Protective membrane for medical luer connectors
A protective membrane for a medical luer connector may include a cover having an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to a mating surface of the medical luer connector, and an outer perimetal surface. The protective membrane may further include a flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover, and an adhesive overlaying the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface of the medical luer connector.
1 . A protective membrane for a medical luer connector, the protective membrane comprising:
a cover including an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to a mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector, an outer perimetal surface, and at least one aperture positioned at a central longitudinal axis of the cover and extending through the upper surface and the lower surface;
a flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover; and
an adhesive overlaying the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface at the distal end of the medical luer connector such that the at least one aperture is coaxially located with a longitudinal luer axis of a male luer portion of the medical luer connector and positioned over a lumen of the male luer portion of the medical luer connector to permit ethylene oxide sterilization of the medical luer connector.
2 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein the flexible pull tab comprises a flap pivotable about the outer perimetal surface for ease of securing and removing the protective membrane from the medical luer connector.
3 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the flexible pull tab extends longitudinally along and is removably coupled to an outer surface of the medical luer connector.
4 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the mating portion of the lower surface is configured to adhere to the mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector to form a seal therebetween to maintain sterility of internal portions the medical luer connector.
5 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises a coating on the mating portion of the lower surface.
6 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises a layer removably coupled to the mating portion of the lower surface.
7 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises any of a curved or rounded conical profile configured to receive the male luer portion of the medical luer connector therein.
8 . The protective membrane of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises a planar profile.
9 . A protective membrane for a medical luer connector comprising:
a medical luer connector comprising a distal end forming a mating surface, a male luer portion forming an inlet port and a lumen extending along a central longitudinal axis of the medical luer connector; and
a protective membrane comprising a cover, an adhesive, and a flexible pull tab, the cover including an upper surface, a lower surface having a mating portion for coupling to the mating surface of the medical luer connector, an outer perimetal surface, and at least one aperture positioned at a central longitudinal axis of the cover and extending through the upper surface and the lower surface, and the adhesive disposed on the mating portion of the lower surface for adhering to the mating surface at the distal end of the medical luer connector such that the at least one aperture is coaxially located with a longitudinal luer axis of a male luer portion of the medical luer connector and positioned over a lumen of the male luer portion of the medical luer connector; and the flexible pull tab extending from the outer perimetal surface of the cover.
10 . The protective membrane of claim 9 , wherein the protective membrane comprises a filter disposed in the aperture of the cover, the filter comprises a hydrophobic filter.
11 . The protective membrane of claim 10 , wherein:
the hydrophobic filter is disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the cover over the lumen to permit air to vent out of the lumen to an exterior of the medical luer connector while preventing liquid from exiting to the exterior of the medical luer connector.
12 . The protective membrane of claim 9 , wherein the flexible pull tab is pivotable about the outer perimetal surface for ease of securing and removing the protective membrane from the medical luer connector.
13 . The protective membrane of claim 12 , wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the flexible pull tab extends longitudinally along and is removably coupled to an outer surface of medical luer connector.
14 . The protective membrane of claim 12 , wherein in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector, the mating portion of the lower surface is configured to adhere to the mating surface at a distal end of the medical luer connector an creates a seal therebetween to maintain sterility of internal portions of the medical luer connector.
15 . The protective membrane of claim 9 , wherein the adhesive comprises a coating on the mating portion of the lower surface, or a layer removably coupled to the mating portion of the lower surface.
16 . The protective membrane of claim 9 , wherein the lower surface of the cover comprises any of a curved or rounded conical profile configured to receive the male luer portion of the medical luer connector in a coupled configuration of the protective membrane and the medical luer connector.
17 . A protective membrane for a medical luer connector comprising:
a medical luer connector comprising a distal end forming a mating surface, a male luer portion forming an inlet port, and a lumen extending through the male luer portion and along a central longitudinal axis of the medical luer connector; and
a protective membrane comprising a thin-filmed sleeve including an exterior surface, an interior surface for coupling to an outer surface of the distal end of the medical luer connector, and a plurality of apertures extending through the exterior surface and the interior surface of the thin-filmed sleeve;
wherein the thin-filmed sleeve comprises a heat-activatable material, which upon exposure to heat is configured to shrink from a first diameter of the interior surface to a second diameter of the interior surface where the interior surface has an interference fit with at least a portion of the outer surface of the medical luer connector and seals a sterile portion of the medical luer connector, and the plurality of apertures are configured to be positioned over the lumen of the medical luer connector to permit ethylene oxide sterilization of the medical luer connector.
18 . The protective membrane of claim 17 , wherein the heat-activatable material of the thin-filmed sleeve comprises a polymer plastic material.
19 . The protective membrane of claim 18 , wherein polymer plastic material comprises a polyvinyl chloride plastic film.
20 . The protective membrane of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of apertures are circumferentially disposed about a central longitudinal axis of the sleeve.