Disinfecting caps having an extendable feature and related systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:
- an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end; and
an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a connection interface that is configured to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having therein an antiseptic, a sealing member and a first biasing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to form a seal with a portion of a medical connector that is inserted into the chamber, and wherein the first biasing member is configured to urge the sealing member in a proximal direction toward an open end of the chamber;
a second biasing member that is coupled with each of the outer and inner housings, wherein the second biasing member is configured to bias the inner housing toward the extended position;
wherein the cap is configured to transition from a pre-use state, in which the inner housing is in a retracted position relative to the outer housing, to a connection-ready state, in which the inner housing is in an extended position relative to the outer housing, wherein the retracted position of the inner housing is closer to the distal end of the outer housing than is the extended position.
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Abstract
Some assemblies can include a male cap and a female cap, each of which can be used to cover separated medical connectors. In certain arrangements, a male cap can include a movable carriage that transitions from a retracted position when an assembly with which the male cap is associated is in a closed state to an extended position when the assembly is in an open state.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:
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an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end; and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a connection interface that is configured to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having therein an antiseptic, a sealing member and a first biasing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to form a seal with a portion of a medical connector that is inserted into the chamber, and wherein the first biasing member is configured to urge the sealing member in a proximal direction toward an open end of the chamber; a second biasing member that is coupled with each of the outer and inner housings, wherein the second biasing member is configured to bias the inner housing toward the extended position; wherein the cap is configured to transition from a pre-use state, in which the inner housing is in a retracted position relative to the outer housing, to a connection-ready state, in which the inner housing is in an extended position relative to the outer housing, wherein the retracted position of the inner housing is closer to the distal end of the outer housing than is the extended position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An assembly configured to disinfect one or more medical connectors, the assembly comprising:
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a female-disinfecting cap that comprises a housing that defines a first connection interface; and a male-disinfecting cap that comprises; an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end, wherein the outer housing defines a second connection interface that is configured to cooperate with the first connection interface of the female cap to couple the male and female caps with each other; an inner housing positioned within the cavity of the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a third connection interface that is configured to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having a sealing member and a first biasing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to form a seal with a portion of a medical connector that is inserted into the chamber, and wherein the first biasing member is configured to urge the sealing member in a proximal direction toward an open end of the chamber; and a second biasing member that is coupled with each of the outer and inner housings, wherein the second, biasing member is configured to bias the inner housing toward an extended position, wherein, when the assembly is in a pre-use state in which the male and female caps are coupled with each other, a portion of the female cap contacts the inner housing of the male cap so as to maintain the inner housing of the male cap in a retracted position relative to the outer housing of the male cap, and wherein the assembly is configured such that upon separation of the male and female-disinfecting caps from each other, the second biasing member is configured to urge the inner housing to the extended position.
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30. An assembly configured to disinfect one or more medical connectors, the assembly comprising:
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a female-disinfecting cap that comprises a housing that defines a first connection interface; and a male-disinfecting cap that comprises; an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end, wherein the outer housing defines a second connection interface that is configured to cooperate with the first connection interface of the female cap to couple the male and female-disinfecting caps with each other to form a closed assembly; and an inner housing positioned within the cavity of the outer housing and movable relative thereto and comprising a third connection interface having threading configured to connect the inner houusing to a medical connector; wherein, when the assembly is in a pre-use state in which the male and female disinfecting caps are coupled with each other, the inner housing of the male-disinfecting cap is maintained in a retracted position relative to the outer housing, and wherein the assembly is configured such that during or after separation of the male and female-disinfecting caps from each other, the inner housing of the male-disinfecting cap can be moved to and retained in an extended position relative to the outer housing.
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31. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:
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an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end; an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a connection interface that is configured to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having therein an antiseptic, a sealing member and a biasing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to form a seal with a portion of a medical connector that is inserted into the chamber, and wherein the biasing member is configured to urge the sealing member in a proximal direction toward an open end of the chamber; and means for transitioning the inner housing from a retracted position relative to the outer housing to an extended position relative to the outer housing, wherein the retracted position of the inner housing is closer to the distal end of the outer housing than is the extended position.
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32. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:
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an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end;
wherein the outer housing defines a first connection interface to couple with a second cap so as to form a closed assembly; andan inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a second connection interface having threading configured to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having an antiseptic therein; and wherein the cap is configured to transition from a pre-use state, in which the inner housing is in a retracted position relative to the outer housing, to a connection-ready state, in which the inner housing is in an extended position relative to the outer housing, wherein the retracted position of the inner housing is closer to the distal end of the outer housing than is the extended position.
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33. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:
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an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end; and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a proximal projection defining at least a portion of the chamber and a connection interface having outwardly disposed threading to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having an antiseptic therein; and wherein the cap is configured to transition from a pre-use state, in which the inner housing is in a retracted position relative to the outer housing, to a connection-ready state, in which the inner housing is in an extended position relative to the outer housing, wherein the retracted position of the inner housing is closer to the distal end of the outer housing than is the extended position.
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34. An assembly configured to disinfect one or more medical connectors, the assembly comprising:
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a female-disinfecting cap that comprises a housing that defines a first connection interface; and a male-disinfecting cap that comprises; an outer housing that defines a proximal end, a distal end, and a cavity, wherein the outer housing defines a first connection interface that is configured to cooperate with the second connection interface of the female cap to couple the male and female-disinfecting caps with each other to form a closed assembly; and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising a proximal projection defining at least a portion of the chamber, the proximal projection having an outwardly disposed third connection interface having threading to connect the inner housing to a medical connector, the inner housing defining a chamber having an antiseptic therein; and wherein, when the assembly is in a pre-use state in which the male and female disinfecting caps are coupled with each other, the inner housing of the male cap is maintained in a retracted position relative to the outer housing; and wherein the assembly is configured such that during or after separation of the male and female disinfecting caps from each other, the inner housing of the male-disinfecting cap can be moved to and retained in an extended position relative to the outer housing.
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Specification