Disinfection cap for IV needleless connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10391295-B2
Application number	US-201715408278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

Disinfection cap includes housing comprising closed top, essentially cylindrical sidewall, and open bottom formed by the sidewall with opening to inner cavity within the housing for receiving mating feature of needleless connector. Disinfection sponge can be configured within inner cavity, with removable cover sealing opening to inner cavity to seal sponge within inner cavity prior to cap use. Inner cavity includes threads on inner surface of its sidewall that do not correspond to the mating feature of needleless connector. One thread engages with mating feature of needleless connector. Plurality of disinfection caps can be disposed on strip of IV pole hanging device such that each cap can be peeled off the strip unsealed for immediate use, or separated from the strip sealed for later use.

First claim

We claim:

1. A multiple start thread pattern for use in a medical device connector comprising: a first start thread path wherein the first start thread path has a first major profile, a first minor profile, a first pitch, and a first thread section profile; at least a second start thread path wherein the second start thread path has a second major profile, a second minor profile, a second pitch, and a second thread section profile; wherein the first thread section profile and the second thread section profile are different, the first pitch and the second pitch are substantially equivalent, the first start thread path and the second start thread path form a female thread pattern, the first and second start thread paths are configured to interface with a complimentary male thread of a secondary medical device connector, said complimentary male thread having a third major profile with a uniform outer diameter, a third minor profile, and a third pitch substantially equivalent to said first pitch, and when at least said first start thread path engages said complimentary male thread contacting said third major profile, a first helical void is formed by the space enclosed by the first start thread path and at least one of said third major profile and said third minor profile of the complimentary male thread.

2. The multiple start thread pattern of claim 1 wherein when said second start thread path engages said complimentary male thread contacting said third major profile, a second helical void is formed by the space enclosed by the second start thread path and at least one of said third major profile and said third minor profile of complimentary male thread, said second helical void being larger than the first helical void.

3. The multiple start thread pattern of claim 1 wherein
said first start thread path and said second start thread path further comprise respective root section profiles and respective crest section profiles, wherein the respective root section profiles are substantially similar and the respective crest section profiles are substantially different.

4. The multiple start thread pattern of claim 1 wherein the second start thread path interfaces with the complimentary male thread substantially tangentially.

5. The multiple start thread pattern of claim 1 , wherein the first start thread path interfaces with the complimentary male thread to substantially engage the complimentary male thread.

6. The multiple start thread pattern of claim 1 , wherein
the first start thread path interfaces with the complimentary male thread to substantially engage at least a portion of the complimentary male thread tangentially and non-tangentially.

7. A cap comprising:
a multiple start thread pattern comprising
a first start thread path wherein the first start thread path has a first major profile, a first minor profile, a first pitch, and a first thread section profile, and
at least a second start thread path wherein the second start thread path has a second major profile, a second minor profile, a second pitch, and a second thread section profile; and

an inner cavity comprising an inner surface having said first and second start thread paths, a closed end, and an open end opposite said closed end comprising an opening configured to receive a secondary medical device connector,
wherein
the first thread section profile and the second thread section profile are different,
the first pitch and the second pitch are substantially equivalent,
the first and second start thread paths are configured to interface with a complimentary male thread of said secondary medical device connector, said complimentary male thread having a third major profile with a uniform outer diameter, a third minor profile, and a third pitch substantially equivalent to the first and second pitches of the first and second start thread paths, and
when said complimentary thread is engaged to said first and second start thread paths contacting said third major profile a first helical void is formed by the space enclosed by at least one of said third major profile and said third minor profile of the complimentary male thread and the first start thread path and a second helical void is formed by the space enclosed by at least one of said third major profile and said third minor profile of the complimentary male thread and the second start thread path, wherein said second helical void is larger than the first helical void, and
an airflow path from a proximal end of the cap to the inner cavity is formed by said first and second helical voids when said complimentary male thread is engaged to said multiple start thread pattern.

8. The cap of claim 7 further comprising
a disinfection agent retention sponge retained in the inner cavity essentially at a distal end of the cap.

9. The cap of claim 7 wherein
the inner surface forms an essentially frustoconical inner cavity having a larger cross section at the proximal end of the cap.

10. The cap of claim 7 wherein
the inner surface forms an essentially cylindrical inner cavity having a cross section greater than the third major profile of the complimentary male thread of the secondary medical device connector.

11. The cap of claim 7 , wherein
the first start thread path interfaces with the complimentary male thread to substantially engage at least a portion of the complimentary male thread tangentially and non-tangentially.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Ryan Kevin M
• Charles Nichola

Classifications

• A61M2039/1033

  Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors · CPC title

• A61M39/20 Primary

  Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes · CPC title

• A61M2039/1038

  Union screw connectors, e.g. hollow screw or sleeve having external threads · CPC title

• A61M39/0247

  Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body (peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053) · CPC title

• A61M2039/0285

  with sterilisation means, e.g. antibacterial coatings, disinfecting pads, UV radiation LEDs or heating means in the port · CPC title