Medical connector
First Claim
1. A luer connector comprising:
- a first housing member comprising a first end, a second end, and a first connector engagement portion configured to engage a first connector and positioned at the first end; and
a second housing member comprising;
a first component defining a first cylindrical surface including at least one engaging surface, the first component being coupled to the first housing member so as to be inhibited from rotating relative to the first housing member,a second component defining a second cylindrical surface including at least one engaging surface, the second cylindrical surface being generally co-axially aligned with and adjacent to the first cylindrical surface, the second component being supported by the first component and comprising a second connector engagement portion configured to engage a second connector,a first arrangement in which the at least one engaging surface of the second component is configured to interact with the at least one engaging surface of the first component to inhibit the second component from rotating in either a first direction or a second direction relative to the first housing member, anda second arrangement in which either the at least one engaging surface of the second component or the at least one engaging surface of the first component is configured to permit the second component to substantially freely rotate in either the first direction or the second direction relative to the first housing member after a predetermined amount of manual torque is applied to the second component relative to the first housing member,wherein the first direction is defined as a direction that permits the second connector to threadably engage the second component and the second direction is defined as a direction that permits the second connector to threadably disengage the second component, andwherein the second housing member is configured to change from the first arrangement to the second arrangement when the second connector is further rotated in the first direction beyond a point at which the second connector is substantially fully engaged with the second housing member.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A luer connector including a rigid housing having a first end and a second end. The housing further including a rigid tubular male portion at the first end, a rigid tubular female portion at the second end, and a longitudinal opening therethrough. The male portion is configured to be engageable with a female connector. The female portion is configured to be engageable with a male connector and to prevent the disengagement of the male connector from the female portion. In some embodiments, the female portion is configured to maintain a fixed rotational position when the male connector is being threaded therewith, but to rotate with the male connector once the male connector has become fully engaged with the female portion so as to prevent the male connector from becoming unthreaded from the female portion.
439 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A luer connector comprising:
-
a first housing member comprising a first end, a second end, and a first connector engagement portion configured to engage a first connector and positioned at the first end; and a second housing member comprising; a first component defining a first cylindrical surface including at least one engaging surface, the first component being coupled to the first housing member so as to be inhibited from rotating relative to the first housing member, a second component defining a second cylindrical surface including at least one engaging surface, the second cylindrical surface being generally co-axially aligned with and adjacent to the first cylindrical surface, the second component being supported by the first component and comprising a second connector engagement portion configured to engage a second connector, a first arrangement in which the at least one engaging surface of the second component is configured to interact with the at least one engaging surface of the first component to inhibit the second component from rotating in either a first direction or a second direction relative to the first housing member, and a second arrangement in which either the at least one engaging surface of the second component or the at least one engaging surface of the first component is configured to permit the second component to substantially freely rotate in either the first direction or the second direction relative to the first housing member after a predetermined amount of manual torque is applied to the second component relative to the first housing member, wherein the first direction is defined as a direction that permits the second connector to threadably engage the second component and the second direction is defined as a direction that permits the second connector to threadably disengage the second component, and wherein the second housing member is configured to change from the first arrangement to the second arrangement when the second connector is further rotated in the first direction beyond a point at which the second connector is substantially fully engaged with the second housing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of engaging a first medical implement having a luer connector comprising:
-
providing a luer connector, the luer connector comprising; a first housing member having a first end, a second end, and a first connector engagement portion configured to engage a first connector, a second housing member comprising a second connector engagement portion configured to engage a second connector, and a locking element configured to engage the second connector engagement portion to inhibit the second connector engagement portion from rotating relative to the first housing member, wherein the locking element is configured to disengage the second connector engagement portion so that the second connector engagement portion is substantially free to rotate relative to the first housing member when a threshold torque is applied to the second connector engagement portion in a first direction relative to the first housing member, and wherein the first direction is defined as a direction that causes the second connector to substantially engage the second connector engagement portion; axially aligning the second connector against the second connector engagement portion; and twisting the second connector relative to the second connector engagement portion in the first direction to apply a torque to the second connector engagement portion relative to the first housing member to cause the second connector to fully engage with the second connector engagement portion and cause the locking element to disengage the second connector engagement portion, wherein the torque is at least equal to the threshold torque. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification