Compression collars for coupling a tube to a tube fitting
A coupling assembly includes: a tubular compression collar having a tubular body made of a resiliently flexible polymeric material and having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface; an end of a tube disposed within a throughway of the compression collar; and a tube fitting disposed within the passageway of the tube. The tube fitting includes: a tubular stem; a flange radially outwardly projecting from an exterior surface of the stem; and an annular barb encircling and radially outwardly projecting from the exterior surface of the stem, the annular barb including a frustoconical outside face that extends along and outwardly slopes away from the stem as the outside face extends toward the flange. The compression collar radially inwardly compresses the tube against the annular barb of the tube fitting so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the tube and the tube fitting.
1 . A bioprocessing coupling assembly comprising:
a compression collar comprising:
a tubular body comprising a resiliently flexible polymeric material, an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface that continuously extend parallel to each other between a first end and an opposing second end of the tubular body, the interior surface having a circular cross section, and bounding a throughway extending through the tubular body and forming an inner diameter of the tubular body, the inner diameter being constant along a length of the body between the first end and the second end;
an end of a tube disposed within the throughway of the compression collar so that at least a portion of the end of the tube is encircled by the interior surface of the tubular body, the tube bounding a tube passage; and
a tube fitting at least partially disposed within the tube passage, wherein the tube fitting is a port coupled to a flexible bioprocessing container comprising at least one sheet of film;
wherein the compression collar is configured to resiliently rebound from an expanded state to a constricted state to radially inwardly compress the tube against the tube fitting.
2 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tube fitting further comprises a first barb disposed within the tube passage and a shoulder of the first barb positioned centrally along a length of the throughway of the compression collar.
3 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tube fitting further comprises a first barb disposed within the tube passage and a shoulder of the first barb positioned off-center from a center on a central axis of the compression collar.
4 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first barb end has a smooth frustoconical outside surface free of protrusions.
5 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the tubular body is at least 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, or 40 mm.
6 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the length of the tubular body is at least 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, or 40 mm.
7 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tube is in contact with a biological fluid.
8 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the tubular body in the constricted state is less than the outer diameter of the tube.
9 . The coupling assembly collar as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tubular body is comprised of a cross-linked polyethylene.
10 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the compression collar is less flexible than the tube.
11 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flexible bioprocessing container comprises more than one sheet of film.
12 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the film comprises low-density polyethylene.
13 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tube fitting further comprises a tubular stem and a flange outwardly projecting from the stem.
14 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the flange is secured to an interior surface of the flexible bioprocessing container.
15 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 14 , wherein the stem extends through an opening in the flexible bioprocessing container.
16 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the film comprises a water impermeable material.
17 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface extends (a) to a first annular terminal end face at the first end via a first rounded corner, and (b) to a second annular terminal end face at the second end via a second rounded corner.
18 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has at least two rounded corners.
19 . The coupling assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has no sharp corners.
20 . The coupling assembly, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the compression collar provides a liquid tight seal between the tube and the port of the flexible bioprocessing container.