Prefilled sterilant fluid releasable coupling connector apparatus for catheter applications

Connector apparatus for releasably coupling facing end portions of first and second lengths of tubing and communicating their interiors, said connector apparatus comprising:

• a first connector member having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion,
• a second end portion operably connectable to one of said tubing end portions,
• a cylindrical cavity extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said first end portion of said first connector member, said cylindrical cavity having an inner end, and
• a hollow tubular male connector portion extending coaxially into said cylindrical cavity from said inner end thereof and being laterally circumscribed by an annular portion of said cylindrical cavity;
• a second connector member operably connectable to said first connector member and having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion coaxially insertable into said cylindrical cavity toward said inner end thereof and configured to coaxially receive said male connector portion, in a radially outwardly spaced relationship therewith, and create within said cylindrical cavity a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between said male connector portion and the interior side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, and an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the inner side surface of said first end portion of said first connector member and the outer side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having first ends which are communicated adjacent said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, said second ends which are axially spaced apart from said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, and
• a second end portion operably connectable to the other of said first and second lengths of tubing;
• thread means on said first and second connector members for releasably locking them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• first resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said outer annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber;
• and
• second resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said inner annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber.

In a tubing set for use with equipment for Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis in which a solution container is coupled via the tubing set to a patient's tube that communicates with a patient's peritoneal cavity, and with the solution container having a transport port carrying a luer connector and the patient's tube carrying a luer connector, the improvement comprising:

• a male luer connector member having a central tubular portion outwardly circumscribed by a generally tubular sheath portion and having an open end facing in a first axial direction;
• a female luer connector member operatively interconnectable with said male luer connector and having a hollow tubular portion coaxially insertable into said sheath portion to coaxially receive said central tubular portion of said male luer connector member;
• cooperating thread means on said male and female luer connector members for releasably holding them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• and
• means associated with said male and female luer connector members and responsive to their operative interconnection for forming within said sheath portion a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having:
• an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member, said inner annular portion having an annular first end and an annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction, and
• an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member and the inner side surface of said sheath portion, said outer annular portion having an annular first end, and an annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction, said first ends of said inner and outer annular portions communicating with one another;
• and
• seal means, responsive to the operative interconnection of said male and female luer connector members, for forming annular resilient seals around said second ends of said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber.

In a tubing set for use with equipment for Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis in which a solution container is coupled via the tubing set to a patient's tube that communicates with a patient's peritoneal cavity, and with the solution container having a transport port carrying a luer connector and the patient's tube carrying a luer connector, the improvement comprising:

• a first connector member having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion,
• a second end portion operably connectable to one of said tubing end portions,
• a cylindrical cavity extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said first end portion of said first connector member, said cylindrical cavity having an inner end, and
• a hollow tubular male connector portion extending coaxially into said cylindrical cavity from said inner end thereof and being laterally circumscribed by an annular portion of said cylindrical cavity;
• a second connector member operably connectable to said first connector member and having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion coaxially insertable into said cylindrical cavity toward said inner end thereof and configured to coaxially receive said male connector portion, :n a radially outwardly spaced relationship therewith, and create within said cylindrical cavity a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between said male connector portion and the interior side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, and an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the inner side surface of said first end portion of said first connector member and the outer side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having first ends which are communicated adjacent said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, said second ends which are axially spaced apart from said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, and
• a second end portion operably connectable to the other of said first and second lengths of tubing;
• cooperating thread means on said first and second connector members for releasably locking them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• first resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said outer annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber;
• and
• second resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said inner annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber.

A luer lock connection device comprising:

• a male luer connector member having a central tubular portion outwardly circumscribed by a generally tubular sheath portion and having an open end facing in a first axial direction;
• a female luer connector member operatively interconnectable with said male luer connector and having a hollow tubular portion coaxially insertable into said sheath portion to coaxially receive said central tubular portion of said male luer connector member;
• cooperating thread means on said male and female luer connector members for releasably holding them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• and
• means associated with said male and female luer connector members and responsive to their operative interconnection for forming within said sheath portion a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having:
• an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member, said inner annular portion having an annular first end and an annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction, and
• an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member and the inner side surface of said sheath portion, said outer annular portion having an annular first end, and a annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction, said first ends of said inner and outer annular portions communicating with one another;
• seal means, responsive to the operative interconnection of said male and female luer connector members, for forming annular resilient seals around said second ends of said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber;
• and
• the female luer connector member having a hollow tubular end portion remote from the hollow tubular portion coaxially insertable into the sheath portion of the male luer connector wherein the removed hollow tubular end portion is capped by a capping means.

In a CAPD apparatus in which a solution container is coupled via flexible tubing to a patient's tube that communicates with a patient's peritoneal cavity, the improvement which comprises:

• a male luer connector member having a central tubular portion outwardly circumscribed by a generally tubular sheath portion and having an open end facing in a first axial direction;
• a female luer connector member operatively interconnectable with said male luer connector and having a hollow tubular portion coaxially insertable into said sheath portion to coaxially receive said central tubular portion of said male luer connector member;
• cooperating thread means on said male and female luer connector members for releasably holding them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• and
• means associated with said male and female luer connector members and responsive to their operative interconnection for forming within said sheath portion a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having:
• an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said central tubular portion and the inner side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member, said inner annular portion having an annular first end and an annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction, and
• an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the outer side surface of said hollow tubular portion of said female luer connector member and the inner side surface of said sheath portion, said outer annular portion having an annular first end, and an annular second end spaced apart therefrom in said first axial direction said first ends of said inner and outer annular portions communicating with one another;
• and
• seal means, responsive to the operative interconnection of said male and female luer connector members, for forming annular resilient seals around said second ends of said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber.

In a CAPD apparatus in which a solution container is coupled via flexible tubing to a patient's tube that communicates with a patient's peritoneal cavity, the improvement which comprises:

• a first connector member having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion,
• a second end portion operably connectable to one of said tubing end portions,
• a cylindrical cavity extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said first end portion of said first connector member, said cylindrical cavity having an inner end, and
• a hollow tubular male connector portion extending coaxially into said cylindrical cavity from said inner end thereof and being laterally circumscribed by an annular portion of said cylindrical cavity;
• a second connector member operably connectable to said first connector member and having:
• a hollow, generally tubular configuration,
• a first end portion coaxially insertable into said cylindrical cavity toward said inner end thereof and configured to coaxially receive said male connector portion, in a radially outwardly spaced relationship therewith, and create within said cylindrical cavity a sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having an inner annular portion coaxially disposed between said male connector portion and the interior side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, and an outer annular portion coaxially disposed between the inner side surface of said first end portion of said first connector member and the outer side surface of said first end portion of said second connector member, said inner and outer annular portions of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber having first ends which are communicated adjacent said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, said second ends which are axially spaced apart from said inner end of said cylindrical cavity, and
• a second end portion operably connectable to the other of said first and second lengths of tubing;
• cooperating thread means on said first and second connector members for releasably locking them in their operatively interconnected orientation;
• first resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said outer annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber;
• and
• second resilient seal means for creating an annular seal at said second end of said inner annular portion of said sterilant fluid-receiving chamber.