Dialyzer connecting coupler

• US 7,017,948 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nipro Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nipro Corporation
• Inventors: Morita, Yasuhiko, Sunohara, Takashi, Toshiaki, Masuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Bochna, David
• Application Number:
  US10/869,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 285/276, 285/277, 285/403, 285/244, 285/107, 285/109, 285/239
• US Class Current: 285/244
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/23 by means of balls

Abstract

A connecting coupler which reduces the risk that an endotoxin or the like enters a dialysis solution and that the connecting coupler itself is deformed including a body made of an elastic material in which a tip portion of a connection plug of a dialyzer can be removably fitted into a plug-receiving opening portion of a solution transferring passage inside the body; a line connector which is fitted into the body and communicates with the solution transferring passage; a coupling tube which has a fixing portion fixedly fitted on the tip portion of the body and a coupling portion projecting from the fixing portion toward a front in an axial direction and removably fitable onto the connection plug; and a fixing mechanism which releasably fixes the coupling tube to the connection plug.

Claims

1. A dialyzer connecting coupler for connecting with a connection plug of a dialyzer, comprising:

A) a body which is formed of an elastic material and has a solution transferring passage formed in its inside, the solution transferring passage having a plug-receiving opening portion opened at a tip portion of the solution transferring passage, a tip portion of the connection plug being adapted to be removably fitted into the plug-receiving opening portion;

B) a line connector which is fitted into the body so that its inside communicates with the solution transferring passage, and to which a solution transferring line can be connected;

C) a coupling tube which is formed in a tubular shape and has a fixing portion fixedly fitted on the tip portion of the body and a coupling portion projected from the fixing portion in an axial direction and that is adapted to be removably fitted onto a portion of the connection plug that excludes the tip portion of the plug; and

D) a fixing mechanism which releasably fixes the coupling tube to the connection plug in a state of pressing the body against the connection plug,

the plug-receiving opening portion being made larger in diameter than the portion of the solution transferring passage that neighbors the plug-receiving opening portion,

an inside bottom of the plug-receiving opening portion forming a first seal surface which, when the connection plug is connected, is brought into abutment with the connection plug and is elastically deformed toward a base portion of the body to liquid-tightly contact with a tip face of the connection plug,

a side surface of the plug-receiving opening portion forming a second seal surface which is made flush with and contiguous to an inside surface of the coupling portion of the coupling tube and, when the connection plug is connected, is brought into abutment with the connection plug and is elastically deformed diametrically outwardly to liquid-tightly contact with the side surface of the tip portion of the connection plug.

2. The dialyzer connecting coupler according to claim 1, wherein the fixing mechanism is formed of a metal material.