# US 2019/0167968 A1 · Fluid line connectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167968 A1 - Document ID: US20190167968A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/272,194 - Filed: 2019-02-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-27 - Assignees: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. - Inventors: Lynn E. Jensen; Melvin D. Jensen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167968A1 ## CPC - A61M 39/1011: {Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence)} - A61M 39/1033: {Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors or bayonet-connectors} - 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 A male luer connector includes a body having a first end configured to be connected to a fluid line, a second end opposed to the first end, and a body longitudinal axis. The second end is configured to be inserted into and form a luer slip connection with a female luer connector. The male luer connector also includes a locking collar that is connected to the body in a manner such that the locking collar rotates about the longitudinal axis. In some cases, the body second end does not protrude beyond a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis and that includes an end face of the locking collar, and/or when male and female connectors are engaged, the locking collar engages an outer surface of the female fluid line connector and is deformed by the engagement. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-34. (canceled) ### Claim 35 A male fluid line connector configured to engage a female fluid line connector, the male fluid line connector comprising: a body including a first end configured to be connected to a fluid line, a tapered second end opposed to the first end, the tapered second end configured to be inserted into and form a fluid-tight connection with the female fluid line connector, and a body longitudinal axis that extends between the first end and the tapered second end, and a locking collar, the locking collar comprising: an internal thread, a locking collar first end, and a locking collar second end opposed to the locking collar first end, wherein the locking collar first end comprises a plurality of resilient fingers positioned radially inward of an annular outer surface of the locking collar, the annular outer surface radially surrounding the plurality of resilient fingers, the plurality of resilient fingers tapered so as to extend radially inward at an angle with respect to the annular outer surface, the annular outer surface and the plurality of resilient fingers defining an annular space between one another wherein the plurality of resilient fingers can deflect, the locking collar connected to the body in a manner such that the plurality of resilient fingers of the locking collar can rotate about the body longitudinal axis, the locking collar second end configured to engage the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the locking collar internal thread is configured to engage a corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector, the locking collar internal thread configured to deform when engaged with the corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The male fluid line connector of claim 36, wherein the locking collar internal thread has a non-zero thread angle that is greater than a non-zero thread angle of the corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The male fluid line connector of claim 36, wherein a major diameter of the locking collar internal thread is less than a major diameter of the corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the locking collar is more flexible than the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the locking collar is formed of a material that is more flexible than the material used to form the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 41 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the locking collar has a durometer value that is less than the durometer value of the female fluid line connector on a given durometer scale. ### Claim 42 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the interior surface of the locking collar includes a region that engages a region of the outer surface of the female fluid line connector, and the region of the locking collar has a maximum inner diameter that is less than a maximum outer diameter of the region of the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 43 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the locking collar second end is configured to engage the outer surface of the female fluid line connector, the female fluid line connector including through holes that are elongated in a direction parallel to the body longitudinal axis, the through holes extending between the interior surface of the locking collar and an exterior surface of the locking collar and through the internal thread, wherein each through hole is spaced apart from the adjacent through holes along a circumference of the locking collar, wherein the locking collar first end comprises a first end face and the locking collar second end comprises a second end face, the through holes spaced from the first end face and the second end face so as not to extend through the first end face or the second end face. ### Claim 44 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the first coefficient of friction has a range of 0.1 to 0.3. ### Claim 45 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the tapered second end of the body does not protrude beyond a plane that is transverse to the body longitudinal axis and includes an end face of the locking collar. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The male fluid line connector of claim 45, wherein the internal thread of the locking collar is arranged to begin at a predetermined distance from the locking collar end face, and the predetermined distance is selected so that when the tapered second end of the body is inserted into the female fluid line connector, a leading edge of a corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector abuts a leading edge of the internal thread of the locking collar before an outer surface of the tapered second end of the body forms a connection with an internal surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The male fluid line connector of claim 45, wherein the tapered second end of the body is recessed within the locking collar. ### Claim 48 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the body is formed of a material comprising acrylic and wherein the locking collar is formed of a material comprising polypropylene. ### Claim 49 (depends on 35) The male fluid line connector of claim 35, wherein the tapered second end of the body is configured to form a luer-slip connection with the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 50 A male fluid line connector configured to engage a female fluid line connector, the male fluid line connector comprising: a body including: a first end configured to be connected to a fluid line, a tapered second end opposed to the first end, the tapered second end configured to be inserted into and form a fluid-tight connection with the female fluid line connector, and a body longitudinal axis that extends between the first end and the tapered second end; and a locking collar comprising: a locking collar first end, and a locking collar second end opposed to the locking collar first end, wherein the locking collar first end is connected to the body in a manner such that the locking collar rotates about the body longitudinal axis, the locking collar including an internal thread that is configured to engage a corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector, the locking collar including through holes that are elongated in a direction parallel to the body longitudinal axis, the through holes extending between the interior surface of the locking collar and an exterior surface of the locking collar and through the internal thread, the locking collar first end comprising a first end face and the locking collar second end comprising a second end face, the through holes spaced from the first end face and the second end face so as not to extend through the first end face or the second end face. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The male fluid line connector of claim 50, wherein a major diameter of the locking collar internal thread is less than a major diameter of the corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) The male fluid line connector of claim 50, wherein the locking collar has a durometer value that is less than the durometer value of the female fluid line connector on a given durometer scale. ### Claim 53 (depends on 50) The male fluid line connector of claim 50, wherein the tapered second end of the body is recessed within the locking collar. ### Claim 54 (depends on 50) The male fluid line connector of claim 50, wherein the tapered second end of the body does not protrude beyond a plane that is transverse to the body longitudinal axis and includes an end face of the locking collar. ### Claim 55 (depends on 50) The male fluid line connector of claim 50, wherein the locking collar internal threads have a thread angle that is greater than a thread angle of the threads provided on the outer surface of the female fluid line connector.