Closure assembly for a medical connector

• US 10,300,263 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Medical Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Timothy Brandon Hunt
• Inventors: Hunt, Timothy Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Nathan R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Tasnim Mehjabin
• Application Number:
  US15/056,503
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• 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 to be attached in flow restricting relation to a medical connector and removed therefrom utilizing a push-on and twist-off manipulation. The closure assembly comprises a cap having a preferably male flow restricting portion, wherein the cap is operatively disposed in removable, flow restricting attachment to a female medical connector. A plurality of segments collectively define a sidewall of the cap and are individually and collectively movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to at least the flow restricting portion and a medical connector attached thereto. The closed orientation comprises the plurality of segments disposed in covering, retaining relation to the attached medical connector and the open orientation comprises an outward disposition of the plurality of segments and an accessible, exposure of the flow restricting portion. A tamper evident structure may be operatively associated with a housing assembly of the closure assembly.

Claims

1. A closure assembly structured for attachment to a medical connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a cap including a flow restricting portion, said cap structured for direct, removable attachment to the medical connector,

a housing assembly including an access opening and a hollow interior dimensioned to receive said cap and the medical connector attached thereto,

said cap including a sidewall comprising at least one segment movably attached to a remainder of said cap,

said one segment being movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to said flow restricting portion,

said closed orientation comprising said one segment disposed in retaining relation with the medical connector, and

said sidewall and said at least one segment collectively and cooperatively dimensioned with said access opening to force movement of said at least one segment from said open orientation to said closed orientation upon passage of said cap through said access opening and into said hollow interior of said housing assembly.

2. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said closed orientation further comprises a remainder of said sidewall disposed in said retaining relation with the medical connector concurrently with said one segment.

3. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said one segment includes an interior surface cooperatively structured with an exterior of the medical connector to define said retaining relation as a substantially mating engagement between said one segment and the medical connector.

4. The closure assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said mating engagement comprises an at least partially threaded engagement.

5. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said sidewall comprises a plurality of segments hingedly connected to a remainder of said cap, said plurality of segments independently and collectively movable between said open and closed orientations.

6. The closure assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said closed orientation comprises said plurality of segments concurrently disposed in said retaining relation with the medical connector.

7. The closure assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein at least some of an interior surface is cooperatively structured with an exterior of the medical connector to define said retaining relation as a substantially mating engagement between respective ones of said plurality of segments and the medical connector.

8. The closure assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said retaining mating engagement comprises an at least partially threaded engagement.

9. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said open orientation comprises a movable, outwardly extended position of said one segment relative to said flow restricting portion and the medical connector connected to said cap.

13. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a retaining structure at least partially formed on an interior of said housing assembly, said retaining structure disposed in abutting, retaining engagement with an exterior of at least said one segment, when said cap is disposed within said housing assembly.

14. The closure assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said retaining structure is disposed in removal restricting relation to said cap when in said retaining engagement.

15. The closure assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said retaining structure is disposed out of said abutting, retaining engagement with said one segment upon a squeezing force being exerted on an exterior of said housing assembly.

16. The closure assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said flow restricting portion comprises a plug disposed within said cap and extending outwardly from a base of said cap into a flow restricting relation within a female flow port of the medical connector.

10. The closure assembly as recited in 1 wherein said cap comprises a base, said one segment hingedly connected to said base and movable relative thereto between said open and closed orientations.

11. The closure assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said one segment includes a length sufficient to extend continuously from said base to an open end of said cap disposed opposite to said base.

12. The closure assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said open orientation comprises said one segment disposed laterally outward from said base away from the flow restricting portion and the medical connector attached to said cap.

17. A closure assembly structured to be attached in flow restricting relation to a medical connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing assembly comprising a closure sleeve including an access opening,

a cap including a base and a flow restricting portion disposed on an interior of said cap;

said cap operatively disposed in removable, flow restricting attachment to the medical connector,

said cap including a plurality of segments collectively defining a sidewall of said cap;

said plurality of segments movably connected to said base,

said plurality of segments movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to said flow restricting portion and said base,

said closed orientation comprising said plurality of segments disposed in retaining relation with the medical connector when said medical connector is disposed in said flow restricting attachment with said cap, and

said plurality of segments collectively and cooperatively dimensioned with said access opening to force concurrent movement of said plurality of segments from said open orientation to said closed orientation, upon passage of said cap through said access opening, into said housing assembly.

18. The closure assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of segments includes a length sufficient to extend continuously from said base to an open end of said cap opposite to said base.

19. The closure assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said open orientation comprises said plurality of segments disposed laterally outward from said base away from the medical connector attached to said cap.

20. The closure assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of segments include an interior surface cooperatively structured with an exterior surface of the medical connector to define said retaining relation as a substantially mating engagement between each of said plurality of segments and the medical connector.

21. The closure assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein said mating engagement comprises an at least a partially threaded engagement.

22. The closure assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said housing further comprises a cover and said closure sleeve disposed within said cover;

a tamper evident structure removably connected to an exterior of said closure sleeve;

interior portions of said cover disposed in interruptive, disconnecting engagement with said tamper evident structure, upon removal of said closure sleeve, said cap and the attached medical connector, from said cover through an open end of said cover.

23. The closure assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said tamper evident structure comprises a continuously configured ring removably connected to an exterior surface of said closure sleeve.

24. The closure assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said flow restricting portion comprises a plug disposed within said cap and extending outwardly from said base thereof into a flow stopping relation to a female flow port of the medical connector.

25. A closure assembly structured to be attached in flow restricting relation to a medical connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing assembly comprising a closure sleeve including an access opening,

a cap including a base and a flow restricting portion disposed on an interior of said cap;

said cap operatively disposed in removable, flow restricting attachment to the medical connector,

said cap including a plurality of segments collectively defining a sidewall of said cap;

said plurality of segments movably connected to said base,

said plurality of segments movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to said flow restricting portion and said base,

said closed orientation comprising said plurality of segments disposed in retaining relation with the medical connector when said medical connector is disposed in said flow restricting attachment with said cap,

a retaining structure at least partially formed on an interior of said closure sleeve, and

said retaining structure disposed in abutting,

retaining engagement with an exterior of at least some of said plurality of segments, when said cap and the medical connector are disposed within said housing assembly.

26. The closure assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein said retaining structure is disposed in removal restricting relation to said cap when in said retaining engagement.

27. A closure assembly structured to be attached in flow restricting relation to a medical connector, said closure assembly comprising:

a housing assembly comprising a closure sleeve including an access opening,

a cap including a base and a flow restricting portion disposed on an interior of said cap;

said cap operatively disposed in removable, flow restricting attachment to the medical connector,

said cap including a plurality of segments collectively defining a sidewall of said cap;

said plurality of segments movably connected to said base,

said plurality of segments movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to said flow restricting portion and said base,

said closed orientation comprising said plurality of segments disposed in retaining relation with the medical connector when said medical connector is disposed in said flow restricting attachment with said cap, and

said cap and the medical connector attached thereto are freely rotatable, in opposite directions, within said housing assembly.

28. The closure assembly as recited in claim 27 wherein said cap is at least temporarily disposed in fixed relation to said closure sleeve, upon substantially opposing, squeezing forces being concurrently exerted on an exterior of said closure sleeve;

the medical connector being rotationally removed from the cap concurrent to said fixed relation between said closure sleeve and said cap.