Closed system irrigation connector for urinary catheters
First Claim
1. A closed connection system having a connector and a non-luer tip catheter tip syringe, said syringe having a tapered distal tip with an initial outside diameter larger than 0.165 inches and an internal diameter larger than 0.090 inches with a total length exceeding 0.300 inches providing for either fluid infusion or fluid sampling through said connector, said connector including a lower fluid path, an upper entrance port, and a valve positioned between the lower fluid path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a diaphragm with a slit opening normally biased to a first sealed closed position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid path and out the slit opening in the valve, the valve openable to a second open position by the manual insertion of the syringe tapered distal tip into engagement with the upper entrance port to progressively contact, downwardly bend, transverse through and maintain contact with the sides of the slit opening in the valve so as to thus hold open the valve, the upper entrance port including walls defining an entrance opening, said walls downwardly inwardly tapered between 3 and 5 degrees forming a wedge lock disengagement resistant fit with the downwardly inwardly tapered distal tip of the syringe, such fit preventing disengagement of the syringe tapered distal tip with the upper entrance port opening caused by fluid back pressure during use of the syringe.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A closed system irrigation connector for use with both 3-way and 2-way urinary catheters is disclosed. The connector fits all urinary catheters and accepts continuous irrigation sets as well as all bulb, piston, and Toomey catheter tip irrigation syringes. The connector eliminates the use of catheter plugs and reduces the mess and leakage often associated with present urinary catheter irrigation procedures. The connector converts an open procedure to a closed system procedure protecting the patient from outside contamination to reduce urinary tract infections as well as the clinician from potentially infectious body fluids. It comprises an assembly of a plastic housing with an internal silicone diaphragm slit valve and a plastic entrance port that are unitized in assembly by sonic welding. The entrance port forms a tapered wedge lock engagement with irrigation sets as well as catheter tip irrigation syringes.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A closed connection system having a connector and a non-luer tip catheter tip syringe, said syringe having a tapered distal tip with an initial outside diameter larger than 0.165 inches and an internal diameter larger than 0.090 inches with a total length exceeding 0.300 inches providing for either fluid infusion or fluid sampling through said connector, said connector including a lower fluid path, an upper entrance port, and a valve positioned between the lower fluid path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a diaphragm with a slit opening normally biased to a first sealed closed position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid path and out the slit opening in the valve, the valve openable to a second open position by the manual insertion of the syringe tapered distal tip into engagement with the upper entrance port to progressively contact, downwardly bend, transverse through and maintain contact with the sides of the slit opening in the valve so as to thus hold open the valve, the upper entrance port including walls defining an entrance opening, said walls downwardly inwardly tapered between 3 and 5 degrees forming a wedge lock disengagement resistant fit with the downwardly inwardly tapered distal tip of the syringe, such fit preventing disengagement of the syringe tapered distal tip with the upper entrance port opening caused by fluid back pressure during use of the syringe.
- 11. A closed system connector for use in a medical fluid system, said connector including a lower fluid communication path, an upper entrance port, and a valve positioned between the lower fluid communication path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a slit opening normally biased sealed closed to a first position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid communication path and out the valve, the valve adapted to be positioned to a second closed position by the manual insertion of a non-luer tip catheter tip syringe having a tapered distal tip into the slit opening of the valve, the upper entrance port including walls defining an entrance opening, said walls downwardly inwardly tapered between 3 and 5 degrees forming a wedge lock positive leak proof sealing engagement with the tapered distal tip of the syringe such that the engagement fixedly limits the depth of travel of the downwardly inwardly tapered syringe tip into the slit opening of the valve to prevent premature failure of the valve due to overstretching of the slit opening from direct physical contact with a wide variety of catheter tip syringes having non-uniformed dimensioned tapered distal tips.
- 18. A closed system connector for use with a wide variety of non-luer catheter tip syringes having non-uniform dimensioned tapered distal tips, said connector including a lower fluid path, an upper entrance port, and an elastic valve positioned between the lower fluid path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a diaphragm with a slit opening normally biased to a first sealed closed position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid path and out the slit opening in the valve, the valve operable to a second open position by the manual insertion of the syringe tapered distal tip with the upper entrance port to progressively contact, downwardly bend, transverse through and maintain contact with the sides of the slit opening in the valve, the upper entrance port including an opening tapered in excess of the standard luer taper of 1 degree forming a wedge lock friction press fit with the tapered distal tip of the syringe, the fit preventing the slit in the valve from being overstretched beyond its elastic limits by the distal tip of the syringe to prevent premature failure of the valve.
Specification