Sterile docking process, apparatus and system for thermoplastic resin tubes.

摘要

A process, apparatus and system for making a sterile connection between thermoplastic resin tubes is disclosed. A section of each tube is flattened and a hot cutting means is urged through the flattened sections so as to seal temporarily each tube and to provide molten tube ends. The tubes are aligned with each other and then the desired molten tube ends are urged together to form a joint between the tubes for each pair of tube ends to be connected. Each joint is cooled and then subjected to light stress to open the temporary seal in each tube, thereby providing fluid communication between the joined tubes.