Medicament container closure with integral spike access means

Claim 1

A disposable closure assembly/container combination, said container having a medical fluid therein, said closure assembly having a needleless access means allowing withdrawal of said medical fluid from said container by use of an intravenous tubing attached to said needleless access means, said disposable closure/container combination comprising: a) a container, containing a medical fluid therein, which comprises: a1) a neck portion having an interior radial surface and a transverse end surface forming the mouth of said container; a2) an exterior surface which, with said transverse end surface, forming a radial ring to receive and hold a cylindrical collar; b) a closure assembly consisting of an elastomeric stopper, a cylindrical collar and a spike access means, said elastomeric stopper comprising: b1) a head portion and a skirt portion, said head portion having: a flange extending laterally outwardly form said skirt portion and is designed to cover the mouth of the container; and a target area at the center of the head portion designed to be pierced by a spike access means; and said skirt portion projecting into the container sealing the medical fluid contained therein; b2) said cylindrical collar comprising: a flat top portion having a central opening therein superimposed on the target area in the head portion of the elastomeric stopper; a cylindrical side portion having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom portion; said inner wall having an inwardly projecting ring positioned below the exterior radial ring on the container to securely hold the elastomeric stopper in the container; said outer wall of said cylindrical side portion having: an annular groove to receive and engage a spike access means; and an annular protuberance at the bottom portion of said cylindrical collar projecting outwardly to serve as stopping means for said spike access means; b3) said spike access means positioned over and enveloping said cylindrical collar, said spike access means comprising: a top portion; a side portion; and a bottom portion; b4) said top portion having an integral spike at the center thereof which comprises a cylindrical shaft having a fluid communicating channel therein and terminating in a sharp tip at one end thereof for piercing the target area in said elastomeric stopper, and a female luer lock at the other end thereof to engage a corresponding male luer lock contained at the end of a fluid delivery tubing; b5) said side portion overlaps the outer wall of said cylindrical collar and is slidable thereon; b6) said bottom portion having an annular protuberance thereon projecting inwardly towards the container and engaging the annular groove in said cylindrical collar thereby providing an initial pre-piercing position for said spike access means; said spike access means being capable of axial, slidable movement so that upon vertical pressure said inwardly projecting protuberance is being dislodged from said annular groove and said sharp tip of said cylindrical shaft penetrates said target area in the elastomeric stopper thereby providing access to the medical fluid contained in he container; and c) a removable cover member enclosing the spike access means onto the neck of the container to maintain the closure assembly free from contamination.