Medical valve with positive flow characteristics

• US 20060276757A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomas F. Fangrow Jr
• Original Assignee: Thomas F. Fangrow Jr
• Inventors: Fangrow, Thomas F. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/417,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276757A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0205 for injecting media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0258 for vascular access, e.g. blood stream access
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/027 having a particular valve, seal or septum septum A61M2039/0036
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/062 used with a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/263 where the fluid space within the valve is decreasing upon disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/02 Access sites
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/045 pre-slit to be pierced by blunt instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/06 Haemostasis valves, i.e. gaskets sealing around a needle, catheter or the like, closing on removal thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

A valve for selectively permitting a fluid flow between first and second medical implements is disclosed. The valve has a housing with an interface suitable for receiving a connector portion of a first medical device such as a catheter, and a seal made of a flexible material. The seal has a first end in fluid communication with the interface, a second end suitable for receiving the second medical device, and at least one slit in fluid communication with the first end and the second end. The slit defines a restricted fluid flow path and a relatively small interior volume when in an undisturbed state, defines an expanded fluid flow path and a larger interior volume upon the introduction of the second medical instrument into the slit, and retracts to define a restricted flow path and a small interior volume upon the withdrawal of the second medical device from the seal.

Claims

1. A seal element for a medical valve, the seal element comprising:

a seal body made of a flexible material, the seal body having a downstream end configured to fluidly communicate with a housing of the medical valve, an upstream end suitable for receiving a medical device, and a normally substantially closed planar passage in fluid communication with the downstream end and the upstream end, the seal body having a generally rectangular shape;

a neck formed at the upstream end of the seal body; and

a transverse flange at an end of the neck opposite the body, the transverse flange having at least one opening in fluid communication with the passage; and

wherein the passage has a relatively small interior volume when in an undisturbed state and a larger interior volume upon the introduction of a medical device into the upstream end of the passage, the passage retracting to define a restricted flow path and a relatively small interior volume upon the withdrawal of the medical device from the seal element, the upstream end initially being sealed as the medical device is withdrawn, so that a fluid occupying the interior volume is forced toward the downstream end as the passage walls collapse.