Connector for disposable container to be used in dialysis machines

1. A connector for a replaceable container having walls, the container having a member with an opening in one of the walls, the container to be used in a medical machine, said connector comprising at least a body, the inner side of said body being traversed by inlet and outlet tubes extending from a central member within the container when the connector is attached to the container by joining the central member to the member with the opening, towards an outer side of the connector, said tubes separately extending and leading to two laterally spaced-apart apertures that are removably attachable to a mounting element and supplementary connection of the machine, the outer side of said connector including an integrally molded cap that is initially open such that the cap exposes a portion of each of said tubes which extend parallel, or along the edge of said outer side of the connector, said cap being bonded to the connector body by flexible, hinged or frangible linkages in such a manner that the cap is initially capable of folding around the linkages until the cap covers the initially exposed portions of the tubes, said cap being a planar member having an inner side that is provided with protuberances that correspond to open lengths of said tubes to allow the cap to fit into and seal the tubes, the sealing being made permanent by ultrasound or laser welding thereof.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein said body, cap and linkages are molded in one piece of a synthetic material.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein said linkages include two spaced-apart flexible strips that attach a same edge of the cap to a corresponding edge of the connector body.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein said cap has an elongated shape and said linkages are affixed to a long edge of the cap.

5. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein said body and cap are molded as separate members of a synthetic material.

6. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein said two removable attachable apertures are sealed by a peel-off means.

7. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the member with the opening and the central member have an annular shape.

8. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the central member has annular ribs to snap fit on the member with the opening.

9. The connector according to claim 1 , in combination with a replaceable, disposable container, said container being closed by said connector.

10. The connector and the replaceable, disposable container according to claim 9 , wherein said container contains powdered or granular compounds usable for making dialysis solutions.

11. A method of making a connector comprising steps of:

providing a container having a member with an opening in one of the walls, the container to be used in a medical machine,

providing a connector having a body and two laterally spaced-apart apertures that are removably attachable to a mounting element;

providing an integrally molded cap on an outer side of said connector, that is initially open such that the cap exposes a portion of each of said tubes which extend parallel, or along the edge of said outer side of the connector, said cap being bonded to the connector body by flexible, hinged or frangible linkages in such a manner that the cap is initially capable of folding around the linkages until the cap covers the initially exposed portions of the tubes, said cap being a planar member having an inner side that is provided with protuberances that correspond to open lengths of said tubes to allow the cap to fit into and seal the tubes, the sealing being made permanent by ultrasound or laser welding thereof;

molding the body to have inlet and outlet tubes traversing an inside thereof from an inner side of said container to an outer side of the connector, said tubes separately extending parallel or along an edge of said outer side of the connector leading to two removably attachable apertures;

said step of molding including forming openings on said connector outer side disclosing exposed portions in both tubes;

said cap conforming to said openings and being affixed to said body by flexible, hinged or frangible linkages such that said cap can fold around such linkages until said cap covers the exposed portions of said tubes, said cap being initially open such that the cap discloses the exposed portion of each of said tubes, said cap being a planar member having an inner side that is provided with protuberances that correspond to the exposed portions of said tubes to allow the cap to fit into and seal the tubes;

fitting the cap into the tubes to seal the tubes; and

permanently sealing the tubes by ultrasound or laser welding the cap thereto.

12. The method of making a connector according to claim 11 , wherein said cap is molded as a separate member.

13. The method of making a connector according to claim 11 , wherein said two apertures are sealed by a peel-off sheet.

14. A method of making a replaceable device containing a powdered or granular material to be attached to a medical machine for preparing medical solutions, said method comprising steps of:

a) providing a device having two members, one of said members being a container provided with a member having an opening, the other member being a connector, said connector including at least a body, the inner side of said body being traversed by inlet and outlet tubes extending from a central member within the container when the connector is attached to the container by joining the central member to the member with the opening, towards an outer side of the connector, said tubes separately extending and leading to two laterally spaced-apart apertures that are removably attachable to a mounting element and supplementary connection of the machine, the outer side of said connector including a cap that is initially open such that the cap exposes a portion of each of said tubes which extend parallel, or along the edge of said outer side of the connector, said cap being bonded to the connector body by flexible, hinged or frangible linkages in such a manner that the cap is initially capable of folding around the linkages until the cap covers the initially exposed portions of the tubes, said cap being a planar member having an inner side that is provided with protuberances that correspond to open lengths of said tubes to allow the cap to fit into and seal the tubes;

b) filling the container by introducing solid matter into the container through the opening,

c) fitting the connector within the opening of the member of the container, such that they form a sealing fit; and

d) making the sealing fit permanent by ultrasound or laser welding thereof.