Components of a fluid transfer apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021077354-A1
Application number	US-202017104574-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2020
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Mar 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system having a syringe and a connector. A proximal end of an outer housing of the connector is a specially designed female Luer element. A distal end of an outer housing of the connector is configured to connect the syringe to a component of a fluid transfer apparatus. The syringe and the connector are configured to be joined together such that they can be swiveled relative to each other around their common longitudinal axis. Once connected together, any attempt to twist the syringe or connector relative to each other in either a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction will result in endless swiveling about their common longitudinal axis. In other words, once the system is connected together, the syringe cannot be disconnected from the connector.

First claim

1 . A system comprised of a syringe and a connector, wherein;
a) a proximal end of an outer housing of the connector is a specially designed female Luer element and a distal end of an outer housing of the connector is configured to connect the syringe to a component of a fluid transfer apparatus; b) the syringe and the connector are configured to be joined together such that they can be swiveled relative to each other around their common longitudinal axis; and, c) once connected together, any attempt to twist the syringe or connector relative to each other in either a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction will result in endless swiveling about their common longitudinal axis; the system characterized in that, once connected together, the syringe cannot be disconnected from the connector.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a mechanical arrangement structured to allow uni- and bi-directional swiveling of the syringe attached to the connector, the mechanical arrangement comprising:
at least one tooth near the top of the inside wall of the proximal end of a housing of the connector; a support structure, which comprises a seat for an O-ring and a recess to accommodate the lower end of a Luer element; and at least one tooth created on the top of a horizontal flange near the bottom of the support structure; and
a female Luer element with external threads to which a male Luer element at the tip of the syringe is connected; the bottom of the female Luer element comprising an upper flange and a lower flange with an annular space between them and at least one tooth on the lower surface of the lower flange;
wherein, the teeth near the top of the inside wall of a housing of the connector are configured to hold the female Leur element inside the top of the connector;
wherein, the teeth on the support structure of the housing of the connector have a triangular shape with an upper surface that slopes upwards in a counterclockwise direction and ends at a vertical back surface and the teeth on the bottom of the lower flange of the female Luer element have an upper surface that slopes upwards in a clockwise direction and ends at a vertical back surface;
wherein the teeth are located and oriented on their respective flanges such that if the female Luer element and the attached syringe are turned relative to the connector housing in the counterclockwise direction, then the sloping surfaces of the teeth on both flanges will slide over each other allowing the rotation to be carried out in this direction and if the female Luer element and the attached syringe are turned relative to the connector housing in the clockwise direction, then the vertical surfaces on the teeth on both flanges will butt up against each other preventing relative motion between the female Luer element and connector housing in this direction;
wherein, the connector comprises a space between the bottom of the teeth near the top of the inside wall of the proximal end of the housing of the connector and the top of the upper flange of the female Luer element, which allows the female Luer element to be lifted the height of this space, whereupon the teeth on the support structure of the housing are vertically separated from the teeth on the bottom of the lower flange of the female Luer element so that they can't interact with each other, thereby allowing the female Luer element and the attached syringe to be rotated clockwise relative to the connector housing.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the syringe and the connector are configured to form a factory assembled unit; wherein:
the syringe comprises a throat at the bottom of the syringe that comprises an upper and a lower flange with an annular space between them; and
the connector has a housing comprising at least one tooth projecting inwards from near the top of the inner wall of the proximal end of the housing;
wherein, the distal end of the syringe and the proximal end of the housing are manufactured from plastic that will flex when they are pushed together with sufficient force, thereby allowing the lower flange to pass the at least one tooth until the at least one tooth is located in the annular space; thereby holding the syringe and the connector together, thereby allowing the syringe and connector to be swiveled relative to each other in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions around their common longitudinal symmetry axis.

Assignees

• Equashield Medical Ltd

Inventors

• Kriheli Marino

Classifications

• A61M2039/1077

  Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors · CPC title

• A61M2005/3121

  via the proximal end of a syringe, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle cannula mounting end · CPC title

• A61M2005/3101

  Leak prevention means for proximal end of syringes, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle mounting end · 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

• A61M5/3135 Primary

  characterised by constructional features of the proximal end · CPC title