Fitting for medicament infusion systems

• US 8,870,238 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Robert, Renee, Amborn, Chad, Clark, Geoff
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/517,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 285/396, 285/38, 285/390, 604/905, 604/503, 604/240, 604/533
• US Class Current: 285/401
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1406 Minimizing backflow along the delivery catheter track
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• 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 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1418 Clips, separators or the like for supporting tubes or leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A female connector for medical infusion systems has a main body that has two curved wings that extend from the outer circumferential surface of the body. The respective front ends of the wings are joined integrally to a substantially circumferential partition that also extends circumferentially from the outer circumferential surface of the fitting. The connector of the fitting has a non-conventional configuration with at least two protuberances offset at an angle. The non-conventional configuration of the connector allows the fitting to only mate with a counterpart connector that has a complementary non-conventional configuration.

Claims

1. A fitting comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end and a first outer circumferential surface, a connector at the proximal end having a second outer circumferential surface that has a larger circumference than the first outer circumferential surface, a through passage connecting the proximal and distal ends;

a substantially circumferential partition wall having a circumference larger than the circumference of the second outer circumferential surface extending orthogonally away from the first outer circumferential surface of the body at a location away from the second circumferential surface of the connector so that a given portion of the cylindrical body having the first outer circumferential surface separates the connector from the partition wall;

two wings integrally extending from the first outer circumferential surface of the body with respective front ends in the direction of the proximal end joined to the partition wall and respective rear ends of the wings towards the distal end of the body integrally merge to the body;

wherein the connector is a non-conventional connector at the proximal end of the body, the connector including at least two protuberances extending away from the second outer circumferential surface and formed at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis of the body away from the proximal end, the non-conventional connector adapted to mate only with a complementary non-conventional connector, the non-conventional connector not matable with a conventional connector manufactured in accordance with ISO (International Standard Organization) standards.

2. Fitting of claim 1, wherein the wings are curved in opposite directions relative to each other along the length of the body.

3. Fitting of claim 1, wherein the portions of the circumferential partition wall not joined to the respective front ends of the wings are slightly curved toward the connector to form a shield to prevent the fingers of the user from coming into contact with the connector.

4. Fitting of claim 1, further comprising a tubing having one end fixedly attached to the distal end of the body, another connector fixedly attached to the other end of the tubing, the another connector connectable to a counterpart connector at a fluid store.

5. Fitting of claim 1, wherein the fitting is colored yellow.

6. Fitting of claim 1, further comprising a tubing having one end fixedly attached to the distal end of the body and another end connected to a fluid store.

7. A fitting comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body having a proximal end, a distal end and a first outer circumferential surface, a connector at the proximal end having a second outer circumferential surface that has a larger circumference than the first outer circumferential surface the proximal and distal ends connected by a through passage;

two wings integrally extending from the first outer circumferential surface of the body with respective front ends in the direction of the proximal end integrated to a substantially circumferential partition wall that has a circumference larger than the circumference of the second outer circumferential surface, the partition wall extending orthogonally away from the first outer circumferential surface of the body, respective rear ends of the two wings integrally merging to the body and extending towards the distal end of the body;

wherein the connector at the proximal end of the body is separated from the partition wall and the two wings by a portion of the body having the first outer circumferential surface, the connector having a given configuration matable only to a counterpart connector with a configuration complementary to the given configuration, the connector not connectable to a conventional connector manufactured in accordance with ISO (International Standard Organization) standards;

a tubing having one end fixedly connected to the distal end of the body and another end having a conventional connector.

8. Fitting of claim 7, wherein the connector comprises two protuberances at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis of the body extending from the second outer circumferential surface away from the proximal end.

9. Fitting of claim 7, wherein the wings are curved in opposite directions relative to each other along the length of the body.

10. Fitting of claim 7, wherein the fitting is colored yellow.

11. Fitting of claim 7, wherein portions of the partition wall not joined to the respective front ends of the wings are slightly curved toward the connector to form a shield to prevent the fingers of a user from coming into contact with the connector.