Sterility retaining medical connector assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857345-B2
Application number	US-201815974764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2011
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A medical connector assembly for establishing a fluid connection between a first medical device and a second medical device includes a multi-use connector and a plurality of single-use connectors connected in series. The multi-use connector has a proximal end opposite a distal end along a longitudinal length thereof. The plurality of single-use connectors each have a proximal end opposite a distal end along a longitudinal length thereof. The distal end of the multi-use connector is releasably connected to the proximal end of a first of the serially-connected single-use connectors. When a second of the serially-connected single-use connectors is disconnected from the first single-use connector, the first single-use connector remains connected to the multi-use medical connector as a sterility retaining cover.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical connector assembly, comprising:
a multi-use connector comprising a proximal end opposite a distal end along a longitudinal length thereof;
a removable cap adapted to cover the distal end of the multi-use connector;
a plurality of single-use connectors releasably connected to each other by a connecting arrangement in series to form a fluid path therethrough and each comprising a proximal end opposite a distal end along a longitudinal length thereof; and
a flow control element associated with each of the plurality of single-use connectors,
wherein the distal end of the multi-use connector is releasably connected to the proximal end of a first of the single-use connectors connected in series after removal of the removable cap from the distal end of the multi-use connector, and
wherein each flow control element is configured to prevent fluid flow through the fluid path until a sufficient fluid pressure difference across the flow control element is reached
wherein, when a most distal single-use connector of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from a next most distal single-use connector, the next most distal single-use connector remains connected to the multi-use connector as a sterility retaining cover.

2. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow control element in the first of the single-use connectors connected in series is configured to prevent fluid flow when a second of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from the first of the single-use connectors.

3. The medical connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein each flow control element is configured to prevent fluid flow in either direction through the fluid path.

4. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flow control elements is a one-way check valve.

5. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flow control elements is a two-way check valve.

6. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flow control elements is a slit diaphragm.

7. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flow control elements is internal to the fluid path.

8. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-use connector comprises a flow control element.

9. The medical connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sheath disposed over an exterior of the medical connector assembly to extend from the multi-use connector and continuing along the single-use connectors connected in series, and the sheath comprising a first sheath element having a frangible connection to a second sheath element.

10. The medical connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein when a second of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from the first of the single-use connectors connected in series, the first sheath element remains disposed about the first of the single-use connectors connected in series and a portion of the multi-use connector and the second sheath element remains disposed about the disconnected second of the single-use connectors connected in series.

11. A medical connector assembly, comprising:
a multi-use connector having a flow control element;
a plurality of single-use connectors releasably connected to each other by a connecting arrangement in series to form a fluid path therethrough;
a sheath disposed over an exterior of the medical connector assembly to extend from the multi-use connector and continuing along the single-use connectors connected in series, and
wherein the multi-use connector is releasably connected to a first of the single-use connectors connected in series, and
wherein the flow control element is configured to prevent fluid flow through the multi-use connector until a sufficient fluid pressure difference across the flow control element is reached;
wherein the sheath comprises a first sheath element having a frangible connection to a second sheath element;
wherein, when a second of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from the first of the single-use connectors connected in series, the first sheath element remains disposed about the first of the single-use connectors connected in series and a portion of the multi-use connector and the second sheath element remains disposed about the disconnected second of the single-use connectors connected in series.

12. The medical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flow control element is configured to prevent fluid flow through the multi-use connector when the first of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from the multi-use connector.

13. The medical connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the flow control element is configured to prevent fluid flow in either direction through the multi-use connector.

14. The medical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flow control element is a one-way check valve.

15. The medical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flow control element is a two-way check valve.

16. The medical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flow control element is a slit diaphragm.

17. The medical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein, when the second of the single-use connectors connected in series is disconnected from the first of the single-use connectors connected in series, the first of the single-use connectors connected in series remains connected to the multi-use connector as a sterility retaining cover.

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Uber Iii Arthur E
• Cowan Kevin
• Dedig James A
• Griffiths David M
• Rhinehart Edward J
• Taggart Benjamin
• Trocki Mark

Classifications

• A61M5/31

  Details · CPC title

• A61M39/10

  Tube connectors; Tube couplings {(A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014)} · CPC title

• A61M2039/1044

  Verifying the connection, e.g. audible feedback, tactile feedback, visual feedback, using external light sources · CPC title

• A61J1/2003

  Accessories used in combination with means for transfer or mixing of fluids, e.g. for activating fluid flow, separating fluids, filtering fluid or venting · CPC title

• Y10T137/8811

  Frangible · CPC title