Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Avent, Inc.

John A Brewer

Cassandra E Morris

Joe Gordon

Stephen Gianelis

Joseph A Cesa

Dave Zitnick

David Allen Zitnick

Mark Michael Mleziva

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Charles John Morell

Howard Martin Welch

Alison Salyer Bagwell

Scott M Teixeira

Michael Charles Cook

Stephen Avedis Baratian

Lavada Campbell Boggs

Ilona F Weart

Ronald H Wideman

Donald V Willitts

Marion C Morris

Emily A Reichart

Benone Tarcau

Raymond Jeffrey May

Leslie D Dobbins

Jennifer S Stadelman

Kenneth Michael Salter

Jr James R Fitts

Michael C Cook

Kenneth M Salter

A device for cleaning the interior wall of a catheter has a cleaning lumen and skives as non-inflatable removal elements on the exterior surface of the cleaning lumen. Each skive has a first position when unconstrained and a second position when within the catheter. The skives self-position the device concentrically within the catheter. Suction is desirably applied to the cleaning lumen during use.

Self positioning tracheal tube clearance mechanism using skives

A respiratory access assembly includes a distal plate having a port, the port adapted to be positioned in operable communication with an artificial airway of a patient. The assembly also includes a proximal plate including a first port and a second port and, when the distal plate is positioned against the proximal plate in a stacked configuration, each plate is configured to move relative to the other. There is a clutch positioned between the plates, the clutch cooperating with both plates to substantially prevent movement of the plates when the port of the distal plate is positioned in an alignment with at least one port of the proximal plate and an object is positioned through the aligned ports of the plates.

Clutch brake assembly for a respiratory access port

A respiratory access assembly includes a distal plate having one port and cuff and an axially aligned proximal plate including a first port and first cuff and a second port and second cuff. The distal plate is configured to move relative to the proximal plate. The respiratory access assembly includes an actuator, which has a plurality of predetermined positions. The actuator can lock the plates together such that the distal port is aligned with either port of the proximal plate or so that the distal port is not aligned with either port of the proximal plate. A method of using a respiratory access assembly is provided.

Respiratory access port assembly with push button lock and method of use

There is provided a suction catheter having a tubular body with a lumen formed therethrough. The catheter has a plurality of spaced elongated apertures positioned near its distal tip. The catheter may have a fourth round opening positioned proximally to the three openings. The catheter has reduced impact force compared to similar suction catheters without the plurality of apertures near the distal tip.

Atraumatic suction catheter

There is provided a looped tether to prevent the over-withdrawal of a suction catheter from a connecting fitting in a closed suction catheter respiratory device. The looped tether is made from a single thread or strand that is looped or doubled in length with the two loose ends connected together to produce the loop. The looped tether provides better distribution of the forces at the ends of the device and is relatively simple to assemble. Also provided is a system for preventing the over-withdrawal of a suction catheter from a connecting fitting in a closed suction catheter respiratory device.

Looped tether for medical ventilating and aspirating devices

A respiratory access assembly includes a distal plate having one port and cuff and an axially aligned proximal plate including a first port and first cuff and a second port and second cuff. The distal plate is configured to move relative to the proximal plate. The respiratory access assembly includes an actuator, which has a plurality of predetermined positions. The actuator includes a blocking portion that controls the movement of the plates. The blocking portion moves slidably within an O-ring that prevents loss of pressure from the artificial airway system. The O-ring may be molded in place using an injection molding process, thus ensuring good adhesion to the disk.

Overmolded manifold O-ring

A respiratory manifold is provided which has a base port that is coupled to a central body. The central body has at least one laterally-positioned arm having a port. The base port includes a bridge to guide an object moved through one port into the body of the manifold and through the base port to a tracheal tube without folding, twisting, bunching or buckling of any portion of the object within the manifold.

Respiratory manifold with bridge

A respiratory access assembly includes a movable manifold and a closed suction catheter assembly with a shuttle movable by actuator between the manifold and the closed suction catheter assembly. The assembly includes a flap positioned adjacent the shuttle and the closed suction catheter assembly which is moveable between an open position which permits passage of a suction catheter therethrough and a closed position, which prevents a passage of a suction catheter. The respiratory access assembly permits operable communication with the artificial airway to permit suctioning when in an un-locked position, and prevents the entrance of a suction catheter when in the locked position. A method for using a respiratory access assembly.

Respiratory access assembly with rotating lock and method

A respiratory access assembly includes a distal plate having a port, which is adapted to be positioned in operable communication with an artificial airway of a patient. The assembly includes a distal plate having a port and a proximal plate which has a first port and a second port. The distal plate is positioned against the proximal plate in a stacked configuration, and each plate is configured to move relative to the other. The assembly has an actuator which is positioned adjacent to at least one plate. The actuator cooperates with both plates to substantially prevent movement of the plates when the port of the distal plate is positioned in an alignment with at least one port of the proximal plate and an object, such as a suction catheter, is positioned through the aligned ports of the plates. The actuator cooperates with at least one plate to permit movement of at least one plate when (a) no object is positioned through aligned ports, and (b) when no ports are aligned. The assembly desirably has predetermined positions, which include a first open position, a second open position, and a third closed position.

Respiratory access port assembly with passive lock and method of use

A respiratory access assembly inctudes a distal pJate having one port and cuff and an axially aligned proximal plate including a first port and first cuff and a second port and second cuff. The distal plate is configured to move relative to the proximal plate. The respiratory access assembly includes an actuator, which has a plurality of predetermined positions. When the actuator is positioned in a movement-enabling position, it permits movement of the plates while simultaneously blocking the first port of the proximal plate. When the actuator is positioned in a first or second locked (open) position, it locks the plates together and aligns the port of the distal plate with the respective first or second port of the proximal plate and un-blocks the first port of the proximal plale so that an object, such as a suction catheter, may be positioned through the aligned ports. When the actuator is positioned in the third locked (closed) position, it locks the plates together such that the port of the distal plate is positioned between the first port and the second port or the proximal plate and all ports are out of alignment with each other, such that all ports are blocked by a portion of one plate so that no object is moveable through any of the ports. A method of using a respiratory access assembly is provided.

There is provided a novel fitting having male and female ends and a tapered internal luer-type seal. The male fitting end has a periphery upon which is mounted at least one boss. The female fitting end has a slot into which the boss may be inserted. At the bottom of the slot is a stop to limit the insertion depth of the boss. The male and female ends may then be rotated relative to each other to move the boss into a window on the female end. The window has a frame and the upper frame is angled slightly, corresponding to the boss, which serves to draw the male end farther in to the female end. The window has a side frame that stops the rotational movement of the boss. When the movement of the boss is stopped, the male and female tapers are in substantially leak-free contact. There is also provided a closed suction catheter using the novel fitting, such that the catheter may be easily and quickly removed and replaced.

Quick connect fitting for respiratory devices

A respiratory triple swivel manifold is provided which has a base port, which is coupled to a central body. The central body has two laterally-positioned arms, and each arm has a lateral port. Each base port and each lateral port has an inner sleeve which is movable relative to its port. The manifold also has a proximal port coupled to the central body, which may or may not have a rotatable inner sleeve. At least one of the arms and its respective lateral port is positioned at an angle in a range of greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees relative to the central body. Desirably, the base port, the central body and its arms and their respective ports form a Y-shape. The proximal port may intersect the Y-shaped manifold. The base port includes a ramp to direct an object moved through one port into a passageway of the manifold and through the base port to an endotracheal tube without folding, twisting or bunching of any portion of the object within the manifold.

Respiratory triple swivel manifold

Locked valve body

Unlocked valve body

In the invention, a method is provided for producing a composite nonwoven fabric. A polymer is extruded into heated continuous filaments, possibly elastic, from the die head to a first chilled roller, wherein the extruder is configured to provide the continuous filaments to the chilled roller in a canted direction that is at a tangent or angle to the surface of the first chilled roller. The filaments are conveyed in a downward direction by way of chilled rollers to a nip. In a next step, the nonwoven web is sprayed with an adhesive and is laminated on the continuous filaments in the nip to form a composite nonwoven fabric. The continuous filaments move vertically downward approximately in line with the lamination process, facilitating automatic re-threading of filaments when they are broken or interrupted in their travel downward onto the chilled rolls.

Growing community of inventors

LaGrange, GA, United States of America

John A Brewer