Disinfecting caps for medical male luer connectors

• US 8,328,767 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catheter Connections Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.), University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Solomon, Donald D., Ferguson, F. Mark, Hitchcock, Robert, Bandis, Steven, Mercer, James V., Howlett, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bosworth, Kami A
• Application Number:
  US13/281,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20120039764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 604/111, 604/192, 604/199, 604/256, 604/263, 604533-539, 604/905, 604/265, 206/205, 206/206, 206/207, 206/210, 422/28, 422/292, 422/294, 422300-302, 134/6, 15/971, 151/040.4
• US Class Current: 604/199
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/16 using chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/23 Solid substances, e.g. granules, powders, blocks, tablets
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/162 with antiseptic agent incorporated within the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/20 Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/02 Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

Caps can be used to cover and disinfect a male protrusion portion of a medical connector. Some caps can create a seal with the male protrusion to prevent antiseptic from entering a lumen the protrusion. A biasing element can aid in creating or maintaining the seal.

Claims

1. A male-disinfecting cap for disinfecting a male luer-lock connector of the type including a post having a lumen through which fluid flows and an internally helically threaded skirt surrounding the post, the cap comprising:

a cap body having

only one receiving portion defining only a single chamber having only a single opening, said opening being in the receiving portion, into which the post of the male luer-lock connector can be received, the chamber having a side wall comprising a taper that extends from the opening and narrows toward an interior of the chamber, the wall configured to sealingly engage the exterior surface of the post of the male luer-lock connector when the post of the male luer connector is received in the chamber, wherein an exterior surface of the receiving portion near the opening of the chamber fits within the skirt of the male luer-lock connector when the post is received into the single opening of the chamber, the exterior surface of the receiving portion having a protrusion for engaging helical threads of the internally threaded skirt;

an absorbent material disposed in the chamber; and

a liquid antiseptic agent disposed in the absorbent material.

2. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap body further comprises a gripping portion.

3. A cap according to claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed over the opening of the chamber.

4. A cap according to claim 3, wherein the cover comprise an impervious pliable material.

5. A cap according to claim 4, wherein the impervious pliable material comprises a foil.

6. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the taper extends along an entirety of the side wall of the chamber.

7. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the cap is a helical thread.

8. A cap according to claim 7, wherein the thread is disposed near the opening of the chamber.