Cleaning Tool for Attachment Surfaces

Abstract

A tool that is useful for cleaning and disinfecting the attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device used in medical applications, the tool having a housing with an opening of defined shape and a chemically treated flexible insert disposed inside the housing that substantially conforms to the inside wall of the housing and, when placed over the attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device, can be manipulated axially and rotationally relative to the attachment surfaces to contact, clean and disinfect the surfaces.

1 . A tool useful for contacting and applying a cleaner to attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device used in medical applications, comprising:
 a housing with a substantially cylindrical or polygonal inside wall, an open end having a defined shape during storage and use, and a closed end opposite the open end;   a flexible insert disposed inside the housing and conforming substantially to the inside wall, the flexible insert containing the liquid cleaner prior to contacting the attachment surfaces and being sufficiently compressible against the attachment surfaces to discharge said cleaner.   
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1  when used to mechanically clean a fluid connector device. 
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the cleaner also disinfects. 
   
   
       4 . The tool of  claim 4  wherein the cleaner is selected from the group consisting liquids including alcohol and chlorhexidine. 
   
   
       5 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a luer connector. 
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a Clave® connector. 
   
   
       7 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the flexible insert has a porous cellular structure. 
   
   
       8 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the flexible insert is attached to the housing. 
   
   
       9 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the flexible insert further comprises a recess. 
   
   
       10 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the flexible insert further comprises a transverse slit. 
   
   
       11 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises two cavities separated by an annular collar having an inside diameter less than that of either cavity. 
   
   
       12 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein the annular collar has at least one tapered shoulder. 
   
   
       13 . The tool of  claim 12  wherein the annular collar has two tapered shoulders. 
   
   
       14 . The tool of  claim 1   1  wherein one cavity has a closed end that is part of the housing. 
   
   
       15 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein one cavity has a closed end that is a releasable closure. 
   
   
       16 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein one cavity is configured to slidably engage a receptacle. 
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein a liquid cleaner is disposed inside the receptacle. 
   
   
       18 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein the annular collar defines an opening that is sealed by a releasable or rupturable closure. 
   
   
       19 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein the annular collar defines an opening that is sealed by a removable closure. 
   
   
       20 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the inside wall has sections with different diameters. 
   
   
       21 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the inside wall is tapered. 
   
   
       22 . The tool of  claim 19  wherein the annular collar comprises at least one projection. 
   
   
       23 . The tool of  claim 22  wherein the annular collar comprises two projections. 
   
   
       24 . The tool of  claim 19  wherein the removable closure comprises at least one projection. 
   
   
       25 . The tool of  claim 24  wherein the removable closure comprises two projections. 
   
   
       26 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasable closure and a projection engageable with the flexible insert. 
   
   
       27 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein the receptacle is slidable rotationally in relation to the cavity. 
   
   
       28 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein the receptacle is slidable longitudinally in relation to the cavity. 
   
   
       29 . A tool useful for cleaning and disinfecting attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device used in medical applications, the tool further comprising:
 a housing having a body with a substantially cylindrical or polygonal inside wall, an open end having a defined shape, a closed end; and   a flexible insert disposed inside the body and conforming substantially to the inside wall, the flexible insert carrying or containing a composition selected from the group consisting of cleaning agents and disinfectants, and being configured and sufficiently compressible to receive, contact, clean and disinfect the attachment surfaces.   
   
   
       30 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the fluid connector device is part of a luer connector. 
   
   
       31 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the fluid connector device is part of a CLAVE® connector. 
   
   
       32 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the fluid connector device communicates with a needleless syringe, an extension set or an intravascular catheter. 
   
   
       33 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the body is substantially cylindrical and further comprises coaxially aligned and adjacent first and second portions having different inside diameters, the inside diameter of the first portion being greater than the inside diameter of the second portion. 
   
   
       34 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the housing comprises a moldable polymeric material. 
   
   
       35 . The tool of  claim 34  wherein the moldable polymeric material can be glued or sonically welded. 
   
   
       36 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the flexible insert comprises a sponge adapted to receive, store and apply to the attachment surfaces a composition comprising a disinfectant. 
   
   
       37 . The tool of  claim 36  wherein the sponge comprises polyurethane. 
   
   
       38 . The tool of  claim 36  wherein the disinfectant is selected from the group consisting of isopropyl alcohol and chlorhexidine. 
   
   
       39 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the body has a polygonal inside wall. 
   
   
       40 . The tool of  claim 39  wherein the polygonal inside wall comprises a plurality of circumferentially disposed sidewall sections, with each adjacent pair of sidewall sections being separated by a rib. 
   
   
       41 . The tool of  claim 39  wherein the polygonal inside wall is octagonal. 
   
   
       42 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein inside wall of the body is fluted. 
   
   
       43 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the inside wall of the body is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       44 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the flexible insert comprises cooperatively sized and aligned inner and outer elements. 
   
   
       45 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the housing and flexible insert are cooperatively configured to resist relative rotational motion between adjacent surfaces of each. 
   
   
       46 . The tool of  claim 45  wherein at least part of the flexible insert is secured to part of the housing body. 
   
   
       47 . The tool of  claim 44  wherein the inner element is slidable relative to the outer element. 
   
   
       48 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the housing comprises an open space adjacent to a part of the flexible insert. 
   
   
       49 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the flexible insert is retained inside the housing by a retainer element attachable to the housing. 
   
   
       50 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the flexible insert comprises a face substantially coextensive with the defined open end and at least one slit extending axially away from the face. 
   
   
       51 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the defined shape is substantially circular. 
   
   
       52 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein the housing further comprises a handle portion graspable by a user. 
   
   
       53 . The tool of  claim 52  wherein the handle portion comprises a reservoir from which the composition is selectively releasable into the flexible insert. 
   
   
       54 . A tool useful for cleaning and disinfecting attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device used in medical applications, the cleaning tool further comprising:
 a housing having a body with a substantially cylindrical or polygonal inside wall, an open end having a defined shape, a closed end, and a handle; and   a flexible insert disposed inside the body and conforming substantially to the inside wall, the flexible insert being configured and sufficiently resilient to receive and subsequently discharge a composition selected from the group consisting of cleaning agents and disinfectants, for use in contacting, cleaning and disinfecting the frontal attachment surfaces.   
   
   
       55 . The tool of  claim 54 , further comprising a reservoir containing a composition selected from the group consisting of cleaning agents and disinfectants. 
   
   
       56 . The tool of  claim 55  wherein the composition comprises is selected from the group consisting of alcohol and chlorhexidine. 
   
   
       57 . The tool of  claim 56  wherein the alcohol comprises isopropyl alcohol. 
   
   
       58 . The tool of  claim 54  wherein the reservoir is a frangible ampule. 
   
   
       59 . The tool of  claim 54  wherein the handle further comprises a flexible side wall, an internal cavity in fluid communication with the flexible insert, a frangible ampule disposed inside the cavity and containing the composition, and an activation member that is manually depressible against the flexible side wall to fracture the frangible ampule and release the composition. 
   
   
       60 . The tool of  claim 54  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a luer. 
   
   
       61 . The tool of  claim 54  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a Clave connector. 
   
   
       62 . A tool for cleaning attachment surfaces of a fluid connector device used for a medical application, the tool comprising:
 a generally cylindrical housing having first and second cavities with open ends and an opening establishing fluid communication disposed between them;   an absorbent, flexible insert secured to the inside wall of the lower cavity; and   a substantially cylindrical fluid receptacle having a closed rear end and an open front end with a removable stopper or rupturable sealing membrane, the receptacle slidably engaging the open end of the second cavity, the receptacle containing a cleaning and disinfecting liquid;   wherein the housing and receptacle are cooperatively configured so that an application of manual force against the closed end of the fluid receptacle will cause the stopper or membrane to be displaced from the open front end, thereby allowing the cleaning and disinfecting liquid to flow into the flexible insert.   
   
   
       63 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a CLAVE connector. 
   
   
       64 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a luer connector. 
   
   
       65 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the fluid connector device comprises a threaded section. 
   
   
       66 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the flexible insert comprises a split or recess to receive at least part of the frontal attachment. 
   
   
       67 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the open front end of the receptacle further comprises a radially projecting lug. 
   
   
       68 . The tool of  claim 67  wherein the second cavity comprises two parallel, proximally positioned slots of different lengths to receive the lug. 
   
   
       69 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the second cavity further comprises at least one prong that is engageable with the stopper or membrane to displace the stopper or membrane from the opening of the receptacle. 
   
   
       70 . The tool of  claim 62 , further comprising a seal or cover disposed across the open end of the first cavity. 
   
   
       71 . The tool of  claim 62  wherein the cleaning and disinfecting liquid is selected from the group consisting of isopropyl alcohol and chlorhexidine.