IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,478,556
Granted Patent B2
US 12,478,556 · App. 17/508,744 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Vial adapter

Inventors: Marco Cheng (Tustin, CA); Jonathan Yeh (Brea, CA); Soon Park (Cypress, CA)
Assignee: CAREFUSION 303, INC.
A61J1/2082A61J1/2003A61J1/2096A61J1/201A61J1/2037A61J1/2072A61J1/2075
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,478,556
App. No.
17/508,744
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exemplary vial adapter may include a moveable member, an elongated member with a first passage, a second passage coupled to an expandable first reservoir, and a third passage coupled to an expandable second reservoir. In a first orientation of an exemplary vial adapter, a fluid may be directed through the first passage into the first reservoir or the second reservoir. In a second orientation of an exemplary vial adapter, a fluid may be drawn through the first passage and a fluid drawn through an air passage into the second passage. In a second orientation of an exemplary vial adapter, a fluid may be directed through the first passage and through the third passage into the second reservoir. In a first orientation of an exemplary vial adapter, a moveable member may be activated to direct a fluid from the second reservoir through the third passage.

Claims (23)

1 . A vial adaptor for coupling with a vial, the vial adaptor comprising:

a medical connector interface, a vial interface, an expandable first reservoir, an expandable second reservoir, and a first passage extending from the medical connector interface through the vial interface; the first reservoir comprising a second passage extending through the vial interface and a first valve, wherein the first valve permits movement of a fluid into the first reservoir when the vial adaptor is in an upright orientation, and resists movement of a fluid into the first reservoir when the vial adaptor is moved toward an inverted orientation; and the second reservoir comprising a third passage extending through the vial interface to permit a fluid into the second reservoir when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation.

2 . The vial adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the third passage is fluidly separated from the first passage.

3 . The vial adaptor of claim 1 , further comprising a moveable member configured to engage against the second reservoir to direct a fluid out of the second reservoir.

4 . The vial adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the second passage comprises a second valve.

5 . The vial adaptor of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrophobic filter positioned in the second passage, between the expandable first reservoir and the vial interface.

6 . The vial adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the third passage permits a fluid to move out of the second reservoir when the vial adaptor is in the upright orientation and the inverted orientation.

7 . A method for communicating fluid through a vial adaptor, the method comprising:

coupling a medical connector to a vial using a vial adaptor having an expandable first reservoir and an expandable second reservoir;

directing fluid from a medical connector, through a first passage of the vial adaptor, and into a vial when the vial adaptor is in an upright orientation where the vial adaptor is in fluid communication with a gas in the vial, permitting the gas displaced from the vial to move through a second passage of the vial adaptor and enter the first reservoir, and permitting a fluid displaced from the vial to move through a third passage of the vial adaptor and enter the second reservoir;

moving the vial adaptor toward an inverted orientation such that the vial adaptor is in fluid communication with the fluid in the vial, a first valve resists movement of a fluid into the first reservoir, and a second valve permits movement of the fluid into the second reservoir; and

drawing a fluid from the vial, through the first passage, and into the medical connector when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising directing a fluid from the medical connector into the vial when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation, and permitting a fluid displaced from the vial to enter the second reservoir.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising directing the fluid from the second reservoir into the vial when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein directing the fluid from the second reservoir into the vial comprises compressing the second reservoir.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising obstructing a fluid flow between the first reservoir and the vial when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising obstructing a fluid flow from the vial to an air passage when the vial adaptor is in the inverted orientation.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein permitting the gas displaced from the vial to enter the first reservoir comprises filtering a fluid moving from the vial to the first reservoir using a hydrophobic filter.

14 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising permitting a gas to be drawn from an ambient environment through an air passage of the vial adaptor into the vial.

15 . A vial adaptor for coupling with a vial, the vial adaptor comprising a medical connector interface, a vial interface, a first passage extending between the medical connector interface and the vial interface, a second passage extending between the vial interface and an expandable first reservoir, and a third passage extending between the vial interface and an expandable second reservoir, wherein, when the vial adaptor is in an upright orientation, a valve of the second passage permits movement of a fluid between the vial interface and the first reservoir, and when the vial adaptor is moved toward an inverted orientation, the valve resists movement of a fluid into the first reservoir and the third passage permits movement of the fluid into the expandable second reservoir.

16 . The vial adaptor of claim 15 , wherein the third passage permits movement of a fluid into the expandable second reservoir when the vial adaptor is in the upright orientation.

17 . The vial adaptor of claim 15 , wherein the third passage is fluidly separated from the first passage.

18 . The vial adaptor of claim 15 , further comprising a hydrophobic filter positioned in the second passage, between the expandable first reservoir and the vial interface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2022
From: CHENG, MARCO; PARK, SOON; YEH, JONATHAN
To: CAREFUSION 303, INC.
Reel/Frame 059499/0552 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16383314 · Apr 12, 2019
Continuation 15002184 · Jan 20, 2016
Related Publication 20220040041A1 · Feb 10, 2022
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