# US 2013/0152355 A1 · Tracheal tube adaptor and flaring jig > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152355 A1 - Document ID: US20130152355A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/766,435 - Filed: 2013-02-13 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-16 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Inventors: James Stephenson; James Curley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152355A1 ## CPC - A61M 16/04: Tracheal tubes (catheters in general A61M25/00) - A61M 16/0488: {Mouthpieces; Means for guiding, securing or introducing the tubes (guiding or introducing with laryngoscopes A61B1/267; holding devices on the body A61M25/02)} - A61M 16/0816: {Joints or connectors} - A61M 16/0434: {Cuffs} - A61M 2207/10: Device therefor - Y10T 29/49: Method of mechanical manufacture - Y10T 29/49716: Converting - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present disclosure describes systems and methods that utilize a tracheal tube adaptor system. The tracheal tube adaptor system includes a tracheal tube adaptor and/or a flaring jig. A proximal end of a tracheal tube may be flared and the tracheal tube adaptor may be coupled to the proximal end of the tracheal tube. The tracheal tube adaptor may be configured to easily attach and detach an end connector. The end connector may be used to couple a variety of medical devices such as a ventilator, a manual respirator, a nebulizer, a vaporizer, suctioning equipment, and so forth, to the tracheal tube. The use of the tracheal tube adaptor system and methods enables the rapid detachment and attachment of various end connectors, thus allowing the coupling of the tracheal tube to a variety of medical devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a tracheal tube system comprising: removing an end connector from a tracheal tube; flaring a portion of a proximal end of the tracheal tube; and inserting a tracheal tube adaptor or a first end connector into the proximal end of the tracheal tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flaring comprises using a flaring device at a clinical site or at a patient site to flare the portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the flaring device comprises a reverse fulcrum flaring device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting the tracheal tube adaptor or the first end connector comprises inserting the tracheal tube adaptor into the proximal end and then inserting the first end connector into the tracheal tube adaptor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein removing the first end connector comprises using a first extraction force to decouple an interference fit of the first end connector to the tracheal tube adaptor, wherein the first extraction force is less than a second extraction force required to decouple the tracheal tube adaptor from the tracheal tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein removing the first end connector comprises manually removing the end connector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, comprising inserting a second end connector to the tracheal tube adaptor after removing the first end connector, wherein the second end connector includes a second proximal portion sized differently than a first proximal portion of the first connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, comprising inserting a second end connector to the tracheal tube adaptor after removing the first end connector, wherein the first end connector comprises a male connector and the second end connector comprises a female connector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor comprises a proximal opening and a distal opening, and wherein the proximal opening is larger than the distal opening. ### Claim 10 A method of manufacturing a tracheal tube system comprising: manufacturing a tracheal tube adaptor; flaring a portion of a proximal end of a tracheal tube; and inserting the tracheal tube adaptor into the proximal end of the tracheal tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor comprises a proximal opening and a distal opening, and wherein the proximal opening is larger than the distal opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor comprises walls having a rigidity sufficient to prevent walls of the tracheal tube from compressing inwardly when the tracheal tube adaptor is inserted into the proximal end of the tracheal tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor is manufactured out of a material having a hardness of approximately 80-90 Shore A. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor comprises a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or a combination thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprising manufacturing the tracheal tube adaptor by an injection molding process, an extrusion process, a computer numerical control (CNC) milling process, a casting process, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a tracheal tube system comprising: manufacturing a tracheal tube adaptor comprising an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end is configured to be coupled to a tracheal tube and the upper end is configured to be coupled to an end connector comprising an end connector lower end, wherein a first extraction force required to decouple the end connector from the tracheal tube adaptor is less than a second extraction force required to decouple the tracheal tube adaptor from the tracheal tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the tracheal tube adaptor comprises a tapered body having the upper end and the lower end, and wherein the upper end comprises an upper end opening having a size suitable for the insertion of the end connector lower end inside of the tapered body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, comprising manufacturing a flaring device configured to flare a proximal portion of the tracheal tube prior to insertion of the tracheal tube adaptor into the proximal portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the flaring device comprises a reverse fulcrum flaring device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the flaring device comprises a flaring measurement system configured to obtain a desired diameter for the flare of the proximal portion.