Carrier assembly with caps for medical connectors

• US 8,419,713 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Solomon, Donald D., Kennedy, James Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYMAN, IMANI N
• Application Number:
  US13/564,122
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 604/533, 604/256, 604/905, 422/28, 422/292, 151/049.2, 151/049.3, 152/101, 215/204, 220/23.83, 220/23.87, 220/23.88, 220/23.89
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment
• 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: A61M 39/162 with antiseptic agent incorporated within the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/165 Shrouds or protectors for aseptically enclosing the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/20 Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001

Abstract

An assembly for mounting medical connector caps includes a carrier formed from a sheet of material and having an array of holes. The assembly also includes a plurality of medical connector caps. Each cap is inserted into one of the holes of the array. The assembly also includes a plurality of sealing tabs. A distinct sealing tab includes a cover portion that sealingly covers the openable end of a corresponding one of the caps and includes an overhang portion that overhangs the openable end thereof. The overhang portion is dimensioned to include a tether of sufficient length that a tip of the tether overlaps an adjacent portion of the carrier. The tip is affixed to the carrier, so that the corresponding one of the caps is tethered to the carrier by such sealing tab.

Claims

1. An assembly mounting medical connector caps for use, the assembly comprising:

a carrier formed from a sheet of material, the carrier having an array of holes;

a plurality of medical connector caps, each cap having (i) an openable end configured to cover a medical connector and (ii) a closed graspable end, wherein each cap is inserted into one of the holes of the array;

a plurality of sealing tabs, wherein a distinct sealing tab includes a cover portion that sealingly covers the openable end of a corresponding one of the caps and includes an overhang portion that overhangs the openable end thereof, the overhang portion dimensioned to include a tether of sufficient length whereby a tip of the tether overlaps an adjacent portion of the carrier, the tip being affixed to the carrier, whereby the corresponding one of the caps is tethered to the carrier by said sealing tab;

whereby a user can prepare a selected one of the caps for use by grasping its graspable end and both removing the selected cap from its corresponding hole and tearing away its openable end from the cover portion of the sealing tab, utilizing the tether to retain the sealing tab as affixed to the carrier.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tether is configured whereby when the user prepares the selected one of the caps for use, the user can choose to manipulate the cap in relation to the carrier so as to break the tether and remove the cap from its corresponding hole, while leaving the cover portion of the sealing tab to sealingly cover the openable end of the cap, whereby the user may remove the cover portion at a desired time after removing the cap from its corresponding hole.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the holes into which one of the caps is inserted is sized to secure any of said caps therein with a friction fit, so as to mechanically stabilize such cap in relation to the carrier.

4. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of the holes into which one of the caps is inserted is sized to secure any of said caps therein with a friction fit, so as to mechanically stabilize such cap in relation to the carrier.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the caps includes a disinfectant disposed therein.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of material is flexible.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the sheet of material is a polymeric film.

8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein the polymeric film is a polyolefin.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene.

10. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.

11. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the carrier includes at least one mounting hole.

12. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing tabs are made of metal foil.

13. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing tabs are made of a composite polymeric sheet with a metal foil layer.