Liquid drug transfer devices for failsafe correct snap fitting onto medicinal vials
Liquid drug transfer devices including a vial adapter designed for failsafe correct snap fitting on a medicinal vial for ensuring flow communication with the vial's interior. The vial adapters include at least two non-adjacent vial retention flex members for snap fitting over a vial opening for vial retention purposes and at least two non-adjacent vial guidance flex members longer than their counterpart vial retention flex members for guiding a vial adapter with respect to a vial prior to snap fitting the vial adapter thereon.
1. Liquid drug transfer device for failsafe correct snap fitting on a medicinal vial having a longitudinal axis and including a bottle portion having an upper peripheral shoulder containing a medicament, a vial opening with a rim and an axially directed peripheral surface and stopped by a stopper, and a narrow neck intermediate the upper shoulder of the bottle portion and the vial opening, the liquid drug transfer device comprising:
(a) a vial adapter having a longitudinal axis, and including a top wall transverse to said longitudinal axis, a substantially cylindrical skirt of at least four axially directed flex members resiliently elastically attached to said top wall and downwardly depending therefrom for telescopically slidingly receiving the vial opening therein, and a hollow puncturing spike for puncturing the stopper, said puncturing spike having a tip with at least one flow aperture for accessing the vial's interior,
said at least four flex members including at least two non-adjacent vial retention flex members with at least partially circumferentially extending inwardly protruding vial retention ribs a first distance from said top wall for snap fitting over the vial opening for vial retention purposes, and at least two non-adjacent vial guidance flex members longer than said at least two non-adjacent vial retention flex members relative to said top wall for simultaneously contacting the vial opening's rim for aligning said vial adapter with the vial prior to said snap fitting; and
(b) at least one access port in flow communication with said puncturing spike, characterized in that said at least four flex members form an exterior wall of the vial adapter, and said two non-adjacent vial guidance flex members have a generally smooth internal surface at said first distance from said top wall and a length and sufficient flexibility to extend radially outwardly beyond the upper peripheral shoulder of the bottle portion of the vial, such that an internal surface of the vial guidance flex members rests against the upper peripheral shoulder and a terminal portion of the vial guidance flex members extends radially outwardly beyond the upper peripheral shoulder and radially outwardly beyond a periphery of the top wall of the vial adapter such that said at least two non-adjacent vial guidance flex members are employed for vial alignment purposes.
2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said skirt includes three non-adjacent vial retention flex members and three non-adjacent vial guidance flex members.