Antibacterial medical tubing connector

• US 5,536,258 A
• Filed: 02/14/1994
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fresenius USA Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius USA Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Folden, Thomas I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, CHALIN A
• Application Number:
  US08/196,974
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 604/264, 604/265, 604/283, 604/905, 285/331, 285/355, 285/390, 285/423, 215/344, 215/329
• US Class Current: 604/265
• 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 39/16 having provision for disinfection or sterilisation A61M39/143 takes precedence; methods or apparatus for disinfection or sterilisation A61L2/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

An antimicrobial tubing connector for medical procedures, especially for extracorporeal connections as in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis tubing sets. A male portion includes a central tube surrounded by a sleeve radially spaced apart from the central tube to define an annular space. A mating female portion includes a tubular body which receives the central tube of the male portion and which is received by the annular space. A set of O-ring seals and mating threads produces a secure fluid-tight connection. An antimicrobial agent such as silver is deposited on one or more of several surfaces, preferably by a durable process such as ion assisted deposition, to prevent touch contamination. Either or both of the male and female portions may be capped with a separate cap, which may also receive the antimicrobial agent.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting and establishing fluid communication between a first tubing segment and a second tubing segment, the connector comprising:

a first portion attachable to the first tubing segment, the first portion having a central tube with a radially inner surface for flowing a fluid therethrough, a radially outer surface and an end, and the first portion further having a sleeve extending around the central tube, the sleeve having a radially inner surface spaced radially apart from the central tube to define an annular space between the central tube and the sleeve;

a second portion attachable to the second tubing segment, the second portion having a tubular body with a radially inner surface to receive said first portion central tube and a radially outer surface which is received by said, annular space;

wherein an antimicrobial composition is on said radially inner surface of the central tube and said radially outer surface of the central tube, and at least one of said radially inner surface the sleeve, said radially inner surface of the tubular body, and said radially outer surface of the tubular body;

the first portion being detachably attachable to the second portion whereby the first tubing segment may be placed in fluid communication with the second tubing segment;

wherein said composition includes silver and is a coating applied by ion assisted deposition.

2. A connector for connecting and establishing fluid communication between a first tubing segment and a second tubing segment, the connector comprising:

a first portion attachable to the first tubing segment, the first portion having a central tube with a radially inner surface for flowing a fluid therethrough, a radially outer surface and an end, and the first portion further having a sleeve extending around the central tube, the sleeve having a radially inner surface spaced radially apart from the central tube to define an annular space between the central tube and the sleeve;

a second portion attachable to the second tubing segment, the second portion having a tubular body with a radially inner surface to receive said first portion central tube and a radially outer surface which is received by said annular space;

wherein an antimicrobial composition is on said radially inner surface of the central tube and said radially outer surface of the central tube, and at least one of said radially inner surface the sleeve, said radially inner surface of the tubular body, and said radially outer surface of the tubular body;

the first portion being detachably attachable to the second portion whereby the first tubing segment may be placed in fluid communication with the second tubing segment; and

;

a first O-ring seal positioned between the second portion and the first portion, wherein said first O-ring seal is on one of the radially outer surface of the central tube and the radially inner surface of the tubular body, sealingly engageable with the other of the radially outer surface of the central tube and the radially inner surface of the tubular body; and

a second O-ring seal positioned between the second portion and the first portion further resulting a fluid-tight seal therebetween.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the second O-ring seal is on one of the radially outer surface of the tubular body and the radially inner surface of the sleeve, to sealingly engage the radially outer surface of the second portion tubular body and the radially inner surface of the sleeve.

4. A connector for connecting and establishing fluid communication between a first tubing segment and a second tubing segment, the connector comprising:

a first portion attachable to the first tubing segment, the first portion having a central tube with a radially inner surface for flowing a fluid therethrough, radially outer surface and an end, and the first portion further having a sleeve extending around the central tube, the sleeve having a radially inner surface spaced radially apart from the central tube to define an annular space between the central tube and the sleeve;

a second portion attachable to the second tubing segment, the second portion having a tubular body with a radially inner surface to receive said first portion central tube and a radially outer surface which is received by said annular space;

wherein an antimicrobial composition is on said radially inner surface of the central tube and said radially outer surface of the central tube, and at least one of said radially inner surface the sleeve, said radially inner surface of the tubular body, and said radially outer surface of the tubular body;

the first portion being detachably attachable to the second portion whereby the first tubing segment may be placed in fluid communication with the second tubing segment; and

a cap for capping said first portion, the cap being attachable to the first portion and having a tubular body with a radially inner surface to receive said first portion central tube and a radially outer surface which is received by said annular space.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein an antimicrobial composition including silver is on at least one of the radially inner surface of the cap tubular body and the radially outer surface of the cap tubular body.

6. A connector for connecting and establishing fluid communication between a first tubing segment and a second tubing segment, the connector comprising:

a first portion attachable to the first tubing segment, the first portion having a central tube with a radially inner surface for flowing a fluid therethrough, a radially outer surface and an end, and the first portion further having a sleeve extending around the central tube, the sleeve having a radially inner surface spaced radially apart from the central tube to define an annular space between the central tube and the sleeve;

a second portion attachable to the second tubing segment, the second portion having a tubular body with a radially inner surface to receive said first portion central tube and a radially outer surface which is received by said annular space;

wherein an antimicrobial composition is on said radially inner surface of the central tube and said radially outer surface of the central tube, and at least one of said radially inner surface the sleeve, said radially inner surface of the tubular body, and said radially outer surface of the tubular body;

the first portion being detachably attachable to the second portion whereby the first tubing segment may be placed in fluid communication with the second tubing segment;

wherein the first portion includes a set of threads and the second portion includes a set of mating threads to threadably connect and disconnect the first portion and the second portion.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the radially outer surface of the tubular body includes a set of threads and the radially inner surface of the sleeve includes a set of mating threads.