Fastening mechanism for medical connectors

• US 6,612,624 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qd Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Qd Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Segal, Scott, Corn, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US10/124,288
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 285/330, 285/360, 285/361, 285/376, 285/396, 285/401, 285/402, 285/913, 285/914
• US Class Current: 285/330
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1072 with a septum present in the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1094 at least partly incompatible with standard connectors, e.g. to prevent fatal mistakes in connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/248 Bayonet-type couplings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/914 Irreversible

Abstract

A medical connector adapted for placement between a catheter and a medical infusion or injection source includes a pair of interlocking half medical connector portions, one side of which attaches to the infusion source and the other side of which is coupled to the catheter connected to the patient and a locking mechanism for locking a medical connector portion to a medical fitting. The connection to the catheter and the infusion source can be via standard medical luer taper fittings, with or without specially designed locking mechanisms that prevent inadvertent disconnection. The medical connector itself is uniquely shaped and includes a raised surface feature and a recessed surface feature formed on the medical connector portions.

Claims

1. A medical connector suitable for use in coupling a fluid delivering conduit to a fluid receiving conduit for administering fluid to a patient, said medical connector comprising:

a first medical connector housing part having a first end sized to mate with a first medical fitting on one of said fluid receiving conduit and said fluid delivering conduit and a second end having a selected first surface feature formed thereon,

second medical connector housing part having a first end configured to mate with a second medical fitting on the other one of said fluid receiving conduit and said fluid delivering conduit, and a second end having a selected second surface feature complementary in shape to the first surface feature of the first housing part, so that when assembled the first surface feature of the first housing part couples with the second surface feature of the second housing part to form a fluid connection therebetween, and

a locking mechanism for locking together said first medical connector housing part and said first medical fitting, comprising a protrusion on the first end of the first medical housing part and screw threads on said first medical fitting adapted to receive the protrusion,

wherein said first surface feature is sized and configured so as to only mate with the complementary shaped second surface feature to prevent another fluid delivering conduit associated with a differently configured surface feature from being connected to the fluid receiving conduit, thereby preventing the accidental administration of another fluid to the patient through the first and second housing parts.

2. The medical connector of claim 1, wherein the first medical connector housing part comprises:

an inner body rigidly connected to the protrusion and containing a central fluid lumen; and

an outer sleeve surrounding the inner body and configured to rotate in a first direction about the inner body.

3. The medical connector of claim 2, wherein the first medical connector housing part further includes a ratchet mechanism to prevent rotation of the outer sleeve in a second direction opposite the first direction.

4. The medical connector of claim 3, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises teeth on an inner surface of the outer sleeve engaging a pawl formed on an outer surface of the inner body.

5. The medical connector of claim 3, wherein the first medical connector housing part is locked to the first medical fitting by inserting the protrusion into the threads and rotating the medical connector in the second direction such that the protrusion engages the threads, thereby screwing the first medical connector housing part into the first medical fitting.

6. The medical connector of claim 5, wherein rotation of the first medical connector housing part in the first direction causes the outer sleeve to rotate about the inner body while the protrusion is maintained in an engaged position with the threads.

7. A method of administering fluid to a patient, comprising

providing a first medical fitting coupled to a distal end of one of a fluid receiving conduit and a fluid delivering conduit, said first medical fitting including screw threads;

locking a first medical connector housing part to said first medical fitting, wherein said fist medical connector housing part has a first end having a protrusion adapted to mate with the screw threads of the first medical fitting, and a second end having a selected first surface feature formed thereon,

providing a second medical fitting coupled to a distal end of the other of the fluid delivering conduit and the fluid receiving conduit,

attaching a second medical connector housing part to said second medical fitting, wherein said second medical connector housing part has a first end adapted to mate with the second medical fitting, a second end having a selected second surface feature complementary in shape to the first surface feature of the first housing part, and

connecting said first medical connector housing part to said second medical connector housing pan so that when assembled the first surface feature of the first housing part couples with the second surface feature of the second housing part form a dedicated fluid path from a fluid source to the patient,

wherein said first surface feature is sized and configured so as to only mate with the complementary shaped second surface feature to prevent another fluid delivering conduit associated with a differently configured surface feature from being connected to the fluid receiving conduit and wherein one of the first and second medical connector housing parts includes a set of valves to prevent fluid flow through the dedicated fluid path unless the first housing part is properly mated with the second housing part, thereby preventing the accidental administration of another fluid to the patient through the first and second housing parts.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first medical connector housing part comprises:

an inner body rigidly connected to the protrusion and containing a central fluid lumen; and

an outer sleeve surrounding the inner body and configured to rotate in a first direction about the inner body.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first medical connector housing part further includes a ratchet mechanism to prevent rotation of the outer sleeve in a second direction opposite the first direction.

10. The medical connector of claim 9, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises teeth on an inner surface of the outer sleeve engaging a pawl formed on an outer surface of the inner body.

11. The medical connector of claim 9, wherein the first medical connector housing part is locked to the first medical fitting by inserting the protrusion into the threads and rotating the medical connector in the second direction such that the protrusion engages the threads, thereby screwing the first medical connector housing part into the first medical fitting.

12. The medical connector of claim 11, wherein rotation of the first medical connector housing part in the first direction causes the outer sleeve to rotate about the inner body while the protrusion is maintained in an engaged position with the threads.