Self sealing disconnect device
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a housing; and
a moveable septum slideably coupled with the housing to be disposed in at least a first and a second position;
a fluid conduit comprising a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid;
at least one retention feature coupled to the moveable septum, wherein the retention feature it adapted to engage a mating retention feature of a component including fixed septum and wherein the retention feature includes a snap fitting;
wherein the piercing member is at least partially within the moveable septum to close the opening and inhibit a fluid flow in the fluid conduit coupled to the apparatus in the first position and the movable septum is penetrated by the piercing member in the second position such that the fluid flow is not inhibited through the opening of the piercing member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for connecting and disconnected fluid conduits (e.g. medical tubing) are disclosed. Typical embodiments of the Apparatuses and methods disclosed herein operate with two separate components, the first having a moveable septum and the second having a fixed septum. When the components are engaged, the device allows the flow of fluid through a conduit to which they are coupled. When the components are uncoupled, the device prevents the flow of fluid through the conduit. An exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a housing, a moveable septum slideably coupled with the housing to be alternately disposed in at least a first and second position and a piercing member having a passage for conducting fluid. The moveable septum closes the passage in the first position and is penetrated by the piercing member to open the passage in the second position.
192 Citations
51 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a housing; and
a moveable septum slideably coupled with the housing to be disposed in at least a first and a second position;
a fluid conduit comprising a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid;
at least one retention feature coupled to the moveable septum, wherein the retention feature it adapted to engage a mating retention feature of a component including fixed septum and wherein the retention feature includes a snap fitting;
wherein the piercing member is at least partially within the moveable septum to close the opening and inhibit a fluid flow in the fluid conduit coupled to the apparatus in the first position and the movable septum is penetrated by the piercing member in the second position such that the fluid flow is not inhibited through the opening of the piercing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of connecting a fluid conduit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a housing;
providing at least one retention feature coupled to a moveable septum, wherein the retention feature is adapted to engage a mating retention feature of a fixed septum component and wherein the retention feature includes a snap fitting;
slideably coupling a moveable septum with the housing to be alternately disposed in at least a first and second position wherein a fluid conduit comprising a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid has the piercing member at least partially within the moveable septum to close the opening and inhibit a fluid flow in the fluid conduit in the first position and the movable septum is penetrated by the piercing member to permit the fluid flow through the opening of the piercing member in the second position; and
coupling the fluid conduit to the fixed septum component including a fixed septum that is pierced by the piercing member when the fixed septum component is coupled and the moveable septum is in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus, comprising:
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a housing;
a septum fixed to the housing; and
at least one retention feature including a snap fitting coupleable to a moveable septum component including a fluid conduit comprising a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid and adapted to position a moveable septum of the moveable septum component in a first position before the retention feature is uncoupled wherein the piercing member is at least partially within the moveable septum to close the opening and is alternately disposed in a first position where the moveable septum inhibits a fluid flow and a second position where the moveable septum permits the fluid flow through the opening of the piercing member;
wherein the fixed septum is pierced by the piercing member and the moveable septum is disposed in the second position when the retention feature is coupled to the moveable septum component. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of connecting a fluid conduit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fixed septum component having a housing, a septum fixed to the housing and at least one retention feature including a snap fitting coupleable to a moveable septum component, the movable septum component including a fluid conduit comprising a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid wherein the piercing member is at least partially within the movable septum to close the opening and inhibit a fluid flow in the fluid conduit in a first position; and
connecting the fixed septum component with the moveable septum component;
wherein the fixed septum is pierced by the piercing member of the movable septum component to a second position permitting a fluid flow through the opening of the piercing member when the retention feature is coupled to the moveable septum component. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A fluid coupling system, comprising
a moveable septum component, including: -
a first housing;
a piercing member having a passage and an opening for conducting fluid; and
a moveable septum slideably coupled with the first housing to be alternately disposed in at least a first position where the piercing member is at least;
partially within the moveable septum to close the opening and inhibit a fluid flow in the fluid conduit and a second position where the moveable septum is penetrated by the piercing member to permit the fluid flow through the opening of the piercing member; and
a fixed septum component coupleable to the moveable septum component, including;
a second housing;
an immobile septum fixed to the second housing; and
at least one retention feature coupled to the moveable septum, wherein the retention feature includes a snap fitting and is adapted to engage a mating retention feature of the fixed septum component;
wherein the fixed septum is pierced by the piercing member to permit the fluid flow when the fixed septum component and the moveable septum component are coupled with the moveable septum in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification