US 12,442,476 B2
Coupling device with coating
Robert Axelsson, Gränna (SE); Katarina Hedbeck, Stockholm (SE); Rebecca Bejhed, Uppsala (SE); and Christopher Blacker, Uppsala (SE)
Assigned to Interlinked AB, (SE)
Appl. No. 18/580,907
Filed by Interlinked AB, Stockholm (SE)
PCT Filed Jun. 30, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/068155
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 19, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/001524, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 26, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 21186504 (EP), filed on Jul. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0230000 A1, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 37/30 (2006.01); A61M 39/08 (2006.01); F16L 37/252 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 37/30 (2013.01) [A61M 39/08 (2013.01); F16L 37/252 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coupling device for transferring a fluid, the coupling device comprising;
a first housing extending along a principal axis, the first housing comprising a first opening at a back end portion thereof, a second opening at a front end portion thereof, a tube extending from the first opening into the first housing along the principal axis, and a first sealing element,
a second housing comprising a channel through the second housing, and a second sealing element arranged to seal the channel, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing elements comprises an antimicrobial coating, and
a cavity on a front side of the respective first and second sealing element,
whereby, at a first stage of a connection of the coupling device,
the second housing is insertable into the first housing via the second opening thereof, wherein the first and second sealing elements are configured to abut each other and sealingly separate the tube and the channel, wherein the cavity of at least one of the first and second sealing elements defines a first space upon contact between the first and second sealing elements,
whereby, at a second stage of the connection of the coupling device,
the tube projects through the first and second sealing elements for connection with the channel for enabling a transfer of fluid through the coupling device,
whereby, at a first stage of a disconnection of the coupling device, wherein the tube is retracted through the first and second sealing elements and an end portion of the tube is enclosed by the second sealing element,
the tube and the second sealing element are configured to define a second space at the end portion of the tube, wherein the second space is at least partially filled with the fluid, and
whereby, at a second stage of the disconnection of the coupling device, wherein the tube is retracted through the first sealing element and the end portion of the tube is in close vicinity of the second sealing element,
the fluid in the second space is released into the first space upon collapse of the second space, and wherein the fluid in the first space comes into contact with at least one of at least a portion of the antimicrobial coating of the first sealing element and at least a portion of the antimicrobial coating of the second sealing element,
wherein the antimicrobial coating is configured to provide an antimicrobial effect upon contact with the fluid.