Connector system and method of using same

• US 20060252298A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH (Sartorius AG)
• Original Assignee: Sartorius AG
• Inventors: Reif, Oscar-Werner, Biddel, Christopher, Lanyi, Colin Kalman, Kuhlmann, Winfried
• Granted Patent: US 7,678,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/405
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/16 having provision for disinfection or sterilisation A61M39/143 takes precedence; methods or apparatus for disinfection or sterilisation A61L2/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/18 Methods or apparatus for making the connection under sterile conditions, i.e. sterile docking
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/44 sterile
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/26 in which the connection is made by transversely moving the parts together, with or without their subsequent rotation

Abstract

A connector system (10) for producing a sterile connection includes a fluid conduit (32), an engagement device (14, 22) designed to engage with a complementary engagement device (16, 24) of a complementary connector (12), a displacement device (26) with a substantially plane displacement surface (30) and a fluid conduit aperture (60) which extends through the displacement surface (30) and is connected to the fluid conduit (32), with the displacement device (26) being designed to displace the connector (12) and the complementary connector (12) relative to one another in a displacement direction (40) after the engagement device (14, 22) has engaged with the complementary engagement device (16, 24), and with the displacement direction (40) being substantially parallel to the displacement surface (30), and a sterile cover device (20, 74) designed to cover at least the fluid conduit aperture (60) in a sterile manner. The invention also relates to a method of use of the connector system (10) and of the complementary connector (12) for sterile connection of a fluid inlet of the connector (10) to a fluid outlet of the complementary connector.

Claims

1. A connector system (10) for producing a sterile connection between a fluid inlet of a connector and the fluid inlet of a complementary connector comprising:

a fluid conduit (32) of the connector;

an engagement device (14, 22) of the connector designed to engage with a complementary engagement device (16, 24) of the complementary connector (12);

a displacement device (26) with a substantially plane displacement surface (30) and a fluid conduit aperture (60) which extends through the displacement surface (30) and is connected to the fluid conduit (32) of the connector, the displacement device (26) being designed to displace the connector (12) and the complementary connector (12) relative to one another in a displacement direction (40) after the engagement device (14, 22) has engaged with the complementary engagement device (16, 24), said displacement direction (40) being substantially parallel to the displacement surface (30); and

a sterile cover device (20, 74) designed to cover at least the fluid conduit aperture (60) in a sterile manner.

2. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit (32) is movable along a locking direction (38) in order to engage with a complementary locking device (50, 80) of the complementary connector (12), the locking direction (38) being different than the displacement direction (40).

3. The connector system (10) as in claim 2, wherein the fluid conduit (32) is designed to be pretensioned counter to the locking direction (38).

4. The connector system (10) as in claim 2, wherein the fluid conduit (32) is designed to engage automatically with the complementary locking device (50, 80) when the connector (10) and the complementary connector (12) are arranged in a locking position.

5. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the sterile cover device (20, 74) comprises a displaceable surface cover (20) and/or a releasable edge cover (74).

6. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the displaceable surface cover (20) is designed to fix the locking device (32) along the locking direction (38).

7. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the releasable edge cover (74) covers, in a sterile manner, one end of the displaceable surface cover that comes into contact with the complementary connector (12) substantially with a form fit.

8. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the releasable edge cover (74) covers one end of the connector (10) that is designed to come into contact with an end of a surface cover (18) of the complementary connector (12).

9. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the displaceable surface cover (20) is in planar contact with the displacement surface (30).

10. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit (32) is designed to ensure leaktight contact of the connector (10) to the complementary connector (12).

11. The connector system (10) as in claim 1, wherein the connector (10) can be connected to a contained in a leaktight manner.

12. The method of use of a connector (10) and of a complementary connector (12) for sterile connection of a fluid inlet of the connector (10) to a fluid outlet of the complementary connector (12), comprising the steps of:

making ready a connector (10) and a complementary connector (12) in each case configured as in claim 1;

bringing the engagement device (14, 22) of the connector (10) into engagement with the complementary engagement device (16, 24) of the complementary connector (12); and

displacing the connector (10) relative to the complementary connector (12) along the displacement direction (40).

13. The method of use of a connector (10) and of a complementary connector (12) for sterile connection of a fluid inlet of the connector (10) to a fluid outlet of the complementary connector (12) as in claim 12, with the further step:

locking the fluid conduit (32) of the connector (10) to the complementary locking device (50, 80) of the complementary connector (12).

14. The method of use of the connector (10) and of the complementary connector (12) for sterile connection of a fluid inlet of the connector (10) to a fluid outlet of the complementary connector (12) as claimed in claim 13, wherein, prior to the step of locking the fluid conduit (32) of the connector (10) to the complementary locking device (50, 80) of the complementary connector (12), a step is performed involving removing the sterile covers (18, 20, 74, 78).