Connector for Aseptic Transfer of Fluid

Abstract

A drug delivery system for injecting a medicament may include a housing defining a cavity, a container received within the cavity and configured to receive a medicament with the container including a closure, a valve assembly received within the cavity and including a piercing member configured to pierce the closure of the container, and a connector arrangement provided between the container and the valve assembly, the connector arrangement movable between a first, pre-use position maintaining sterility between the closure of the container and the valve assembly and a second, use position permitting fluid communication between the container and the valve assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid transfer system utilizing a connector arrangement for aseptic transfer of fluid between a cannula arrangement and a container, the fluid transfer system comprising:
 the cannula arrangement;   the container;   at least one membrane held between the cannula arrangement and the container; and   at least one clip configured to clamp the at least one membrane between the cannula arrangement and the container.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane comprises two membranes. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one clip comprises two clips. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cannula arrangement includes a flange extending around a portion thereof;   wherein the container includes a flange extending around a portion thereof; and   wherein the at least one clip is configured to engage the flanges on the cannula arrangement and the container to clamp the at least one membrane between the cannula arrangement and the container.   
     
     
         5 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cannula arrangement comprises a housing and a cannula slidably positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane comprises one of the following: a foil, rubber, or polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane is pulled out of the housing to establish fluid communication between the cannula arrangement and the container. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a syringe barrel. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a joint member provided on a proximal end of the cannula arrangement and a joint member provided on a distal end of the container, wherein the joint members are configured to engage one another after the at least one membrane has been removed from between the cannula arrangement and the container. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid transfer system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one membrane extends through the at least one clip.