# US 11,027,112 B2 · Apparatuses for cleaning catheter ports > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,112 B2 - Document ID: US11027112B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/745,150 - Filed: 2020-01-16 - Published: 2020-09-17 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-19 - Assignees: Children's Medical Center Corporation - Applicants: Children's Medical Center Corporation - Inventors: John Kheir; Pierre DuPont; Asghar Ataollahi; Sarah Ward Goldberg; Brian D. Polizzotti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027112B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/162: {with antiseptic agent incorporated within the connector} - A61M 25/002: {Packages specially adapted therefor (combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113); catheter kit packages (for surgical articles A61B50/30)} - A61M 25/0097: {characterised by the hub (tube connectors or tube couplings A61M39/10)} - A61M 39/1011: {Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence)} - A61M 39/20: Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes - B08B 1/10: characterised by the type of cleaning tool - B08B 1/143: {Wipes} - B08B 1/30: by movement of cleaning members over a surface - B08B 1/34: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface - B08B 1/36: rotating about an axis orthogonal to the surface - B08B 17/065: {the surface having a microscopic surface pattern to achieve the same effect as a lotus flower} - A61M 2025/0019: {Cleaning catheters or the like, e.g. for reuse of the device, for avoiding replacement} - A61M 2039/167: {with energizing means, e.g. light, vibration, electricity} - A61M 2205/0205: Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent - A61M 2205/0238: the material being a coating or protective layer - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback - A61M 2205/582: by tactile feedback - A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback - A61M 2205/584: having a color code - A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production - A61M 2209/10: Equipment for cleaning - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for cleaning a central venous catheter port are disclosed. An apparatus includes a body, a coupling configured to connect the body to the hub, a cleaning cap coupled to the body, and an actuator disposed within the body for rotating and translating the cap relative to the hub. The cleaning cap includes a cap body defining a cavity and a cleaning member disposed within the cavity, the cleaning member having threads that engage with the threads on the hub. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning cap for cleaning a needleless hub of a catheter, the cap comprising: a cap body defining a cavity and including one or more gaps disposed about a circumference of the cap body, the one or more gaps extending axially from a first end of the cap body; and a cleaning member disposed within the cavity, the cleaning member having cleaning threads that engage with external threads of the hub; wherein the one or more gaps are configured to allow outward radial flexing of the cleaning member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member includes a foam material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member includes a fabric material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member includes at least one of a disinfecting substance and an antiseptic fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member is configured to flex radially away from and slide over the external threads of the hub such that the cleaning threads are at least one of slidable, snappable, or jumpable over the external threads of the hub. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, further comprising actuation pins that extend from a bottom surface of the cap body, the actuation pins configured to engage with a cleaning apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member comprises a cleaning pin configured for intra-valvular cleaning of a valve of a tip of the hub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cleaning cap of claim 7, wherein the cleaning pin has a cylindrical shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning member comprises at least one of a foam, a hydrogel and an alcogel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cleaning cap of claim 9, where the at least one of the foam, the hydrogel and the alcogel encapsulates at least one of an alcoholic solution, a radical generating solution, antimicrobial peptides, antimicrobial nanoparticles, and disinfectants. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The cleaning cap of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the foam, the hydrogel and the alcogel encapsulates a self-cleaning solution, the self-cleaning solution having organic oils. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cleaning cap of claim 11, wherein after the hub is cleaned, the self-cleaning solution is arranged to coat the hub to render it superhydrophobic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The cleaning cap of claim 5, wherein when the threads of the cleaning member slide, snap, or jump over the external threads of the hub, the cap makes an audible or tactile alert. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cap further comprises an indicator to indicate at least one of a wetness or dryness of a cleaning solution in the cap prior to use. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cleaning cap of claim 14, wherein the indicator is a color indicator arranged to display a color when the cleaning solution in the cap is dry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein the cleaning threads include at least one of a curved, angled or beveled shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, further comprising a cloth disposed over the cleaning threads. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The cleaning cap of claim 2, wherein the foam contains at least one of a cleaning solution and a membrane capsule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The cleaning cap of claim 2, wherein the foam is disposed along at least a portion of the cavity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, further comprising a seal to cover the cavity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of the cap body includes at least one of a handle or holding feature for manual use. ### Claim 22 (depends on 4) The cleaning cap of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the disinfecting substance and the antiseptic fluid comprises at least one of aqueous solutions of ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide, antimicrobial peptides, hypotonic or hypertonic salt solutions, and nanoparticles. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The cleaning cap of claim 1, the cleaning cap containing at least one of a disinfecting substance and an antiseptic fluid comprised of an aqueous alcoholic solution, radical generating solutions, antimicrobial agents, and other disinfectants, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The cleaning cap of claim 23, wherein the antimicrobial agents include 0-10% chlorohexidine, antimicrobial peptides, and nanoparticles. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The cleaning cap of claim 23, comprising 70% IPA, 3% H2O2, and 5% chlorohexidine.