Luer connector assembly

Abstract

A luer connector assembly is provided for enhancing the frictional engagement between medical devices such as syringes and needle assemblies. The assembly needle includes a female luer fitting having a passageway and a relatively soft, resilient member bounding the passageway. The passageway is also bounded by the body of the fitting, which is harder than the soft, resilient member. A male luer fitting inserted into the passageway engages both the soft, resilient member and the body of the female luer fitting. A method of manufacturing such a connector assembly is further provided. A first material is injected into a mold to form the body of a female luer fitting, the fitting including a passageway and a recess extending into the body. A second material is then injected such that is extends into the recess and bounds the passageway. The second material, when cool, is softer than the first material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A needle assembly comprising: 
 a female luer fitting having a body including an outside surface, a distal end, a proximal end and a passageway therethrough, said passageway having a frusto-conically shaped portion with an interior surface for receiving a male luer fitting, said interior surface having a recess;    a cannula connected to said distal end of said body of said female luer fitting said cannula being in fluid communication with said passageway; and    a soft, resilient member softer than said body, said soft, resilient member being positioned in said recess and bounding said passageway such that, upon insertion of a male luer fitting into said passageway, said soft, resilient member and a portion of said interior surface both frictionally engages the male luer fitting.    
     
     
         2 . The needle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said portion of said interior surface bounding said passageway is distal to said recess.  
     
     
         3 . The needle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft, resilient member is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         4 . The needle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said body defines a proximally angled shoulder bordering a proximal end of said recess.  
     
     
         5 . The needle assembly of  claim 4  wherein said shoulder extends at an angle of between about 56 to 60 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of said passageway.  
     
     
         6 . The needle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft, resilient member is mechanically coupled to said body of said female luer fitting.  
     
     
         7 . The needle assembly of  claim 6  wherein said body of said female luer fitting includes at least one channel extending from said recess to said outer surface, said soft, resilient member extending into said channel.  
     
     
         8 . The needle assembly of  claim 7  wherein said recess within said interior surface is generally annular and said soft, resilient member substantially fills said recess.  
     
     
         9 . The needle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft, resilient member extends radially inwardly from said recess and wherein, upon insertion of a male luer fitting into said passageway, said soft, resilient member is compressed between the male luer fitting and said body of said female luer fitting substantially completely into said recess.  
     
     
         10 . The needle assembly of  claim 9  wherein said portion of said interior surface bounding said passageway is distal to said recess.  
     
     
         11 . The needle assembly of  claim 9  wherein said soft, resilient member is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         12 . The needle assembly of  claim 9  wherein said body of said female luer fitting includes at least one channel extending from said recess to said outer surface, said soft, resilient member extending into said channel.  
     
     
         13 . The needle assembly of  claim 9  wherein said body defines a proximally angled shoulder bordering a proximal end of said recess.  
     
     
         14 . The needle assembly of  claim 13  wherein said shoulder extends at an angle of between about 56 to 60 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of said passageway.  
     
     
         15 . The needle assembly of  claim 12  wherein said recess is generally annular and said soft-resilient member substantially fills said recess.  
     
     
         16 . The needle shield assembly of  claim 1  further including a needle shield having a cavity therein hingedly connected to said female luer fitting, said needle shield capable of rotating from an open position wherein said cannula is exposed, to a closed cannula protecting position wherein at least a distal position of said cannula is in said cavity.  
     
     
         17 . The needle shield assembly of  claim 16  further including means for locking said needle shield in said closed needle protecting position.  
     
     
         18 . An assembly for transferring fluid between a first medical device and a second medical device, comprising: 
 a first medical device including a male luer fitting having a tapered exterior surface;    a second medical device including a female luer fitting having a body including a tapered interior surface and a recess extending within said tapered interior surface, said female luer fitting being frictionally engaged to said male luer fitting such that said tapered exterior surface of said male luer fitting adjoins said tapered interior surface of said body of said female luer fitting;    a passageway extending through said female luer fitting, said passageway being bounded by said tapered interior surface; and    a soft, resilient member secured to said body and extending within said recess, said soft, resilient member being softer than said body of said female luer fitting and compressed by said exterior surface of said male luer fitting such that said soft, resilient member is substantially completely within said recess and in frictional engagement with said male luer fitting.    
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said male luer fitting frictionally engages said tapered interior surface of said body of said female luer fitting distal to said recess.  
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said soft, resilient member is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said soft, resilient member is mechanically coupled to said body of said female luer fitting.  
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said body of said female luer fitting includes at least one channel extending from said recess to an outer surface thereof, said soft, resilient member capable of extending into said channel.  
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said body of said female luer fitting defines a proximally angled shoulder bordering a proximal end of said recess  
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said shoulder extends at an angle of between about 56 to 60 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of said passageway.  
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said soft, resilient member includes a generally frustoconical surface bounding said passageway.  
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 22  wherein said soft, resilient member adjoins an outer surface of said body of said female luer fitting.  
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 21  wherein said soft, resilient member is coupled to said body of said female luer fitting through use of a two shot molding process.  
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 27  wherein said soft, resilient member includes a generally frustoconical surface bounding said passageway.  
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said first medical device is a syringe and said second medical device is a needle assembly.  
     
     
         30 . A method of manufacturing a needle assembly comprising: 
 providing a first material;    providing a second material which, when cool, is resilient and is softer than said first material;    injecting said first material into a mold, thereby forming a body of a female luer fitting including a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending between said proximal and distal ends, said passageway having a frustoconical portion, and a recess extending within said body and adjoining said frustoconical portion of said passageway; and    injecting said second material into said recess of said female luer fitting such that a portion of said second material extends into said passageway.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further including the step of securing a cannula to said distal end of said female luer fitting.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said second material is a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  including forming at least one channel in said body of said female luer fitting extending between said recess and an exterior surface of said body, and injecting said second material into said channel.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said second material is injected while said first material is warm.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said first material is a thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene and combinations thereof.