Funnel unit for plastic catheter

Claim 1

A balloon catheter having an extruded plastic shaft containing a drainage lumen and a single inflation lumen, in combination with a double-funnel unit comprising a molded plastic body having a cylindrical bore extending into said body from the distal end thereof to a point spaced from said end and being of a size to receive the proximal end portion of the catheter, and a coaxial continuation of said bore, the diameter of said continuation being less than that of said bore at a point adjacent said first-named point and increasing toward the proximal end of said body to form a flaring first funnel for connection to a drainage tube, said catheter proximal end portion being received within said cylindrical bore and extending proximally within said bore to adjacent said first-named point, a lateral branch having a bore in communication with said cylindrical bore and an integral outward continuation of said branch bore forming a second funnel for a source of inflating fluid, and an annular groove in the interior wall of the cylindrical bore, the branch bore being in communication with said groove, the radially outer surface of proximal end portion of the catheter forming a radially inner wall of said groove to constitute thereby an annular channel and said catheter surface being perforated at a point in register circumferentially with the inflation lumen, said last named point being located in the area of said radially inner wall, whereby communication is established between said channel and said inflation lumen in any angular position of said molded plastic body with respect to said end portion of the catheter.