Swivel coupling for a catheterization system

Claim 2

A swivel coupling comprising: a first plastic body; a fluid connection at one end of said body; a circular flange projecting radially from the other end of said body; a spigot projecting axially from said flange; a second plastic body having a socket into which said spigot projects; a collar projecting from one end of said body, and surrounding said flange on said first body; an inwardly directed lip on said collar capturing said flange to secure said two bodies together; said socket having a shoulder; a cylindrical recess projecting from said shoulder and surrounding said spigot; an O-ring disposed in said recess and being dimensioned to form a seal between said recess and said spigot; said shoulder being spaced from said first body by a distance greater than the thickness of said O-ring to permit said bodies to rotate freely with respect to each other; and a connector on the opposite end of said second body.

Claim 3

A swivel coupling as in claim 1, in which said flange is tapered to facilitate its assembly to said second body.

Claim 4

A swivel coupling as in claim 1 or 2, in which said second body has a smaller second recess extending from said shoulder; said spigot projecting beyond said O-ring into said second recess to minimize cocking of the bodies with respect to each other.

Claim 5

A swivel coupling as in claim 1, in which said O-ring has an outer diameter greater than the diameter of said recess and an inner diameter less than the diameter of said spigot.

Claim 6

A swivel coupling as in claim 4, in which the outer diameter of said O-ring is about 0.005-0.008 inch greater than the diameter of said recess and the inner diameter is about 0.005 inch less than the diameter of said spigot.

Claim 7

A swivel coupling as in claim 1, in which the connector on said first body is a male standard Luer taper surrounded by a standard Luer thread; and the connector on said second body is a male standard Luer taper.

Claim 8

In a catheterization system having a catheter to be fed in a tortuous path through a blood vessel, a source of fluid under pressure and a rotatable coupling connecting said fluid source to said catheter; the improvement comprising a two-piece plastic swivel coupling in which; one piece has a recess and an O-ring disposed within said recess; the other piece has a spigot projecting into said recess through said O-ring; said O-ring having an interference fit between said spigot and said recess; one of said pieces having a collar terminating in a radially inwardly projecting lip of a first diameter, the other of said pieces having a circular flange of slightly greater diameter than said first diameter and underlying said lip when said pieces are forced together axially, whereby said pieces may be snap-fit together by applying axial pressure; and means blocking axial movement of one piece with respect to the other to preclude axial compressing of said O-ring; whereby said O-ring provides a fluid seal while presenting a minimum of resistance to the rotation of one piece with respect to the other.

Claim 9

In a catheterization system having a catheter to be fed in a tortuous path through a blood vessel, a source of fluid under pressure and a rotatable coupling connecting said fluid source to said catheter; the improvement comprising a two-piece plastic swivel coupling in which; one piece has a recess and an O-ring disposed within said recess; the other piece has a spigot projecting into said recess through said O-ring; said O-ring having an interference fit between said spigot and said recess; one of said pieces having a collar terminating in a radially inwardly projecting lip of a first diameter, the other of said pieces having a circular flange of slightly greater diameter than said first diameter and underlying said lip when said pieces are forced together axially, whereby said pieces may be snap-fit together by applying axial pressure; and means blocking axial movement of one piece with respect to the other to preclude axial compressing of said O-ring; whereby said O-ring provides a fluid seal while presenting a minimum of resistance to the rotation of one piece with respect to the other.

Claim 10

In a catherization system having a catheter to be fed in a tortuous path through a blood vessel, a source of fluid under pressure and a rotatable coupling connecting said fluid source to said catheter; said rotatable coupling comprising: a first plastic body; a fluid connection at one end of said body; a circular flange projecting radially from the other end of said body; a spigot projecting axially from said flange; a second plastic body having a socket into which said spigot projects; a collar projecting from one end of said body, and surrounding said flange on said first body; an inwardly directed lip on said collar capturing said flange to secure said two bodies together; said socket having a shoulder; a cylindrical recess projecting from said shoulder and surrounding said spigot; an O-ring disposed in said recess and being dimensioned to form a seal between said recess and said spigot; said shoulder being spaced from said first body by a distance greater than the thickness of said O-ring to permit said bodies to rotate freely with respect to each other; and a connector on the opposite end of said second body.

Claim 11

In a catherization system having a catheter to be fed in a tortuous path through a blood vessel, a source of fluid under pressure and a rotatable coupling connecting said fluid source to said catheter; said rotatable coupling comprising: a first plastic body; a fluid connection at one end of said body; a circular flange projecting radially from the other end of said body; a spigot projecting axially from said flange; a second plastic body having a socket into which said spigot projects; a collar projecting from one end of said body, and surrounding said flange on said first body; an inwardly directed lip on said collar capturing said flange to secure said two bodies together; said socket having a shoulder; a cylindrical recess projecting from said shoulder and surrounding said spigot; an O-ring disposed in said recess and being dimensioned to form a seal between said recess and said spigot; said shoulder being spaced from said first body by a distance greater than the thickness of said O-ring to permit said bodies to rotate freely with respect to each other; and a connector on the opposite end of said second body.