Connection device with pre-slit seal

• US 5,961,497 A
• Filed: 10/29/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Inventors: Larkin, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn Wood
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadula, Jennifer R.
• Application Number:
  US08/967,193
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 604/88-91, 604/181-3, 604/200-2, 604/205, 604/236, 604/237, 604/240-2, 604/244, 604/246, 604/249, 604/256, 604/280, 604/283, 604/284, 604/905
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/045 pre-slit to be pierced by blunt instrument
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A connecting system is provided with a connector adapted to be mounted to the end of a conduit for removably engaging a blunt cannula to establish fluid communication between the conduit and cannula. The connector has a housing which defines a passage for communicating with the conduit and which defines an opening to the passage. The housing also defines a generally frustoconical seating surface which decreases in diameter in the direction toward the opening. A generally fluid-impervious, resilient seal is retained within the housing passage against the seating surface. The seal defines a slit which can accommodate penetration by the blunt cannula and which can reseal upon withdrawal of the blunt cannula.

Claims

1. A connector suitable for mounting to the end of a first conduit and for removably engaging another conduit to establish fluid communication between the first conduit and the other conduit, said connector comprising:

a housing defining a passage having first and second open ends and having a longitudinal axis, said first open end constructed for mounting to the end of a conduit, said housing defining a generally frustoconical seating surface located within said housing passage at said second open end and oriented around said longitudinal axis of said passage, said seating surface increasing in diameter in the direction away from said second open end, said frustoconical seating surface and said longitudinal axis of said passage defining an angle open in the direction away from said second open end, said housing further defining a peripheral retaining cavity located in the interior of said housing and between said seating surface and said first open end, said housing peripheral retaining cavity having a diameter greater than the largest diameter of said seating surface; and

a generally fluid-impervious, resilient seal retained within said housing passage against said seating surface, said seal defining a frustoconical surface generally conforming to, and engaged with, said seating surface, said seal defining a slit through said seal, said slit having first and second ends, said slit first end in fluid communication with said housing passage and said slit second end positioned within said passage second open end.

2. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the angle defined between said frustoconical seating surface and said longitudinal axis of said passage is an acute angle.

3. The connector in accordance with claim 2, wherein the acute angle defined between said frustoconical seating surface and said longitudinal axis of said passage is about 20 degrees.

4. A connector suitable for mounting to the end of a conduit and removably engaging a blunt cannula to establish fluid communication between the conduit and the blunt cannula, said connector comprising:

a first housing section defining first and second open ends and having a longitudinal axis, said first housing section defining a generally frustoconical seating surface that is located on the interior of said first housing section, surrounds said second open end, is oriented around said longitudinal axis of said first housing section and increases in diameter with increasing distance from said second open end, said first housing section further defining a peripheral retaining cavity located on the interior of said first housing section and between said seating surface and said first open end, said first housing section peripheral retaining cavity having a diameter greater than the largest diameter of said seating surface;

a generally fluid-impervious, resilient seal, said seal having a central body portion defining a frustoconical surface generally corresponding to, and in engagement with, said first housing section seating surface, said central body portion further defining a slit through said seal, said slit having first and second ends, said slit first end positioned within said first open end of said first housing section and said slit second end positioned within said second open end of said first housing section, said seal further including a mounting flange extending from said central body portion for being received in said first housing section peripheral retaining cavity; and

a second housing section joined to said first housing section, said second housing section defining an interior passage, said passage in fluid communication with said slit first end, said second housing section defining a generally annular engaging wall for holding said seal mounting flange in said first housing section peripheral retaining cavity, said second housing section annular engaging wall spaced radially inwardly of said first housing section peripheral retaining cavity and axially located adjacent at least part of said first housing section peripheral retaining cavity.

5. The connector in accordance with claim 4 in which said frustoconical seating surface and said longitudinal axis of said first housing section define an acute angle open in the direction away from said first housing section second open end.

6. The connector in accordance with claim 5, wherein the acute angle defined between said frustoconical seating surface and said longitudinal axis of said passage is about 20 degrees.