Abstract: A wafer for use in the selective connecting and disconnecting of plastic tubes incorporates a fuse in an aperture. The fuse is made of a laminate having light transmission characteristics which change after the wafer and its laminate have been heated. The wafer would be used in a device for connecting/disconnecting plastic tubes wherein the device includes a sensor which would deactivate the device if the sensor detects the change in light transmission characteristics thereby indicating that the wafer had been previously used.

Abstract: A sterile containment welding device for plastic tubes includes a pair of alignable tube holders each of which includes a base having a tube receiving channel and a clamping jaw pivotally mounted to the base. The outer end of the tube receiving channel is outwardly flared preferably at an angle of about 14.degree..

Abstract: An ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester plastic material combined with a small amount of polyvinylchloride is used as a substitute for the conventional uses of polyvinylchloride in such applications as tubing for medical applications, for bags and other medical containers, for tubing in food processing and as sheets and films for bacterial and virus exclusion. The ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester has various advantages which make it particularly suitable for such uses.

Abstract: Plastic tube sections are connected together by providing a pair of tubes each of which is inserted into the holder of a welding device in a bent condition so that each tube has a primary tube section and a secondary tube section with the primary tube sections being aligned with each other and the secondary tube sections aligned with each other. The tubes are heated by a wafer to create four separate tube sections which are then joined together in a dual weld wherein one of the welds joins the primary tube sections together and the other of the welds joins the secondary tube sections together. The welded primary tube sections are then separated from the secondary tube sections. Communication between each pair of tube sections is achieved by pressing the tube section open at the weld.

Abstract: A wafer is used in a device for the selective connecting and disconnecting of plastic tubes. The wafer is in the form of a heated plate having an outwardly extending scoop on each side thereof. The wafer also includes a generally straight line horizontal slit extending through the plate from the trailing downstream edge inwardly. In order to assure single use usage of the wafer, an aperture is provided through the wafer with the aperture being covered by a sensing material. A sensor in the device will inactivate the device if the sensing material is not detected.

Abstract: An ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester plastic material is used as a substitute for the conventional uses of polyvinyl chloride in such applications as tubing for medical applications, for bags and other medical containers, for tubing in food processing and as sheets and films for bacterial and virus exclusion. The ionomeric modified poly-ether-ester has various advantages which make it particularly suitable for such uses.

Abstract: A pair of plastic tubes are welded together by mounting each tube in the clamp jaws of a holder. A heated wafer is movably mounted in the gap between the tubes to cause the ends of the tubes to melt. The melted ends of the opposed tubes are pressed into contact with each other to form a welded connection. Each side of the wafer has a scoop to remove excess plastic material at the ends of the tubes to control the size of the weld connection. A pair of structural cam elements is used to create a precise spacing between each set of clamp jaws for guiding the wafer to control the plastic volume of the weld. The resulting weld is independent of rheology of plastic. The same device could also be used for disconnect purposes by cutting through a single tube and forming two tube sections. Unique double jaw construction is also disclosed.

Abstract: A solution bag for containing consumables is made of a plastic material which is closed around its edges and has a sealed access edge. A plastic discharge tube is mounted at the access edge and communicates with the interior of the bag. The tube is an elongated tube which would be connected at a dispensing site so that the contents may flow from the bag into the dispensing site. The tube has a terminal seal at its end remote from the access edge. The tube includes as a characteristic feature of the invention a safety seal located between the access edge and the terminal seal.

Abstract: A device for selectively connecting and disconnecting plastic tubes includes a welder. A carriage is located in the welder for conveying a heated wafer through the welder. A pair of arms is mounted in the welder with each arm having a tube holding pocket which extends across its respective arm. The arms are movably mounted to generally align the pockets with a gap therebetween. Each of the arms has a clamp for selectively clamping a tube in its pocket. A wafer removal station is in the welder downstream from the arms. The carriage is driven to the wafer removal station so that the wafer first passes through the gap to contact the tubes and then the wafer passes into the removal station so that it may be removed from the carriage and the carriage may be returned to its starting location. The welder includes a computer for controlling the operation and synchronizing the timing of the carriage and the arms to automate the welder.

Abstract: A sterile containment welding device for plastic tubes comprises a pair of side by side spaced tube holders. Each of the tube holders includes a clamp base and a clamp lid. A pocket is provided in each clamp base extending completely across the clamp base so that a plastic tube could be inserted into the pocket and clamped in the holder when its clamp lid is moved to a closed position. Pockets of the side by side tube holders are alignable with each other to permit a plastic tube in one of the holders to be welded to the plastic tube in the other of the holders. A tube locating member is movably mounted at the end of each pocket in the space between the holders. The tube locating member has a wall disposed in the space beyond the pocket for positioning its plastic tube in the proper position for the later welding step when its tube is moved into contact with the walls.

Abstract: A pair of hollow plastic tubes are welded together by mounting each tube in the clamp jaws of a holder in a bent condition to form the U-shape. A structural element is utilized to create a space between the bight of the U-shape and the holder. The bent tubes are disposed toward each other. A tube section separating member is moved into contact with the bent tubes and through the space between each bight and its holder to create a set of two tube sections from each bent tube. A tube section from one set is aligned with a tube section from the other set and the aligned sections are welded together. The structural element may be a weld seam resulting from a prior welding.

Abstract: A plastic tube is cut into two sections which are sealed closed by a sterile method wherein the tube is loaded into two clamping jaws which flatten the tube. The tube is cut through the flattened section and the cut ends are heated to their molten state. A wafer having wings is located between the cut ends with the wings penetrating the lumens to create an internal plug as the wings force the molten material inwardly. The plugs add to the strength of the resultant seal. If desired, the molten ends are pressed into a cavity which is cooled to a temperature below the molten temperature to seal the ends. The tubes are then removed from the cavity. When it is desired to connect individual tube sections the two tube sections are placed in clamp members in axial alignment slightly spaced from each other. The ends of the tube sections are melted by a melt/wipe process and the tube sections are then pressed into contact with each other to be welded into an integral tube.

Abstract: Plastic tubes are welded together by placing each tube in a nest which includes a pair of grooves and an anvil centrally located between the grooves. Each tube is positioned in the grooves around the anvil for being juxtaposed the other tube. A wafer of movably mounted to move to the gap between the anvils so as to heat the ends of the tubes and melt the tubes without actually cutting through the tubes. The melted ends are then joined together so that the two tubes are thereby connected with one section of each tube being in flow communication with a corresponding section of the other tube.

Abstract: An implanted catheter suppresses tunnel infection by having its surface temperature raised to a point above which the bacteria residing on the surface cannot survive. The temperature is held at that temperature level for 20 milliseconds whereby the catheter can be cleaned of the bio-burden.

Abstract: Two thermoplastic tubes are welded together by pre-cutting the tubes to create two ends which are axially aligned when placed in a holding device. A wafer is inserted in the space between the cut ends and the wafer is heated to melt the cut ends while the cut ends are in a non-flattened condition. After the wafer is removed the melted cut ends are pressed against each other to weld the cut ends together.

Abstract: Thermoplastic tubes are welded together in a dry condition with the tubes being open and maintained in their undistorted condition during the welding step. In an alternative technique a branch tube is welded to a main tube by placing the tubes in a non-parallel orientation in a holding device. A wafer cuts completely through one tube to form two tube sections. The wafer also cuts a notch from the other tube. One of the tube sections is shifted to become aligned with the notched other tube and welded thereto. A further technique includes placing at least one tube in a holding device which has a false floor for pressing against an area of the tube while the tube is being flattened at two spaced locations on opposite sides of the area. When the false floor is moved away from the tube a partial vacuum results. An air pocket is formed when the tube is severed by a wafer by air flowing into the cut tube.

Abstract: A linear welding process and apparatus connects fluid-filled tubes in a sterile manner. The linear welder includes a base on which a carriage is slidably mounted. A pair of side by side arms are secured to the carriage as are a pair of tube holders. A pair of clamping jaws are mounted on the arms to clamp a pair of tubes in the holders. The arms are movable for passing the clamped tubes into contact with a heated wafer which cuts the tubes into tube sections. The tube sections are realigned and a pair of sections are butt welded together.

Abstract: Thermoplastic tubes are welded together in a dry condition with the tubes being open and maintained in their undistorted condition during the welding step. In an alternative technique a branch tube is welded to a main tube by placing the tubes in a non-parallel orientation in a holding device. A wafer cuts completely through one tube to form two tube sections. The wafer also cuts a notch from the other tube. One of the tube sections is shifted to become aligned with the notched other tube and welded thereto. A further technique includes placing at least one tube in a holding device which has a false floor for pressing against an area of the tube while the tube is being flattened at two spaced locations on opposite sides of the area. When the false floor is moved away from the tube a partial vacuum results. An air pocket is formed when the tube is severed by a wafer by air flowing into the cut tube.