; (B) A HOLLOW HYPODERMIC NEEDLE FITTED TO SAID TUBULAR INNER PORTION AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM; (C) A REMOVABLE STERILE PROTECTOR ENCASING SAID HYPODERMIC NEEDLE PRIOR TO INSERTION OF THE NEEDLE IN THE PATIENT''S VEIN; (D) AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BAG HAVING AN OPEN MOUTH AT ONE END AND A CLOSED OPPOSITE END, A PORTION OF THE FLEXIBLE BAG ADJACENT THE OPEN MOUTH FITTING OVER AND REMOVABLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID ADAPTER, SAID FLEXIBLE BAG EXTENDING FROM SAID ADAPTER IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF SAID NEEDLE; AND (E) AN INTRAVENEOUS CATHETER INCLUDING (1) AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBE WITH AN OPEN BORE EXTENDING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND ENDS THEREOF, (2) A CONNECTOR WHICH INCLUDES A BODY PORTION LARGER THAN SAID FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBE, WHICH BODY PORTION HAS A TAPERED PASSAGE THERETHROUGH ADAPTED TO CONNECT TO A FLUID SUPPLY SOURCE AND