Tubing connector apparatus and method

• US 3,976,311 A
• Filed: 10/15/1974
• Issued: 08/24/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ray E. Spendlove
• Original Assignee: Ray E. Spendlove
• Inventors: Spendlove, Ray E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Moshe I.
• Application Number:
  US05/514,360
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 285/260, 285/117, 285/119, 285/423, 285/DIG. 2, 285/331, 285/133 R, 285/376, 285/138, 285/353, 285/401, 285/402, 285/357, 285/360, 285/361, 285/316, 138/89 X, 128/349 R, 128/349 B, 128/334 C, 128/348, 128/350 R, 128/247, 128/295, 128/283, 128/349 BV, 128/DIG. 5, 46/88, 46/90, 220/4 B, 220/38.5, 339/36, 339/16
• US Class Current: 285/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/162 with antiseptic agent incorporated within the connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/901 Cap closures

Abstract

A tubing connector having two couplings, each coupling including a central stub tube and a spaced, concentric housing. Each coupling is adapted to be placed on a tubing end with each stub tube in fluid communication therewith. The couplings join to form the connector while the stub tubes telescopically mate to provide fluid communication through the connector and the housings telescopically mate to isolate the mated stub tubes in a spaced enclosure. Each coupling is provided with a closure which includes a cap and a stopper. The stopper seals the stub tube while the cap telescopically mates with the housing to isolate the sealed stub tube in a spaced enclosure. The closures are dimensionally configurated to mate while the couplings are mated to form the connector.

Claims

1. A tubing connector comprising:

a first coupling comprising;

a diametrally enlarged, cylindrical first housing having an open end and a closed end;

a first stub tube coaxial with the housing, the first stub tube being integral with the housing and providing fluid communication through the closed end of the first housing; and

means accommodating attachment of the first coupling to one fluid conduit so as to provide fluid communication between the one fluid conduit and the first stub tubing;

a second coupling comprising;

a diametrally enlarged, cylindrical second housing having an open end and a closed end, the second housing accommodating matingly at its open end the open end of the first housing to thereby provide a sealed enclosure;

a second stub tube coaxial with the second housing, the second stub tube being integral with the second housing and providing fluid communication through the closed end of the second housing; and

means accommodating attachment of the second coupling to another fluid conduit so as to provide fluid communication between the other fluid conduit and the second stub tube; and

the first housing and first stub tube of the first coupling being dimensionally configurated to telescopically mate with the second housing and second stub tube of the second coupling, respectively, the mated stub tubes providing fluid communication between the first and second tubing ends and the mated first and second housings isolating the mated stub tubes in a sealed, diametrally spaced annular enclosure.

2. A tubing connector as defined in claim 1 wherein each coupling has tethered thereto a closure, each closure comprising a diametrally enlarged cap and a coaxial stopper within the cap, the closures being dimensionally configurated to telescopically mate with the corresponding coupling to which it is tethered.

3. A tubing connector as defined in claim 2 wherein each closure has a planar annulus of absorbent material circumscribing the base of the stopper.

4. A tubing connector as defined in claim 3 wherein the absorbent material is impregnated with a germicidal agent.

5. A tubing connector as defined in claim 2 wherein the stoppers are adapted to telescopically mate when the caps of the closures are mated.

6. A tubing connector as defined in claim 2 wherein the stoppers are recessed within the caps and do not mate when the caps of the closures are mated.

7. A tubing connector as defined in claim 1 wherein each stub tube is recessed within each respective housing so as to substantially minimize accidental contamination of the stub tubing when the couplings are uncoupled.

8. A tubing connector as defined in claim 1 wherein a planar annulus of absorbent material is placed in each coupling around the base of the stub tube.

9. A tubing connector as defined in claim 8 wherein the absorbent material is impregnated with a germicidal agent.

10. A tubing connector comprising:

a first coupling comprising a diametrally enlarged housing, a coaxial first stub tube within the housing, the coupling having an axial bore accommodating attachment of the first coupling to one fluid conduit so as to provide fluid communication between the one fluid conduit and the first stub tube;

a second coupling comprising a diametrally enlarged housing, a coaxial second stub tube within the housing, the second coupling having an axial bore accommodating attachment of the second coupling to one other fluid conduit so as to provide fluid communication between the other fluid conduit and the second stub tube, each of the couplings having an annular space separating the stub tube from the housing;

a first closure tethered to the first coupling and comprising a cap mateable with the first housing and a coaxial stopper within the cap, the stopper being adapted to plug the first stub tube; and

a second closure tethered to the second coupling and comprising a cap mateable with the second housing and a coaxial stopper within the cap, the stopper being adapted to plug the second stub tube, the first and second closures having dimensionally configurated housings which telescopically mate.

11. A tubing connector as defined in claim 10 wherein each of the housings form an annular space about each stub tube and a planar, annulus of absorbent material is disposed in the annular space about the base of each stub tube.

12. A tubing connector as defined in claim 10 wherein each of the caps forms an annular space about each stopper and a planar, annulus of absorbent material is disposed in the annular space about the base of each stopper.

13. A method for accommodating joinder and separation of first and second conduits while minimizing contamination, comprising the steps of:

obtaining first and second conduits, an end of the first conduit being joined in fluid communication with an end of the second conduit through a connector comprising a first and a second coupling;

affixing a first coupling to the end of the first conduit and a second coupling to the end of the second conduit, each coupling comprising a diametrally enlarged housing coaxial with a diametrally reduced stub tube;

mating the stub tubes to provide fluid communication between the first and second conduits through the mated stub tubes while simultaneously isolating the mated stub tubes in a diametrally spaced enclosure formed by telescopically mating the housings; and

tethering a closure to each of the couplings, each closure having a diametrally enlarged cap which is dimensionally configurated to telescopically mate with the other cap, each cap also being dimensionally configurated to telescopically mate with the housing of the coupling to which it is tethered, each closure having a coaxial plug within the cap for sealing the respective stub tube when the closure is mated with the coupling.