Syringe tip cap

• US 6,027,482 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Imbert, Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn Wood
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN TUONG
• Application Number:
  US08/847,840
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 604/111, 604/206, 604/240, 604/241-243, 604/256, 604/533, 604/192, 604/534, 604/905, 215/248, 215/296, 215/318
• US Class Current: 604/256
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3104 Caps for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3134 characterised by constructional features of the distal end, i.e. end closest to the tip of the needle cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/344 using additional parts, e.g. clamping rings or collets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/50 having means for preventing re-use, or for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile retractable needles or needle protectors with means for preventing re-use A61M5/321
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile

Abstract

A tip cap is provided for positive sealing engagement with the tip of a syringe barrel. The tip cap includes an inner cap formed from an elastomeric material dimensioned for sealing engagement with the tip of the syringe barrel. The tip cap further includes an outer cap engaged with the inner cap to limit or prevent both axial movement and rotational movement therebetween. The outer cap includes an array of threads for threaded engagement with a luer collar. The luer collar may be a separate component mountable to a syringe barrel or an integral part of the syringe barrel.

Claims

1. A tip cap assembly for use with a hypodermic syringe barrel having a fluid-receiving chamber and a distally projecting tip with a fluid passageway extending therethrough, said tip cap assembly comprising:

a collar securely engageable around the tip;

an inner cap having opposed proximal and distal ends, with said proximal end sealingly engageable with the tip, said inner cap being formed of an elastomeric material, at least a portion of said inner cap intermediate said proximal and distal ends includes an annular undercut;

a rigid outer cap having an open distal end to accept said inner cap with said rigid outer cap securely disposed around said inner cap and releasably engaged with said collar, said rigid outer cap including at least one inwardly extending annular rib disposed and dimensioned to engage in said annular undercut in said inner cap surface; and

said assembly being configured so that said inner cap sealingly engages the tip when said collar is securely engaged around the tip to seal a fluid contained in the fluid-receiving chamber of the syringe barrel, and said inner cap is disengageable from the tip in response to disengagement of said rigid outer cap from said collar.

2. The tip cap assembly of claim 1, wherein said collar includes needle mounting means for releasably engaging a needle assembly, said outer cap being releasably engageable with said needle mounting means of said collar.

3. The tip cap assembly of claim 2, wherein the needle mounting means of said collar comprises an array of threads, said outer cap comprising thread means for releasable threaded engagement with said threads of said collar.

4. The tip cap assembly of claim 1, wherein said inner and outer caps include means for preventing relative rotational movement therebetween.

5. The tip cap assembly of claim 1, wherein distal portions of the annular rib are chamfered to facilitate deflection of the inner cap during assembly of the inner cap and the rigid outer cap.

6. The tip cap assembly of claim 1, further comprising tamper indicator means extending between said collar and said outer cap for indicating separation of said outer cap from said collar.

7. The tip cap of claim 1, wherein said inner cap includes a cylindrically shaped side wall defining a cavity to accept said tip and a vent aperture in said side wall for preventing generation of a vacuum during removal of said tip cap assembly from said tip.

8. A tip cap assembly for use with a hypodermic syringe barrel having a fluid-receiving chamber and a distally protecting tip with a fluid passage extending therethrough and a luer collar concentrically surrounding the tip, the luer collar including an array of internal threads for threadingly engaging a needle hub, said tip cap comprising:

a resilient inner cap and having opposed proximal and distal ends, said proximal end defining a tip enpaging portion for sealingly engaging the tip to seal a fluid contained in the fluid-receiving chamber of said syringe barrel, wherein said proximal end of said inner cap includes a cylindrically shaped side wall defining a cavity for accepting said tip and a vent conduit in said side wall for minimizing suction during removal of said inner cap from said tip; and

a rigid outer cap securely engaged around at least portions of said inner cap, said outer cap having an array of external threads threadably engageable with the threads of the luer collar such that said outer cap securely and releasably retains said inner cap in sealing engagement with the tip.

9. The tip cap assembly of claim 8, wherein said inner and outer cap include means for limiting relative rotational movement between said inner and outer caps.

10. The tip cap assembly of claim 9, wherein the means for limiting relative rotational movement comprises interdigitated axially aligned anti-rotation ribs on said inner and outer caps, respectively.

11. The tip cap assembly of claim 8, wherein said inner and outer caps further include means for limiting relative axial movement therebetween.

12. A tip cap assembly for a glass syringe barrel having a fluid-receiving chamber and a distally projecting tip with a fluid passage extending therethrough, said tip cap assembly comprising:

a luer collar formed from a thermoplastic material and having means for securely locking said luer collar to said tip, said luer collar having an array of internal threads in spaced concentric relationship around said tip;

a resilient inner cap having opposed proximal and distal ends, said proximal end being configured for sealingly engaging said tip to seal a fluid contained in the fluid-receiving chamber of the syringe barrel, said proximal end having at least one axially extending projection, portions of said inner cap intermediate said proximal and distal ends defining a locking surface; and

a rigid outer cap disposed in generally surrounding relationship to said inner cap, said outer cap including at least one axially extending projection engaged with said rib of said inner cap for controlling relative rotation between said inner and outer caps, said outer cap further comprising at least one surface engaged with said locking surface of said inner cap for preventing relative axial movement therebetween, and said outer cap comprising an array of external threads threadedly engaging said threads of said luer collar, said threads being disposed for urging said inner cap into tight sealing engagement with said tip in response to tightening of said outer cap to said luer collar whereby threaded disengagement of said outer cap from said luer collar disengages said inner cap from said tip.

13. A tip cap assembly for use with a hypodermic syringe barrel having a fluid-receiving chamber and a distally protecting tip with a fluid passage extending therethrough and a luer collar concentrically surrounding the tip, the luer collar including an array of internal threads for threadingly engaging a needle hub, said tip cap comprising:

a resilient inner cap and having opposed proximal and distal ends, said proximal end defining a tip engaging portion for scalingly engaging the tip to seal a fluid contained in the fluid-receiving chamber of said syringe barrel;

a rigid outer cap securely engaged around at least portions of said inner cap, said outer cap having an array of external threads threadably engageable with the threads of the luer collar such that said outer cap securely and releasably retains said inner cap in sealing engagement with the tip; and

said inner and outer caps further include means for limiting relative axial movement therebetween, with said means for limiting said relative axial movement comprises said outer cap including an annular rib and said inner cap including an annular groove engaged with said annular rib.