Vented air release coupling and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019224079-A1
Application number	US-201916255196-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 23, 2018
Publication date	Jul 25, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling having at least one vent, recessed groove, non-cylindrical geometry and/or textured surface formed therewith. According to one example embodiment, a vent can be formed on a male coupling and/or a female coupling. The vent can be in the form of recessed channel. According to one example embodiment, the coupling comprises non-cylindrical geometry such that at least one vent is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling configured for removable sealing engagement with an enteral syringe comprising a female coupling, an internal chamber and a plunger translating therein, the enteral syringe female coupling comprising a reservoir defined by an open distal end and a tapering inner surface, the ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling comprising:
a male coupler comprising a tapering outer surface and a reservoir defined by an open distal end and an inner surface, the male coupler oriented along a connection axis, the male coupler tapering outer surface configured for removable sealing engagement with an enteral syringe female coupling tapering inner surface along a connection axis, the male coupler reservoir is configured to receive a volume of air; wherein, the male coupler tapering outer surface comprises at least one vent configured to release an amount of the volume of air present in the male coupling reservoir during engagement between the ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling and the enteral syringe.

2 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the male coupler tapering outer surface extends between a base end and a free end, wherein the at least one vent extends along the male coupler tapering outer surface from the free end toward the base end.

3 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the male coupler tapering outer surface defines a range of diameters between a maximum diameter at a base end and a minimum diameter at a free end, the at least one vent being recessed from the range of diameters of the male coupler tapering outer surface.

4 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 3 , wherein the male coupler tapering outer surface range of diameters corresponds opposingly with the enteral syringe female coupling tapering inner surface, the at least one vent configured to be removed from sealing engagement with the enteral syringe female coupling tapering inner surface.

5 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the male coupler inner surface comprises tapering section extending between an open section proximal to the open distal end and an opposite closed section, the at least one vent extending a distance along the tapering outer surface from a position relative to the connection axis in alignment with the open distal tip to a position relative to the connection axis in alignment with the inner surface tapering section.

6 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the male coupler tapering outer surface comprises a plurality of the vents.

7 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a surface configured to be removed from engagement with the enteral syringe female coupling tapering inner surface during engagement between the ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling and the enteral syringe.

8 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a groove recessed from the male coupler tapering outer surface.

9 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a texturized surface different from the male coupler tapering outer surface.

10 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent extends along a linear path relative to the connection axis.

11 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent extends along a non-linear path relative to the connection axis.

12 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 11 , wherein the at least one vent extends along a helical path around the male coupler tapering outer surface.

13 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a length relative to the connection axis of between about 1.5 mm to 6.0 mm.

14 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a width relative to the connection axis of between about 0.125 mm to 5.0 mm.

15 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a depth from the male coupler tapering outer surface of between about 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm.

16 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , further comprising a collar oriented about the connection axis, wherein the collar is configured to fasten to the enteral syringe female coupling.

17 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 16 , wherein the collar comprises threading.

18 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 16 , wherein the collar comprises a smooth inner surface that is configured to fasten to the enteral syringe female coupling with an interference fit.

19 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the ISO 80369-3 formatted coupling is part of a syringe cap.

20 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the ISO 80369-3 formatted coupling is part of a syringe-to-syringe coupler.

21 . The ISO 80369-3 compatible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the ISO 80369-3 formatted coupling is part of oral administration coupler.

22 . A male coupling oriented along a connection axis and configured for removable sealing engagement with a female coupling comprising a reservoir defined by a tapering inner surface extending between a narrowest closed end and a widest open end, the female coupler reservoir is configured to receive a volume of air, the male coupling comprising:
a tapering outer surface extending between a widest fixed end and a narrowest distal tip, and a reservoir defined by an inner surface extending between a closed floor and an open distal end, the coupler tapering outer surface configured for removable sealing engagement with a female coupling tapering inner surface along the connection axis, the male coupler reservoir is configured to receive a volume of air; wherein, the male coupler tapering outer surface comprises at least one vent configured to permit an amount of the volume of air present in the male coupling reservoir and an amount of a volume of air present in a reservoir of the female coupling to escape during engagement between the male coupling and the female coupling, the at least one vent extending from the tapering outer surface distal tip towards the proximal end, the at least one vent is configured to provide a flow pathway between the male coupling tapering outer surface and the female coupling tapering inner surface to permit the volumes of air in the male and female couplings to escape therethrough.

23 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein the male coupler tapering outer surface comprises a plurality of the vents.

24 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a surface configured to be removed from engagement with the female coupling tapering inner surface during engagement between the male coupling and the female coupling.

25 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a groove recessed from the male coupler tapering outer surface.

26 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein the at least one vent comprises a texturized surface different from the male coupler tapering outer surface.

27 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein the at least one vent extends along a linear path relative to the connection axis.

28 . The male coupling of claim 22 , wherein t

Assignees

• Neomed Inc

Inventors

• Davis Benjamin M
• Doornbos David A

Classifications

• A61J15/0076

  Feeding pumps (A61M1/00, A61M5/142, A61M25/1018 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61J15/0096 Primary

  Provisions for venting · CPC title

• A61J7/0053

  Syringes, pipettes or oral dispensers · CPC title

• A61M39/10 Primary

  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

• A61M2039/205

  comprising air venting means · CPC title