Granted Patent B2

US 12,612,988 · App. 18/423,643 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Inventor: Michael Biksacky (Madison, WI)

Assignee: Flownamics Analytical Instruments, Inc.

F16L37/0985F16L37/133F16L41/021F16L41/023F16L2201/60

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . A tubing connector assembly comprising:

a hub having opposing top and bottom surfaces, a first top notch defined in the top surface and a first bottom notch defined in the bottom surface;

a first tubular member extending from the hub, the first tubular member having an outer diameter adapted to engage an inner diameter of a first tubing;

a first female fitting comprising a body member having first and second cantilever extending arms extending from the body member;

whereby the body member of the first female fitting has opposing first and second receiving ends, an inner diameter defining a cavity connecting the first and second receiving ends, and a protrusion protruding radially into the cavity from the inner diameter;

whereby the inner diameter of the body member of the first female fitting is adapted to receive an outer diameter of said first tubing engaged by the outer diameter of the first tubular member, and whereby first and second extending arms of the first female fitting each have a hook coupled thereto adapted to releasably engage the first top notch and the first bottom notch to help retain the first female fitting relative to the first tubular member;

one of a second top notch defined in the top surface and a second bottom notch defined in the bottom surface or a first side notch defined in a first side surface of the hub and a second side notch defined in a second side surface of the hub;

a second tubular member extending from the hub, the second tubular member having an outer diameter adapted to engage an inner diameter of a second tubing;

a second female fitting comprising a body member having first and second cantilever extending arms extending from the body member;

whereby the body member of the second female fitting has opposing first and second receiving ends, an inner diameter defining a cavity connecting the first and second receiving ends, and a protrusion protruding radially into the cavity from the inner diameter; and

whereby the inner diameter of the body member of the second female fitting is adapted to receive an outer diameter of said second tubing engaged by the outer diameter of the second tubular member, and whereby first and second extending arms of the second female fitting each have a hook coupled thereto adapted to releasably engage one of the second top notch and the second bottom notch or the first side notch and the second side notch to help retain the second female fitting relative to the second tubular member.

2 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a female luer fitting coupled to the hub.

3 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a male luer fitting coupled to the hub.

4 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , whereby the first and second tubular members are linearly aligned.

5 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , whereby the first and second tubular members extend from the hub to form an L-configuration.

6 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , whereby the first and second tubular member are differently sized relative to each other and/or the first and second female fittings are differently sized relative to each other.

7 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

one of the second top notch and the second bottom notch or a third top notch defined in the top surface and a third bottom notch defined in the top surface;

a third tubular member extending from the hub, the third tubular member having an outer diameter adapted to engage an inner diameter of a third tubing;

a third female fitting comprising a body member having first and second cantilever extending arms extending from the body member;

whereby the body member of the third female fitting has opposing first and second receiving ends, an inner diameter defining a cavity connecting the first and second receiving ends, and a protrusion protruding radially into the cavity from the inner diameter; and

whereby the inner diameter of the body member of the third female fitting is adapted to receive an outer diameter of said third tubing engaged by the outer diameter of the third tubular member, and whereby first and second extending arms of the third female fitting each have a hook coupled thereto adapted to releasably engage one of the second top notch and the second bottom notch or the third top notch and the third bottom notch to help retain the third female fitting relative to the third tubular member.

8 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 7 , whereby the first, the second and the third tubular members extend from the hub to form a T-configuration.

9 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 7 , whereby the first, the second and the third tubular members extend from the hub to form a Y-configuration.

10 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 7 , whereby at least two of the female fittings are color coded.

11 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 7 , whereby at least two of tubular members are differently sized relative to each other and/or two of the female fittings are differently sized relative to each other.

12 . The tubing connector assembly of claim 1 , whereby the female fittings are color coded.

13 . A method of fluidly coupling sections of tubing, the method comprising:

using the tubing connector assembly of claim 1 for coupling one or more of the first tubing and the second tubing;

providing one of the first female fitting and the second female fitting;

providing a male fitting having the hub having the opposing top and bottom surfaces with the notch defined in each surface, and one of the first tubular member and the second tubular member extending from the hub;

providing one of the first tubing and the second tubing having an end portion in the cavity defined by one of the first female fitting and the second female fitting;

providing the inner diameter of the end portion of one of the first tubing and the second tubing around the outer diameter of one of the first tubular member and the second tubular member;

and releasably coupling the male fitting, the respective female fitting, and respective tubing relative to each other by generally aligning the respective tubular member with one of the receiving ends of the respective female fitting, inserting the respective tubular member and respective tubing end portion into one of the receiving ends of the respective female fitting and moving the male and the respective female fitting relatively closer together until the hooks of the first and second extending arms seat into the notches defined in the opposing top and bottom surfaces of the hub of the male fitting, and the protrusion of the respective female fitting and the outer diameter of the respective tubular member oppose each other to compress the end portion of the respective tubing in a radial direction to help clamp the end portion of the respective tubing relative to the respective tubular member.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (14)