Catheter advances with clutch

Claim 2

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and rotating drive means frictionally engaging the catheter for moving the catheter through the needle, the improvement comprising: clutch means cooperating with the drive means comprising a stationary member and a rotatable and axially movable member carried by the drive means, said members being normally engaged and when engaged, preventing movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 further including means for moving the member mounted for axial and rotational movement in its axial direction to separate it from engagement with the other member whereby said clutch means disengages and permits movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 4

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and rotating drive means frictionally engaging the catheter for moving the catheter through the needle, the improvement comprising: clutch means cooperating with the drive means, said clutch means comprising a first movable member mounted for axial and rotatable movement on said drive means, and a second stationary member, said first and second members being normally engaged and, when engaged, preventing movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 5

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and rotating drive means frictionally engaging the catheter for moving the catheter through the needle, the improvement comprising: clutch means cooperating with the drive means, said clutch means comprising a first movable member mounted for axial and rotatable movement on said drive means, and a second stationary member, said first and second members being normally engaged and, when engaged, preventing movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 further including means for manually moving said movable member in an axial direction away from said stationary member to disengage the clutch means thereby permitting movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 7

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and rotating drive means mounted on the housing and frictionally engaging the catheter for moving the catheter through the needle, the improvement comprising: means for mounting the rotating drive means for axial and rotatable movement, first clutch means carried by the housing and second clutch means carried by the axially movable drive means which, when in cooperative engagement, limit rotation of the drive means to that direction which causes the catheter to move through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, and resilient means urging the axially movable drive means against the first clutch means in a direction generally parallel to its axis to cause the first and second clutch means to cooperatively engage each other.

Claim 8

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and rotating drive means mounted on the housing and frictionally engaging the catheter for moving the catheter through the needle, the improvement comprising: means for mounting the rotating drive means for axial and rotatable movement, first clutch means carried by the housing and second clutch means carried by the axially movable drive means which, when in cooperative engagement, limit rotation of the drive means to that direction which causes the catheter to move through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, and resilient means urging the axially movable drive means against the first clutch means in a direction generally parallel to its axis to cause the first and second clutch means to cooperatively engage each other.

Claim 9

The device of claim 5 further including means for applying to the drive means a force to axially move the drive means away from the first clutch means thereby disengaging the first and second clutch means to permit rotation of the drive means in that direction which causes the catheter to move through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 10

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and drive means for moving the catheter through the needle, the drive means comprising at least one roller mounted in a cut-out in the housing, and means for manually driving the roller to cause the roller to frictionally engage the catheter and move it through the needle, the iMprovement comprising: means for mounting the driven roller on the housing for axial and rotatable movement, a first clutch means carried by a surface of the cutout and a second clutch means carried by the axially mounted roller which means, when engaged, cooperate to permit the roller to move only in a direction which causes the catheter to advance through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, means for urging the axially movable roller, in a direction generally parallel to its axis, against the cutout surface to cause engagement between the first and second clutch means, and means for manually exerting against the axially movable roller, from the exterior of the housing, a force sufficient to axially displace the roller and thus disengage the first and second clutch means when desired to thereby permit movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 11

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and drive means for moving the catheter through the needle, the drive means comprising at least one roller mounted in a cut-out in the housing, and means for manually driving the roller to cause the roller to frictionally engage the catheter and move it through the needle, the iMprovement comprising: means for mounting the driven roller on the housing for axial and rotatable movement, a first clutch means carried by a surface of the cutout and a second clutch means carried by the axially mounted roller which means, when engaged, cooperate to permit the roller to move only in a direction which causes the catheter to advance through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, means for urging the axially movable roller, in a direction generally parallel to its axis, against the cutout surface to cause engagement between the first and second clutch means, and means for manually exerting against the axially movable roller, from the exterior of the housing, a force sufficient to axially displace the roller and thus disengage the first and second clutch means when desired to thereby permit movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7 wherein the axially moveable roller is the driven roller.

Claim 13

The device of claim 8 wherein each roller includes a gear, the roller being adapted to rotate with the gear, and wherein the gears are disposed in meshing engagement.

Claim 14

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and drive means for frictionally engaging the catheter and moving it through the needle, the drive means comprising at least one driven roller mounted in a cutout in the housing, the improvement comprising: means for mounting the driven roller on the housing for axial and rotatable movement, a rising cam carried by a surface of the cutout and a cam follower carried by the driven roller which, when engaged, cooperate to limit rotation of the driven roller to a direction which causes the catheter to advance through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, spring means urging the driven roller against the rising cam in a direction generally parallel to its axis to cause the rising cam and cam follower to engage, and an opening in the housing providing access from the housing exterior to the driven roller by which a force may be applied to the driven roller to move it axially against the spring biasing to cause disengagement of the rising cam and cam follower as long as the force is maintained to thereby permit movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 15

In a catheter device which comprises a housing having a chamber containing therein an antiseptic catheter, a hollow needle connected to the housing and communicating with the chamber, and drive means for frictionally engaging the catheter and moving it through the needle, the drive means comprising at least one driven roller mounted in a cutout in the housing, the improvement comprising: means for mounting the driven roller on the housing for axial and rotatable movement, a rising cam carried by a surface of the cutout and a cam follower carried by the driven roller which, when engaged, cooperate to limit rotation of the driven roller to a direction which causes the catheter to advance through the needle in a direction away from the chamber, spring means urging the driven roller against the rising cam in a direction generally parallel to its axis to cause the rising cam and cam follower to engage, and an opening in the housing providing access from the housing exterior to the driven roller by which a force may be applied to the driven roller to move it axially against the spring biasing to cause disengagement of the rising cam and cam follower as long as the force is maintained to thereby permit movement of the catheter through the needle in a direction toward the chamber.

Claim 16

The device of claim 10 further including an actuating arm passing through the opening with an end of the arm connected to the driven roller to provide axial and rotatable movement of the driven roll as desired.