# US 12,661,492 B2 · Sanitizing caps for medical connectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,661,492 B2 - Document ID: US12661492B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/021,226 - Filed: 2020-09-15 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2026-06-23 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-16 - Assignees: ICU Medical, Inc. - Applicants: ICU Medical, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas F. Fangrow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12661492B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/16: having provision for disinfection or sterilisation {(A61M39/143 takes precedence)} - A61M 39/0247: {Transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body} - A61M 39/20: Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes - A61M 25/0017: {specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections} - A61M 2025/0056: {provided with an antibacterial agent, e.g. by coating, residing in the polymer matrix or releasing an agent out of a reservoir} - A61M 2039/0285: {with sterilisation means, e.g. antibacterial coatings, disinfecting pads, UV radiation LEDs or heating means in the port} - A61M 2205/0205: Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent - A61M 2209/06: Packaging for specific medical equipment - 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)} ## Abstract Antiseptic caps that can be used to disinfect and/or protect medical connectors are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the antiseptic cap can include a first chamber configured to be removably attached to the medical connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sanitizing male luer cap comprising: a housing comprising: an outer wall, a bottom wall, and a first chamber being at least partially enclosed by the outer wall and the bottom wall; an inner protrusion extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the housing, the inner protrusion comprising: an inner surface, and a second chamber being at least partially formed by the inner surface of the inner protrusion, at least a portion of the inner surface of the inner protrusion being tapered and configured to tightly receive at least a portion of a male luer of a medical connector; an antiseptic material comprising an opening for receiving the male luer and an antiseptic liquid within the antiseptic material, the antiseptic material being attached to an upper end of the inner protrusion and extending across an opening to the second chamber such that the antiseptic material is configured to wipe and to apply the antiseptic liquid to a distal end face and a side wall of the male luer as the male luer is advanced into the second chamber; and a lid being configured to enclose the first chamber and resist escape of the antiseptic liquid from the first chamber before use; wherein an interior surface of the outer wall of the housing does not contact the medical connector when the sanitizing male luer cap is attached to the medical connector such that a gap is formed between the interior surface of the outer wall of the housing and the medical connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sanitizing male luer cap of claim 1, wherein a portion of the antiseptic material is configured to move into the second chamber as the sanitizing male luer cap is advanced onto the male luer of the medical connector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sanitizing male luer cap of claim 1, wherein an upper diameter of the inner protrusion is smaller than a width of the antiseptic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sanitizing male luer cap of claim 1, wherein a length of a perforation in the antiseptic material is less than or equal to a largest diameter of the portion of the male luer of the medical connector that is insertable into the inner protrusion, such that the antiseptic material is configured to form a tight fit around the male luer when the sanitizing male luer cap is attached to the medical connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A combination of the sanitizing male luer cap of claim 1 and the medical connector referenced in claim 1. ### Claim 6 A sanitizing luer cap comprising: an antiseptic material being configured to sanitize a male luer end of a medical connector when the sanitizing luer cap is attached to the medical connector by wiping and applying an antiseptic liquid to a distal end face and a side wall of the male luer end; and a housing having an interior surface forming a chamber; a protrusion positioned within the chamber, the protrusion comprising: an outer surface being coupled to the antiseptic material, an opening being configured to receive the male luer end of the medical connector, a distal portion comprising a first inner cross-sectional width, the distal portion of the protrusion being configured to receive at least a portion of the antiseptic material when the sanitizing luer cap receives the medical connector, and a proximal portion comprising a second inner cross-sectional width being different than the first inner cross-sectional width, the proximal portion of the protrusion being configured to couple to the portion of the male luer end when the sanitizing luer cap attaches to the medical connector and to hold the sanitizing luer cap on the medical connector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the first inner cross-sectional width is greater than the second inner cross-sectional width. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the first inner cross-sectional width is sized such that the distal portion is configured to receive at least a portion of the antiseptic material and the male luer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the antiseptic material includes an opening configured to accept the male luer end of the medical connector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the antiseptic material comprises a diameter, and wherein the diameter is greater than the first inner cross-sectional width and the second cross-sectional width. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the antiseptic material is configured to sanitize at least an end face of the male luer end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the antiseptic material comprises one or more perforations configured to facilitate passage of at least a portion of the male luer end through the antiseptic material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The luer cap of claim 12, wherein the one or more perforations comprises a length, and wherein the length is less than an outer width of at least the portion of the male luer end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The luer cap of claim 13, wherein the length of the one or more perforations is configured to inhibit passage of fluid between the antiseptic material and the male luer end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The luer cap of claim 6, wherein the antiseptic material comprises one or more flap portions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The luer cap of claim 15, wherein the one or more flap portions are configured to be at least partially positioned within the distal portion of the protrusion when the sanitizing luer cap is attached to the male luer end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The luer cap of claim 16, wherein the one or more flap portions comprises a compressible material to compress between the distal portion of the protrusion and at least a portion of the male luer end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The luer cap of claim 16, wherein the one or more flap portions are configured to facilitate attachment of the sanitizing luer cap to the male luer end. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) A combination of the sanitizing luer cap of claim 6 and the medical connector referenced in claim 6. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) An antiseptic cap assembly comprising: one or more sanitizing luer caps of claim 6; and an elongate tubular body or sleeve configured to contain the one or more sanitizing luer caps. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) An antiseptic cap assembly comprising: a sanitizing luer cap of claim 6; a cap holder configured to receive the sanitizing luer cap; and a lid.