Positive flow valve

• US 20060206061A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alison D. Brummett, Bruce M. Hubrecht, David C. Arnold, Dennis M. Bui, George A. Lopez, Thomas F. Fangrow Jr, Thomas J. Gustus
• Original Assignee: Alison D. Brummett, Bruce M. Hubrecht, David C. Arnold, Dennis M. Bui, George A. Lopez, Thomas F. Fangrow Jr, Thomas J. Gustus
• Inventors: Fangrow, Thomas F. Jr., Lopez, George A., Arnold, David C., Brummett, Alison D., Hubrecht, Bruce M., Bui, Dennis M., Gustus, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US11/418,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206061A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0072 Means for increasing tightness of the septum, e.g. compression rings, special materials, special constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/263 where the fluid space within the valve is decreasing upon disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/266 where the valve comprises venting channels, e.g. to insure better connection, to help decreasing the fluid space upon disconnection, or to help the fluid space to remain the same during disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/045 pre-slit to be pierced by blunt instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

A closed system, spikeless, positive-flow valve device includes a body defining an internal cavity. At the proximal end of the body is an opening which is preferably sufficiently large to receive an ANSI standard tip of a medical implement. The valve includes a plastic, resilient silicon seal which fills the upper cavity and opening with an oval seal cap having a slit. The opening presses the oval seal cap to keep the slit closed in the decompressed state. The slit opens as the nose of the medical implement compresses the seal into the cavity and the seal cap is free from the opening. The housing also includes a fluid space which facilitates fluid flow between the medical implement and a catheter tip. The fluid space within the valve automatically and reversibly increases upon insertion of the medical implement into the cavity and decreases upon withdrawal of the medical implement, such that a positive flow from the valve toward the catheter tip is effected upon withdrawal of the medical implement, thereby preventing a flow of blood from a patient into the catheter when the medical implement is removed from the valve.

Claims

1. A positive flow medical connector for controlling a flow of fluid between first and second medical implements, the medical connector comprising:

a housing comprising a first end and a second end, the first end including a first opening adapted to receive a first medical implement, the second end of the housing including a second opening adapted to be removably connected to a second medical implement, and the housing defining an interior cavity;

a flexible member comprising a cap in the region of the first end of the housing, the cap having a proximal surface and a distal surface including a pressure responsive member, and a second opening in the region of the second end of the housing, and a fluid passageway within the flexible member; and

an interior conduit positioned within the interior cavity, the conduit in fluid communication with the fluid passageway of the flexible member;

wherein the flexible member is configured to move from a substantially closed position, in which a portion of the flexible member is near the first end of the housing, to a substantially open position upon insertion of the first medical implement into the first opening of the housing, and the flexible member is configured to move from the substantially open position to the substantially closed position upon withdrawal of the first medical implement from the first opening of the housing, the volume of the fluid passageway within the flexible member being larger in the substantially open position than in the substantially closed position so that fluid contained within the flexible member upon the withdrawal of the first medical implement is urged toward the second end of the housing, the fluid passageway through the connector being substantially direct and non-tortuous.