Aseptic system for total parenteral nutrition and the like

Claim 1

A flexible, collapsible container for holding sterile solution and for transferring and receiving solutions in a sterile manner, which comprises a closure carried on said container, a tubular port passing therethrough, and a connector member carried on said tubular port for providing sealed connection between said connector member and a corresponding connector member, said connector member comprising housing means defining a transparent wall portion and a thermoplastic, opaque wall portion positioned as part of the wall of said housing means, and means for connecting said housing means to a housing means of the corresponding connector member having a corresponding thermoplastic wall portion in such a manner as to bring the respective wall portions together into facing contact whereby, upon exposure of the connected housings to radiant energy, the wall portions in facing contact can fuse together and open an aperture through said contacting wall portions, to provide a connection between the interiors of the respective housings, said tubular port defining a diaphragm sealing flow through the bore of said tubular port, said connector member being carried by a tubular cannula defining an inwardly-pointed spike adapted to penetrate said puncturable diaphragm means and a flexible, tubular boot member sealed to said tubular port and also sealingly carrying said cannula therein, the improvement comprising, in combination: the flexible, tubular boot member defining an outer end portion including a terminal portion sealed to said cannula, an annular radial portion extending radially outwardly in substantially normal relation to the axis of said cannula, and curving to join a generally cylindrical portion, which joins the remainder of the flexible, tubular boot member, said tubular boot member further including an annular ridge projecting outwardly and positioned circumferentially about a central portion of said boot member for substantially preventing the outward expansion of said generally cylindrical portion upon inward deflection of said annular radial portion.