Granted Patent B2

US 12,734,348 · App. 17/269,700 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventor: John Damarati (Marlborough, MA)

Assignee: NP MEDICAL INC.

A61M39/10A61M25/0097A61M2025/0266A61M2205/3303A61M2207/00

Abstract

Claims (27)

1 . A system for fluidly connecting a male luer connector and a female luer connector, the female luer connector configured to be located adjacent or upon a patient, the system having:

the male luer connector, the male luer connector having a guide element; and

a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing comprising:

an interior formed by a wall having a track starting nearer to the first end, the track configured to contain at least a portion of the male luer connector, the guide element cooperating with the track to guide the male luer connector along a central axis of the housing from a retracted position to an engagement position, the male luer connector transitioning from the retracted position to the engagement position by moving in a direction that is along the central axis of the housing; and

an opening nearer to the second end and located on a bottom of the housing, the opening configured to receive at least a portion of the female luer connector such that movement of the housing toward the patient from a first position toward a second position guides the female luer connector along an axis that is transverse to the central axis of the housing while the male luer connector is in the retracted position, the housing transitioning from the first position to the second position to locate the female luer connector along the central axis of the housing,

wherein moving the male luer connector and guide element along the track into the engagement position establishes fluid communication between the male luer connector and the female luer connector.

2 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein movement of the housing toward the second position to locate the female luer connector along the central axis of the housing disengages a stop that prevents the male luer connector from moving into the engagement position.

3 . The system as defined by claim 2 , further comprising:

a biasing member configured to bias the male luer connector towards the second end so that the male luer connector is biased into fluid connection with the female luer connector when the stop is disengaged.

4 . The system as defined by claim 2 , further comprising a housing cap, the male luer connector being biased against the housing cap.

5 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the housing is integrated into a patch or a dressing.

6 . The system as defined by claim 5 , further comprising biosensors integrated into the patch or the dressing.

7 . The system as defined by claim 1 , wherein the male luer connector has a push button.

8 . A method of fluidly connecting a male luer connector and a female luer connector, the female luer connector configured to be located adjacent or upon a patient, the method comprising:

providing a male luer connector, the male luer connector having a guide element;

providing a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing having:

an interior formed by a wall having a track starting nearer to the first end that is configured to contain at least a portion of the male luer connector by positioning the male luer connector into the track in a direction that is along a central axis of the housing, and

an opening nearer to the second end and located on a bottom of the housing, the opening configured to receive at least a portion of the female luer connector by positioning the female luer connector into the opening in a direction that is transverse to the central axis of the housing;

positioning the male luer connector into the track in the direction that is along the central axis of the housing;

moving the housing toward the patient from a first position toward a second position, thereby guiding the female luer connector into the second opening along an axis that is transverse to the central axis of the housing, the housing transitioning from the first position to the second position to locate the female luer connector along the central axis of the housing; and

advancing the male luer connector and the guide element along the track into an opening of the female luer connector to form a fluid connection between the male luer connector and the female luer connector.

9 . The method as defined by claim 8 , wherein the housing further comprising a stop configured to prevent advancement of the male luer connector into the opening of the female luer connector,

the method further comprising disengaging the stop by positioning the female luer connector into the second opening in the direction that is transverse to the central axis of the female luer connector.

10 . The method as defined by claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the male luer connector towards the second end so that the male luer connector is biased into fluid connection with the female luer connector when the stop is disengaged.

11 . The method as defined by claim 8 , wherein the female luer connector is part of a catheter.

12 . The method as defined by claim 11 , wherein the catheter is configured to be inserted into a patient prior to fluidly connecting the male luer connector and the female luer connector.

13 . The method as defined by claim 8 , wherein the housing is integrated into a patch or a dressing.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (24)