Needleless valve infection prevention and pre-opening device
AssigneeCareFusion 303, Inc.
InventorRobert S. Alpert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disinfecting and pre-opening device is disclosed for use with a female needleless connector. The disinfecting and pre-opening device includes a housing comprising a chamber having a distal opening and configured to fit over the female needleless connector, and an elongated finger attached to the housing and disposed within the chamber such that the elongated finger opens the fluid path through the female needleless connector when the distal opening of the disinfecting and pre-opening device is placed proximally adjacent to the septum and the disinfecting and pre-opening device is advanced in the distal direction.
Claims22
A device for use with a female needleless connector having a proximal end, comprising:
- a housing comprising a chamber having a proximal wall, a continuous side wall coupled to the proximal wall, and a distal opening that is configured to fit over the proximal end of the female needleless connector;
- a fluid-absorbing matrix disposed within the chamber;
- a disinfectant disposed within the fluid-absorbing matrix;
- a solid elongated finger attached to the proximal wall of the housing and disposed within the chamber such that the elongated finger opens the fluid path through the female needleless connector when the distal opening of the housing is placed adjacent to the proximal end of the female needleless connector and the device is advanced in the distal direction;
- and
- a lining on a portion of an internal surface of the chamber and configured to create a removable interference fit with an external surface of the female needleless connector.
A device for use with a female needleless connector having a proximal end, comprising:
- a housing comprising (i) a first chamber having a proximal wall, a continuous side wall coupled to the proximal wall, and a distal opening that is configured to fit over the proximal end of the female needleless connector, and (ii) a second chamber and a neck that is sized and configured to removably couple to a male needleless connector;
- a fluid-absorbing matrix disposed within the first chamber;
- a disinfectant disposed within the fluid-absorbing matrix;
- a solid elongated finger attached to the proximal wall of the housing and disposed within the first chamber such that the elongated finger opens the fluid path through the female needleless connector when the distal opening of the housing is placed adjacent to the proximal end of the female needleless connector and the device is advanced in the distal direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.