Needleless connector with in-line filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020297987-A1
Application number	US-202016822759-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 24, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Needleless connectors are described herein. A needleless connector includes a housing comprising a cavity and a proximal fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity. The connector further includes a filter support disposed at least partially within the cavity. The filter support can include a distal fluid port in fluid communication with the proximal fluid port. The connector further includes a filter disposed circumferentially around the filter support and between the proximal fluid port and the distal fluid port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A needleless connector, comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity and a proximal fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity; a filter support disposed at least partially within the cavity, the filter support comprising a distal fluid port in fluid communication with the proximal fluid port; and a filter disposed circumferentially around the filter support and between the proximal fluid port and the distal fluid port.

2 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a conical shape.

3 . The needleless connector of claim 2 , wherein a distal end of the filter comprises a first radius and a proximal end of the filter comprises a second radius, and the first radius is greater than the second radius.

4 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises an average filter opening of 0.2 microns.

5 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the filter is expandable.

6 . The needleless connector of claim 5 , wherein a proximal end of the filter comprises an expandable radius.

7 . The needleless connector of claim 6 , wherein the proximal end of the filter radially expands away from the filter support.

8 . The needleless connector of claim 6 , wherein the proximal end of the filter is in contact with a circumferential rib of the filter support.

9 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the filter support comprises a rigid material.

10 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the filter support comprises a plurality of axial ribs to support the filter.

11 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible valve element disposed within the cavity to selectively permit flow between the proximal fluid port and the distal fluid port.

12 . A needleless connector, comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity and a proximal fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity; a filter support disposed at least partially within the cavity, the filter support comprising a distal fluid port in fluid communication with the proximal fluid port, the housing and the filter support defining a flow path between the proximal fluid port and the distal fluid port; and a filter disposed around the filter support, wherein the filter is selectively removed from the flow path.

13 . The needleless connector of claim 12 , wherein a distal end of the filter comprises a first radius and a proximal end of the filter comprises a second radius, and the first radius is greater than the second radius.

14 . The needleless connector of claim 12 , wherein the filter comprises a conical shape.

15 . The needleless connector of claim 12 , wherein the filter is expandable to be removed from the flow path.

16 . The needleless connector of claim 15 , wherein a proximal end of the filter comprises an expandable radius to remove the filter from the flow path.

17 . The needleless connector of claim 16 , wherein the proximal end of the filter radially expands away from the filter support.

18 . A method to selectively filter a fluid flow, the method comprising:
introducing a first fluid flow from a first fluid port into a needleless connector; directing the first fluid flow through a filter disposed within the needleless connector; and directing the first fluid flow to a second fluid port out of the needleless connector.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
introducing the second fluid flow from the second fluid port into the needleless connector; bypassing the filter disposed within the needleless connector; and directing the second fluid flow to the first fluid port out of the needleless connector.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising radially expanding the filter via the second fluid flow.

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Mansour George
• Paloyan James

Classifications

• A61M39/0208 Primary

  Subcutaneous access sites for injecting or removing fluids (transcutaneous access sites A61M39/0247; implantable infusion devices A61M5/14276) · CPC title

• A61M2005/1652

  Filter with duct, e.g. filtering element incorporated in a flow line, tube, duct · CPC title

• A61M2205/7563

  with means preventing clogging of filters · 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

• A61M39/22

  Valves or arrangement of valves {(A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405)} · CPC title