Axially engaging medical connector system with diminished fluid remnants

• US 10,697,570 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2018
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Fangrow, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Murphy, Kevin F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waddy, Jonathan J
• Application Number:
  US16/185,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20190078712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 137614, 13761404, 2511491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1066 having protection means, e.g. sliding sleeve to protect connector itself, shrouds to protect a needle present in the connector, protective housing, isolating sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/262 having a fluid space within the valve remaining the same upon connection and disconnection, i.e. neutral-drawback valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/263 where the fluid space within the valve is decreasing upon disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/18 Methods or apparatus for making the connection under sterile conditions, i.e. sterile docking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/00 Joints with fluid cut-off means quick-acting joints with cut-off means F16L37/28
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/04 with a cut-off device in each of the two pipe ends, the cut-off devices being automatically opened when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/34 at least one of the lift valves being of the sleeve type, i.e. a sleeve is telescoped over an inner cylindrical wall
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/35 at least one of the valves having an axial bore

Abstract

A connector system for medical fluid includes a male connector and a female connector that have a closed configuration when detached from one another. The first end of the male connector is configured to mate with a first end of the female connector. When the male connector is coupled with the female connector, complementary structures engage to move seals away from ports in the male connector and the female connector, opening a fluid pathway through the connectors. The mating ends of the connectors are not exposed to the medical fluid when the connectors are coupled so that when the connectors are disconnected, the mating ends are substantially free of residual medical fluid.

Claims

1. A medical connector system comprising:

a first medical connector comprising;

a first region comprising a female portion;

a second region comprising a male portion;

a first engagement structure;

a resilient seal disposed at a distal end of the male portion; and

a valve member moveable within the male portion of the first medical connector between a closed position and an opened position; and

a second medical connector comprising;

a female region configured to receive the male portion of the first medical connector;

a second engagement structure;

a fluid conduit; and

a resilient seal element disposed at a proximal end of the second medical connector, the seal element being moveable between a closed configuration and an opened configuration;

wherein the first and second medical connectors are configured to be securely attached together by moving the first and second medical connectors toward each other in a substantially linear motion without requiring rotation;

wherein, when the first and second medical connectors are attached, the resilient seal of the first medical connector is configured to sealingly contact the seal element of the second medical connector, and the engagement structures of the first medical connector and the second medical connector produce an audible sound; and

wherein a size and shape of a distal end of the valve member of the first medical connector corresponds with a size and shape of a proximal end of the fluid conduit of the second medical connector to resist the accumulation of fluid remnants on mating ends of the connectors after disconnection.

2. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein one of the valve member and the fluid conduit includes a protrusion and the other of the valve member and the fluid conduit includes a recess that corresponds in size and shape to the protrusion.

3. The medical connector system of claim 1 further comprising a release structure configured to release the engagement structure of the first medical connector from the engagement structure of the second medical connector, enabling the first medical connector to be decoupled from the second medical connector.

4. The medical connector system of claim 3 wherein the release structure is a button.

5. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein after the first medical connector is decoupled from the second medical connector there is no residual fluid on the mating ends.

6. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein any negligible amount of residual fluid remaining on an external surface of either of the first or second medical connectors after decoupling is small enough as to present no significant functional disadvantages or health hazards in the particular application in which the connector system is employed.

7. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein the male portion is not a luer.

8. The medical connector system of claim 7, wherein a proximal opening in the female region of the second medical connector is not luer-compatible.

9. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein the male portion is a luer.

10. The medical connector system of claim 9, wherein a proximal opening of a housing in the second medical connector is luer-compatible.

11. The medical connector system of claim 1, wherein the valve member has an internal fluid pathway configured to receive medical fluid.

12. The medical connector system of claim 1, further comprising a shroud on the first medical connector.

13. The medical connector system of claim 12, wherein the engagement structure of the first medical connector is part of the shroud.

14. The medical connector system of claim 13, wherein the shroud of the first medical connector extends completely around the male portion.

15. A medical connector system configured to facilitate medical fluid transfer and containment, the medical connector system comprising:

a first medical connector comprising;

a first region comprising a female portion;

a second region comprising a shroud and a male portion;

an engagement structure;

a resilient seal disposed at a distal end of the male portion; and

a valve member with a distal mating surface, the valve member being moveable within the male portion of the first medical connector between a closed position and an opened position, a portion of the valve member being disposed within the resilient seal in the closed position and the valve member being configured to be moved proximally within the male portion into the opened position, the valve member being biased toward the closed position; and

a second medical connector comprising;

a female region configured to receive the male portion of the first medical connector;

an engagement portion on an external surface;

a fluid conduit; and

a resilient seal element disposed at a proximal end of the second medical connector, the seal element being moveable between a closed configuration and an opened configuration;

wherein the first and second medical connectors are configured to be securely attached together by moving the first and second medical connectors toward each other in a substantially linear motion without requiring rotation;

wherein, when the first and second medical connectors are attached, the resilient seal of the first medical connector is configured to sealingly contact the seal element of the second medical connector, and the shroud of the first medical connector extends over the female region of the second medical connector until the engagement structure of the first medical connector engages with the engagement portion on the second medical connector, producing an audible sound; and

wherein a size and shape of a distal end of the valve member of the first medical connector corresponds with a size and shape of a proximal end of the fluid conduit of the second medical connector to resist the accumulation of fluid remnants on mating ends of the connectors after disconnection.

16. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the engagement structure of the first medical connector comprises a movable hook, the engagement portion of the second medical connector comprises a channel, and wherein the medical connector system further comprises a release structure with a tab configured to release the hook from the channel.

17. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein a proximal end of the fluid conduit is exposed to a region outside of the second medical connector when the first medical connector and the second medical connector are disconnected.

18. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the first medical connector and second medical connector can rotate with respect to each other while securely attached.

19. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the valve member of the first medical connector has an interior fluid passageway.

20. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the shroud of the first medical connector comprises a continuous circular band at a distal end of the first medical connector.

21. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the distal end of the male portion of the first medical connector is recessed proximally from a distal end of the shroud of the first medical connector.

22. The closed medical connector system of claim 21, wherein a proximal end of the seal element of the second medical connector is generally flush with the proximal end of the second medical connector in the closed configuration.

23. The closed medical connector system of claim 15, wherein the first region of the first medical connector in an initial stage of use does not rotate with respect to the second region of the first medical connector.

24. The closed medical connector system of claim 23, wherein the first medical connector transitions from the initial stage of use to a stage of use in which the first region and the second region rotate with respect to each other by breaking a tab.