Disinfecting cap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12186522-B2
Application number	US-202117390854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2021
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A device for cleaning medical implements is disclosed, in particular a device for cleaning vascular or other fluid access sites. The device includes a cap having an opening to receive an access site. The cap may be used in the following manner: A healthcare worker may, with gloved hands, open the cap packaging and place the cap over the port of a medical implement to be cleaned. The healthcare worker may wipe the site by either applying a turning motion or by simply pushing the cap onto the port. The cap could then remain secured in place by threads other mechanisms. A cap in place on a medical implement may be a positive indication that a desired site of the medical implement is clean. The cap may include a disinfecting substance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disinfecting cap comprising:
a housing comprising:
a bottom wall, and
a sidewall extending from the bottom wall, the sidewall surrounding an interior chamber and an opening into the interior chamber, the sidewall comprising a non-threaded interior surface extending from the bottom wall, along the sidewall, and to the opening, the interior surface comprising a deformable portion being configured to securely attach to a thread of a medical device;

a cleaning material being configured to releasably retain an antiseptic liquid, the cleaning material being positioned in the interior chamber and being separate from the deformable portion of the interior surface;
a seal being removably attached to an outer surface of the housing and extending over the interior chamber such that the cleaning material is exposed upon removal of the seal; and
a resilient retention element positioned on an interior surface of the sidewall;
wherein as the cap is attached to a port of the medical device, a thread of the port pushes past at least a portion of the retention element, and the element rebounds into a position in which the retention element engages the thread.

2. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 further comprising packaging that surrounds at least a portion of the housing.

3. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the interior surface engages the thread of the medical device with a friction fit.

4. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 wherein the seal comprises a peelable lid.

5. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 wherein the cleaning material comprises an absorbent material positioned within the chamber.

6. The disinfecting cap of claim 5 wherein the antiseptic liquid comprises a disinfecting solution infused into the absorbent material.

7. The disinfecting cap of claim 4 , wherein the peelable lid seals the chamber and retains the disinfecting solution.

8. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the retention element extends from the interior surface of the sidewall.

9. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the retention element operates as a valve.

10. The disinfecting cap of claim 6 , wherein the retention element reduces leaking of disinfecting solution out of the cap.

11. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the retention element securely attaches to the thread of the medical device as the disinfecting cap is applied to the port in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the disinfecting cap.

12. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the retention element securely attaches to the thread of the port without requiring rotation of the disinfecting cap or the medical device.

13. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 further comprising one or more ribs, wherein each of the one or more ribs extends at least partially along an external surface of the sidewall.

14. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 wherein the chamber comprises a counterbore.

15. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the deformable portion of the interior surface is configured to securely attach to the thread of the medical device as the sanitizing cap is applied to the medical device in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the disinfecting cap.

16. The disinfecting cap of claim 15 , wherein the deformable portion of the interior surface is configured to securely attach to the thread of the medical device without requiring rotation of the disinfecting cap or the medical device.

17. The disinfecting cap of claim 1 , wherein the deformable portion of the interior surface does not comprise a screw thread.

Assignees

• Medline Ind Inc

Inventors

• Bedoe Scott
• Burgess James
• Skupien Brent
• DALTON Christopher
• Berkowitz Pere
• Noskowicz David

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61M39/16

  having provision for disinfection or sterilisation {(A61M39/143 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61M2205/0205

  Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent · CPC title

• A61M39/20 Primary

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

• A61L2/26

  Accessories · CPC title