Genderless aseptic connector

1 . A connector system, comprising:

a plurality of connectors, each including:

a valve assembly including a bifurcate body having only one inlet conduit which bifurcates into a pair of fluid conduits,

wherein one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a male fitting;

wherein one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a female fitting, and

wherein said male fitting and said female fitting of one of said plurality of connectors and said male fitting and said female fitting of another one of said plurality of connectors configured to directly mate with each other in a fluid transmission connection.

2 . The connector system of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of connectors further includes a connector housing, wherein a first connector housing of a first of said plurality of said connectors having telescoping engagement with a second connector housing of a second of said plurality of connectors, said first connector housing and said second connector housing operable between an extended condition and a retracted condition, said second connector housing including an end piece having a pair of apertures aligned with said male fitting and said female fitting, said male fitting and said female fitting configured to correspondingly pass through said pair of apertures of said second connector housing in said retracted condition of said second housing.

3 . The connector system of claim 2 , further comprising a first connector housing biasing member engaging said connector housing and said second connector housing affording a biasing force which moves said second connector housing toward said extended condition of said second connector housing.

4 . A connector, comprising:

a first connector housing including a valve assembly defining a pair of fluid conduits, one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a male fitting and one of said pair fluid conduits terminating in a female fitting;

a second connector housing having telescoping engagement to said first connector housing between an extended condition and a retracted condition, said second connector housing including an end piece having a pair of apertures aligned with said male fitting and said female fitting, said male fitting and said female fitting configured to correspondingly pass through said pair of apertures of said second connector housing in said retracted condition of said second housing; and

a locking disk having a pair of apertures, said locking disk rotatably coupled to said end piece of said second housing between a nonaligned condition covering said pair of apertures in said second connector housing and an aligned condition aligning said pair of apertures in said locking disk with said pair of apertures in said end piece of said second connector housing, said male fitting and said female fitting configured to correspondingly pass through said pair of apertures in said second connector housing and in said locking disk in said aligned condition of said locking disk and in said retracted condition of said second housing.

5 . The connector of claim 4 , further comprising a locking disk biasing member engaging said end piece of said second connector housing and said locking disk to afford a biasing force which moves said locking disk toward said nonaligned condition of said locking disk.

6 . The connector of claim 4 , further comprising a biasing disk which retains a locking disk biasing member, said biasing disk disposed in fixed spatial relation to said end piece of said second connector housing to engage a locking disk biasing member first end with said end piece of said second connector housing and to engage a locking disk biasing member second end with said locking disk, said locking disk biasing member engaging said end piece of said second connector housing and engaging said locking disk affording a biasing force which moves said locking disk toward said nonaligned condition of said locking disk.

7 . The connector of claim 4 , wherein said locking disk includes a plurality of locking tabs adjacent a corresponding plurality of locking tab slots disposed in radially spaced apart relation on a circumferential margin of said locking ring, said plurality of locking tabs of a first locking disk of a first connector configured to correspondingly insert into and rotate within said plurality of locking tab slots of second locking disk of a second connector to interlock said first locking disk of said first connector to said second locking disk of a second connector.

8 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein rotation of said first connector and said second connector having said first locking disk of said first connector interlocked to said second locking disk of a second connector in opposite directions achieves said aligned condition of said pair of locking disk apertures in each of said first and second locking disk of said first and second connectors.

9 . The connector of claim 8 , wherein said second connector housing of said first and second connector each disposed in said second connector housing retracted condition allows passage of said male and female fittings of said first and second connectors through respective said pair of locking disk apertures of said first and second locking disks.

10 . The connector of claim 9 , wherein said male fittings of said first and second connector correspondingly engage said female fittings of said first and second connector to afford said fluid transmission connection.

11 . The connector of claim 10 , further comprising a catch having a first catch part coupled to said first connector housing and a second catch part coupled to said second connector housing, said first and second catch parts fasten in said retracted condition of said second housing to maintain said open condition of said fluid transmission connection.

12 . A connector system, comprising:

a plurality of connectors each having a substantially identical connector structure,

wherein said plurality of connectors each having said substantially identical connector structure, including:

a connector housing defining a pair of fluid conduits,

a first one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a male fitting,

a second one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a female fitting, including:

a female fitting tubular body including a female fitting valve seat;

a female fitting valve body including a female fitting valve seal telescopingly engaged inside said female tubular body,

 said female fitting valve body telescopingly moves to engage said female fitting valve seal to said female fitting valve seat in a closed condition of said female fitting,

 said female fitting valve body telescopingly moves to disengage said female fitting valve seal from said female fitting valve seat in an open condition of said female fitting; and

a female fitting biasing member engaging said female fitting tubular body and said female fitting valve body to afford a biasing force toward said closed condition of said female fitting,

 whereby any pair of said plurality of connectors includes a male fitting of a first one of said pair which mates in fluid transmission with a female fitting of said second one of said pair of plurality of connectors and a male fitting of said second one of said pair of connectors mates in fluid transmission with a female fitting of said first one of said plurality of connectors.

13 . The connector system of claim 12 , wherein each of said male fitting comprising:

a male fitting first tubular body having a first tubular body internal surface and having a first tubular body external surface;

a male fitting second tubular body having a second tubular body internal surface and a second tubular body external surface,

said second tubular body internal surface telescopingly engaged to said first tubular body external surface,

a first male fitting valve seal coupled by at least one support to said first tubular body a distance from a first tubular body end opening;

a male fitting valve seat coupled to said second tubular body internal surface,

wherein said male fitting second tubular body telescopingly moves to engage said male fitting valve seat to said male fitting valve seal in a closed condition of said male fitting and telescopingly moves to disengage said male fitting valve seat from said male fitting valve seal in an open condition of said male fitting; and

a male fitting biasing member engaging said male fitting first tubular body and said male fitting second tubular body, said male fitting biasing member affording a biasing force toward said closed condition of said male fitting.

14 . A connector, comprising:

a first connector housing having only one fluid inlet conduit; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication with said only one fluid inlet of said first connector housing,

said valve assembly defining a pair of fluid conduits,

wherein one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a male fitting, said male fitting including:

a male fitting first tubular body having a first tubular body internal surface and having a first tubular body external surface;

a male fitting second tubular body having a second tubular body internal surface and a second tubular body external surface,

 said first tubular body internal surface defining said first one of said pair of fluid conduits,

 said second tubular body internal surface having biased telescoping engagement to said first tubular body external surface,

a male fitting valve body having a male fitting valve seal, said male fitting valve body supported by said first tubular body a distance from a first tubular body open end; and

a male fitting valve seat coupled to said second tubular body internal surface,

 said biased telescoping engagement generates a biasing force to move said male fitting valve seat to engage said male fitting valve seal in a closed condition of said male fitting,

wherein one of said pair of fluid conduits terminating in a female fitting,

wherein said male fitting and said female fitting configured to mate in a fluid transmission connection.

15 . The connector of claim 14 , further comprising a male fitting biasing member engaging said male fitting first tubular body and said male fitting second tubular body, said male fitting biasing member affording a biasing force toward said closed condition of said male fitting.

16 . The connector of claim 14 , wherein said female fitting including:

a female tubular body including a female fitting valve seat;

a female valve body including a female fitting valve seal, said female valve body having biased telescoping engagement inside said female tubular body,

said biased telescoping engagement generates a bias force to move said female fitting valve seal to engage said female fitting valve seat in a closed condition of said female fitting.

17 . The connector of claim 16 , further comprising a female fitting biasing member engaging said female fitting tubular body and said female fitting valve body to afford a biasing force toward said closed condition of said female fitting.

18 . The connector of claim 16 , wherein a male fitting of a first connector and a male fitting of a second connector correspondingly engage a female fitting of said first connector and a female fitting of said second connector,

said female tubular body of each said female fitting correspondingly engaging said second tubular body of each said male fitting to overcome said biasing force to move said second tubular body to disengage said male fitting valve seat from said male fitting valve seal;

said male fitting valve body engaging said female valve body to overcome said biasing force to move said female fitting valve seal from said female fitting valve seat to generate the open condition of each said female fitting, and each said male fitting and each said female fitting in said open condition provide said fluid transmission connection.