The present invention relates to a tap or cock for enteral tube feeding applications.

US 6536742 discloses an embodiment of a three-way cock for medical devices carrying infusion solutions. The cock has a housing with line attachments and a plug rotatable in the housing. Two of the line attachments are provided with a Luer cone for attachment of a line.

In the past, errors have been made with patients that receive enteral tube feeding. The tubes used are connected with a three-way stop cock in order to enable the

administration of a second liquid enteral product to the patient or for the administration of enteral medication. However, with the current tubes for enteral feeding, erroneously medication for intravenous use has been administered through the three-way stop cock connected to tubing for enteral feeding the patient.

In addition, the tubing with the three way stop cock can potentially be wrongly used for intravenous feeding of a patient. In order to prevent these medical errors, there is a need for a new system for enteral tube feeding applications.

Summary of the Invention

The invention aims to improve the security of these types of cocks, in particular avoid errors in the use of these cocks.

According to a first aspect of the invention this is realized with a cock having a housing and a plug which can be rotated therein, the housing and plug made of plastics material, the tap comprising a handle which is non-rotatably connected to the plug for rotating it, and said housing comprising at least two line attachments, characterised in that at least one of said line attachments has Luer-like female end for coupling with a Luer-like male end, said female end having attachment provisions radially extending from said female end and having an outer diameter of 8.2-9.3 mm for receiving a thread-fitting or bayonet-fitting male attachment end. The result of this diameter is that the normal luer lock fittings used for intravenous applications cannot be connected to the stop cock according to this invention, thus preventing mistakes with the administration of compositions meant for intravenous administration.

The at least one line attachment is defined to have a Luer-like end. In this invention, this means that the end is formed like an end onto which usually a part having a Luer lock male connection end is attached, but that is has a different dimension such that the usual Luer lock parts do not fit. This connection end of the current invention is to be used for example for administering liquid enteral nutritional compositions or components into a stream. Thus, it will no longer be possible to administer the wrong type of compositions in a particular stream, because one connecting end does not fit the usual Luer lock. Thus, the cock can for instance be used as a multi-way cock in a tube feed device. Thus, additional compositions can be added to for instance tube feeding. It will not be possible to attach parts for infusion having the normal Luer lock, or to attach parts for tube feed which have the Luer-like lock to infusion devices. Thus, errors can be avoided. On the other hand, the further handling and connecting of parts will be the same as usual, which is important is the often hectic situations in medical uses.

In an embodiment, it is intended that the connection of the current invention is used in tube feed devices and similar applications providing access into the oesophagus and in particular directly into the stomach. The various parts should not couple with parts indended for for instance intravenous use.

Most of the known cocks of the type of the current invention have a line attachment comprising an end for attachment of end caps, syringes, further tubes and other devices, accessories and provisions. These parts are well known in the art and will not be discussed further. In an embodiment, the at least one line attachment with Luer-like female end has an outer diameter of about 7.3-8.2 mm, in an embodiment about 7.4 +/- 0.05 mm

In an embodiment, said attachment provisions have an outer diameter of about 8.5 mm, usually +/- 0.1 mm.

In an embodiment, the attachment provisions comprise a substantially circumferential end flange. In an embodiment, the attachment provisions comprise a set of substantially opposite end notches, in an embodiment said notches have a width of about 2.9-3.3 mm. Iin an embodiment said notches have a thickness of about 1.2 - 1.4 mm, in particular about 1.3 mm. In an embodiment, the housing and line attachments are injection moulded in one piece.

In an embodiment, the handle and the plug are formed as one piece, preferably injection moulded in one piece. In an embodiment, said housing comprises at least three line attachments, thus defining a multi-way cock.

The invention further relates to an assembly comprising at least one cock according to the invention and a part fitting said line attachment of said cock, said part having an internal thread fitting said line attachment with said Luer-like male end.

The invention further pertains to an infusion bag/medical device carrying a liquid and comprising a tube fitted to said infusion bag/medical device and at least one cock according to the invention attached to said tube.

The invention further pertains to an apparatus, device or assembly comprising one or more of the characterising features described in the description and/or shown in the attached drawings. The invention further pertains to a method comprising one or more of the characterising features described in the description and/or shown in the attached drawings.

The various aspects discussed in this patent can be combined in order to provide additional advantages. Furthermore, some of the features can form the basis for one or more divisional applications

Description of the Drawings The invention will be further elucidated referring to an embodiment of a cock and its use shown in the attached drawings, showing in:

Figure 1 a top view of a three-way cock;

figure 2 a side view of figure 1 ;

figure 3 a bottom view of figure 1 ;

figure 4 a cross section of figure 1 as indicated;

figure 5 a cross section of the plug of figure 1;

figure 6 a front view of a line attachment end with Luer-like male end;

figure 7 top view of the three-way cock of figure 1 with an end cap with Luer-like female part provided with internal thread;

figure 8 the end cap of figure 7 in detail, end

figure 9 the end cap of figure 8 in cross section view showing its internal thread. Detailed Description of Embodiments

In figure 1 , a top view of a three-way cock 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The three-way cock 1 has the design which is known as such. It has a substantially hollow, cylindrical housing 2. The housing in this embodiment includes three line attachments 4, 5, 6. Usually, the housing 2 including the line attachments 4, 5, 6 are injection moulded in one single part. Figure 4 indicates this. The line attachments 4, 5, 6 have a respective internal bore 7, 8, 9 connecting to the internal cylindrical bore 10 of cylindrical part 3 of housing 2 via respective openings 22, 21, 23 in the circumferential wall of its cylindrical part 3. Rotatably about axis 13 fitted into the cylindrical part 3 of the housing 2 is a plug 12. In this embodiment, the plug 12 is simply snap-fitted into the cylindrical part 3 of housing 2 using a circumferential bead or ridge 17 and corresponding circumferential groove 26. This fitting is well know, and other types of similar fitting may be used. It can for instance be possible to provide the plug 12 with one or more grooves and the housing with one or more corresponding beads of ridges. Thus a liquid-tight sealing can be provided allowing the plug 12 to rotate about axis 13 inside the housing 2. The cylindrical part 11 of plug 12 has a hollow core 18, thus providing the cylindrical part 11 with a circumferential wall.

The plug is provided with one or more passages for selectively connecting the line attachments or blocking one or more line attachments, depending on the rotational position of the plug. In this three-way embodiment, the cylindrical part 11 of plug 12 has openings or passages 19, 24 and 25. In figure 1, line attachments 4 and 5 are in fluid coupling via openings 24, 25 in the cylindrical part 11 of plug 12. Figure 4 shows a cross section as indicated in figure 1. This cross section clearly shows how plug 12 including the handles 14, 15 and 16 are formed in one piece. The cylindrical part 3 of housing 2 has a circumferential groove 26.

Line attachment 6 is in the embodiment of figure 1 provided with a Luer-like female end or connection end. As explained above, Luer-like means that technically it resembles a standard Luer connection (also referred to as Luer Lock), but as further elaborated below, its dimensions differ. In this embodiment, the line attachment 6 is substantially circle cylindrical shaped and has a general outer diameter D3 of 7.4 mm. The line attachment is provided in this embodiment with two opposite end notches 20 for allowing an internal thread as well as a bayonet part to be fitted onto the line attachment. In this embodiment, the outer diameter D of these notches in this embodiment is 8.5 mm. The notches, which in this embodiment are end notches positioned at the end of line attachment 6, extend in the length direction of line attachment 6 about 1.3 mm. In circumferential sense both notches extend a length D5 of about 2.9-3.3 mm. Figure 6 shows part of these dimensions indicated in a projection of the end of line attachment 6. In this embodiment the channel 9 of line attachment 6 is a little tapers, having its diameter increasing towards its attachment end. At that end, the diameter D2 is about 5 mm. Close to the cylindrical part 3 of housing 2, its diameter is reduced to about 4.45 mm. This tapering extends about 9 mm. Figure 5 shows a cross section through plug 12 perpendicular on the cross section of figure 4.

In figure 7, a part is attached onto line attachment 6. In this drawing, an end cap 30 is fitted onto the line attachment 6. The end cap 30 is provided with an end strap 31 which allows the end cap 30 to be attached to a further element to provide loss. It may for instance be connected to a container like a fluid bag, to tubes or even using its end eye to line attachment 4 or 5 before further elements or parts like tubes are attached.

Figures 8 and 9 show the end cap 30 in more detail. End cap 30 has an internal thread 33. The dimensions of the thread are such that it can be fitted into the end of line attachment 6. In order to provide a more secure closure, end cap 30 is provided with an extended part 32 which extends into channel 9 of line attachment 6, in fact it closingly, in particular fluid tight, fits channel 9.

From drawings 7-9, it is clear that the attachment provisions, here notches 20, in order to fit an internal thread, can also be formed as an external thread on the outer surface of line attachment 6. The dimensions mentioned earlier, however, remain the same.

In operation, the cock can be used in a tube running from a tube feed container, for instance a bag comprising tube feed. Thus, a tube part runs from the bag to the cock 1, and is connected onto one of line attachments 4 of 5. A further tube runs from cock 1, from the opposite line attachment 5 or 4, to a patient. After removal of end cap 30, a syringe or further tube carrying medicaments can for instance be attached to line attachment 6. When turning plug 12 clockwise (in relation to figure 1) until handle part 16 is in line with line attachment 4 and handle part 14 is in line with line attachment 6, the line attachment 6 becomes in fluid connection with line attachment 4. If line attachment 4 carries a tube running to for instance the stomach of a patient, a composition like for instance a medicament can be administered to the patient. After administration, using the handles the plug can be brought in the condition of figure 1. Next, the syringe or further tube may be removed and end cap 30 can be re-applied.

It will also be clear that the above description and drawings are included to illustrate some embodiments of the invention, and not to limit the scope of protection. Starting from this disclosure, many more embodiments will be evident to a skilled person which are within the scope of protection and the essence of this invention and which are obvious combinations of prior art techniques and the disclosure of this patent.