Couplings

Claim 2

Equipment for the handling of fluid which comprises at least two bags connected together by at least one tube, a coupling between the tube and at least one of the bags including diaphragms unified by a solvent for the material of the diaphragms, the diaphragms respectively forming a barrier to access to the tubes and to the at least one of the bags, and means inside the coupling for penetrating the diaphragms when sealed together to open up a fluid path from the at least one bag to the tube.

Claim 3

Equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coupling includes male and female sleeves surrounding the respective diaphragms and forming a push-fit together, the coupling parts being unified over substantially the whole of the interacting surfaces of the sleeves and the diaphragm by a resolidified region of their respective materials.

Claim 4

Equipment as claimed in claim 2 wherein the diaphragms and sleeves are all made of polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 5

Equipment as Claimed in claim 2 wherein the said coupling includes an axially compressible bellows intermediate at least one tube and the diaphragms and the said means inside the coupling includes a needle mounted within the bellows with one end presented towards the diaphragm and one anchored to the end of the bellows remote from the diaphragm, whereby axial compression of the bellows can drive the needle through the diaphragm.

Claim 6

Equipment as claimed in claim 4 wherein all of the said sleeves, diaphragms and bellows are made of polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 7

A modular coupled equipment system comprising a plurality of items of medical or research equipment sealingly attached together in temporarily nonintercommunicating manner, and adapted to be made intercommunicating for use, comprising a plurality of coupled-together sets of individual coupling elements and respective items of equipment, each set comprising a coupling element and an item of equipment attached thereto, each coupling element comprising a housing, and a coupling passage extending through the housing and open at each end, the coupling element being attached to the item of equipment so that one open end of the coupling passage communicates with the item of equipment; a penetrable diaphragm disposed across the coupling passage and sealing off the passage from flow therethrough until penetrated; the housing of each coupling element at the other open end of the passage being shaped to sealingly interconnect with the coupling element of another set to which it is sealingly attached, the coupling passages of interconnected coupling elements being aligned to form an intercommunicating through passage extending to each item of equipment closed off by the diaphragm in the coupling passages; the diaphragms of adjacent coupling elements being in abutting relation and united by an intermediate layer of interdiffused diaphragm material, and disposed in at least one of each two adjacent coupling elements at least one internal means for each pair of diaphragms for penetration through the diaphragms thereof to provide intercommunication between the coupled items of equipment via the passage.

Claim 8

A modular coupled equipment system comprising a plurality of items of medical or research equipment sealingly attached together in temporarily nonintercommunicating manner, and adapted to be made intercommunicating for use, comprising a plurality of coupled-together sets of individual coupling elements and respective items of equipment, each set comprising a coupling element and an item of equipment attached thereto, each coupling element comprising a housing, and a coupling passage extending through the housing and open at each end, the coupling element being attached to the item of equipment so that one open end of the coupling passage communicates with the item of equipment; a penetrable diaphragm disposed across the coupling passage and sealing off the passage from flow therethrough until penetrated; the housing of each coupling element at the other open end of the passage being shaped to sealingly interconnect with the coupling element of another set to which it is sealingly attached, the coupling passages of interconnected coupling elements being aligned to form an intercommunicating through passage extending to each item of equipment closed off by the diaphragm in the coupling passages; the diaphragms of adjacent coupling elements being in abutting relation and united by an intermediate layer of interdiffused diaphragm material, and disposed in at least one of each two adjacent coupling elements at least one internal means for each pair of diaphragms for penetration through the diaphragms thereof to provide intercommunication between the coupled items of equipment via the passage.

Claim 9

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 6 wherein the interconnected coupling components comprise interconnected male and female sleeves surrounding the respective diaphragms and forming a push-fit together, the coupling components being united over substantially the whole of the abutting surfaces of the sleeves and the diaphragms by interdiffusion of diaphragm material.

Claim 10

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 6 wherein the diaphragms and the sleeves are all made of plastic material.

Claim 11

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 8 wherein the plastic material is polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 12

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 6 wherein the diaphragms are made of plastic material.

Claim 13

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 6 wherein the said internal means includes an axially compressible bellows, a needle mounted within the bellows with one end presented towards the diaphragm and one anchored to the end of the bellows remote from the diaphragm, whereby axial compression of the bellows can drive the needle through the diaphragm.

Claim 14

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 11 wherein all of the said sleeves, diaphragms and bellows are made of polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 15

A modular coupled equipment system according to claim 11 wherein the needle is hollow and has fluid ports opening to its outside near the end presented towards the diaphragm.

Claim 16

Coupling elements for a coupling according to claim 6.

Claim 17

Method of coupling together respective coupling elements on respective items of equipment to be coupled together, each coupling element having a penetratable diaphragm preventing access to the interior of the item from the outside, and at least one of the elements having internal means for penetrating through the diaphragms, which comprises applYing a solvent to the exposed faces of the diaphragms to form a solution of their material at the said faces and bringing the said faces into face-to-face contact whereby to unify the diaphragms by a layer of their material.

Claim 18

Method of coupling together respective coupling elements on respective items of equipment to be coupled together, each coupling element having a penetratable diaphragm preventing access to the interior of the item from the outside, and at least one of the elements having internal means for penetrating through the diaphragms, which comprises applYing a solvent to the exposed faces of the diaphragms to form a solution of their material at the said faces and bringing the said faces into face-to-face contact whereby to unify the diaphragms by a layer of their material.

Claim 19

Method according to claim 15 wherein the said material is polyvinyl chloride and the solvent is cyclohexanone.