Patent ID: 6880801

Claim:
A connector assembly for providing a fluid flow path which is isolated from the ambient environment, the connector assembly comprising: a first fitting including a proximal end, an aperture, and a socket, wherein the aperture forms a portion of the fluid flow path and includes a proximal end and wherein the socket has a sidewall and a proximal end; a second fitting including a distal end, a proximal end, an aperture, and a socket, wherein the distal end is connectable to a section of tubing, wherein the aperture forms a portion of the fluid flow path and includes a proximal end, and wherein the socket has a sidewall and a end; first and second resilient sealing members disposed in the sockets of the first and second fittings, respectively, wherein the sidewall of each socket surrounds the resilient sealing member, wherein each resilient sealing member includes a hollow body having opposite open ends, and an internal passage extending between the open ends and wherein each resilient sealing member is formed from a material which is more resilient than the material of the fitting; a plurality of protrusions and corresponding slots which cooperate to connect the first and second fittings to one another, the protrusions including bendable prongs extending between the first and second fittings and engaging the corresponding slots to interconnect the proximal ends of the first and second fittings; and at least one removable stripout layer moveable between a first position in which the strip out layer is interposed between the interconnected first and second fittings, wherein the stripout layer overlies the ends of the first and resilient sealing members, and a second position in which the stripout layer is removed from the ends of the first and second resilient sealing members, wherein the resilient sealing members contact one another to create a fluid flow path through the first and second fittings via the apertures of the fittings, the stripout layer having a pull tab which extends beyond the periphery of the interconnected first and second fittings to enable the stripout layer to be moved from the first position to the second position.