System for aseptic collection and enteral delivery

• US 9,433,562 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neomed, Inc. (Team Health Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ingram, Aaron N., Lair, Anthony C., Costello, Mark Martin, Doherty, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A
• Application Number:
  US13/561,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 215/11.1, 215/11.6, 215/235, 215/11.3, 215/276, 215/306, 222/386, 604/77, 604/221, 604/516, 604/514
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/00 Feeding-tubes for therapeutic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0076 Feeding pumps A61M1/00, A61M5/142, A61M25/1018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/76 for fluid level
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/085 Lids for closing the bottle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/06 Milking pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/062 Pump accessories

Abstract

A container for collecting, storing and dispensing fluid, as in enteral feeding and/or medication deliver to neonatal infants. The container includes a hollow tube with a body, a first end, a second end, and an outer diameter. The hollow tube is configured to receive a movable plunger that advances and retracts therein to define a variable contained volume. The container also includes a sealing head assembly removably mounted at an end of the hollow tube. The sealing head assembly has a diameter or outside dimension that is substantially similar or identical to a corresponding outside diameter or dimension of the hollow tube, so that the container lies flat within the receiver of an enteral feeding pump.

Claims

1. A container for collecting, storing and dispensing fluid, the container for use with a metering pump having a first drive part, the container comprising:

a containment barrel having a first end, a second end, an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and a base flange projecting transversely from the outer diameter proximal the first end for engagement with the first drive part of the metering pump;

a plunger movably positionable within the containment barrel in sealing engagement with the inner diameter thereof, and movable between a first position towards the first end of the containment barrel and a second position towards the second end of the containment barrel, thereby defining a variable containment volume within the containment barrel, and wherein the plunger comprises a generally elongate plunger body having a pressure plate at an end thereof for engagement with a second drive part of the metering pump; and

a removable dispensing and sealing head releasably secured at the second end of the containment barrel;

wherein the containment barrel and the removable dispensing and sealing head comprise substantially identical outer dimensions and shapes at adjacent portions thereof, thereby defining a substantially flush and continuous outer surface contour without significant discontinuity at a joint between the containment barrel and the removable dispensing and sealing head for positioning the container in the metering pump, and wherein with the base flange engaged with a first drive part of the metering pump to prevent movement of the containment barrel in a first direction relative to the metering pump, the pressure plate of the plunger body is linearly advanced in the first direction relative to the base flange of the containment barrel by actuation of the metering pump to dispense fluid through the removable dispensing and sealing head.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the second end of the containment barrel comprises a threaded region and the removable dispensing and sealing head comprises a corresponding threaded region for releasable engagement of the removable dispensing and sealing head with the containment barrel.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the containment barrel threaded region is located on the outer surface of the containment barrel second end and the removable dispensing and sealing head threaded region is located on the inner surface of the removable dispensing and sealing head.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the containment barrel second end comprises a different outer surface diameter from the base flange of the containment barrel.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the containment barrel second end diameter is smaller than the base flange of the containment barrel diameter.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising a circumferential seal, the circumferential seal comprising a cap, the cap removably covering an access port of the circumferential seal.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the cap is secured to the circumferential seal with a flexible hinge.

8. A container for collecting, storing and dispensing fluid, the container for use with a metering pump having a first drive part, the container comprising:

a containment barrel having a first end comprising a base flange and defining a plunger-receiving opening, a second end, an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the second end comprising a threaded coupling ring having a reduced dimension relative to the outer diameter of the body, the base flange of the first end being configured for engagement with the first drive part of the metering pump;

a plunger configured to be received through the plunger-receiving opening into the containment barrel in sealing engagement with the inner diameter thereof, and movable between a first position towards the first end of the containment barrel and a second position towards the second end of the containment barrel, thereby defining a variable containment volume within the body of the containment barrel, and wherein the plunger comprises a generally elongate plunger body having a pressure plate at an end thereof and being configured for engagement with a second drive part of the metering pump; and

a removable sealing and dispensing head releasably secured at the second end of the containment barrel, the removable sealing and dispensing head comprising a threaded coupling collar configured for releasable mating engagement with the threaded coupling ring of the containment barrel;

wherein the containment barrel and the removable sealing and dispensing head comprise substantially identical outer dimensions and shapes at adjacent portions thereof, thereby defining a substantially flush and continuous outer surface contour without significant discontinuity at a joint between the containment barrel and the removable sealing and dispensing head when the threaded coupling collar of the removable sealing and dispensing head is engaged with the threaded coupling ring of the containment barrel, for positioning the container in the metering pump and engaging the base flange with the first drive part of the metering pump to prevent movement of the container in a first direction, and wherein the pressure plate of the plunger body is linearly advanced in the first direction relative to the base flange of the containment barrel by actuation of the metering pump to dispense fluid through the removable dispensing and sealing head.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the threaded coupling ring of the containment barrel comprises a male threaded member having external threads and the threaded coupling collar of the removable sealing and dispensing head comprises a female threaded member having internal threads.

10. The container of claim 8, further comprising an access port through the removable sealing and dispensing head.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the access port comprises a reclosable seal.

12. The container of claim 10, further comprising a cap for selectively covering or allowing access to the access port.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein the cap is secured to the removable seal assembly by a hinge.