Sterile connection device for making multiple connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440396-B2
Application number	US-201414309305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 19, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

System, method and apparatus for making a plurality of sterile connections between a plurality of pairs of thermoplastic tubes. A first receiver receives a first tube, a second receiver receives second and third tubes, and a third receiver receives a fourth tube. The first and second receivers are movable to place clamped and heated ends of first and second tubes into contact and the second and third receivers are movable to place clamped and heated ends of third and fourth tubes into contact.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for making a plurality of sterile connections between a plurality of pairs of thermoplastic tubes, the system comprising:
a first receiver for receiving a first tube, a first clamping system including a first tube heater associated with the first receiver;
a second receiver for receiving second and third tubes, a second clamping system including a second tube heater associated with the second receiver;
a third receiver for receiving a fourth tube, a third clamping system including a third tube heater associated with the third receiver;
the first, second and third tube heaters being separate from one another;
the first receiver and second receiver being relatively movable to place clamped and heated ends of first and second tubes into contact to form an integral bond between them; and
the second receiver and third receiver being relatively movable to place clamped and heated ends of third and fourth tubes into contact to form an integral bond between them.

2. The system of claim 1 in which each clamping system includes at least one clamp that is co-movable with the respective receiver with which is associated and at least one clamp that does not move with the respective receiver, whereby movement of the receiver exerts a tensile and/or a shear force on a tube clamped between such clamps of such respective system to sever such tube.

3. The system of claim 2 in which at least one of the first and second receivers and at least one of the second and third receivers is rotatable about an axis of rotation.

4. The system of claim 2 in which each of the receivers is rotatable about its own axis of rotation.

5. The system of claim 2 in which the tube heater of each clamping system comprises a heating element carried by at least one of the clamps of such system for heating a clamped tube.

6. The system of claim 2 in which the tube heater of each clamping system comprises at least one of the clamps of such system defining a high frequency voltage electrode.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the first clamping system includes at least one clamp that is co-movable with the first receiver and at least one clamp that does not move with the first receiver, the second clamping system includes at least one clamp that is co-movable with the second receiver and at least two clamps that do not move with the second receiver, and the third clamping system includes at least one clamp that is co-movable with the third receiver and at least one clamp that does not move with the third receiver.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the at least one clamp of the second clamping system that is co-movable with the second receiver is also movable between a position for clamping a second tube and a position for clamping a third tube.

9. The system of claim 1 in which each of the receivers is configured to move a respective tube between a heating position and a bonding position.

10. The system of claim 1 in which each of the first, second and third receivers has a respective axis of rotation and each of the first and second receivers is relatively movable rotatably and laterally relative to their respective axis of rotation and the second and third receivers are relatively movable rotatably and laterally relative to their respective axis of rotation.

11. A device for sterile connection of tubes comprising:
first, second and third tubing receivers, each being rotatable about its own axis of rotation, the first receiver including a first clamp system rotatable therewith, the second receiver including a second clamp system rotatable therewith and the third receiver including a third clamp system rotatable therewith;
a first relatively stationary clamp system associated with the first receiver, a second relatively stationary clamp system associated with the second receiver, and a third relatively stationary clamp system associated with the third receiver;
the first receiver, first rotatable clamping system and first stationary clamping system being configured to receive and clamp a first tube; the second receiver, second rotatable clamping system and second stationary clamping system being configured to receive and clamp a second tube and a third tube, and the third receiver, third rotatable clamping system and third stationary clamping system being configured to receive and clamp a fourth tube;
a first heater for heating a separation region of a first clamped tubing, a second heater for heating a separation region of a second clamped tubing, a third heater for heating a separation region of a third clamped tubing, and a fourth heater for heating a separation region of a fourth clamped tubing;
the respective rotatable and stationary clamping systems being relatively movable to separate the respective tubing clamped therebetween in the separation region;
the first and second receivers being relatively rotatable about their respective axis of rotation to place heated ends of separated first and second tubes in mechanical contact to form an integral bond with one another and the second and third receivers being relatively rotatable about the respective axis of rotation to place heated ends of separated third and fourth tubes in mechanical contact to form an integral bond with one another.

12. The system of claim 11 in which at least one of the first stationary and first rotatable clamping systems includes the first heater, at least one of the second stationary and second rotatable clamping systems includes the second heater, at least one of the third stationary and third rotatable clamping systems includes the third heater.

13. The system of claim 12 in which each heater comprises a high frequency voltage electrode.

14. The system of claim 11 in which the relatively rotatable and stationary clamping systems are also movable laterally to a respective axis of rotation.

15. The system of claim 11 in which each of the receivers comprises a disc having a disc surface on which respective tube or tubes are received and each disc is rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to the surface of such disc.

16. The system of claim 15 in which the axes of rotation of the discs are substantially parallel.

17. The system of claim 15 in which the discs of the first receiver and the second receiver are substantially adjacent and the discs of the second receiver and the third receiver are substantially adjacent, whereby relative rotation between the discs of the first and second receivers will bring clamped ends of first and second tubes into contact and relative rotation between the discs of the second and third receivers will bring the clamped ends of third and fourth tubes into contact.

18. The system of claim 17 in which the disc of the second receiver is rotatable in one direction to bring a second tube into contact with a first tube and is rotatable in the opposite direction to bring a third tube into contact with a fourth tube.

19. The system of claim 18 including a rotary drive member and a linkage connecting the drive member to the receiver discs, the linkage being operable upon rotation of the drive member to shift the discs laterally between a position wherein the discs of the first and third receivers are spaced apart from the disc of the second receiver and a position wherein the first and third discs are more closely adjacent to the disc of the second receiver.

20. A system for making a plurality of sterile connections between a plurality of pairs of thermoplastic tubes, the system comprising:
a firs

Assignees

• Fenwal Inc

Inventors

• Kusters Benjamin E
• Min Kyungyoon

Classifications

• B29C65/203

  being several single mirrors, e.g. not mounted on the same tool · CPC title

• A61M39/14

  for connecting tubes having sealed ends {(needle sets A61M5/162; having valves closing automatically on disconnection of line A61M39/26)} · CPC title

• B29C65/04

  Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding {, i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC} · CPC title

• B29C66/857 Primary

  Medical tube welding machines · CPC title

• B29L2023/007

  Medical tubes other than catheters (catheters B29L2031/7542) · CPC title