# US 12,667,708 B2 · Protective membrane for medical luer connectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,667,708 B2 - Document ID: US12667708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/224,975 - Filed: 2021-04-07 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2026-06-30 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-07 - Assignees: CareFusion 303, Inc. - Applicants: CareFusion 303, Inc. - Inventors: Wesley Underwood; Jason Andrew Wine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12667708B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/16: having provision for disinfection or sterilisation {(A61M39/143 takes precedence)} - A61M 39/20: Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes - A61L 2/206: Ethylene oxide - A61M 39/14: for connecting tubes having sealed ends {(needle sets A61M5/162; having valves closing automatically on disconnection of line A61M39/26)} - A61L 2103/15: Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps - A61M 2039/205: {comprising air venting means} - A61M 2205/7527: liquophilic, hydrophilic - A61M 2205/7536: allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes - 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)} - 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 A protective membrane for a medical luer connector may include a cover having an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to a mating surface of the medical luer connector, and an outer perimetal surface. The protective membrane may further include a flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover, and an adhesive overlaying the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface of the medical luer connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A protective membrane for a medical luer connector, the protective membrane comprising: a cover including an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to a mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector, an outer perimetal surface, and at least one aperture positioned at a central longitudinal axis of the cover and extending through the upper surface and the lower surface; a flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover; and an adhesive overlaying the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface at the distal end of the medical luer connector such that the at least one aperture is coaxially located with a longitudinal luer axis of a male luer portion of the medical luer connector and positioned over a lumen of the male luer portion of the medical luer connector to permit ethylene oxide sterilization of the medical luer connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein the flexible pull tab comprises a flap pivotable about the outer perimetal surface for ease of securing and removing the protective membrane from the medical luer connector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the flexible pull tab extends longitudinally along and is removably coupled to an outer surface of the medical luer connector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the mating portion of the lower surface is configured to adhere to the mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector to form a seal therebetween to maintain sterility of internal portions the medical luer connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises a coating on the mating portion of the lower surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises a layer removably coupled to the mating portion of the lower surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises any of a curved or rounded conical profile configured to receive the male luer portion of the medical luer connector therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The protective membrane of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises a planar profile. ### Claim 9 A protective membrane for a medical luer connector comprising: a medical luer connector comprising a distal end forming a mating surface, a male luer portion forming an inlet port and a lumen extending along a central longitudinal axis of the medical luer connector; and a protective membrane comprising a cover, an adhesive, and a flexible pull tab, the cover including an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to the mating surface of the medical luer connector, an outer perimetal surface, and at least one aperture positioned at a central longitudinal axis of the cover and extending through the upper surface and the lower surface, and the adhesive disposed on the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface at the distal end of the medical luer connector such that the at least one aperture is coaxially located with a longitudinal luer axis of a male luer portion of the medical luer connector and positioned over a lumen of the male luer portion of the medical luer connector; and the flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The protective membrane of claim 9, wherein the protective membrane comprises a filter disposed in the aperture of the cover, the filter comprises a hydrophobic filter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The protective membrane of claim 10, wherein: the hydrophobic filter is disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the cover over the lumen to permit air to vent out of the lumen to an exterior of the medical luer connector while preventing liquid from exiting to the exterior of the medical luer connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The protective membrane of claim 9, wherein the flexible pull tab is pivotable about the outer perimetal surface for ease of securing and removing the protective membrane from the medical luer connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The protective membrane of claim 12, wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the flexible pull tab extends longitudinally along and is removably coupled to an outer surface of medical luer connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The protective membrane of claim 12, wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the mating portion of the lower surface is configured to adhere to the mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector an creates a seal therebetween to maintain sterility of internal portions of the medical luer connector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The protective membrane of claim 9, wherein the adhesive comprises a coating on the mating portion of the lower surface, or a layer removably coupled to the mating portion of the lower surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The protective membrane of claim 9, wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises any of a curved or rounded conical profile configured to receive the male luer portion of the medical luer connector in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector. ### Claim 17 A protective membrane for a medical luer connector comprising: a medical luer connector comprising a distal end forming a mating surface, a male luer portion forming an inlet port, and a lumen extending through the male luer portion and along a central longitudinal axis of the medical luer connector; and a protective membrane comprising a thin-filmed sleeve including an exterior surface, an interior surface for coupling to an outer surface of the distal end of the medical luer connector, and a plurality of apertures extending through the exterior surface and the interior surface of the thin-filmed sleeve; wherein the thin-filmed sleeve comprises a heat-activatable material, which upon exposure to heat is configured to shrink from a first diameter of the interior surface to a second diameter of the interior surface where the interior surface has an interference fit with at least a portion of the outer surface of the medical luer connector and seals a sterile portion of the medical luer connector, and the plurality of apertures are configured to be positioned over the lumen of the medical luer connector to permit ethylene oxide sterilization of the medical luer connector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The protective membrane of claim 17, wherein the heat-activatable material of the thin-filmed sleeve comprises a polymer plastic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The protective membrane of claim 18, wherein polymer plastic material comprises a polyvinyl chloride plastic film. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The protective membrane of claim 17, wherein the plurality of apertures are circumferentially disposed about a central longitudinal axis of the sleeve.