One piece lock for splittable sheath

A sheath lock for use with a splittable sheath associated with a catheter introducer comprising:

• a main body portion defining a passage extending axially therethrough and having a proximal opening and a distal opening to allow a tubular member to pass through the main body portion from the proximal opening through the distal opening;
• a tapered slot separate from the proximal opening and the distal opening in communication with the passage and extending from a wide untapered end to a narrow tapered end, such that the sheath can pass through the main body portion from the proximal opening through the tapered slot;
• and
• a lock box located adjacent the narrow tapered end of the tapered slot configured to grip and retain the sheath when the sheath is positioned within the lock box, wherein the lock box comprises at least one tine for gripping and retaining the sheath.

A catheter introducer assembly comprising:

• a catheter having a distal end configured to be inserted into a blood vessel and a proximal end;
• a catheter introducer configured to introduce the catheter into the blood vessel;
• a splittable sheath surrounding the catheter from the catheter proximal end to the catheter introducer, said sheath having a proximal end connected to the catheter proximal end and a distal end;
• a sheath splitter configured to split the sheath and to advance the catheter through the catheter introducer as the sheath is pulled through said sheath splitter;
• and
• a sheath lock associated with the catheter introducer comprising:
• a main body portion defining a passage extending axially therethrough and having a proximal opening and a distal opening to allow a tubular member to pass through the main body portion from the proximal opening through the distal opening;
• a tapered slot separate from the proximal opening and the distal opening in communication with the passage and extending from a wide untapered end to a narrow tapered end, such that the sheath passes through the main body portion from the proximal opening through the tapered slot;
• and
• a lock box located adjacent the narrow tapered end of the tapered slot configured to grip and retain the sheath when the sheath is positioned within the lock box, wherein the tapered slot is formed from two tapered wall sections which form at least one tine projecting into the lock box.