Break-apart tubing connectors for use in dialysis blood tubing sets

• US 6,322,551 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gambro Renal Products, Inc. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gambro, Inc. (DaVita Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brugger, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anhtuan T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, LoAn H.
• Application Number:
  US09/350,824
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 604/264, 604/523, 604/533, 604/535, 604/538, 604/905, 604/4.01, 604/6.16, 138/118, 138/120, 138/155
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36224 with sensing means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362261 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362262 Details of incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362266 Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1061 Break-apart tubing connectors or couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/221 Frangible or pierceable closures within tubing A61M39/14 takes precedence; frangible closures for containers A61J1/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A connector for use in a dialysis tubing set in which the venous and arterial tubing connector ends are integrally molded into a one break-apart connector, such that the connector ends may be easily broken apart to form two distinct connector ends. Prior to use in a dialysis procedure, the connector ends are separated into two distinct connector ends by a manual snap breakage of the coupled connector ends at a line of weakness or partially scored portion of the integrally molded break-apart connector. Once separated from each other through manual separation of the connector, each connector end is connected to respective ports on the same medical apparatus. In this invention, the connector ends themselves are preferably each made in the respective color that corresponds to the color of either of the respective ports on the medical device.

Claims

1. A tubing set for connection to a medical device comprising:

a first tubing segment;

a second tubing segment;

and a connector connecting said first tubing segment to said second tubing segment;

said connector comprising

a first connector end connected to said first tubing segment;

a second connector end connected to said second tubing segment;

whereby said first and second connector ends are connected to each other with a weakened area disposed between the first and second connector ends whereby the weakened area can be broken for disconnection of the first and second connector ends from each other so that each of said first and second connector ends may be connected to a medical device;

the first connector end and the second connector end further comprising a luer type configuration which are each connectable to a corresponding luer type connection mechanism on a medical device.

2. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein the weakened area comprises a scored portion.

3. The tubing set of claim 2 wherein the scored portion extends partially around the circumference of the connector.

4. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein the connector is a one piece molded apparatus.

5. The tubing set of claim 1 whereby each of said first and second connector ends is color coordinated to correspond to the respective connection mechanism on the medical device.

6. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein the connector is of a plastic material.

7. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein the medical device is a needle or cannula for attachment to a patient.

8. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein said first tubing segment comprises an arterial segment and said second tubing segment comprises a venous segment and wherein said tubing set is comprised of a first arterial connector end and a second venous connector end.

9. The tubing set of claim 1 wherein the medical device is a dialyzer.

10. A breakapart connector for connecting tubing to a medical apparatus, said connector comprising a first connector end connectable to a first tubing segment and a second connector end connectable to a second tubing segment said first and second connector ends being integrally connected to each other and a weakened area between the first and second connector ends whereby the weakened area can be broken for disconnection of the first and second connector ends from each other so that each respective connector end may be connected to a medical apparatus;

wherein each of the first and second connector ends each comprise a luer type connection configuration which is connectable to a corresponding luer type connection mechanism on the respective medical device.

11. The connector of claim 10 wherein the connector is a one piece molded device.

12. The connector of claim 10 whereby the first and second connector ends are color coordinated to correspond to respective male connectors on a medical device.

13. The connector of claim 10 wherein the connector is of a plastic material.

14. The connector of claim 10 wherein the weakened area comprises the portion between the first and second connector ends that extends at least partially around the circumference of the connector.

15. A method for separating two tubing segments connected to each other by a connector having a weakened area for connection of each tubing segment to a medical apparatus the method comprising;

breaking the connector into first and second connector ends;

attaching each connector end on each tubing segment to a respective medical apparatus;

wherein each connector end has a luer connector configuration and the step of attaching comprises attaching each connector end through the luer connector.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of breaking comprises breaking along the weakened area to control the location of the break.

17. A method for separating two tubing segments connected to each other by a connector having a weakened area for connection of each tubing segment to a medical apparatus the method comprising;

breaking the connector into first and second connector ends;

attaching each connector end on each tubing segment to a respective medical apparatus;

wherein the step of attaching further comprises attaching each connector end to respective parts of a dialyzer.

18. A method for separating two tubing segments connected to each other by a connector having a weakened area for connection of each tubing segment to a medical apparatus the method comprising;

breaking the connector into first and second connector ends; and

attaching each connector end on each tubing segment to a respective medical apparatus;

wherein the step of attaching further comprises attaching each connector end to a needle or cannula for attachment to a patient.