# US 2019/0167971 A1 · Device for Aseptically Connecting Large Bore Tubing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167971 A1 - Document ID: US20190167971A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/305,798 - Filed: 2017-05-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-01 - Inventors: Jerry Shevitz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167971A1 ## CPC - A61M 39/18: Methods or apparatus for making the connection under sterile conditions, i.e. sterile docking - A61M 39/10: Tube connectors or tube couplings - A61M 39/12: for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment - F16L 23/02: the flanges being connected by members tensioned axially (F16L23/12 takes precedence) - F16L 29/007: {Joints with cut-off devices controlled separately} - F16L 23/024: characterised by how the flanges are joined to, or form an extension of, the pipes - F16L 2201/44: sterile - 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)} - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract A connector for facilitating the connection of one piece of tubing to another so that fluid can flow from one piece to the other in a sterile manner. Characteristics of the connector include, hut are not limited to, a flange at one of the connector, the flange comprising a recess for storage of at least part of a protective shield which Is removable after the flange is connected to the flange of a second connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connector for facilitating the connection of one piece of tubing to another so that fluid can flow from one to the other in a sterile manner, said connector comprising a connector tube, a flange at one end of that tube, said end being the proximal end of the tube, said flange being at the proximal end of the connector, the other end of the connector tube and connector being their distal end, a circular collar separating said flange from said connector tube so that there is a groove between said tube and said flange, the circular collar provides the distal end of the groove, an O-gasket, said O-gasket inserted into said groove at the proximal end of said connector, said O-gasket encircling the proximal end of the connector tube, a portion of said O-gasket protruding from the flange so as to be capable of contact with the O-gasket of an identical connector when the two connectors are joined at their proximal ends, wherein the flange comprises a recess for storage of at least part of a protective shield, said recess containing at least part of a protective shield, said recess comprising a central opening of diameter greater than the opening at the proximal end of the connector tube, wherein the proximal and distal ends of the connector tube are references for the use of the terms proximal and distal as to all components of the connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A connector of claim 1, wherein the proximal surface of the flange comprises a forward flange surface and a recessed flange surface, wherein the recessed flange surface is surrounded on three sides by recessed wall surfaces, such that said walls extend from the recessed flange surface to the forward flange surface where they meet the inner edge of the forward flange surface provided that the recessed flange surface comprises as the opening concentric with the connector tube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A connector of claim 1, said flange comprising fastener holes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A connector of claim 3 wherein the fastener holes: a) are all centered at the same distance from the central axis of the connector tube; b) are equidistant from each other, c) as regards the forward and recessed flange surfaces, are either entirely in the forward flange surface or entirely in the recessed flange surface; d) as regards to adjacent fastener holes, the distance between at least one pair of adjacent fastener holes must be large enough so that their respective fasteners, if in place, will not block removal of the shield; e) the radial distance from the central axis of the connector tube to the center of the fastener holes is minimized so that the fastener holes are as close as possible to the outer perimeter of the O-gasket groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A connector of claim 3, wherein two or more fastener holes are fastener holes for rivets and each rivet fastener hole consists of three segments: a narrow segment; a middle segment; and a wide segment; wherein the segments progress from wide to narrow in the distal to proximal direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A connector of claim 3, wherein two or more fastener holes are fastener holes for bolts designed to accept nuts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) A connector of claim 3 where the total number of fastener holes per flange is either four, six, or eight. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A connector of claim 1 where the flange further comprises a groove for a V-gasket, the peripheral surface of said groove at a rim on the proximal side of the flange, said rim at the periphery of the flange, said rim receded distally in relation to the recessed flange surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A connector of claim 1, said connector further enhanced with a removable protective shield, said protective shield bonded to a recessed flange surface, the segment of the shield that is bonded being the shield cover segment, said shield cover segment preferably at one end of the shield, said end being the shield cover segment end, the portion of the shield that is not the shield cover segment being the shield fold-back segment, said fold-back segment being foldable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A connector of claim 9 wherein the shield is supplemented with a stiff, perforated partition sufficiently large to cover the shield cover segment, said partition bonded to the fold-back segment of said shield. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A connector of claim 10 wherein the partition is bonded at a position on the shield such that an edge of the partition is located along a fold in the shield when said shield is folded back on itself to the maximum extent possible absent breakage of any bonds between the shield and the recessed flange surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A connector of claim 10 wherein the partition is between the fold-back segment of the shield and the cover segment of the shield when said fold-back segment is folded back over the cover segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A protective cap for attachment to a connector of claim 1, said cap comprising a circular cap top attached to a circular cap flange that is disposed around the circumference of said cap top, such that said cap flange will fit around the outer perimeter of a connector flange so as to secure the cap to the connector, wherein said cap top comprises a half pull grip compartment for storage of a half pull grip and one or more rivet compartments for storage of one or more rivets, wherein said cap top further comprises holes that allow movement of air or other gases through the cap top, wherein said compartments are open on the side of the top that faces the connector so as to be capable of holding said half pull grip or rivet when the cap is attached to the connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A protective cap of claim 12 wherein the half pull grip compartment comprises an engagement loop compartment, a stem compartment, and a handle compartment, for receiving the half pull grip's loop, stem, and handle, respectively. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A protective cap of claim 1 wherein the cap flange comprises inward protrusions that fit over the periphery of the distal surface of the connector flange so as to secure the cap to the connector flange. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A protective cap claim 13, said cap attached to the flange of a connector, wherein each of said compartments of the cap is filled with the connector part that it is intended to hold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A connector of claim 1, said connector joined to another connector of any one of the above claims, the connectors joined at their proximal ends, either with or without a protective shield present in the connectors.