US5487728A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connector assembly
Assignee: FUTURA MEDICAL Corp A CORP OF DE
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Filing: 1994-05-19
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Granted: 1996-01-30
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Expires: 2014-05-19
Abstract
Abstract The connector assembly includes a female luer connector having a hollow needle disposed in recessed position within a rigid tubular portion. A rubber shield having a tubular portion and a septum at one end is positioned over the needle to maintain the needle in a sealed condition. A compression ring is disposed about the rubber septum to hold the septum in compression whereby the punctured area can be punctured many times without leaking when subjected to relatively high pressures. The male connector may be of any suitable type for pushing the rubber septum into the female connector for piercing by the needle of the female connector.
Inventors
- 👤 Vincent L. Vaillancourt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M39/00; A61M39/22; A61M39/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A connector assembly comprising a female luer connector including a housing having a rigid tubular portion projecting therefrom, a hollow needle mounted in said housing concentrically within said tubular portion, a tubular shield mounted over said needle and including a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle and a septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in facing relation to said needle and a ring disposed about said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum; and a male luer connector including a hollow tube for movement coaxially into said rigid tubular portion of said female luer housing, said hollow tube being sized to abut and move said septum into said rigid tubular portion while collapsing said collapsible tubular portion of said shield to effect piercing of said needle through said septum and entry into said hollow tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A connector assembly comprising a female luer connector including a housing having a rigid tubular portion projecting therefrom, a hollow needle mounted in said housing concentrically within said tubular portion, a tubular shield mounted over said needle and including a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle and a septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in facing relation to said needle and a ring disposed about said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum; and a male luer connector including a hollow tube for movement coaxially into said rigid tubular portion of said female luer housing, said hollow tube being sized to abut and move said septum into said rigid tubular portion while collapsing said collapsible tubular portion of said shield to effect piercing of said needle through said septum and entry into said hollow tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said female luer has a pair of radially directed projections on an end of said rigid tubular portion and said male luer connector has a housing including an internal thread for receiving said projections to secure said luer connector together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises means for releasably coupling said luer connectors together.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means includes a pair of radially directed projections on said rigid tubular portion and a housing on said male luer connector with an internal thread for threadably receiving said projections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring is made of plastic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring is disposed on said septum to circumferentially compress said septum in an amount sufficient to prevent leakage therethrough under pressure and after repeated punctures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said septum is partially recessed in said rigid tubular portion and said ring is a flat rectangular ring disposed on said septum and being coextensive of said septum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
A connector comprising a housing having a rigid tubular portion projecting therefrom; a hollow needle mounted in said housing concentrically within said tubular portion; a tubular shield mounted over said needle and including a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle and secured at one end to said housing and a septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in facing relation to said needle; and a ring disposed about said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum in response to repeated passage of said needle through said septum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A connector comprising a housing having a rigid tubular portion projecting therefrom; a hollow needle mounted in said housing concentrically within said tubular portion; a tubular shield mounted over said needle and including a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle and secured at one end to said housing and a septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in facing relation to said needle; and a ring disposed about said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum in response to repeated passage of said needle through said septum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A connector as set forth in claim 8 which further comprises a pair of projections at one end of said rigid tubular portion to form a releasable locking connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said septum has a thin thickness in the range of 0.100 inches and said ring circumferentially compresses said septum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said ring is a flat rectangular ring disposed on and coextensive with said septum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said ring has a thickness of from 0.015 to 0.020 inches and an inside diameter of 0.115 inches.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
134 words
A connector assembly comprising a first connector including a rigid tubular portion, a hollow needle fixedly mounted within said tubular portion, a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle to define an annular gap therewith, a septum of a thin thickness at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in spaced facing relation to said needle and having a surface projecting from said tubular portion, and a rigid compression ring disposed circumferentially of said septum to circumferentially compress said septum; and a second connector including a hollow tube for projecting into said rigid tubular portion of said first connector, said tube having a lumen and being sized to push said septum into said rigid tubular portion to effect piercing of said needle through said septum into said lumen of said hollow tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
134 words
A connector assembly comprising a first connector including a rigid tubular portion, a hollow needle fixedly mounted within said tubular portion, a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentric to said needle to define an annular gap therewith, a septum of a thin thickness at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion in spaced facing relation to said needle and having a surface projecting from said tubular portion, and a rigid compression ring disposed circumferentially of said septum to circumferentially compress said septum; and a second connector including a hollow tube for projecting into said rigid tubular portion of said first connector, said tube having a lumen and being sized to push said septum into said rigid tubular portion to effect piercing of said needle through said septum into said lumen of said hollow tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A connector assembly as set forth in claim 13 which further comprises means for releasably coupling said connectors together with said hollow tube of said second connector within said tubular portion of said first connector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A connect assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means including a housing on said second connector having a internal thread and a pair of radially directed projections on said rigid tubular portion of said first connector for threading into said internal thread.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
126 words
In combination, a first connector including a rigid tubular portion, a hollow needle fixedly mounted within said tubular portion, a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentrically between said needle and said rigid tubular portion, a cap-shaped septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion for movement between an extended position with a face of said septum at a distal end of said rigid tubular portion and a recessed position within said rigid tubular portion, and a plastic ring disposed circumferentially of said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum; and means for moving said septum from said extended position to said recessed position to effect piercing of said needle through said septum while resiliently collapsing said collapsible tubular portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
126 words
In combination, a first connector including a rigid tubular portion, a hollow needle fixedly mounted within said tubular portion, a resilient collapsible tubular portion concentrically between said needle and said rigid tubular portion, a cap-shaped septum at a distal end of said collapsible tubular portion for movement between an extended position with a face of said septum at a distal end of said rigid tubular portion and a recessed position within said rigid tubular portion, and a plastic ring disposed circumferentially of said septum to circumferentially compress said septum and prevent circumferential distortion of said septum; and means for moving said septum from said extended position to said recessed position to effect piercing of said needle through said septum while resiliently collapsing said collapsible tubular portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination as set forth in claim 16 wherein said means is a second connector having a hollow tube defining a lumen for receiving said needle with said septum in said recessed position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination as set forth in claim 17 which further comprises a housing on said second connector having a internal thread and a pair of radially directed projections on said rigid tubular portion of said first connector for threading into said internal thread.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination as set forth in claim 16 wherein said ring is disposed on said septum to circumferentially compress said septum in an amount sufficient to prevent leakage therethrough under pressure of 30 psig.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as set forth in claim 16 wherein said ring is disposed on said septum to compress said septum in a range of from 5% to 10% of the outside diameter of said septum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-29 | 1999-07-31 | 2000-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-29 | 2003-07-31 | 2004-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-29 | 2007-07-31 | 2008-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |