Releasable connector including swivel

Abstract

A connector for releasably joining a pair of conduits includes male and female components having proximal and distal ends and a lumen, and a swivel connection releasably connecting the male and female components. The swivel connection permits fluid communication between the male and female components and also permits free rotation between the male and female components.

1 . A connector for releasably joining a pair of conduits, the connector comprising: 
 a male component having proximal and distal portions and a lumen;    a female component having a lumen that includes a tapered wall portion, a proximal portion and a distal portion dimensioned to receive the proximal portion of the male component; and    a swivel connection releasably connecting the male and female components,    wherein the swivel connection permits fluid communication between the male and female components and permits free rotation between the male and female components at a rotating interface,    wherein the swivel connection comprises a pin extending through an aperture in the distal portion of the female component and into a notch disposed around the perimeter of the proximal portion of the male component such that the pin is disposed across the rotating interface, and    wherein the tapered wall portion facilitates fluid flow from the female component into the male component.    
   
   
       2 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the notch is tapered to reduce frictional forces between the pin and notch.  
   
   
       3 . The connector of  claim 1  wherein pulling the pin from the notch releases the swivel connection.  
   
   
       4 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the female component is internally threaded to facilitate attachment to a first conduit.  
   
   
       5 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the male and female components are made from stainless steel or aluminum.  
   
   
       6 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the swivel connection between the male and female components is fluid-tight.  
   
   
       7 . A connector for releasably joining a pair of conduits, the connector comprising: 
 a male component having proximal and distal portions and a lumen;    a female component having a lumen including a tapered wall portion, a proximal portion and a distal portion dimensioned to receive the proximal portion of the male component; and    a swivel connection releasably connecting the male and female components,    wherein the swivel connection permits fluid communication between the male and female components and permits free rotation between the male and female components,    wherein the proximal portion of the female component is internally threaded to facilitate attachment to a second conduit, and    wherein the tapered wall portion facilitates fluid flow from the female component into the male component.    
   
   
       8 . The connector of  claim 7 , wherein the male and female components are made from stainless steel or aluminum.  
   
   
       9 . The connector of  claim 7 , wherein the swivel connection between the male and female components is fluid-tight.  
   
   
       10 . A connector for releasably joining a pair of conduits, the connector comprising: 
 a female component having a proximal portion, a distal portion defining a male component receiving lumen, an aperture extending through a sidewall of the female component and intersecting the male component receiving lumen and a fluid lumen extending from the proximal portion to the male component receiving lumen;    a male component having a proximal portion extending into the male component receiving lumen and including a notch recessed radially into the male component from the outer surface of the male component and circumferentially around at least a portion of the circumference of the proximal portion, a distal portion, and a fluid lumen extending between the proximal and distal portions of the male component and aligned with the fluid lumen of the female component; and    a swivel connection comprising a pin extending through the aperture such that at least a distal tip of the pin extends into the notch,    wherein the swivel connection permits continuous fluid communication between the male and female components and permits relative rotation between the male and female components, and    wherein the fluid lumen of the female component includes a tapered wall portion that is tapered from a proximal diameter to a distal diameter, wherein the proximal diameter is larger than the distal diameter and the distal diameter is approximately equal to the diameter of the proximal opening of the fluid lumen of the male component.    
   
   
       11 . The connector of  claim 10 , wherein a proximal portion of the male component receiving lumen is tapered.  
   
   
       12 . The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the proximal portion of the male component includes a step including a proximal step portion forming the proximal end of the male component and a distal step portion having a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the proximal step portion.  
   
   
       13 . The connector of  claim 12 , further comprising a seal disposed about the proximal step portion and sized so that the seal contacts the proximal step portion and an inner surface of the male component receiving lumen.  
   
   
       14 . The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the notch is disposed in the distal step portion.  
   
   
       15 . The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the diameter of the distal step portion is approximately equal to the diameter of the male component receiving lumen such that the distal step portion of the male component is slidably received by the male component receiving lumen.  
   
   
       16 . The connector of  claim 10 , further comprising a female component notch disposed in the male component receiving lumen wherein the female component notch and the notch in the male component are located such that when the notches are radially aligned the proximal end of the fluid lumen of the male component is immediately adjacent the distal end of the fluid lumen of the female component and the fluid lumen of the male component is approximately coaxial with the fluid lumen of the female component.  
   
   
       17 . The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the proximal portion of the female component includes a tool-engagement outer surface.  
   
   
       18 . The connector of  claim 10 , further comprising a crimp defining a lumen that receives at least a portion of the distal portion of the male component.  
   
   
       19 . The connector of  claim 10 , wherein the pin is sized such that a proximal portion of the pin extends outward of the outer surface of the female component.