Detachable fluid transfer device accessory and a fluid transfer assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975753-B1
Application number	US-201715498091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2017
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

Detachable fluid transfer device accessories and fluid transfer assemblies are provided. The device accessories can include an upper extension defining a lower engagement surface; a lower extension defining an upwardly extending protrusion; a connector portion extending between the upper extension and the lower extension; and a resilient engagement member coupled to the lower engagement surface of the body. The upper extension, the lower extension, and the connector portion can collectively define a cavity configured to receive a tab assembly of a fluid transfer device, where the upwardly extending protrusion is configured to engage a housing of the fluid transfer device, and the resilient engagement member is configured to engage an upper surface of the tab assembly to retain the tab assembly in a fixed configuration relative to the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detachable fluid transfer device accessory, comprising:
a body, comprising:
an upper extension defining a lower engagement surface;
a lower extension defining an upwardly extending protrusion; and
a connector portion extending between the upper extension and the lower extension; and

a resilient engagement member coupled to the lower engagement surface of the body,
the upper extension, the lower extension, and the connector portion collectively defining a cavity configured to receive a tab assembly of a fluid transfer device,
the upwardly extending protrusion being configured to engage a housing of the fluid transfer device,
the resilient engagement member being configured to engage an upper surface of the tab assembly to retain the tab assembly in a fixed configuration relative to the housing.

2. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the upper extension defines a plurality of ridges.

3. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the connector portion opposite from the cavity is concave.

4. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the connector portion of the body defines a plurality of ridges.

5. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the lower extension of the body defines a slot.

6. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 5 , wherein the slot is defined between the protrusion and a rib extending from one or both of the lower extension and the connector portion of the body.

7. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the resilient engagement member comprises an O-ring.

8. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 7 , wherein the lower engagement surface of the upper extension defines a post configured to receive the O-ring thereon.

9. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 8 , wherein a height of the O-ring is greater than a height of the post.

10. The detachable fluid transfer device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a substantially rigid material.

11. A fluid transfer assembly, comprising:
a fluid transfer device, comprising:
a plurality of tab assemblies;
a housing defining a plurality of chambers respectively receiving one of the tab assemblies,
each of the tab assemblies being moveable with respect to the housing between an extended configuration and a depressed configuration, the depressed configuration allowing flow of a fluid through the fluid transfer device; and
a detachable fluid transfer device accessory configured to releasably clamp one of the tab assemblies and the housing to retain the one of the tab assemblies in the depressed configuration.

12. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 11 , wherein the detachable fluid transfer device accessory comprises a body and a resilient engagement member coupled thereto,
the resilient engagement member being configured to engage an upper surface of the one of the tab assemblies,
the body being configured to engage the housing.

13. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the body comprises an upwardly extending protrusion configured to engage the housing.

14. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises a retaining cap defining a recess and the upwardly extending protrusion is configured to engage the recess in the retaining cap.

15. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the body comprises:
an upper extension defining a lower engagement surface coupled to the resilient engagement member;
a lower extension defining an upwardly extending protrusion; and
a connector portion extending between the upper extension and the lower extension.

16. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upper extension, the lower extension, and the connector portion collectively define a cavity configured to receive the one of the tab assemblies of the fluid transfer device.

17. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the connector portion opposite from the cavity is concave.

18. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 15 , wherein an upper surface of the upper extension defines a plurality of ridges.

19. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer surface of the connector portion of the body defines a plurality of ridges.

20. The fluid transfer assembly of claim 11 , wherein the detachable fluid transfer device accessory is configured to completely decouple from fluid transfer device.

Assignees

• Allpure Tech Llc
• Sartorius Stedim North America Inc

Inventors

• Zumbrum Michael A
• Perdue Kevin M

Classifications

• B67D7/0288 Primary

  Container connection means (for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0829) · CPC title

• B67D7/78

  Arrangements of storage tanks, reservoirs or pipe-lines · CPC title

• B01L3/563

  Joints or fittings; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors · CPC title

• G01N1/10

  in the liquid or fluent state {(burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00)} · CPC title

• B01L2200/141

  Preventing contamination, tampering · CPC title