Tamper indicating closure assembly

• US 10,183,129 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Device Engineering, LLC
• Original Assignee: Medical Device Engineering, LLC
• Inventors: Vitello, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flick, Jason E
• Application Number:
  US14/519,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 604111
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1083 having a plurality of female connectors, e.g. Luer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/20 Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile

Abstract

A closure assembly structured for use with a female connector and being operative to indicate an attempted tampering or access thereto. A flow restrictor is movably and removably disposed within a housing and includes a male connector such as, but not limited to, a male luer connector comprising a plug disposed and structured to be inserted in flow restricting engagement within an interior port of the female connector. An indicator member is removably connected to an interior of the housing in surrounding relation to the flow restrictor and a drive assembly associated with both the flow restrictor and the housing is operable to dispose the male plug into the inserted, flow restricting engagement within the female connector. Attempted removal of the housing from the female connector, such as by an applied axial force, will detach the indicator member from the housing and expose it in a visually observable position on the flow restrictor, thereby indicating attempted access.

Claims

1. A closure assembly for a female connector structured to indicate attempted access to the female connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing including an at least partially hollow interior and a closed end portion,

a flow restrictor movably disposed within said housing and structured for connection to the female connector,

said flow restrictor including a casing having an exterior surface comprising a plurality of curved segments and a plurality of flat segments,

said flow restrictor including a male plug member dimensioned and configured for insertion and flow restricting engagement within an interior port of the female connector,

said casing disposed in surrounding at least partially spaced relation to said plug member;

said casing cooperatively structured with the female connector to establish said connected relation therewith, and

said flow restrictor and said housing cooperatively structured for concurrent rotational and axial movement of said male plug into said inserted, flow restricting engagement with the female connector.

2. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least two of said plurality of flat segments are oppositely disposed to one another along said exterior surface of said flow restrictor.

3. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of flat segments is disposed between an adjacent two of said plurality of curved segments.

4. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of flat segments and said plurality of curved segments collectively surround at least a portion of a remainder of said flow restrictor.

5. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising an indicator member fixedly and removably connected within said housing and detachable therefrom upon removal of said housing from said flow restrictor.

6. The closure assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said indicator member comprises an annular configuration disposed in surrounding relation to at least a portion of said flow restrictor on an interior of said housing.

7. The closure assembly as recited in claim 6 further comprising at least one frangible connector disposed in removable, interconnecting relation between an interior surface of said housing and an exterior surface of said indicator member.

8. The closure assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said indicator member is retained in surrounding relation to an exterior of said flow restrictor upon removal of said housing from said flow restrictor and connection of said flow restrictor to the female connector.

9. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a drive assembly disposed on both said closed end portion and said flow restrictor and cooperatively structured therewith to facilitate rotation of said flow restrictor in only one direction upon predetermined rotation of said housing relative to the female connector.

10. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a threaded portion disposed on an interior surface thereof, said threaded portion disposed and configured to define a threaded engagement of said flow restrictor upon rotation of said male plug relative to the female connector.

11. The closure assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said male plug is disposed within and extends outwardly from said casing in a centrally disposed, substantially coaxial relation thereto.

12. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said male plug is disposed within and extends outwardly from said casing in a centrally disposed, substantially coaxial relation thereto.

13. The closure assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said male plug is dimensioned and configured to define a fluid seal within the interior port of the female connector when disposed in said inserted, flow restricting engagement within the interior port of the female connector.

14. A closure assembly for a female connector structured indicate attempted access to the female connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing including an at least partially hollow interior and a closed end portion,

a flow restrictor movably disposed within said housing and structured for connection to the female connector,

said flow restrictor including a male plug member dimensioned and configured for insertion in flow restricting engagement within an interior port of the female connector,

said flow restrictor including a casing having an exterior surface comprising a plurality of curved segments and a plurality of flat segments,

said casing further including an interior surface disposed in surrounding, spaced relation to said plug member,

said interior surface of said casing cooperatively structured with an exterior of the female connector to establish a connection therebetween,

said male plug member disposed within and extending outwardly from said casing in a centrally disposed coaxial relation to said interior surface, and

said flow restrictor and housing cooperatively structured for concurrent rotational and axial movement of said male plug member into said inserted, flow restricting engagement with the female connector.

15. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of flat segments is disposed between and adjacent two of said plurality of curved that segments.

16. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein at least two of said plurality of flat segments are oppositely disposed relative to one another along said exterior surface of said flow restrictor.

17. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said plurality of flat segments and said plurality of curved segments collectively surround at least a portion of a remainder of said flow restrictor.

18. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said drive assembly comprises a first drive segment mounted on said closed end portion and a second drive segment mounted on a portion of said flow restrictor disposed in confronting relation with said closed end portion.

19. The closure assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said first and second drive segments are cooperatively structured to rotate said flow restrictor and said plug in only one direction upon said rotation of said housing.

20. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said casing includes a threaded portion disposed on said interior surface thereof, said threaded portion disposed and configured to define a threaded engagement of the flow restrictor with the female connector upon said concurrent rotation and axial movement of said plug.

21. A closure assembly for a female luer connector structured to indicate attempted access to the female luer connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing including an at least partially hollow interior and a closed end portion and an open end disposed in communicating relation with said hollow interior,

an indicator member fixedly and removably connected within said housing and detachable therefrom,

a flow restrictor movably retained within said housing between said closed end portion and said indicator member,

said flow restrictor including a male luer connector comprising a plug, said plug disposed and structured for inserted, flow restricting engagement within an interior port of the female luer connector,

said flow restrictor further including a casing having an interior surface disposed in surrounding, spaced relation to said plug;

said casing further including an exterior surface comprising a plurality of curved segments and a plurality of flat segments,

said interior surface of said casing cooperatively structured with an exterior of the female luer connector to establish a connection therebetween,

said plug disposed within and extending outwardly from said casing in a centrally disposed coaxial relation to said interior surface,

a drive assembly disposed on both said closed end portion and said flow restrictor and cooperatively structured therewith to facilitate rotation of said flow restrictor in only one direction upon a predetermined rotation of said housing relative to the female connector, and

said housing and said flow restrictor cooperatively structured for concurrent rotational and axial movement of said plug into said inserted flow restricting engagement within the interior port of the female connector, upon said predetermined rotation of said housing.

22. The closure assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein each of said plurality of flat segments is disposed between and adjacent two of said plurality of curved segments.

23. The closure assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein at least two of said plurality of flat segments are oppositely disposed relative to one another along said exterior surface of said flow restrictor.

24. A closure assembly structured to indicate attempted access, said closure assembly comprising:

a female connector associated with an apparatus for administering intravenous fluids to a patient and including an interior port,

a housing including an at least partially hollow interior and a closed end portion,

a flow restrictor movably disposed within said housing and structured for connection to said female connector,

said flow restrictor including a casing having an exterior surface comprising a plurality of curved segments and a plurality of flat segments,

said flow restrictor further including a male plug member dimensioned and configured for insertion in flow restricting engagement within said interior port of said female connector,

said casing having an interior surface disposed in surrounding, spaced relation to said plug member;

said interior surface cooperatively structured with an exterior of said female connector to establish a connection therebetween, and

said flow restrictor and housing cooperatively structured for concurrent rotational and axial movement of said male plug into said inserted, flow restricting engagement with said female connector.

25. The closure assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein each of said plurality of flat segments is disposed between and adjacent two of said plurality of curved that segments.

26. The closure assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein at least two of said plurality of flat segments are oppositely disposed relative to one another along said exterior surface of said flow restrictor.

27. The closure assembly as recited in claim 26 wherein said plurality of flat segments and said plurality of curved segments collectively surround at least a portion of a remainder of said flow restrictor.