GB2160184A

GB2160184A - Sterile liquid dispensing bags

Info

Publication number: GB2160184A
Application number: GB08514232A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Scarrow
Original assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: Amcor Flexibles Winterbourne Ltd
Priority date: 1984-06-15
Filing date: 1985-06-05
Publication date: 1985-12-18
Also published as: GB8514232D0; GB2160184B; GB8415286D0

Abstract

A container (10) for sterile liquids has a port (14) projecting therefrom and sealed at its outer end (24). A region (26) of the port between said outer seal and the container is locally weakened to facilitate manual tearing open of the port at that region after sterilisation to allow access to the contents of the container. The port is provided with a pair of radial flanges (28, 30) on each so side of and adjacent to the weakened region (26). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to sterile liquid dispensing bags This invention relates to bags for containing and dispensing sterile liquids; and are thus especially useful in the medical field.

Sterile liquid giving bags in the medical field are usually made from transparent plastics film, and are provided with one or more ports which are normally sealed but which are openable for the introduction or dispensing of liquid. Any such port which has be opened after sterilisation requires some means for maintaining its outer region sterile up to a time of use. For this purpose it is customary to provide an end closure cap which can be removed immediately before use, or to seal the end of the tube, either directly or by enclosing it in a sealed envelope, the end portion of the tube or the envelope being adapted to the torn open manually immediately before use.Such sealing of the outer end of the tube is more secure than the provision of end caps which may accidentally come off during sterilisation or afterwards, but suffers from the disadvantage that the manual operation of tearing open the end of the tube can lead to contamination of the end surfaces, so that the liquid dispensed therethrough or a needle inserted therein may also become contaminated.

According to the present invention there is provided a container for sterile liquids having at least one port projecting therefrom and sealed at its outer end portion, a region of the port between said outer seal and the container being locally weakened to facilitate manual tearing open of the port at that region after sterilisation to allow access to the contents of the container, the port being provided with a pair of radial flanges on each side of and adjacent to the weakened region. The two flanges provide shields which reduce the risk of contact between the user's fingers and the exposed ruptured edge of the inner portion of the port.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, two embodiments will be be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows the port region of one embodiment of an intravenous giving bag, and Figure 2 show a port end portion of another embodiment of giving bag.

Referring to the drawings, the bag 10 is made from transparent plastics film 12, such as polyvinyl chloride peripherally sealed to form a liquid enclosure 13. A separately formed port member 14, also made from transparent plastics materials, such as polyvinyl chloride, is welded to the outer surface of the bag at one end thereof. A complementary port member 16 is, if desired, welded into the inside surface of the bag opposite the port member 14.

The port member 14 comprises a base flange 15 from which project a central filling tube 18, flanked by a pair of ports 20,22. An aperture 23 is made in the film material of the bag to register with the inner end of the filling tube, and the inner port member 16 is similarly provided with openings in a base member 17 which lies opposite the base member 15, the two base members sandwiching the film material 12 of the bag and all three being welded together.

The outer end of the filling tube 18 is closed and cut open when the bag is filled with liquid, whereafter the outer end is permanently closed, for example by heat sealing. The ports 20,22 are closed at their outer ends 24 when the port member 14 is made. Between the closed end 24 and the base 15 each port 20,22 is provided with an annular thinned region 26, which locally weakens the tube so that it can be torn open at that point to remove the outer end portion and give access to the interior of the bag. A pair of annular flanges 28,30 are provided one on each side of the thinned region 26 and immediately adjacent to the region 26, so that the flanges are very close together. These flanges assist in keeping the operator's fingers away from contact with the ruptured edge of the port when the outer end portion is torn away.

To facilitate tearing away of the outer portion, wings 32 may be provided.

The film material of the bag can be left unapertured at the inner end of either or both of the ports 20,22, thereby providing a membrane which keeps the bag closed even after removing the outer end portions of the ports. This membrane can then be ruptured, for example by the insertion of a cannula or hollow needle. Also, a septum 34 of self-sealing polymeric material may be provided in one of the ports between said membrane and the thinned region 26. This enables the needle of a syringe to be inserted for injecting a liquid into the container, and then removed whilst preserving the sterility of the interior of the container.

Figure 2 shows an alternative construction of the bag, in which the body 10 of the bag is made from a flattened tube of transparent plastics film material, such as polyvinyl chloride, and is closed at each end by transverse welding. At one end, prior to forming the transverse weld 11, two ports 20,22 and a filling tube 18 are inserted between the film layers, and are secured in place by the welding operation. Each of the ports 20,22 is provided with a transverse membrane 21, which fulfills the function as indicated above, and one of the ports is provided with a self-sealing septum 34, and a parallel sided narrow bore region 35 to act as a needle guide. Each of the ports 20,22 is also provided with a thinned region 26 flanked by annular flanges 28,30, and also has wings 32. The outer ends of the ports and the filling tube are initially left open, as shown, so that probes involved in the welding process can be inserted therein as far as the membrane 21 or septum 34; this inner limit being located inwardly of the outer edge 37 of the end seal 11 so as to ensure that the filling tube and ports are welded to the film. One advantage of this arrangement is that in this way the welding can be affected from outside the bag, and thus there is no particulate contamination of the interior of the bag.

The outer ends of the ports and the filling tube are then sealed in a subsequent operation.

Claims

1. A container for sterile liquids having at least one port projecting therefrom and sealed at its outer end portion, a region of the port between said outer seal and the container being locally weakened to facilitate manual tearing open of the port at that region after sterilisation to allow access to the contents of the container, the port being provided with a pair of radial flanges on each side of and adjacent to the weakened region.

2. A port for a container according to claim 1.

3. A container according to claim 1 substantially as described herein.

4. A port according to claim 2 substantially as described herein.