Connector cap with safety vent

Abstract

The needleless connector cap can accidentally become stuck, for example, in a position where the cap is perfectly concentric with the patient's throat. The cap includes one or more vents that allow air to pass around the cap. The configuration of the structural elements that make up the exterior of the cap can provide one or more openings or channels within the cap that remain unobstructed and extend from the base to the top side of the cap, forming one or more vents that allow air to pass through the cap.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical caps, including as an exemplary embodiment a medical antiseptic cap, and in particular to caps for use with IV needleless connectors and / or antiseptic caps. [Background technology]

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 523,506, filed June 22, 2017, the contents of which (including all attachments filed therewith) are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0003] In the developed market, when using an IV catheter, a needleless connector is typically used to close the system, and then the patient will be accessed through the catheter to administer medication or other necessary fluids. Various conventional caps are known to close the needleless connector for a period of time while not in use. In order to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) cases, a disinfectant cap was first disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,399,492, issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,399,492 (the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety) and introduced into the market. A disinfectant cap such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,399,492 is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 herein, where cap 1 includes a disinfectant pad 2 and a lid 3, and cap 4 includes a disinfectant pad 5 and a lid 7 and a thread 6 on its inner circumference 8 for interlocking with a needleless connector hub. Meanwhile, other conventional caps may have a similar mechanism but lack a disinfectant pad. The disinfectant cap has been added to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) guidelines, and it is likely that the cap will also be incorporated into the 2016 Infusion Nurse Standards (INS) guidelines in the near future.

[0004] Further improved designs for disinfection caps are disclosed in related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 408,278 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 408,187, both filed Jan. 17, 2017, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.

[0005] As these products are increasingly used with pediatric patients, some conventional caps with or without disinfection mechanisms on the market today may become lodged in the airways of pediatric patients, for example, due to their relatively small size and ease of removal from needleless connectors. This type of incident was detailed in a recent study by the University of Cincinnati, published in the journal Clinical Imaging and Clinical Imaging (2011).

[0006] An approach for addressing child safety by locking the cap to prevent a child from inadvertently removing it from the needleless connector is described in related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 957,208, filed Apr. 19, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0007] However, many current cap designs on the market today do not have a mechanism that allows air to pass around the cap if the cap becomes lodged in the patient's airway. If the cap becomes dislodged from the needleless connector or is not attached to the needleless connector and becomes lodged in the patient's throat, some such current cap designs may completely seal the trachea and prevent the patient from breathing. That is, many designs of needleless connector caps on the market today may not allow air to easily pass through the trachea and may not drastically reduce the time that a nurse must remove the cap from the patient's throat.

[0008] Thus, child safety, and the safety of patients of any age, also need to be addressed when the cap is removed or not attached to the needleless connector. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,740,864 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 011233 [Non-patent literature]

[0010] [Non-Patent Document 1] “The Disinfection Cap as Esophageal Foreign Body,” Tawfik et al. 2015 Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The subject matter illustrated in this description is provided to aid in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0012] As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, descriptive terms such as "lock," "hole," "tip," "hub," "thread," "sponge," "projection," "slope," "wall," "top," "side," "rib," and the like are used throughout this specification for ease of understanding, but are not intended to limit any components that may be used in combination or individually to implement various aspects of embodiments of the present invention.

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a needleless connector cap that can reduce the risk of an airway being blocked by the cap, which can become lodged in the throat of an infant or child (or a patient of any age). In an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the needleless connector cap includes one or more vents that allow air to pass around the cap even when the cap is perfectly concentric with the patient's throat.

[0014] According to an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of structural elements that make up the cap exterior includes one or more openings in the cap that extend from the base of the cap upwardly and form one or more vents that allow air to pass through the cap even when the cap is perfectly concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat. For example, the exterior vents can be configured to surround the exterior of the cap.

[0015] According to further exemplary implementations of embodiments of the present invention, one or more openings around the inner wall of the cap can be protected via an outer wall that can keep the openings from contacting the trachea and / or from being blocked and / or sealed by surrounding tissue.

[0016] According to an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, a cap includes an inner housing having a first top wall, an essentially cylindrical first side wall, and an open bottom formed by the first side wall having an opening to an inner cavity within the inner housing for receiving a hub of a needleless connector. An outer housing includes an essentially cylindrical second side wall configured to essentially surround said first side wall. A support structure connects the first side wall to the second side wall and forms an open space extending between the inner housing and the outer housing and allows air to pass between the outer housing and said housing through said open space.

[0017] Optionally, according to an exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the configuration of the structural elements that make up the cap lock mechanism can be optimized or varied, for example, the inner housing, the outer housing, and the support structure can be integrally formed.

[0018] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the support structure may include at least one protrusion between an outer surface of the first side wall and an inner surface of the second side wall.

[0019] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one protrusion can comprise a first vertical surface essentially orthogonal to an outer surface of the first sidewall and an inner surface of the second sidewall. The protrusion can extend from a base formed by the first sidewall to the first top wall.

[0020] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the cap can include a peel-sealing film that seals the opening to the inner cavity when attached to a surface of the open bottom rim formed by the first sidewall.

[0021] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the peel seal film does not cover or block the open space extending between the inner housing and the outer housing.

[0022] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the cap can have an outer lock housing comprising a third top wall configured above the first top wall, the third top wall extending through the third top wall with at least one opening allowing air passing through the open space extending between the inner housing and the outer housing to pass through the outer lock housing, and an essentially cylindrical third side wall configured to essentially surround the second side wall. The cap further has a safety interface comprising a first portion configured on an outer surface of the first top wall and a second portion configured on an inner surface of the third top wall, the safety interface transmitting rotational motion of the outer lock housing to rotational motion of the inner and outer housings in the same rotational direction when the first and third top walls are urged toward one another and the first and second portions engage.

[0023] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of the disclosed embodiments having a safety interface, a first portion of the safety interface comprises at least one first protrusion and a second portion of the safety interface comprises at least one second protrusion. Optionally, the first protrusion comprises a first vertical surface essentially orthogonal to the outer surface of the first top wall and a first angled surface at an acute angle to the outer surface of the first top wall, and the second protrusion comprises a second vertical surface essentially orthogonal to the inner surface of the second top wall and a second angled surface at an acute angle to the inner surface of the second top wall.

[0024] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, at least one of the outer housing and the inner housing comprises a first retention mechanism and the outer lock housing comprises a third retention mechanism, the first retention mechanism and the second retention mechanism configured to be engaged to secure the outer lock housing relative to the inner and outer housings and allow rotational movement of the outer lock housing relative to the inner and outer housings when the first portion of the safety interface and the second portion of the safety interface are not engaged. Optionally, the first retention mechanism comprises a protrusion on an outer surface of the second side wall of the outer housing and the second retention mechanism comprises a recess in an inner surface of the third side wall of the outer lock housing, the protrusion and the recess configured to engage to secure the outer lock housing on the outer housing. Optionally, the first retention mechanism comprises a first locking projection on an outer surface of a first top wall of the inner housing and the second retention mechanism comprises a second locking projection on an inner surface of a third top wall of the outer lock housing, the first locking projection and the second locking projection configured to lock the outer lock housing to secure it relative to the inner housing and the outer housing.

[0025] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, a disinfecting sponge configured within the inner cavity of the cap, and a removable cover sealing the opening to the inner cavity to seal the sponge within the inner cavity prior to use of the cap.

[0026] Optionally, according to further exemplary implementations of any of the disclosed embodiments, the cap thread does not correspond to a mating feature of the needleless connector. Optionally, at least one of the major diameter, minor diameter, pitch, thread cross-sectional profile, and number of threads of the cap thread does not correspond to the mating feature of the hub. Optionally, at least one cap thread on the inner sidewall surface of the sidewall comprises a protrusion formed on at least a portion of the cap thread to facilitate interlocking with the mating feature of the needleless connector. Optionally, at least a portion of the at least one cap thread comprises a non-engaging portion that does not engage with the mating feature of the needleless connector.

[0027] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the cap includes threads having at least one interlocking portion formed on at least a portion of the cap threads to facilitate interlocking with a mating feature of the needleless connector, and at least one non-engaging portion that does not engage with the mating feature of the needleless connector.

[0028] Optionally, according to a further exemplary implementation of any of the disclosed embodiments, the cap includes a thread having a first starting thread path, such that the first starting thread path has a large profile, a small profile, a pitch, and a first thread cross-sectional profile, and at least a second starting thread path, such that the second starting thread path has a large profile, a small profile, a pitch, and a second thread cross-sectional profile, wherein the first thread cross-sectional profile and the second thread cross-sectional profile are different. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, embodiments of the present invention are shown as follows.

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional cap for a needleless connector. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional cap for a needleless connector. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view of a cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is an isometric side view with cross section of a cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3D] FIG. 2 is a top view of a cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] FIG. 13 is a three-dimensional side view of a cap according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure disposed on a medical implementation such as a needleless connector. [Figure 4B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure on a medical implementation such as a needleless connector. [Figure 5A] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to another exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] FIG. 13 is a top view of a cap according to another exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to another exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to another exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a cap according to another exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The subject matter illustrated in this description is provided to aid in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing figures. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from their full scope and equivalents. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted for clarity and brevity. Similarly, some naming conventions, labels, and terms used in the context of this disclosure are not limiting, but are merely provided for illustrative purposes to facilitate understanding of the exemplary implementation of the exemplary embodiments.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3A-3D, which show a 3D view, an isometric side view, a cross-sectional or side view, and a top view, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a child-resistant cap 10 with a vent mechanism comprises an outer housing 20 including a side wall 26, an inner housing 30 including a top wall 32, and a side wall 36 having an opening 37 into an inner cavity 38. The inner housing 30 is disposed within the outer housing 20 such that the side wall 26 essentially surrounds the side wall 36, while the top wall 32 remains essentially exposed. In an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the outer housing 20 may be connected to the inner housing 30 by a support structure 40, forming an open space 50 between the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 30 that allows air 1000 to pass around, between the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 30, or through the cap 10, even when the cap 10 is perfectly concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat.

[0033] In an exemplary implementation, the outer housing 20, the inner housing 30, and the support structure 40 may be integrally formed. Figures 3A-3D show an exemplary mounting support structure 40 comprising an essentially linear protrusion or rib 41 that extends essentially from the top 11 to the base 12 of the cap 10 and between the outer surface 39 of the inner sidewall 36 and the inner surface 29 of the outer sidewall 26 such that the open space 50 includes a vent hole 51. However, other implementations of the support structure 40 are within the scope of embodiments of the present invention. Such other exemplary implementations of the support structure 40 may take any number of shapes and forms, so long as the resulting support structure 40 is capable of keeping the open space 50 out of contact with the trachea and / or keeping the open space 50 from being blocked and / or sealed by surrounding tissue. Non-limiting examples of other implementations of support structure 40 include a plurality of non-linear ribs or a single helical thread-like rib, or a plurality of spacers of any shape, which may be disposed or connected anywhere between the outer surface 39 of sidewall 36 and the inner surface 29 of outer sidewall 26. Such other support structures may also be integrally formed with at least one of sidewall 36 and sidewall 26.

[0034] 3C, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the peel sealing film 90 seals the opening 37 when attached to a sealing surface that may be established by the surface 33 of the open bottom rim of the sidewall 36. In an exemplary implementation, the peel sealing film 90 does not cover or block the open space 50, such as by not extending beyond the rim of the sidewall 36, such that the open space 50 between the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 30 allows air to pass around, between the outer housing 20 and the inner housing 30, or through the cap 10, even when it is still attached to the peel sealing film 90 when the cap 10 is fully concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat.

[0035] As shown in the example of Figures 4A and 4B, which show a side view and an isometric side view, respectively, of the cap 10 when attached to the connector 9, the cavity 38 of the inner housing 30 receives the tip 91 of the needleless connector 9 and secures the tip of the needleless connector 9 within the cavity 38, for example, by having a thread mechanism within the cavity 38 that interlocks with a mating mechanism 93 (such as a thread or protrusion) of the hub or tip 91 of the needleless connector 9 (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2, and Figures 6A, 6B, and 7, which are described in more detail below), as described, for example, in related U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15 / 408,278 and 15 / 408,187, both filed on January 17, 2017.

[0036] 5A and 5B, which respectively show a cross-sectional view and a top view of an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, a cap 500 can include a locking mechanism as described, for example, in related U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 488,266, filed April 21, 2017, along with the vent mechanism of cap 10. For example, cap 500 includes an outer locking housing 520 including a side wall 526 and a top wall 522, where side wall 526 essentially surrounds side wall 26 and top wall 522 essentially covers top wall 32. The safety interface 100 comprises a first portion 70 that may be configured on the outer surface 34 of the top wall 32 of the inner housing 30 as a ratchet mechanism comprising one or more protrusions 72, such as one or more teeth, having a first inclined surface 74 and a first vertical surface 76, and a second portion 80 that may be configured on the inner surface 524 of the top 522 of the outer lock housing 520 as a ratchet mechanism comprising one or more protrusions 82, such as one or more teeth, having a second inclined surface 84 and a second vertical surface 86. The first vertical surface 76 may be essentially orthogonal to the outer surface 34, and the first inclined surface 74 may be at an acute angle to the outer surface 34. Meanwhile, the second vertical surface 86 may be essentially orthogonal to the inner surface 524, and the second inclined surface 84 may be at an acute angle to the inner surface 524.

[0037] Safety interface 100 is configured such that first portion 70 and second portion 80 do not engage unless outer surface 34 is sufficiently close to inner surface 524 such that protrusions 72 and 82 can make sufficient contact.

[0038] According to a further exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, detailed in the example of FIG. 5A , a retention interface for securing the outer lock housing 520 to the outer sidewall 26 can be implemented, for example, as follows: The outer surface 29 of the outer sidewall 26 can include an outer lock housing retention feature, such as a protrusion (or skirt or flange) 110, and the inner surface of the sidewall 526 of the outer lock housing 520 can include an outer lock housing retention feature, such as a recess 120. As shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 488,266, filed on April 21, 2017, the protrusion 110 and the recess 120 are configured to engage at a first contact surface 112 of the protrusion 110 and a second contact surface 122 of the recess 120, respectively, such that the outer lock housing 520 is secured on the outer sidewall 26 while allowing rotational movement of the outer lock housing 520 relative to the outer sidewall 26.

[0039] The retention interface secures the outer lock housing 520 relative to the outer sidewall 26 and top wall 32 while allowing sufficient axial movement of the outer surface 34 relative to the inner surface 524 so that, on the one hand, the protrusions 72 and 82 do not necessarily contact each other when the outer lock housing 520 is rotated relative to the outer sidewall 26 and top wall 32, and, on the other hand, the protrusions 72 and 82 contact each other sufficiently to transmit rotational movement of the outer lock housing 520 to the inner housing 30 and the outer housing 20.

[0040] As further shown in Figure 5B by a top view of the outer lock housing 520, the top wall 522 includes openings 550 that allow air to pass through the outer lock housing 520. Although Figure 5B shows six openings that essentially correspond to the air vents 51 (see Figure 3D) in the open space 50, any number and shape of openings 550 are within the scope of embodiments of the present invention so long as the openings 550 do not interfere with the structural integrity and function of the locking mechanism and allow air to pass around the inner sidewall 36, between the outer sidewall 26 and the inner sidewall 36, through the top wall 522, or through the cap 500 with the open space 50 even when the cap 500 is perfectly concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat.

[0041] According to an exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the housing of the cap 10 having the safety mechanism described above with reference to Figures 3A-3D, as well as all of the antiseptic caps having various mechanisms and designs described in the applicant's co-pending U.S. applications U.S. Ser. No. 15 / 408,278 and U.S. Ser. No. 15 / 408,187, both filed on January 17, 2017, may be implemented by modifying the housing of the antiseptic cap disclosed therein as shown in the exemplary examples of Figures 6A and 6B.

[0042] 6A, a cross thread disinfection cap 300 has a housing 302 with a closed top 322, an essentially cylindrical sidewall 304 having an outer sidewall surface 320, and an open bottom 324 with an opening 326 to an inner cavity 328 in the housing 302 for receiving the tip of a needleless connector. The bottom 324 formed by the sidewall 304 of the housing 302 is not flat, such that a space 370 exists between the flat surface 310 and the bottom 324 of the cap 300. The inner cavity 328 can accommodate an alcohol-soaked disinfection sponge 380 and has threads 340 on an inner sidewall surface 330 of the sidewall 304. The diameter (major diameter 345 and / or minor diameter 346) of the threads 340 of the cap 300 may not correspond to the threads of the needleless connector.

[0043] 7B, a cap 600 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes all of the features of cap 300, but with the sidewall 304 of the housing 302 modified as shown in the example of FIGS. 3A-3D, including an inner sidewall 36 having a top wall 32, an outer sidewall 26 that essentially surrounds the sidewall 36 such that the top wall 32 remains essentially exposed, and a support structure 40 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B) that forms an open space 50 between the outer sidewall 26 and the inner sidewall 36 and allows air to pass around, between the outer sidewall 26 and the inner sidewall 36, or through the cap 600, even when the cap 600 is perfectly concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat.

[0044] According to a further exemplary implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the housing cap 500 having the safety mechanism described above with reference to Figures 3A-3D, 5A, and 5B, including the vent mechanism described herein and any locking mechanism described, for example, in the applicant's related U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 488,266, filed on April 21, 2017, may be implemented in any of the antiseptic caps having various mechanisms and designs described in the applicant's co-pending U.S. applications U.S. Ser. No. 15 / 408,278 and U.S. Ser. No. 15 / 408,187, both filed on January 17, 2017, by further modifying the housing of the antiseptic cap disclosed therein as shown in the exemplary example of Figure 7.

[0045] 7, a cap 700 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes all of the features of cap 600 further modified as shown in the example of FIGS. 5A and 5B, including an outer lock housing 520, a safety interface 100 with a first portion 70 configured on the outer surface of top wall 32 and a second portion 80 configured on the inner surface of top wall 522, and a retention interface for securing outer lock housing 520 against outer sidewall 26 implemented by cooperating with protrusion 110 and recess 120 described above with reference to FIG. 6B. Outer lock housing 520 includes openings 550 in its top wall 522 that cooperate with open space 50 between outer sidewall 26 and inner sidewall 36 to allow air to pass around, between outer sidewall 26 and inner sidewall 36, through openings 550, or through cap 700 even when cap 700 is perfectly concentric with the trachea in the patient's throat.

[0046] Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to several exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the disinfecting sponge may include any suitable disinfecting or other application specific substance and may be made of any suitable material. Also, the cap housing and / or the outer lock housing may be single shot molded or made by other suitable processes. Moreover, any of the features or elements of any exemplary implementation of the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the drawing figures may be implemented individually or in any combination as readily understood by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0047] Additionally, the included drawing figures further describe non-limiting examples of implementations of some exemplary embodiments of the present invention and aid in the explanation of the technology associated therewith. Specific or relative dimensions or measurements provided in the drawings, other than those described above, are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope or content of the inventive designs or methods as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0048] Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description provided, which discloses illustrative embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

Claims

1. An inner housing comprising: A first upper wall; an essentially cylindrical first sidewall; and the inner housing including an open bottom defined by the first sidewall having an opening to an interior cavity within the inner housing for receiving a hub of a needleless connector; an essentially cylindrical second sidewall configured to essentially surround the first sidewall; a support structure connecting the first sidewall to the second sidewall and defining an open space extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and allowing air to pass between the first sidewall and the second sidewall through the open space; An outer lock housing comprising: a third top wall configured above the first top wall and above the support structure, the third top wall including at least one opening extending therethrough to allow the air passing through the open space extending between the first side wall and the second side wall to pass through an outer lock housing; and the outer lock housing including an essentially cylindrical third side wall configured to essentially surround the second side wall; Equipped with when the third top wall of the outer lock housing and the first top wall of the inner housing are urged toward one another, the third top wall and the first top wall engage and rotational motion of the outer lock housing is transferred to rotational motion of the inner housing and the second side wall in the same rotational direction. cap.

2. The cap of claim 1 , wherein the inner housing, the second sidewall, and the support structure are integrally formed.

3. The cap of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises at least one protrusion between an outer surface of the first side wall and an inner surface of the second side wall.

4. the at least one protrusion comprises a first vertical surface essentially perpendicular to the outer surface of the first sidewall and the inner surface of the second sidewall; The cap of claim 3 , wherein the projection extends from the bottom defined by the first side wall to the first top wall.

5. 2. The cap of claim 1, further comprising a peel seal film that seals said opening to said interior cavity when attached to a surface of said open bottom rim formed by said first sidewall.

6. 6. The cap of claim 5, wherein the peel sealing film does not cover or block the open space extending between the inner housing and the second side wall.

7. a first portion configured on an outer surface of the first top wall; and a second portion configured on an inner surface of the third upper wall; a safety interface comprising:

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the safety interface transmits rotational motion of the outer lock housing to rotational motion of the inner housing and the second side wall in the same rotational direction when the first and third top walls are biased toward one another and the first and second portions are engaged.

8. the first portion of the safety interface includes at least one first protrusion; The cap of claim 7 , wherein the second portion of the safety interface comprises at least one second protrusion.

9. the first projection comprises a first vertical surface essentially perpendicular to the outer surface of the first top wall and a first angled surface at an acute angle to the outer surface of the first top wall; 9. The cap of claim 8, wherein the second projection comprises a second vertical surface essentially perpendicular to the inner surface of the third top wall and a second inclined surface at an acute angle to the inner surface of the third top wall.

10. At least one of the second sidewall and the inner housing includes a first retention feature; the outer lock housing includes a second retention mechanism; 8. The cap of claim 7, wherein the first retention feature and the second retention feature are configured to be engaged to secure the outer lock housing relative to the inner housing and the second side wall and allow rotational movement of the outer lock housing relative to the inner housing and the second side wall when the first portion of the safety interface and the second portion of the safety interface are not engaged.

11. the first retention feature comprises a protrusion on an outer surface of the second sidewall; the second retention mechanism comprises a recess in an inner surface of the third side wall of the outer lock housing; The cap of claim 10 , wherein the projection and the recess are configured to engage to secure the outer lock housing on the second side wall.

12. the first retention mechanism comprises a first locking projection on an outer surface of the first top wall of the inner housing; the second retention mechanism includes a second locking projection on an inner surface of the third top wall of the outer lock housing; The cap of claim 10 , wherein the first locking projection and the second locking projection are configured to fixedly lock the outer lock housing against the inner housing and the second side wall.

13. a disinfecting sponge configured within the interior cavity; 2. The cap of claim 1, further comprising a removable cover that seals the opening to the inner cavity so as to seal the sponge within the inner cavity prior to use of the cap.

14. The cap of claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises cap threads on an inner sidewall surface of the first sidewall to facilitate interlocking of the first sidewall with a hub of the needleless connector.

15. The cap of claim 14 , wherein the cap threads include a protrusion formed on at least a portion of the cap threads to facilitate the interlocking with a mating feature of the hub of the needleless connector.

16. The cap of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the cap threads comprises a non-engaging portion that does not engage a mating feature of the hub of the needleless connector.

17. The cap threads are at least one engagement portion formed on at least a portion of the cap threads to facilitate the interlocking of the first sidewall with a mating feature of the hub of the needleless connector; 15. The cap of claim 14, further comprising at least one non-engaging portion that does not engage a mating feature of the hub of the needleless connector.

18. The cap threads are a first starting thread path having a major profile, a minor profile, a pitch, and a first thread cross-sectional profile; at least a second starting thread path having a major profile, a minor profile, a pitch, and a second thread cross-sectional profile; The cap of claim 14 , wherein the first thread cross-sectional profile and the second thread cross-sectional profile are different.

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