# US 12,181,720 B2 · Disinfecting covers for functional connectors of medical devices and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,720 B2 - Document ID: US12181720B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/524,620 - Filed: 2023-11-30 - Published: 2024-03-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-13 - Assignees: Bard Access Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Bard Access Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Anthony K. Misener; Steffan Sowards - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181720B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/3866: {Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors (cleaning in general B08B)} - G02B 6/3849: {using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes (G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44)} - A61B 46/10: specially adapted for instruments{, e.g. microscopes} - A61B 46/40: {Drape material, e.g. laminates; Manufacture thereof} - A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure - A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres} - A61L 15/28: Polysaccharides or their derivatives {(A61L15/225 takes precedence)} - A61L 15/425: {Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract Disclosed are disinfecting covers for optical-fiber connectors. For example, a male disinfecting cover can include a plug, a bore of the plug, an absorbent disposed in the bore, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The plug is configured to insert into a receptacle of a female optical-fiber connector. A female disinfecting cover can include a body, a receptacle in the body, an absorbent disposed in the receptacle, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The receptacle is configured to accept a male optical-fiber connector. Whether the disinfecting cover is male or female, the absorbent is configured to contact the ferrule and the optical fiber disposed of the optical-fiber connector. Methods can include at least a method of using the male or female disinfecting cover. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disinfecting cover for an optical-fiber connector, comprising: a body including a receptacle configured to accept the optical-fiber connector therein; an absorbent disposed in the receptacle configured to contact a ferrule of the optical-fiber connector having an optical fiber disposed therein; a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent configured to disinfect at least the ferrule and the optical fiber; and a communication module configured to: communicate with a medical device including the optical-fiber connector, and indicate to the medical device when the optical-fiber connector is covered by the disinfecting cover, wherein a cleaning cycle including cleaning or drying is initiated upon the communication module indicating to the medical device the optical-fiber connector is covered by the disinfecting cover. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, further comprising one or more interlocking features configured to interlock with the optical-fiber connector and maintain the optical-fiber connector in the receptacle of the body when the optical-fiber connector is inserted in the disinfecting cover. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, further comprising a handle incorporated into the body or extending therefrom, the handle configured to enable a person to insert the optical-fiber connector into the receptacle of the body or remove the optical-fiber connector from the receptacle when holding the disinfecting cover by the handle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The disinfecting cover of claim 3, wherein the body and the handle are integrally molded from a thermoplastic selected from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, high-impact polystyrene, and polypropylene. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, wherein the absorbent is a compressible sponge of polyester, polyurethane, or cellulose. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The disinfecting cover of claim 5, wherein the compressible sponge is configured to release a portion of the disinfectant absorbed thereby when compressed into the receptacle of the body by the ferrule of the optical-fiber connector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, wherein the disinfectant is an aqueous solution of isopropanol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The disinfecting cover of claim 7, wherein the aqueous solution is at least 70% isopropanol by volume. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, wherein actuation of a cleaning action is initiated upon the communication module indicating to the medical device the optical-fiber connector is covered by the disinfecting cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The disinfecting cover of claim 1, wherein the disinfecting cover is integrated into a portal in a procedural barrier for a medical procedure, the portal configured to enable functional connections between medical devices on opposing sides of the procedural barrier. ### Claim 11 A method for disinfecting optical-fiber connectors, comprising: disconnecting a male optical-fiber connector from a female optical-fiber connector; inserting the male optical-fiber connector into a female disinfecting cover, thereby disinfecting at least a ferrule and an optical fiber of the male optical-fiber connector; inserting a male disinfecting cover into the female optical-fiber connector, thereby disinfecting at least a ferrule and an optical fiber of the female optical-fiber connector; and keeping the male optical-fiber connector or the female optical-fiber connector in its respective disinfecting cover until connecting the male optical-fiber connector or the female optical-fiber connector to each other or another complementary optical-fiber connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the male optical-fiber connector into the female disinfecting cover includes inserting the male optical-fiber connector into a receptacle of a body of the female disinfecting cover, the receptacle including an absorbent having a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein inserting the male optical-fiber connector into the female disinfecting cover includes compressing the absorbent into the receptacle, thereby releasing a portion of the disinfectant for disinfecting the male optical-fiber connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the male disinfecting cover into the female optical-fiber connector includes inserting a plug of the male disinfecting cover into a receptacle of the female optical-fiber connector, the plug including a bore with an absorbent having a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein inserting the male disinfecting cover into the female optical-fiber connector includes compressing the absorbent into the bore, thereby releasing a portion of the disinfectant for disinfecting the female optical-fiber connector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method mitigates contamination of multiple-use medical devices between uses with different patients.