Port protector cap for a container
AssigneeBaxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Winchell, Joe A. Miller, Jerry D. Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protector cap for establishing a sterile seal over a port having a puncturable section in a container wall and a cylindrical neck portion projecting from the periphery of the wall section. The cap comprises a molded housing having a ring-shaped recess for sealingly engaging the neck member and a chamber formed at least in part within a compressible handle portion. The handle portion is compressed prior to inserting the cap on the neck portion of the port and is subsequently released to establish a partial vacuum in the chamber. The partial vacuum assists in retaining the protector cap in position and prevents trapped air from forcing the cap off during subsequent heat-sterilization of the container.
Claims8
A protector cap for a fluid container of the type having a port comprising a puncturable wall section and a cylindrical tube segment projecting from said wall section and defining a tubular passageway in communication therewith, comprising
- a first sleeve portion dimensioned to be slidably received at one end within said tube segment;
- a second sleeve portion dimensioned to be slidably received at one end over said tube segment;
- said sleeve portions being concentric and joined at their other ends to form an annular recess for slidably receiving said tube segment in pressure sealing engagement;
- and
- a grippable handle portion including a side wall portion extending in an axial direction from the other ends of said sleeve portions and a transverse end wall portion extending across the end thereof, said handle portion defining in conjunction with said first sleeve portion a chamber in pressure communication with said tubular passageway when said protector cap is inserted on the end of said tube segment, said sidewall being radially-inwardly compressible by opposing applied external forces to reduce the volume of said chamber upon insertion of said protector cap to form a partial vacuum within said chamber.
A container for injectable fluids comprising:
- a housing forming a sealed container for said fluids having a puncturable wall section;
- a cylindrical tube segment projecting from said wall section and defining a passageway in communication therewith;
- and
- a removable protector cap including a first sleeve portion dimensioned to be slidably received at one end within said tube segment,
- a second sleeve portion dimensioned to be slidably received at one end over said tube segment,
- said sleeve portions being concentric and joined at their other ends to form an annular recess for slidably receiving said tube segment in pressure-sealing engagement, and
- a grippable handle portion including a side wall portion extending in an axial direction from the other ends of said sleeve portions and a transverse end wall portion extending across the end thereof, said handle portion defining in conjunction with said first sleeve portion a chamber in pressure communication with said tubular passageway when said protector cap is inserted on the end of said tube segment, said sidewall being radially-inwardly compressible by the opposing applied external forces to reduce the volume of said chamber upon insertion of said protector cap to form a partial vacuum within said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.