Valve Assembly Including a Dissolvable Valve Member

• US 20090326483A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Green, Kurt E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,518,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/882 Draining devices provided with means for releasing antimicrobial or gelation agents in the drained fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/221 Frangible or pierceable closures within tubing A61M39/14 takes precedence; frangible closures for containers A61J1/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/001 actuated by volume variations caused by an element soluble in a fluid or swelling in contact with a fluid life-boats B63C9/24

Abstract

A valve assembly is provided which includes a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a fluid channel and a central chamber. A dissolvable valve member is positioned to obstruct flow through the channel within the chamber. The dissolvable valve member is formed of a material which is dissolvable at a predetermined rate upon contact with a preselected fluid. The preselected fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, saline and antimicrobial solutions. The dissolvable valve member can be formed from a fluid soluble glass or a starch based material.

Claims

1. A valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a fluid channel and a central chamber; and

a dissolvable valve member positioned to obstruct flow through the channel within the chamber, the dissolvable valve member being formed of a material which is dissolvable at a predetermined rate upon contact with a preselected fluid.

2. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the preselected fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, saline and antimicrobial solutions.

3. The valve assembly according to claim 2, wherein the dissolvable valve member is formed from a fluid soluble glass.

4. The valve assembly according to claim 2, wherein the dissolvable valve member is formed from a starch based material.

5. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an inlet housing portion and an outlet housing portion which are configured to be secured together to define the central chamber.

6. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inlet end of the housing is adapted to releaseably engage a drain lumen of a urinary catheter.

7. The valve assembly according to claim 6, wherein the outlet end of the housing is adapted to releasably engage a fluid conduit of a urine collection system.

8. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one vent configured to vent air from within the valve assembly.

9. The valve assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one vent includes an inlet vent and an outlet vent.

10. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dissolvable valve member is formed from a thin dissolvable material.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dissolvable valve member includes a substantially cylindrical body having an inlet side and an outlet side.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the inlet side and the outlet side defines a spherical concavity.

13. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical body has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

14. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical body defines a stepped cross-section, wherein a central portion of the body has a smaller width than an outer portion of the body.

15. The valve assembly according to claim 13, wherein the cylindrical body defines one or more throughbores.

16. A urinary catheter assembly comprising:

a catheter having a body defining a central drain lumen for positioning within a bladder of a patient, the body having an outlet end defining a drain lumen outlet; and

a valve assembly including a housing adapted to releasably engage the outlet end of the body of the catheter, the housing defining a fluid channel and a chamber, the valve assembly further including a dissolvable valve member positioned to obstruct flow through the channel, the dissolvable valve member being formed of a material which is dissolvable at a predetermined rate upon contact with a preselected fluid.

17. The valve assembly according to claim 16, wherein the preselected fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, saline and antimicrobial solutions.

18. The valve assembly according to claim 16, wherein the dissolvable valve member is formed from a fluid soluble glass.

19. The valve assembly according to any of claims 16, wherein the housing has at least one vent configured to vent air from within the valve assembly.

20. The valve assembly according to claim 16, wherein the dissolvable valve member is formed from a thin dissolvable material.