Mechanical friction enhancement for threaded connection incorporating crushable ribs
First Claim
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1. A medical connector comprising:
- a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end;
a helical thread extending radially outward from a surface of the sidewall and comprising a crest portion, flank portions, and a root portion, the flank portions connecting the crest portion to the root portion, wherein the crest portion and the root portions define a helical rib;
at least two deformable protrusions extending radially outward from the root portion of the helical thread, wherein the at least two deformable protrusions each comprise a score or a notch as an initiation point for deformation for facilitating connection with a mating connector, andwherein the at least two deformable protrusions are positioned within the root portion of the helical thread such that friction and retention torque increases as the mating connector is connected to the medical connector providing tactile feedback to a user that the connection between the medical connector and the mating connector becomes progressively tighter.
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Abstract
A medical connector includes a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end, a helical thread extending radially outward from a surface of the sidewall and comprising a crest portion, flank portions, and a root portion with the flank portions connecting the crest portion to the root portion, and at least one deformable protrusion extending radially outward from the root portion of the helical thread.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A medical connector comprising:
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a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a helical thread extending radially outward from a surface of the sidewall and comprising a crest portion, flank portions, and a root portion, the flank portions connecting the crest portion to the root portion, wherein the crest portion and the root portions define a helical rib; at least two deformable protrusions extending radially outward from the root portion of the helical thread, wherein the at least two deformable protrusions each comprise a score or a notch as an initiation point for deformation for facilitating connection with a mating connector, and wherein the at least two deformable protrusions are positioned within the root portion of the helical thread such that friction and retention torque increases as the mating connector is connected to the medical connector providing tactile feedback to a user that the connection between the medical connector and the mating connector becomes progressively tighter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of connecting two fluid containers comprising:
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providing a connector having a helical thread defining a helical rib extending radially outward from a surface of the connector, and a mating connector comprising a helical thread defining a helical rib extending radially outward from a surface of the mating connector, the connector including at least one deformable protrusion extending radially outward from a root portion of the helical thread; engaging the helical thread of the mating connector with the helical thread of the connector; advancing the mating connector onto the connector by rotating the mating connector; and engaging the at least one deformable protrusion with the mating connector such that the friction between the connector and the mating connector is increased when the at least one deformable protrusion of the connector is deformed by the helical thread of the mating connector as the mating connector is advanced onto the connector, wherein the at least one deformable protrusion comprises a first end and a second end adjacent flank portions of the helical thread of the connector, and wherein a distance between the first end and the second end of the at least one deformable protrusion is greater than an axial width of the helical rib of the connector and an axial width of the helical rib of the mating connector. - View Dependent Claims (18, 21)
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19. A medical connector comprising:
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a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end; and at least one elongated deformable protrusion extending radially outward from the sidewall of the body, the at least one deformable protrusion configured to engage a helical thread defining a helical rib of a mating connector such that friction between the connector and the mating connector is increased when the at least one deformable protrusion of the connector is deformed by the helical thread of the mating connector, wherein the at least one elongated deformable protrusion comprises a first end and a second end adjacent flank portions of the helical thread, and wherein a distance between the first end and the second end of the at least one deformable protrusion is less than an axial width of the helical thread of the mating connector. - View Dependent Claims (20, 22)
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Specification