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EP0114677A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Medical connector system

Assignee: ICU Medical Inc
•
Filing: 1984-01-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-01-19
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is a connector system for medical applications such as intravenously introducing medication into a patient. In intravenous applications a feeding system is employed through which parenteral liquid flows into the patient intravenously via a needle attached at one end to the feeding system and having its pointed end inserted into the patient's vein. The feeding system includes a port at the end of a conduit which has a seal associated with it which closes said port but is adapted to be penetrated by a second needle. This second needle is connected to a source of medication which flows through the second needle and mixes with the parenteral liquid flowing into the patient. A cap member is secured to the port and it carries within a cavity the second needle which penetrates the seal when the cap member is covering the port. Because the cap is secured to the port, movement of the patient will not result in the second needle being pulled from the seal. The needle is lodged deep within the cavity so that if the cap is placed, for example, on the patient's bed, the needle will not directly contact bacteria which may be on the bed. To avoid scraping material from the internal conduit walls with the needle, a potentially lethal event, the cap member serves as a guide which directs the needle into the center of the seal, well away from the internal conduit walls.

Inventors

  • 👤 George A. Lopez
  • 👤 Virgil R. Laul

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 06:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M39/00; A61M39/10; A61M39/1011; A61M39/14; A61M2039/1027; A61M2039/1083; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/19; A61M2205/192; A61M2205/195; A61M2205/197; A61M39/1033

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 143 words
A connector system for intravenously introducing medication into a patient, comprising: a cap member having a cavity therein in which is lodged a needle in a manner whereby the needle is recessed within the cavity, a branch connector having a first inlet port adapted to be connected by tubing means to a source of parenteral liquid, an outlet port through which the parenteral liquid flows via tube means into the patient, and a second inlet port having seal means which is adapted to be penetrated by the needle, said medication flowing from a source through the needle into the parenteral liquid flowing through the connector, and means coupling the second inlet port and the cap member securely together, with the needle penetrating the seal means, whereby movement of the patient does not result in the removal of the needle from the seal means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 143 words
A connector system for intravenously introducing medication into a patient, comprising: a cap member having a cavity therein in which is lodged a needle in a manner whereby the needle is recessed within the cavity, a branch connector having a first inlet port adapted to be connected by tubing means to a source of parenteral liquid, an outlet port through which the parenteral liquid flows via tube means into the patient, and a second inlet port having seal means which is adapted to be penetrated by the needle, said medication flowing from a source through the needle into the parenteral liquid flowing through the connector, and means coupling the second inlet port and the cap member securely together, with the needle penetrating the seal means, whereby movement of the patient does not result in the removal of the needle from the seal means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
2 . The connector system of Claim 1 wherein the internal walls of the cap member guide the needle so that said needle penetrates the central portion of seal means as the cap member is fitted over the second inlet port and does not scrape against the connector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
The connector system of Claim 2 wherein the cavity provides a chamber which surrounds .the needle, with said needle being lodged within the chamber so that it is not likely to be contaminated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
The connector system of Claim 3 wherein the cap member is screwed onto the second inlet port, said cap member having internal threads which engage external threads adjacent the second inlet port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The connector system of Claim 4 wherein the cap member has outwardly extending wings that permit the cap means to be easily screwed onto the second inlet port.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 111 words
6 . A connector system for introducing medication into a patient, comprising: feeding means through which liquid flows into the patient, said feeding means having a port therein including seal means which close said port, said seal means being adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and a cap member secured to the port, said cap member having a cavity therein which forms a chamber in which is lodged a needle which does not project beyond an open end of the cavity, said needle penetrating the seal means when the cap member is covering the port, with said medication being fed through the needle into the liquid flowing into the patient.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 111 words
6 . A connector system for introducing medication into a patient, comprising: feeding means through which liquid flows into the patient, said feeding means having a port therein including seal means which close said port, said seal means being adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and a cap member secured to the port, said cap member having a cavity therein which forms a chamber in which is lodged a needle which does not project beyond an open end of the cavity, said needle penetrating the seal means when the cap member is covering the port, with said medication being fed through the needle into the liquid flowing into the patient.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 125 words
A connector system used in the treatment of a patient, comprising: feeding means having a tubular conduit member serving as a male component and having an open end sealed by seal means which close off the open end, said seal means being adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and a cap member removably secured to the conduit, said cap member serving as a female component and having a cavity therein in which is centrally lodged a needle, said cavity having internal side walls which fit snugly around the tubular conduit member and guide the needle into the central portion of the seal means when the cap member and conduit interact in a male-female mating relationship when the cap is placed on the conduit member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 125 words
A connector system used in the treatment of a patient, comprising: feeding means having a tubular conduit member serving as a male component and having an open end sealed by seal means which close off the open end, said seal means being adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and a cap member removably secured to the conduit, said cap member serving as a female component and having a cavity therein in which is centrally lodged a needle, said cavity having internal side walls which fit snugly around the tubular conduit member and guide the needle into the central portion of the seal means when the cap member and conduit interact in a male-female mating relationship when the cap is placed on the conduit member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 46 words
A cap member for connecting a source of medication to a tubular conduit, comprising: a connector section having a hollow interior which forms a chamber, and a needle disposed lengthwise within the chamber and of a length such that it does not protrude beyond the chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 46 words
A cap member for connecting a source of medication to a tubular conduit, comprising: a connector section having a hollow interior which forms a chamber, and a needle disposed lengthwise within the chamber and of a length such that it does not protrude beyond the chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 119 words
A connector system for coupling a feeding system to a source of medication wherein the feeding system includes a sealed tubular conduit, said device comprising: a cap member which is adapted to be connected to the tubular conduit and which carries a needle which penetrates the sealed tubular conduit when the cap member is connected to the conduit: said cap member including means for guiding the needle during insertion so that it can not scrape against the inside wall of the conduit and for protecting the needle from direct contact with objects that may contaminate the needle when the cap member and tubular conduit are disconnected; and means for securely, but detachably, holding the cap to the tubular conduit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 119 words
A connector system for coupling a feeding system to a source of medication wherein the feeding system includes a sealed tubular conduit, said device comprising: a cap member which is adapted to be connected to the tubular conduit and which carries a needle which penetrates the sealed tubular conduit when the cap member is connected to the conduit: said cap member including means for guiding the needle during insertion so that it can not scrape against the inside wall of the conduit and for protecting the needle from direct contact with objects that may contaminate the needle when the cap member and tubular conduit are disconnected; and means for securely, but detachably, holding the cap to the tubular conduit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 119 words
..10. A connector system comprising: first conduit means having an open end, seal means at the open end of the first conduit and sealing said open end, said seal means being of the type that is adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and second conduit means having at one end means for coupling the first and second conduits together, said coupling means including a cap member adapted to fit over the end of first conduit means and having a cavity therein which forms a chamber in which is lodged a needle that does not project beyond an open end of the cavity, said needle penetrating the seal means when the first and second conduit means are coupled together.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 119 words
..10. A connector system comprising: first conduit means having an open end, seal means at the open end of the first conduit and sealing said open end, said seal means being of the type that is adapted to be penetrated by a needle, and second conduit means having at one end means for coupling the first and second conduits together, said coupling means including a cap member adapted to fit over the end of first conduit means and having a cavity therein which forms a chamber in which is lodged a needle that does not project beyond an open end of the cavity, said needle penetrating the seal means when the first and second conduit means are coupled together.

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