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Publication Number
US-11052233-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A tube for a medical container has a tube wall which consists of at least two layers. According to the invention, at least one layer contains a styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer (S-TPE), in particular a styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBC) or a copolyester, a copolyester ether or a cyclic olefin copolyester. The at least one other layer contains ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), preferably with a vinyl acetate (VA) portion in the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer of from 10% to 30%, preferably 14% to 28%. The EVA can be mixed with a thermoplastic polybutene and/or SEBS to improve the tube properties. The tube wall can have a two-layer structure with an inner or an outer layer which contains the S-TPE, copolyester, copolyester ether or cyclic olefin copolyester, or a three-layer structure with an outer and inner layer containing the S-TPE or copolyester or copolyester ether.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a tube for connection to a medical container, having a tube wall with at least two layers that elastically recover after compression. The tube wall is flexible, soft, and transparent, and is formed as a multi-layer tube wall that can recover elastically (“snap”).
A first layer contains a styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer, a copolyester, a copolyester ether, or a cyclic olefin copolymer, and a second layer contains ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) blended with an additive of a transparent thermoplastic polybutene and/or polystyrene-polyethyelene-butylene-polystyrene (SEBS). The second layer containing EVA is thicker than the first layer, and the first layer is connected to the medical container.
The invention further addresses bonding/connectability to medical container connectors by tuning layer positioning and thickness for bonding to plastics including ABS, PC, PVC, PMMA, TPU, and copolyester/copolyester ether. Documented embodiments include co-extrusion and connector attachment modes, and combinations using an EVA layer together with the styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer/copolyester/copolyester ether achieve adequate bonding and bending stiffness below a stated threshold.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the inventive features are centered on a multi-layer, elastically recoverable medical tube wall with a specified first layer polymer family, a second EVA-containing layer blended with a transparent polybutene and/or SEBS additive, and a thickness/position relationship for the layers used to connect to a medical container.
Elastically recoverable multi-layer medical tube wall with EVA-blended second layer
A tube for connection to a medical container with a tube wall consisting of at least two layers that elastically recover after compression, where a first layer contains a styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer, copolyester, copolyester ether, or cyclic olefin copolymer, and a second layer contains ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) blended with an additive of a transparent thermoplastic polybutene and/or polystyrene-polyethyelene-butylene-polystyrene (SEBS), wherein the second layer containing the EVA is thicker than the first layer and the first layer is connected to the medical container.
Outer layer positioned for container connection
A tube for connection to a medical container with a tube wall consisting of at least two layers that elastically recover after compression, where a first layer contains a styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer, copolyester, copolyester ether, or cyclic olefin copolymer, and a second layer contains EVA blended with an additive of a transparent thermoplastic polybutene and/or polystyrene-polyethyelene-butylene-polystyrene (SEBS), wherein the second layer containing the EVA is thicker than the first layer and the first layer is an outer layer that overlies the second layer for connection of the first layer to the medical container.
Connection layer without styrene-containing thermoplastic/copolyester/cyclic olefin in the EVA layer
A tube for connection to a medical container with a tube wall consisting of at least two layers that elastically recover after compression, where a first layer for connection to the medical container contains a styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer, copolyester, copolyester ether, or cyclic olefin copolymer, and a second layer contains EVA blended with an additive of a transparent thermoplastic polybutene and/or polystyrene-polyethyelene-butylene-polystyrene (SEBS), wherein the second layer containing the EVA is thicker than the first layer and the second layer does not contain styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer, copolyester, copolyester ether, or cyclic olefin copolymer.
Across the independent claims, the coverage is directed to elastically recoverable multi-layer medical tube walls in which a first layer uses a specified styrene-containing thermoplastic polymer and a second, thicker layer uses EVA blended with a transparent thermoplastic polybutene and/or SEBS additive, with layer thickness/position constraints that define how the first layer connects to the medical container and, in one claim, exclude the first-layer polymer classes from the EVA-containing second layer.
Stated Advantages
Improved bonding/connectability of the tube to medical container connectors.
Flexible and soft tube wall that can elastically recover after compression (“snap”).
Adequate bonding together with bending stiffness below a stated threshold when using the claimed layer combination.
Documented Applications
A tube used for connection to a medical container for parenteral/enteral nutrition, with connector attachment via an adaptor piece and cone-shaped connector modes.
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