US 4,439,188 A · Tube connector

Abstract

Equipment for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in which a solution container is coupled via flexible tubing to a patient's tube that communicates with the patient's peritoneal cavity by means of a catheter, usually a surgically implanted catheter. The equipment includes a flexible, foldable plastic dialysis solution container having a transfer port. A flexible tube having a luer connector at its distal end extends from the transfer port, for connecting to a luer connector carried by the patient's tube. The flexible tube carries a frangible member which normally blocks fluid flow but permits fluid flow after the frangible member is broken. A particulate filter and a manually-operable clamp are in series with the flexible tube. Peritoneal dialysis is accomplished by connecting the luer connector from a fresh dialysis solution bag to the patient's tube luer connector, breaking the frangible member, and opening the clamp on the flexible tubing. After the dialysis solution is introduced into the patient's peritoneal cavity and remains there for a predetermined time, the solution is drained back into the flexible bag, the luer connectors are disconnected and the foregoing steps are repeated. If desired, once the dialysis solution has been introduced into the patient's peritoneal cavity, the luer connections may be disconnected and the patient's tube luer connector may be capped.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A luer lock connector attached to the end of flexible tubing, which comprises:

a main tubular member proportioned to sealingly receive a mating luer lock connector within the bore of said main tubular member, said main tubular member being provided with flange-shaped protrusion means extending radially outwardly, said protrusion means being proportioned to cooperate with a matching thread of the mating luer lock connector for attachment thereto, the outer wall of said main tubular member being provided with an annular area spaced from the ends thereof and also spaced from the protrusion means, said annular area defining an enlarged diameter for annular engagement with an outer sheath of the mating connector to form a sealing area with said outer sheath sealingly surrounding and enclosing said annular area, said annular area being an integral part of said luer lock connector, said luer lock connector being made of titanium and being free of an attached sleeve surrounding said protrusion means and main tubular member.

the outer wall of said main tubular member being provided with an annular area spaced from the ends thereof, and also spaced from the protrusion means, said annular area defining an enlarged diameter of resiliently deformable material for annular engagement with the male connector to form a sealing area, said female luer lock connector being free of an integrally attached sleeve surrounding said annular area and main tubular member, said male luer lock connector having a central tubular luer portion defining an axial bore projecting in sealing relation into the bore of the main tubular member, said male luer lock connector also defining an outer sheath which surrounds both said central tubular luer portion and the main tubular member, said outer sheath having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration and defining a free annular end, a portion of said outer sheath defining a threaded internal wall portion to serve as said matching thread in locking engagement with the flange-shaped protrusion means of said luer lock connector, said threaded internal wall portion being spaced from the free annular end of said sheath by a portion of the inner surface of said sheath which defines an annular sealing area free of threads, said annular sealing area surrounding said resiliently deformable annular area of enlarged diameter of the luer lock connector in annular sealing relation thereto.

A luer lock connector system which comprises a female luer lock connector in locked relation with a male luer lock connector, said female luer lock connector comprising a main tubular member sealingly receiving said male luer lock connector within the bore of said main tubular member, said main tubular member being provided with flange shaped protrusion means extending radially outwardly, the outer wall of said female tubular member being provided with an annular area spaced from the ends thereof and also spaced from the protrusion means, said annular area defining an enlarged diameter for annular engagement with the male connector to form a sealing area, said female luer lock connector being free of an integrally attached sleeve surrounding said annular area and main tubular member;

said male luer lock connector having a central tubular luer portion defining an axial bore projecting in sealing relation into the bore of the main tubular member, said male luer lock connector also defining an outer sheath which surrounds both said central tubular luer portion and the main tubular member and is positioned beyond said central tubular luer portion to circumferentially enclose the entire length of said central tubular luer portion within said outer sheath, said outer sheath having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration and defining a free annular end, a portion of said outer sheath defining a threaded internal wall portion in locking engagement with the flange-shaped protrusion means of the female luer lock connector, said threaded internal wall portion being spaced from the free annular end of said sheath by a portion of the inner surface of said sheath which defines an annular sealing area free of threads, said annular sealing area surrounding said flange-shaped protrusion means in annular sealing relation thereto, said outer sheath being made of a resiliently deformable material and said female luer lock connector being made of rigid material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tube connector

Life of this patent

Tube connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12