Granted Patent B2

US 12,721,989 · App. 18/525,166 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventor: Jason Andrew Wine (Brea, CA)

Assignee: CAREFUSION 303, INC.

A61M39/1011A61M2039/1033A61M2039/1061

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . A coupler comprising:

a first connector having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a valve extending from an area proximate the second end to an area proximate the first end;

a second connector having a mating portion and a connecting portion opposite the mating portion;

a collar having a connecting end detachably coupled to the mating portion of the second connector and an engaging end disposed opposite the connecting end; and

a thread,

wherein, when the coupler is in a first configuration, the second connector is coupled to the collar, the thread is detachably coupled to the engaging end of the collar, and the first connector is decoupled from the collar,

wherein, when the coupler is in a second configuration, the thread is coupled to at least a portion of the first connector to detachably couple the first connector to the collar and the second connector such that the first connector, the collar, and the second connector form a fluid pathway,

wherein, when the coupler is in a third configuration, the first connector and the thread are coupled together, the first connector and the thread are decoupled from the collar while the collar remains coupled to the second connector,

wherein, when the coupler is in a fourth configuration, the second connector and the collar are decoupled.

2 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the coupler is configured to transition from the second configuration to the third configuration in response to a pullout force exceeding a predetermined threshold force.

3 . The coupler of claim 2 , wherein the coupler is configured to transition from the third configuration to the fourth configuration in response to a compressive force, the compressive force being different than the pullout force and applied to the collar along a circumference of the collar.

4 . The coupler of claim 2 , wherein the pullout force is a force applied to the first connector along a central axis of the first connector.

5 . The coupler of claim 4 , wherein the central axis extends at least along a length of the first connector when the coupler is in the first configuration, the second configuration, the third configuration, and the fourth configuration.

6 . The coupler of claim 4 , wherein the central axis extends through the first connector, the thread, the collar, and the second connector when the coupler is in the second configuration.

7 . The coupler of claim 2 , wherein the coupler is configured to remain in the second configuration when the pullout force does not exceed the predetermined threshold force.

8 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a luer extending from at least the engaging end to at least the connecting end and the valve is configured to receive the luer when the first connector is coupled to the collar.

9 . The coupler of claim 8 , wherein the luer is at least partially disposed within the second connector when the collar is coupled to the second connector.

10 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the second connector includes a housing and a body disposed within the housing, the body having a tube at least partially extending into the connecting portion and a pin at least partially extending into the mating portion.

11 . The coupler of claim 10 , wherein the body includes an extending arm extending from the body away from the tube, the extending arm configured to extend at least partially into the collar when the collar is coupled to the second connector.

12 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes an engaging arm detachably coupling the collar to the thread when the coupler is in the first configuration and the second configuration, and the engaging arms are configured to release the thread when the coupler transitions from the second configuration to the third configuration.

13 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a connecting arm detachably coupling the collar to the mating portion of the second connector when the coupler is in the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration, and the connecting arms are configured to decouple from the mating portion when the coupler transitions from the third configuration to the fourth configuration.

14 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein, when the coupler is in the fourth configuration, the first connector is coupled to the thread and the first connector and the thread are disconnected from the collar.

15 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the first connector is coupled to a first portion of tubing at the first end and the second connector is coupled to a second portion of tubing at the connecting portion.

16 . The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the second connector comprises a pin and a sealing valve disposed at an end of the pin and within the mating portion.

17 . The coupler of claim 16 , wherein the pin and the sealing valve are axially movable along a central axis of the second connector relative to an opening in the mating portion to selectively seal the opening.

18 . The coupler of claim 17 , wherein the pin and the seal abut the opening when the coupler is in the fourth configuration.

19 . A coupler comprising:

a first connector having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a valve disposed within the first connector, the first end including threads;

a second connector having a mating portion, a connecting portion opposite the mating portion, and a body at least partially disposed between the mating portion and the connecting portion;

a collar having at least one connecting arm at a connecting end, and at least one engaging arm at an engaging end, the connecting portion being disposed opposite the engaging end; and

a thread coupled to the engaging end via the at least one engaging arm,

wherein the collar is configured to couple with the threads of the first end of the first connector to form a fluid pathway between the first connector and the second connector,

wherein the first connector is configured to couple to the thread via the threads of the first end of the first connector,

wherein the first connector and the thread are configured to decouple from the collar and the second connector in response to a pullout force that deflects the at least one engaging arm to decouple the thread and the engaging end, the pullout force exceeding a predetermined threshold force.

20 . A coupler comprising:

a first connector having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a valve disposed within the first connector, the first end including threads;

a second connector having a mating portion, a connecting portion opposite the mating portion, and a body at least partially disposed between the mating portion and the connecting portion the body having a valve configured to fluidly seal the second connector and configured to axially move relative to the mating portion and the connecting portion;

a collar having a luer disposed within, at least one connecting arm at a connecting end, and at least one engaging arm at an engaging end, the at least one connecting arm being releasably coupled to the mating portion; and

a thread comprising a notch, releasably coupled to the at least one engaging arm via the notch, and configured to mate with the threads of the first end,

wherein the collar is configured to couple the first connector to the second connector to form a fluid pathway such that a first portion of the luer is disposed within the first connector and a second portion of the luer opposite the first portion is disposed within the second connector,

wherein, when the first connector is coupled to the thread, the first connector and the thread are configured to decouple from the collar and the second connector in response to a pullout force that deflects the at least one engaging arm away from the notch, the pullout force exceeding a predetermined threshold force,

wherein the pullout force is applied along a central axis that extends through the first connector, the thread, the collar, and the second connector when the collar is coupled to the first connector and the second connector,

wherein, when the first connector is coupled to the thread and the first connector and the thread are decoupled from the collar, the collar is configured to decouple from the second connector in response to a compressive force that deflects the at least one connecting arm away from the mating portion, the compressive force being different than the pullout force.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (158)