Dual access spike for infusate bags

• US 20050277906A1
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Brugger, James, Buckler, Kenneth E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,470,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/162 Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube ; Connections between reservoir and tube in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/36 with means for eliminating or preventing injection or infusion of air into body dialysis systems, blood oxygenators A61M1/14; haemofiltration equipment A61M1/34; automatic tube cut-off A61M39/281

Abstract

A port spike for medical fluid containers, such as infusate bags, for example, provides two ports to permit recirculation of fluids within the container. The recirculating flow allows bubbles to settle out which can'"'"'t happen effectively if the flow is sucked out immediately after entering the container. The spike provides two openings inside the container which prevent such short-circuit flow by ensuring that fluid entering the container is not greatly affected by the suction zone of the flow leaving the container.

Claims

1. A multiple access container connector for use with fluid containers having elongated access extensions, comprising

a body with an elongated shaft with a base, a tip, and an inlet orifice at said tip and an outlet orifice;

said body having an inlet flow channel to couple for flow an inlet port at said base to said inlet orifice;

said body having an outlet flow channel to couple for flow an outlet port at said base to said outlet orifice;

said elongated shaft having a length to ensure said inlet orifice is insertable beyond said elongated access extension.

2. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

3. A connector as in claim 2, wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a progressively increasing cross-sectional area effective to ease a forcing of said connector through any obstacles in said elongated extension.

4. A connector as in claim 2, wherein said elongated shaft has a diameter that is too small to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

5. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said outlet opening is located at said base.

6. A connector as in claim 5, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

7. A connector as in claim 6, wherein said elongated shaft has a diameter that is too small to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

8. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said elongated shaft is such that a substantial cross sectional area difference between a lower point on said elongated shaft closer to said base and a higher point thereabove.

9. A connector as in claim 8, wherein said cross-sectional area at said higher point is greater due to a presence of a protrusion on said shaft.

10. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a conical surface that provides for a progressively increasing cross-sectional area of said body at said transition portion.

11. A connector as in claim 10, wherein said outlet orifice opens in said conical surface.

12. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a progressively increasing cross-sectional area effective to ease a forcing of said connector through any obstacles in said elongated extension, said outlet orifice opening a surface of said transition portion.

13. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said inlet flow channel is within said elongated shaft portion

a body with an elongated shaft with a base, a tip, and an inlet orifice at said tip and an outlet orifice;

said body having an inlet flow channel to couple for flow an inlet port at said base to said inlet orifice;

said body having an outlet flow channel to couple for flow an outlet port at said base to said outlet orifice;

said elongated shaft having a length to ensure said inlet orifice is insertable beyond said elongated access extension.

15. A connector as in claim 1, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and said inlet flow channel runs through both said elongated and base shaft portions while said outlet flow channel runs only within said base shaft portion.

14. A connector as in clam 1, wherein a substantial portion of said elongated shaft contains a single flow channel.

16. A connector for use with fluid containers having access ports with elongated necks, comprising:

a body constructed for coupling to a fluid container, a first fluid passage in the body, a second fluid passage in the body that does not communicate with the first fluid passage, a first assembly communicating with the first fluid passage and including a first fitting to releasably couple the first fluid passage to an outlet of a fluid circuit and to convey fluid only through the first fluid passage, and a second assembly communicating only with the second fluid passage and including a second fitting to releasably couple the second fluid passage to an inlet of the fluid circuit, whereby fluid can be circulated through the fluid container in a loop that includes the fluid circuit to collect in the fluid source air residing in the fluid circuit, said body having an elongated portion sufficiently long to ensure an outlet of said first fluid passage can reach into said fluid container and beyond a neck of said container.

17. A connector according to claim 16, wherein one end of the connector body is tapered to form a spike.

18. A connector according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second assemblies includes a luer fitting.

19. A connector according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second assemblies includes an in-line clamp.

20. A connector according to claim 16 wherein the first and second fittings are constructed and arranged to releasably couple the first assembly to the second assembly when the first and second fittings are disconnected, respectively, from the outlet and inlet of the fluid circuit.

21. A connector according to claim 16 further including a removable cap enclosing the body prior to use.

22. A connector according to claim 16 wherein the body includes a distal end communicating with the fluid source, wherein the first and second fluid passages each exits the distal end, and wherein the first fluid passage exits the distal end of the body at a higher gravity height that the second fluid passage exits the distal end.

23. A connector according to claim 16 wherein the body comprises a tubular member.

24. A connector according to claim 23 wherein the tubular member includes a distal end that forms a spike.

25. A connector according to claim 24 wherein the first fluid passage exits the distal end of the tubular member at a higher gravity height than the second fluid passage.

26. A connector as in claim 16, the The base of the body near the releasable connectors being wider than near the tip such that if the connector is not fully inserted in a port, the fluid will leak.

27. A multiple access container connector for use with fluid containers having elongated access extensions, comprising:

a body with an elongated shaft with a base, a tip, and an inlet orifice at said tip and an outlet orifice;

said body having an inlet flow channel to couple for flow an inlet port at said base to said inlet orifice;

said body having an outlet flow channel to couple for flow an outlet port at said base to said outlet orifice;

said elongated shaft having a length to ensure said inlet orifice is inserted to a position such that a substantial fraction of an outlet flow from said outlet orifice is not directly sucked back into said inlet orifice without said substantial faction being projected into a greater volume of said container, whereby short-circuit flow is avoided.

28. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

29. A connector as in claim 28, wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a progressively increasing cross-sectional area effective to ease a forcing of said connector through any obstacles in said elongated extension.

30. A connector as in claim 28, wherein said elongated shaft has a diameter that is too small to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

31. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said outlet opening is located at said base.

32. A connector as in claim 31, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of sad elongated access neck.

33. A connector as in claim 32, wherein said elongated shaft has a diameter that is too small to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck.

34. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said elongated shaft is such that a substantial cross sectional area difference between a lower point on said elongated shaft closer to said base and a higher point thereabove.

35. A connector as in claim 34, wherein said cross-sectional area at said higher point is greater due to a presence of a protrusion on said shaft.

36. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a conical surface that provides for a progressively increasing cross-sectional area of said body at said transition portion.

37. A connector as in claim 36, wherein said outlet orifice opens in said conical surface.

38. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and wherein a transition portion of said body between said elongated shaft and said base shaft is characterized by a progressively increasing cross-sectional area effective to ease a forcing of said connector through any obstacles in said elongated extension, said outlet orifice opening a surface of said transition portion.

39. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said inlet flow channel is within said elongated shaft portion

a body with an elongated shaft with a base, a tip, and an inlet orifice at said tip and an outlet orifice;

said body having an inlet flow channel to couple for flow an inlet port at said base to said inlet orifice;

said body having an outlet flow channel to couple for flow an outlet port at said base to said outlet orifice;

40. A connector as in claim 39, said elongated shaft having a length to ensure said inlet orifice is insertable beyond said elongated access extension;

41. A connector as in claim 27, wherein said body has a base shaft substantially coaxial with said elongated shaft and located at said base, said base shaft having a diameter large enough to provide a compression seal with an opening of said elongated access neck and said inlet flow channel runs through both said elongated and base shaft portions while said outlet flow channel runs only within said base shaft portion.