Luer-Incompatible Medical Connector for Dry Fluid Disconnection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical connectors face challenges in maintaining sterility and preventing fluid leakage or residue during engagement and disengagement, which can lead to health hazards and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The development of medical connectors with enhanced fluid containment features, including dry disconnect capabilities, fluid-resistant mating interfaces, and improved connection systems that secure connectors together, preventing fluid residue and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional connectors are used for fluid transfer, then connection and disconnection operations can be performed, but fluid leakage and residue on mating ends occur during engagement and disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a closure (septum or flexible seal) at the mating end of the connector before fluid transfer begins. This closure prevents fluid leakage and residue formation during connection and disengagement operations. The closure is temporarily opened or pierced only when needed for fluid flow, and then restored to its closed state to maintain fluid containment.
2Reliability
If closures such as septa or flexible seals are added to prevent fluid leakage, then fluid containment is improved, but the connector structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the closure function with the connector body by integrating the septum or flexible seal directly into the mating end structure. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall connector design while maintaining effective fluid containment during engagement and disengagement operations.
3Ease of operation
If conventional mating interfaces are used, then connectors can be easily engaged and disengaged, but fluid residue transfers between connectors during disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid containment function from the mating interface by providing a separate closure (septum or flexible seal) that can be temporarily opened for fluid transfer and then restored to prevent residue transfer. This allows the mating interface to remain simple and easy to engage/disengage while the closure handles the fluid containment function.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a first medical connector configured to be removably attachable with a second medical connector to permit fluid flow between the first and second medical connectors. The first medical connector can include a first region with a luer-compatible connection portion being configured to engage luer-compatible medical devices, and a second region comprising a resilient seal and a first luer-incompatible connection portion. The first luer-incompatible connection portion can inhibit engagement with luer-compatible medical devices and permit engagement with a second luer-incompatible connection portion of the second medical connector. In some embodiments, the first region of the first medical connector does not rotate with respect to the second region of the first medical connector in an initial stage of use, but the first medical connector is configured to transition from the initial stage of use to a subsequent stage of use in which the first region of the first medical connector and the second region of the first medical connector can be rotated with respect to each other.