Priming cap
AssigneeICU Medical, Inc.
InventorsThomas F. Fangrow, Erik Scott Shauver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A priming cap includes a valve activation member and an engagement member. The valve activation member can be configured to open and close a medical connector. The engagement member can secure the priming cap to the medical connector in a first position in which the medical connector remains closed.
Claims19
A priming cap for use with a medical connector including a valve at a first end of the medical connector configured to selectively close a fluid path in the medical connector, the priming cap comprising:
- a valve activation member configured to selectively engage the valve of the medical connector to open the fluid path in the medical connector,
- a permeable portion configured to permit the passage of air through the priming cap and configured to inhibit the passage of liquid through the priming cap, and
- an engagement member configured to selectively secure the priming cap to the medical connector, wherein the engagement member is configured to secure the priming cap in a first position in which the fluid path in the medical connector is closed and a second position in which the fluid passage in the medical connector is open.
The priming cap of claim, wherein the engagement member includes a bumper that extends radially inwardly from an interior surface of the engagement member, and wherein the bumper is configured to secure the priming cap to a securement feature of the medical connector.
The priming cap of claim, wherein the permeable member is a hydrophobic plug positioned in a fluid flow path extending through the valve activation member.
The priming cap of claim, wherein the engagement member comprises at least two resilient arms.
The priming cap of claim, wherein the priming cap further comprises a window configured to allow visualization of at least a portion of the fluid passageway of the valve activation member.
The priming cap of claim further comprising an antiseptic material.
An automatic closed priming system comprising:
- the priming cap of claim and
- the medical connector.
A method of priming a medical connector including a valve at a first end of the medical connector configured to selectively close a fluid path in the medical connector, the method comprising:
- providing a pre-assembled priming cap and medical connector assembly, the priming cap including:
- a valve activation member configured to selectively engage the valve of the medical connector to open the fluid path in the medical connector,
- a permeable portion configured to permit the passage of air through the priming cap and configured to inhibit the passage of liquid through the priming cap, and
- an engagement member configured to selectively secure the priming cap to the medical connector;
- wherein the pre-assembled the priming cap and medical connector assembly includes the priming cap attached to the medical connector in a first position in which the valve activation member of the priming cap does not activate the valve of the needleless medical fluid connector female end to open the connector;
- and
- transitioning the priming cap from the first position to a second position in which the valve activation member of the priming cap activates the valve of the medical connector to establish fluid communication between the medical connector and the priming cap, and
- permitting fluid to flow through the medical connector and into the priming cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.