Valved male luer connector having sequential valve timing
First Claim
1. A male Luer connector for connection with a female Luer connector for medical fluid flow, the female connector having a front contact surface and an internal valve, the male Luer connector comprising:
- a tubular housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end configured to engage the female Luer connector and establish an interface; and
vacuum means for creating a partial vacuum at the distal end of the tubular housing during disengagement of the male connector from the female connector during a time period when the female valve is closed;
whereby the vacuum means draws fluid residing at the interface away from the interface during disengagement of the male and female connectors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A male Luer connector that attaches to a standard female Luer connector to open a medical fluid flow channel between the two connectors. The male connector has two internal valves and a vacuum-generating structure. The two valves and the vacuum-generating structure are configured to draw back into the male connector any fluid residing on the interface between the male and female connectors during their disengagement from one another and to then seal the distal tip of the male connector. One valve is located at the proximal end of the male connector while another is located at the distal, interface end of the male connector. Both valves are opened by an actuator plug that is moved to open and close the valves by contact with the front surface of the female connector. A resilient member biases the male valves to the closed position and includes a variable internal volume that creates the partial vacuum upon disengagement of the male and female connectors. The male valves are timed to a particular sequence with the closing of an internal female connector valve so that the partial vacuum generated by the male connector will have the most fluid drawback effect.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A male Luer connector for connection with a female Luer connector for medical fluid flow, the female connector having a front contact surface and an internal valve, the male Luer connector comprising:
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a tubular housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end configured to engage the female Luer connector and establish an interface; and
vacuum means for creating a partial vacuum at the distal end of the tubular housing during disengagement of the male connector from the female connector during a time period when the female valve is closed;
whereby the vacuum means draws fluid residing at the interface away from the interface during disengagement of the male and female connectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A male connector for connection with a female connector to establish a path for medical fluid flow, the female connector having a front contact surface and an internal valve, the male connector comprising:
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a tubular housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end configured to engage the female Luer connector and establish an interface;
a first valve seat disposed for use in controlling the flow of fluid through the distal end of the tubular housing;
an internal plug disposed within the tubular housing, the internal plug having a first valve member that engages the first valve seat to prevent the flow of fluid past the first valve seat; and
a resilient member disposed within the tubular housing so as to bias the internal plug to engage the first valve seat, the resilient member having an inner variable-volume cavity through which fluid flows, the cavity having a first volume when the first valve is closed, the cavity having a second volume smaller than the first volume when the first valve is open;
wherein the resilient member is disposed so that engagement of the female connector with the male connector causes the resilient member cavity to move to the second volume and disengagement of the female connector from the male connector causes the cavity to move from the second volume to the first volume thereby creating a partial vacuum. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for disengaging a male connector from a female connector, the male connector including a distal end engaged with the female connector, a proximal end, and an internal valve and the female connector including a proximal end engaged with the male connector, a distal end, and an internal valve, the method comprising:
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closing a first valve in the male connector at the proximal end of the male connector to isolate an interface between the male connector and the female connector from fluid at the proximal end of the male connector; and
creating a partial vacuum at the interface of the male connector and female connector to draw fluid at the interface away from the interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification