Patent ID: 7611502

Claim:
A connector for use in connecting a container of liquid nutrients to an enteral feeding tube to supply the liquid nutrients to a patient, the connector comprising: a body having an interior surface defining a cavity for receiving an outlet of the container, and an exterior surface; a liquid passage defined in the body having a first end in fluid communication with the cavity and a second end for connection to the enteral feeding tube to fluidly connect the container and the enteral feeding tube when the connector is received on the container; a spike formed integrally with the body and having a free end projecting into the cavity for piercing a puncturable seal covering the outlet of the container as the outlet of the container is being received in the cavity, the spike further comprising a generally flat bottom surface and having a knife edge substantially along its length; an air passage extending through the spike to the exterior surface of the body, the air passage opens at the flat bottom surface of the spike for introducing air from outside the connector into the container when the connector is attached to the container; and the cavity being free of structure that defines any portion of the liquid passage and the spike is formed for penetrating the puncturable seal of the container.