Penetrator for a container occluded by a stopper

• US 6,610,041 B2
• Filed: 04/01/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Verlee, Donald, Moore, John K., Norman, John S., Hellstrom, Steven P., Tanner, John C. II, Karas, Peter J., Daubert, Richard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Application Number:
  US09/282,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 604/90-93, 604/249, 604/283, 604/441, 604/412, 604/414, 604/415, 604/905, 604/93.01, 604/523, 215/247, 215/249, 215/250, 141/329, 141/330, 206/219, 206/222
• US Class Current: 604/415
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/10 Coring prevention means, e.g. for plug or septum piecing members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A penetrator for penetrating a stopper sealing an opening in a container. The penetrator includes a stamped piece of sheet material formed to define a shank having a length. A groove extends along the length of the shank. The shank has a pointed distal. The stamped piece of sheet material further includes a bearing plate extending from the shank at a proximal end opposite the distal end of the shank.

Claims

1. A penetrator for being slidably disposed in a cavity of a housing over a stopper that occludes the mouth of a container, and for penetrating said stopper upon movement of the penetrator into said stopper, said penetrator comprising:

a stamped piece of sheet material formed to define a shank having a length and a pointed distal end, an external groove extending from said pointed distal end and along said length of said shank;

said stamped piece of sheet material further formed to define a bearing plate extending from said shank at a proximal end opposite said distal end of said shank.

2. A penetrator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stamped piece of sheet material is further formed to define a support post extending from said shank, said support post having an upper end portion constructed to contact and to support said bearing plate defined by said stamped piece of sheet material.

3. A penetrator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said shank is defined by two legs oriented in a generally V-shaped configuration.

4. A penetrator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stamped piece of sheet material further defines a first guide wall extending from said shank intermediate said distal end and said bearing plate, said stamped piece of sheet material further defining a second guide wall extending from said shank intermediate said distal end and said bearing plate.

5. The penetrator of claim 1 wherein the groove defines a concave surface along a side of the shank.

6. The penetrator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the external groove defines a flow path between the housing and the container.

7. A penetrator for being slidably disposed in a cavity of a housing over a stopper occluding a mouth of a container, and for penetrating the stopper upon movement of the penetrator into the stopper, said penetrator comprising:

a distal pointed end opposite the stopper;

a proximal end opposite the distal end; and

an external groove between the proximal and distal ends, the groove extending from the distal pointed end and providing communication between the container and the housing when the penetrator penetrates the stopper.

8. The penetrator in accordance with claim 7 wherein the groove is v-shaped.

9. The penetrator in accordance with claim 7 wherein the groove defines a concave surface along a side of the shank.

10. The penetrator in accordance with claim 7 wherein the external groove defines a flow path between the housing and the container.

11. A penetrator for providing fluid communication between a syringe or the like and a container, the penetrator being slidably disposed in a cavity of a housing over a stopper occluding a mouth of a container, and for penetrating the stopper upon movement of the penetrator into the stopper, said penetrator comprising:

a distal pointed end opposite the stopper;

a proximal end opposite the distal end; and

an eternal groove between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the external groove defines a flow path between a container and a syringe when the penetrator penetrates the stopper.

12. The penetrator in accordance with claim 11 wherein the external groove extends from the distal pointed end.