Aseptic connectors with integrated wireless connectivity

• US 10,639,237 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Corporation (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Pizzi, Vincent Francis, McCoy, Christopher Dakin
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jamel E
• Application Number:
  US16/130,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20200085689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 738665
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1475 Inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/14 for connecting tubes having sealed ends needle sets A61M5/162; having valves closing automatically on disconnection of line A61M39/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/18 Methods or apparatus for making the connection under sterile conditions, i.e. sterile docking
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/10 Indicators for correct coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/44 sterile
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/60 Identification or marking
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/10 with a pivoting or swinging pin

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aseptic connectors with integrated wireless connectivity. For example, an example system may include a removable clamp configured to secure a first portion of an aseptic connector to a second portion of the aseptic connector. The removable clamp may include a housing, a controller disposed within the housing, a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing, a wireless radio disposed within the housing, and a sensor plug receptacle configured to receive a sensor plug coupled to a sensor of the aseptic connector. The controller may be configured to determine a sensor output of the sensor and to transmit the output using the wireless radio.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a removable clamp configured to secure a first portion of an aseptic connector to a second portion of the aseptic connector, the removable clamp comprising;

a housing;

a controller disposed within the housing;

a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing;

a wireless radio disposed within the housing; and

a sensor plug receptacle configured to receive a sensor plug coupled to a sensor of the aseptic connector;

wherein the controller is configured to determine a sensor output of the sensor and to transmit the output using the wireless radio.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising the aseptic connector, wherein second portion of the aseptic connector is a connector body, and wherein the sensor is disposed within the connector body.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the aseptic connector is an insert portion, and wherein a fluid flows through the connector body to the insert portion.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a single use integrated sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is removably coupled to the connector body.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor plug is configured to detach from the sensor plug receptacle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable clamp further comprises a pivotable arm that is configured to pivot with respect to the housing.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the removable clamp further comprises a rotatable screw to secure the pivotable arm to the housing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to be inductively charged.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one or more of:

a pressure transducer, a temperature sensor, a flow meter sensor, or a conductivity sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to power the sensor, the controller, and the wireless radio.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless radio is a Bluetooth radio or a ZigBee radio.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and wherein the system further comprises a second sensor at the aseptic connector.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the output over a local area network.

15. A method comprising:

placing a first portion of an aseptic connector adjacent to a second portion of the aseptic connector, wherein the aseptic connector comprises a removable sensor coupled to the second portion;

clamping the first portion to the second portion using a removable clamp, wherein the removable claim comprises a housing, a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing, and a wireless radio disposed within the housing;

determining a sensor output of the removable sensor; and

transmitting the sensor output using the wireless radio.

16. An aseptic connector clamp system comprising:

an aseptic connector comprising;

an insert portion;

a connector body;

an integrated sensor coupled to the connector body, the integrated sensor coupled to a sensor plug;

a removable clamp configured to secure the insert portion to the connector body, the removable clamp comprising;

a housing;

a controller disposed within the housing;

a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing;

a wireless radio disposed within the housing; and

a sensor plug receptacle configured to receive the sensor plug.

17. The aseptic connector clamp system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine a sensor output of the integrated sensor and to transmit the output using the wireless radio.

18. The aseptic connector clamp system of claim 16, wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to be inductively charged.

19. The aseptic connector clamp system of claim 16, wherein the wireless radio is a Bluetooth radio or a ZigBee radio.

20. The aseptic connector clamp system of claim 16, wherein the aseptic connector is disposable.