Patent Description:
In a medical environment, many devices have tubing or other fluid conduits adapted for manual connection in order to provide a fluid connection between devices or between a device and a patient including enteral feeding pumps and enteral feeding lines. For example, enteral feeding or delivery of medicines to the gastrointestinal tract may be accomplished by connecting an enteral feeding connector to an oral syringe. Some patients, including particularly neo-natal patients, are best served by a high degree of accuracy in the volume of fluid delivered to the patient. Each of these devices includes one or more connectors that a user or practitioner may connect together.

<FIG> shows a conventional enteral feeding connector assembly including a male enteral feeding connector <NUM> and a female enteral feeding connector <NUM> configured to be connected to one another for use in connecting enteral fluid lines in healthcare applications. The female enteral feeding connector <NUM> receives a male connector portion 1A of the male enteral feeding connector <NUM> within an interior space <NUM>. An exterior surface of the male connector portion 1A engages and seals with an interior surface of the female enteral feeding connector <NUM> to achieve a fluid-tight connection. The enteral feeding connectors <NUM>, <NUM> may then deliver fluid in the fluid lines through a fluid passage <NUM> extending through the connectors. Fluid is typically delivered from the female connector <NUM> to the male connector <NUM>. A dead space <NUM> is located adjacent an inlet of the male enteral feeding connector <NUM>. The dead space <NUM> defines an area of the interior space <NUM> in the female enteral feeding connector <NUM> that is not occupied by the portion of the male enteral feeding connector <NUM> received therein. A problem with having this dead space is that fluid intended for delivery can pool within the dead space causing an under dose of fluid to be delivered to the patient. Conversely, the pooled fluid may not be accounted for in the fluid measurement resulting in an overdose of fluid to the patient. Although errors may be small, they can be important for certain patients, such as neo-natal infants.

D1 <CIT> pertains to a coupling system usable to transfer materials from one flow conduit to another, more particularly, to two-part coupling members with a first part including a pre-slit septum and a second part including a blunt cannula. The pre-slit septum slidably receives the blunt cannula to effect the coupling.

D2 <CIT> pertains to a medical device and more particularly to a syringe, either traditional or pre-filled, having a recessed nose section adapted to prevent contamination from human contact when connecting a frontal attachment such as a CLAVE(R) connector for introducing medication into a closed IV system or a luer lock needle attachment.

D3 <CIT> pertains to a dual chamber prefillable syringe in which predetermined quantities of first and second medicines are liquid-tightly partitioned in a syringe outer cylinder in a sterilized state for injecting both the medicines in mixture in one chamber as parenteral solution in the case of injecting.

D4 <CIT> shows an Enteral feeding connector assembly, particularly to a syringe with male a connector having a tip surrounded by a shroud with internal threads and a female connector for connection to the syringe. The female connector has an female tip and a shroud with an external thread for mating with the syringe.

D5 <CIT> shows a medical connectors, particularly adaptation of a typical male and female luer connectors. The adaptation suggests use of a threaded shroud surrounding a luer tip also for a female luer connector, resulting into a double threaded connection by the female luer and by the threaded shroud.

In one aspect, an enteral feeding syringe assembly generally comprises a syringe including an engagement surface. A projecting connector portion extending from the engagement surface. An interior chamber is disposed within the syringe. The projecting connector portion includes an exterior circumferential wall and a fluid passage extending through the projecting connector portion. The fluid passage is in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the syringe. A connector is configured for attachment to the syringe to connect the syringe to a fluid conduit or reservoir. The connector comprises a male connector portion including a rim and a passage extending through the male connector portion. The projecting connector portion of the syringe is sized and shaped to be received in the male connector portion of the connector when the connector is attached to the syringe such that the exterior wall of the projecting connector portion sealingly engages the male connector portion within the passage of the male connector portion and the rim of the male connector portion engages the engagement surface of the syringe sealing the male connector portion around the projecting connector portion.

In another aspect, an enteral feeding syringe generally comprises a barrel and a projecting connector portion extending from the barrel. A shroud extends around the projecting connector portion. An interior chamber is disposed within the barrel. The projecting connector portion includes an exterior circumferential wall and a fluid passage extending through the projecting connector portion. The fluid passage is in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the barrel. The shroud defines an opening that exposes the projecting connector portion.

Referring to <FIG>, an enteral feeding syringe assembly is generally indicated at <NUM>. The syringe assembly is configured to fluidly connect to a fluid conduit (e.g., a feeding tube) or a reservoir (e.g., medical tubing, bottle, nutrient bag, etc.) for retrieving fluid from the fluid reservoir or delivering fluid to a subject through the fluid conduit. The syringe assembly <NUM> comprises a syringe <NUM> including a female fitting <NUM> on a distal end of the syringe for connecting to a complementary male connector. The assembly <NUM> may further comprise a cap <NUM> including a male connector portion <NUM> (<FIG>) for providing a sealed connection with the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> when the cap is secured (e.g., threaded) onto the syringe. Alternatively, an enteral feeding connector <NUM> may include a male connector portion <NUM> (<FIG>) for providing a sealed connection with the female fitting <NUM> on the syringe <NUM> when the enteral feeding connector is secured (e.g., threaded) onto the female fitting of the syringe. When the enteral feeding connector <NUM> is properly secured to the syringe <NUM>, a tube connector portion <NUM> of the enteral feeding connector can be connected to a fluid conduit or reservoir to fluidly connect the syringe to the fluid conduit or reservoir. A plunger <NUM> can be received in a barrel of the syringe <NUM> and used to discharge fluid from the syringe and to draw fluid into the syringe. In the illustrated embodiment, the female fitting <NUM> is formed integrally with a remainder of the syringe <NUM>. However, the female fitting <NUM> could be formed separately from the syringe <NUM> and suitably attached to the syringe.

Referring to <FIG>, the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> may comprise a projecting connector portion <NUM> extending from a floor <NUM> (broadly, "engagement surface") surrounding the projecting connector portion. The floor <NUM> may extend circumferentially around the entirety of the projecting connector portion <NUM> and faces axially outward from the syringe. A fluid passage <NUM> may extend through the projecting connector portion <NUM> from an open distal end of the projecting connector portion to an interior chamber <NUM> of the syringe <NUM>. A connector shroud <NUM> may extend around the projecting connector portion <NUM>. The shroud <NUM> of the female fitting <NUM> may include openings <NUM> (<FIG>), which help to prevent intake of air into the interior chamber <NUM> of the syringe. Air inside the shroud <NUM> that is displaced by the female fitting <NUM> when it enters the shroud to make a fluid connection can exit the shroud through the openings <NUM>, rather than being forced into the syringe <NUM>. Keeping air out of the syringe <NUM> is desirable. The projecting connector portion <NUM> of the female fitting prior to connecting the cap <NUM> or enteral feeding connector <NUM> to the syringe <NUM> is visible through the opening. Similarly, the connection of the projecting connector portion <NUM> to the male connector portion <NUM> of the enteral feeding connector <NUM>, or to the male connector portion <NUM> of the cap <NUM> are visible from the side of the female fitting <NUM> through the openings <NUM>. Each opening <NUM> may extend generally from a location adjacent the floor <NUM> of the female fitting <NUM> past a distal tip of the projecting connector portion <NUM> exposing an entire length of the projecting connector portion through the opening. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two openings <NUM>. However, other numbers of openings <NUM> are within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, it is envisioned that the openings <NUM> could be omitted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

A circumferential side wall <NUM> of the projecting connector portion <NUM> may be configured for sealing engagement with respective inner surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> of the male connector portions <NUM>, <NUM> of the cap <NUM> and enteral feeding connector <NUM>, respectively (<FIG>). For instance, the circumferential side wall <NUM> of the projecting connector portion <NUM> may have a continuous profile such that the projecting connector portion is free of any channels or grooves in the outer surface of the projecting connector portion. The projecting connector portion <NUM> may taper from the floor <NUM> of the female fitting <NUM> to a distal end of the projecting connector portion. An outer surface <NUM> of the connector shroud <NUM> includes threads <NUM> for engaging threads <NUM> on an inner surface of the cap <NUM>, or threads <NUM> on an inner surface of the enteral feeding connector <NUM> for securely engaging the female fitting <NUM> with either the cap or the enteral feeding connector. The circumferential side wall <NUM> of the projecting connector portion <NUM> engages and seals with an interior surface of inner surface <NUM> of the male connector <NUM> when the cap <NUM> is attached, or engages and seals with the inner surface <NUM> of the male connector portion <NUM> of the feeding connector <NUM> depending upon whether the cap or feeding connector is connected to the syringe <NUM>. In addition, a rim <NUM> of the male connector portion <NUM> of the cap <NUM>, and a rim <NUM> of the male connector portion <NUM> of the enteral feeding connector <NUM> may engage and seal with the floor <NUM> of the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> when either the cap or the enteral feeding connector are attached to the syringe. Connection of the female fitting <NUM> to the male connector portion <NUM> of the enteral feeding connector <NUM> establishes fluid communication between the fluid passage <NUM> in the syringe <NUM> and a fluid passage <NUM> in the enteral feeding connector for placing the interior chamber <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> in fluid communication with a fluid conduit or reservoir connected to the tube connector portion <NUM> of the enteral feeding connector. Moreover, the engagement between the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> and the male connector portion <NUM> of enteral feeding connector <NUM> provides both a sealed connection along the circumferential side wall <NUM> of the projecting connector portion <NUM> with the inner surface <NUM> of the male connector portion <NUM> and a sealed connection extending around the projecting connector portion along the floor <NUM> of the female fitting. Thus, a sealed connection is established along two separate surfaces of the female fitting <NUM>. Therefore, a fluid tight connection is ensured when the enteral feeding connector <NUM> is attached to the syringe <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the sealing reception of the projecting connector portion <NUM> in the fluid passage <NUM> effectively reverses the male/female connection of the prior art (<FIG>). However, the present invention provides additional sealing by sealing engagement of the rim <NUM> with the floor <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, the cap <NUM> may comprise the male connector portion <NUM> including a passage <NUM> extending through the male connector portion, and an annular portion <NUM> surrounding the male connector portion. The cap <NUM> may include a grip portion <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) for manipulating the cap. The cap <NUM> is configured to cover the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> and block the fluid passage <NUM> of the projecting connector portion <NUM> when the enteral feeding syringe assembly <NUM> is not being used. When it is desired to use the enteral feeding syringe assembly <NUM>, the cap <NUM> can be removed from the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> and the enteral feeding connector <NUM> can be attached to the female fitting.

In use, the enteral feeding syringe assembly <NUM> places the syringe <NUM> in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir for retrieving fluid from the fluid reservoir. Alternatively, the enteral feeding syringe assembly <NUM> can place the syringe <NUM> in fluid commination with a fluid conduit to deliver fluid to the fluid conduit. The engagement between the female fitting <NUM> of the syringe <NUM> and the male connector portion <NUM> of enteral feeding connector <NUM> ensures that a fluid tight connection is produced when the enteral feeding connector is attached to the syringe. No portion of the syringe volume is occupied by a mating connector. Therefore the volume of fluid in the syringe is always constant, even after connection to the enteral feeding connector is made.

Having described embodiments of the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements.

Claim 1:
An enteral feeding syringe (<NUM>), comprising an engagement surface (<NUM>), a projecting connector portion (<NUM>) extending from the engagement surface (<NUM>), a shroud (<NUM>) extending around the projecting connector portion (<NUM>), and an interior chamber (<NUM>) disposed within the syringe (<NUM>), the projecting connector portion (<NUM>) including an exterior circumferential wall (<NUM>) and a fluid passage (<NUM>) extending through the projecting connector portion (<NUM>), the fluid passage (<NUM>) being in fluid communication with the interior chamber (<NUM>) of the syringe (<NUM>),
characterized in that the shroud (<NUM>) comprises a threaded outer surface for mating with threads (<NUM>) on an inner surface of a connector (<NUM>) and a beveled inner surface for receiving a male connector portion (<NUM>) having a frustoconical outer surface.