Antiseptic Line Cap

• US 20120302997A1
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Excelsior Medical Corporation (ICU Medical Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Excelsior Medical Corporation (ICU Medical Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gardner, Christopher E., Anderson, William, Lin, Bruce Nanyung
• Granted Patent: US 9,867,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/162 with antiseptic agent incorporated within the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/165 Shrouds or protectors for aseptically enclosing the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/20 Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes

Abstract

An antiseptic cap assembly for use with a connector includes a cap with a base and an annular portion extending from the base. The annular portion defines a first chamber having an open end. The cap is made of an absorbent material. The antiseptic cap assembly also includes a cap holder having a generally cylindrical sidewall defining a second chamber sized to receive the cap.

Claims

1. An antiseptic cap for use with a connector, comprising:

a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a chamber having an open end, the cap being made of an absorbent material.

2. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the cap is made of porous plastic material.

3. The antiseptic cap of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the cap includes an antiseptic fluid.

4. The antiseptic cap of claim 3, wherein the annular portion includes a plurality of threads.

5. The antiseptic cap of claim 4, wherein the annular portion includes a rim defining the open end, the annular portion being tapered such that the annular portion narrows from the rim toward the base.

6. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the annular portion is hydrophilic, and the base is hydrophobic.

7. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a center plug extending from the base and positioned within the annular portion of the cap.

8. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a center insert integrally connected therewith, the center insert protruding from the base of the cap, and positioned within the annular portion of the cap.

9. The antiseptic cap of claim 8, wherein the center insert is made from a porous plastic material.

10. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, further comprising an antiseptic chamber attached to the base of the cap, the antiseptic chamber including a continuous sidewall and an end wall.

11. The antiseptic cap of claim 10, wherein the antiseptic chamber includes an absorbent material configured to retain an antiseptic fluid.

12. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the annular portion is coated with an antiseptic material, the annular portion configured to release the antiseptic material when compressed.

13. The antiseptic cap of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a second annular portion made of an absorbent material, the second annular portion being substantially concentric with the annular portion.

14. An antiseptic cap assembly for use with a connector comprising:

a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a first chamber having an open end, the cap being made of an absorbent material; and

a cap holder having a generally cylindrical sidewall defining a second chamber sized to receive the cap.

15. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap is made of porous plastic material.

16. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the cap includes an antiseptic fluid.

17. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 15, wherein the base of the cap includes a substantially flat surface and an outer flange.

18. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 15, wherein the annular portion includes a plurality of threads.

19. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 17, wherein the cap includes an annular sidewall extending from the outer flange of the cap and being substantially concentric with the annular portion.

20. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 19, wherein the cap holder includes an outer flange protruding radially outwardly from the sidewall, the outer flange defining an open end.

21. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 20, wherein the cap holder includes a retainer sized to retain the cap, the retainer including a shoulder extending from the outer flange of the cap holder and an arm extending radially inward from the shoulder.

22. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 21, wherein the cap holder includes a pair of recessed areas configured to grip the cap.

23. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 20, wherein the cap holder includes a notch in the outer flange, the notch configured to be attached to a supporting surface.

24. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap includes a center insert integrally connected therewith, the center insert protruding from the base of the cap, and positioned within the annular portion of the cap.

25. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 24, wherein the center insert is made from a porous plastic material.

26. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap includes a center plug extending from the base and positioned within the annular portion of the cap.

27. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 26, wherein the center plug is made of non-porous plastic material.

28. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 27, wherein the center plug is hydrophobic.

29. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap holder includes an inner-facing flange extending radially outwardly from the sidewall.

30. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap includes a plurality of teeth with angled faces and generally perpendicular faces, and the cap holder includes a plurality of teeth configured to interact with the teeth of the cap.

31. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 30, wherein the cap holder includes a retaining mechanism sized to retain the cap in the cap holder.

32. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap holder includes a center plug positioned within the annular portion of the cap.

33. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the annular portion is coated with an antiseptic material, the annular portion configured to release the antiseptic material when compressed.

34. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, further comprising a clip sized to removably secure the cap holder to a supporting surface.

35. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, further comprising a hook sized to removably secure the cap holder to a supporting surface.

36. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, further comprising a horseshoe-shaped clip sized to removably secure the cap holder to a supporting surface.

37. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 14, wherein the cap holder includes an adhesive and a release sheet sized to cover the adhesive.

38. An antiseptic cap assembly for use with a connector comprising:

a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a first chamber having an open end, at least a portion of the cap including an antiseptic material, the at least portion of the cap configured to release the antiseptic material when compressed.

39. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 38, further comprising a cap holder having a generally cylindrical sidewall defining a second chamber sized to receive the cap.

40. The antiseptic cap assembly of claim 39, wherein the cap is made of porous plastic material.

41. An antiseptic cap for use with a connector, comprising:

a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a chamber having an open end and having an inner surface; and

an antiseptic material coated onto the inner surface of the annular portion.

42. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, further comprising an antiseptic coating on an external surface of the annular portion.

43. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material comprises a metal.

44. The antiseptic cap of claim 43, wherein the metal is silver.

45. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material comprises an alcohol.

46. The antiseptic cap of claim 45, wherein the alcohol is isopropyl alcohol.

47. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material comprises chlorhexidine.

48. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the cap is made of an absorbent material.

49. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the cap comprises porous plastic material, bonded fiber, cotton, silicone, urethane, polyester, or cellulose.

50. The antiseptic cap of claim 49, wherein the porous plastic material comprises a polymer.

51. The antiseptic cap of claim 50, wherein the polymer comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon.

52. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the annular portion includes a plurality of threads.

53. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the annular portion includes a rim defining the open end, the annular portion being tapered such that the annular portion narrows from the rim toward the base.

54. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material is coated onto the cap by immersion of the cap into an antiseptic solution.

55. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material is coated onto the cap by spray coating the inner surface of the cap with an antiseptic solution.

56. The antiseptic cap of claim 41, wherein the antiseptic material is coated onto the cap by blending an antiseptic solution or material into a polymeric material and forming the cap therefrom.

57. An antiseptic cap for use with a connector, comprising:

a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a chamber having an open end and having an inner surface; and

an antiseptic material impregnated into the cap.

58. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the impregnated antiseptic material is present on an external surface of the annular portion.

59. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the impregnated antiseptic material is present on the inner surface of the annular portion.

60. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the cap is made of an absorbent material.

61. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the annular portion includes a plurality of threads.

62. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the annular portion includes a rim defining the open end, the annular portion being tapered such that the annular portion narrows from the rim toward the base.

63. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the antiseptic material is impregnated into the cap by blending an antiseptic solution or material into a polymeric material and forming the cap therefrom.

64. The antiseptic cap of claim 57, wherein the antiseptic cap is molded from a resin and the antiseptic material is added to the resin for molding into the antiseptic cap.

65. A method of making an antiseptic cap for use with a connector, comprising:

molding a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a chamber having an open end and having an inner surface; and

coating an antiseptic material onto the inner surface of the annular portion.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising coating an antiseptic material onto an external surface of the annular portion.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the step of coating the antiseptic material comprises immersing the cap into an antiseptic solution.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein the step of coating the antiseptic material comprises spraying an antiseptic solution onto the inner surface of the cap.

69. A method of making an antiseptic cap for use with a connector, comprising:

mixing an antiseptic material into a resin to form a mixture; and

molding the mixture into a cap having a base and an annular portion extending from the base, the annular portion defining a chamber having an open end and having an inner surface, the antiseptic material impregnated into the cap.