Break-away handle for a catheter introducer set

Claim 1

A split tear-away introducer tool for an introducer assembly including a vessel dilator, wire guide, needle, syringe and the like for use in introducing a catheter into a blood vessel, comprising: an elongate cylindrical sheath having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end having a pair of splits therein defining a pair of tabs, each tab having an opening therein, a handle including a tubular portion engaging the proximal end of said sheath body to mount said handle thereon, a pair of lower clamping elements integral with said tubular portion and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, a pair of upper clamping elements, hinge means connecting the outer end of each lower clamping member with the associated upper clamping member to permit swinging movement of the latter about an axis lying in a plane disposed substantially normal to the plane in which the longitudinal axis of the elongate sheath lies, each upper clamping member being swingable between open and closed positions, each of said upper clamping elements, when in the closed position, overlying the associated lower clamping element and clamping one of said tabs therebetween, each upper clamping member having an opening therein, each lower clamping member having a pin thereon projecting through the opening in a tab into the opening in the associated upper clamping member to thereby lock the tab to the handle, a pair of arcuate guide elements each being integral with one end of one of said upper clamping elements whereby said guide elements define a lumen aligned in communicating relation with the interior of the sheath body when said upper clamping elements are in the closed position and being of a size to accommodate a vessel dilator, catheter, and the like when said upper clamping elements are in the closed position, said handle members of said handle, when pulled apart, facilitating tearing of said sheath axially from said slits therein.