DISINFECTING CAPS HAVING SEALING FEATURES AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110213341A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catheter Connections Incorporated (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.), University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Lasher, Richard, Kennedy, James, Solomon, Donald D., Mercer, James, Howlett, Michael, Hitchcock, Robert, Bandis, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1038 Union screw connectors, e.g. hollow screw or sleeve having external threads
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• 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: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

Caps can be used to cover and disinfect medical connectors. Some caps can create a seal with the medical connectors to prevent antiseptic from entering a fluid paths defined by a connector. Support members can aid in creating or maintaining the seal.

Claims

1. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:

a housing that defines a connection interface that is configured to couple the cap with a medical connector, the housing further defining a chamber;

an antiseptic within the chamber;

a sealing member within the chamber that is moveable relative to at least a portion of the housing, wherein the sealing member is configured to contact a portion of a medical connector so as to seal a fluid path defined by the medical connector when the cap is coupled to the medical connector to thereby prevent antiseptic from entering the fluid path; and

a support member coupled with the sealing member, wherein the support member is configured to transition from an initial orientation relative to the connection interface to a retracted orientation relative to the connection interface, and wherein the support member is configured to provide a sufficient amount of resistive force to the sealing member so as to permit the sealing member to seal the fluid path of a medical connector prior to a complete transition of the support member into the retracted orientation.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a deformable pad that includes at least a portion of the antiseptic therein.

3. The cap of claim 2, wherein the pad is configured to expel antiseptic once compressed such that the antiseptic can move from one side of the sealing member to another side of the sealing member.

4. The cap of claim 2, wherein the pad is resiliently deformable such that the pad is configured to return the sealing member from the retracted orientation to the initial orientation when the cap is decoupled from a medical connector.

5. The cap of claim 2, wherein a transverse cross-section through the pad is either round or rectangular in shape.

6. The cap of claim 1, further comprising a pad that comprises at least a portion of the antiseptic therein.

7. The cap of claim 6, wherein the pad extends about at least a portion of the support member when the support member is in the initial orientation.

8. The cap of claim 6, wherein the pad extends about at least a portion of the sealing member when the support member is in the retracted orientation.

9. The cap of claim 6, wherein the pad defines a cavity, wherein at least a portion of the support member is positioned within the cavity, and wherein the sealing member is configured to move through at least a portion of the cavity when a medical connector is coupled with the cap.

10. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is compressible, and wherein the support member is uncompressed when it is in the initial orientation and is compressed when it is in the retracted orientation.

11. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is resiliently deformable.

12. The cap of claim 11, wherein the support member comprises one or more of a spring and an elastomeric pad.

13. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is plastically deformable.

14. The cap of claim 13, wherein the support member is configured to collapse upon application of sufficient force to the sealing member.

15. The cap of claim 14, wherein the support member comprises a collapsible structure at an interior of the chamber that is positioned between the sealing member and the housing.

16. The cap of claim 13, wherein the housing defines at least a portion of the support member.

17. The cap of claim 16, wherein the support member comprises a region of weakness at which the housing is thinner than it is in neighboring regions.

18. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is translatable from an initial position to a retracted position, the cap further comprising a locking system that is configured to maintain the support member in the initial position until a sufficient coupling force with a medical connector is achieved, at which point the support member is permitted to translate to the retracted position.

19. The cap of claim 18, wherein the locking system is configured to maintain the support member in the retracted position once the support member has been translated thereto.

20. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is integrally formed with the sealing member.

21. The cap of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the sealing member is frustoconical.

22. The cap of claim 1, wherein a surface of the sealing member defines a luer taper such that at least a portion of the sealing member is configured to be received within a lumen defined by a female luer connector so as to seal against an inner surface of the luer connector.

23. The cap of claim 1, wherein the connection interface projects radiallly inwardly from an inwardly facing surface of the housing, and wherein the cap is configured to be coupled with a female medical connector.

24. The cap of claim 1, wherein the connection interface projects radially outwardly from an outwardly facing surface of the housing, and wherein the cap is configured to be coupled with a male medical connector.

25. The cap of claim 1, wherein the chamber is sized and dimensioned to receive a male protrusion of a medical cap therein.

26. The cap of claim 25, wherein the male protrusion of the medical connector defines a lumen, and wherein the sealing member is configured to create a fluid-tight seal with the male protrusion that is capable of preventing fluid from entering the lumen.

27. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a pad and a resilient post, wherein the pad is positioned between the sealing member and the post, and wherein the sealing member and the post are configured to cooperate to compress the pad as the cap is coupled to a medical connector so as to force antiseptic from the pad.

28. The cap of claim 27, wherein the support is less compliant than the pad such that the pad is more easily compressed than is the support.

29. The cap of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a sidewall that defines at least a portion of the chamber, and wherein at least a portion of the sidewall is tapered so as to be able to form a seal with a male luer.

30. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is configured to resist movement of the sealing member such that the sealing member forms a seal with a medical connector before any portion of the support member moves toward the retracted orientation.

31. The cap of claim 1, wherein the support member is configured to provide a sufficient amount of resistive force to the sealing member so as to permit the sealing member to seal the fluid path of a medical connector prior to any contact being made between the antiseptic and the medical connector.

32. An assembly configured to disinfect one or more medical connectors, the assembly comprising:

a first cap that comprises a housing that defines a first connection interface; and

a second cap that comprises;

a housing that defines a first connection interface;

a sealing member within the chamber that is moveable relative to the housing, wherein the sealing member is configured to contact a portion of a medical connector so as to seal a fluid path defined by the medical connector when the second cap is coupled to the medical connector to thereby prevent antiseptic from entering the fluid path; and

a support member coupled with the sealing member, wherein the support member is configured to transition from an initial orientation relative to the first connection interface of the second cap to a retracted orientation relative to the first connection interface, and wherein the support member is configured to provide a sufficient amount of resistive force to the sealing member so as to permit the sealing member to seal the fluid path of a medical connector prior to a complete transition of the support member into the retracted orientation,

wherein, when the assembly is in a pre-use configuration, the first and second caps are coupled with the assembly via their respective first connection interfaces.

33-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A cap configured to disinfect a medical connector, the cap comprising:

a housing that defines a connection interface that is configured to couple the cap with a medical connector, the housing further defining a chamber;

an antiseptic retained within the chamber;

means for sealing a fluid path of a medical connector, wherein the means for sealing is configured to contact a portion of a medical connector so as to seal a fluid path defined by the medical connector when the cap is coupled to the medical connector to thereby prevent antiseptic from entering the fluid path; and

means for supporting the means for sealing, wherein the means for supporting is configured to permit the means for sealing to create a seal with a medical connector before the antiseptic is moved into contact with the medical connector such that seal can prevent the antiseptic from entering the fluid path of the medical connector.