Needleless Connector with Slider

• US 20100292674A1
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Jepson, Steven C., Jandrisits, Alice M., Lurvey, Kent L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,394,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/537
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0027 for mixing several substances from different containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1072 with a septum present in the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/224 of the slide-valve type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2426 Slit valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

A needleless connector includes a housing having a housing passage with an open end, a slider disposed in the housing passage, and a mechanism to bias the slider toward the open end of the housing passage. The connector may also include a seal at the open end of the housing passage, the seal either cooperating with the slider to seal the open end of the connector, or sealing the open end of the connector without interaction with the slider, for example taking the form of a slit septum.

Claims

1. A needleless connector comprising:

a housing having a housing passage with an open end;

a slit septum disposed at the open end of the housing passage;

a slider disposed in the housing passage and having a first and second opposing ends and a slider passage that extends from the first end to the second end of the slider; and

a resilient member disposed in the housing and biasing the slider toward the open end of the housing passage.

2. The needleless connector according to claim 1, wherein the slider comprises a moveable seal, the seal abutting an inner surface of the housing that defines the housing passage, the housing, the slider and the moveable seal defining an expandable chamber.

3. The needleless connector according to claim 2, wherein the moveable seal is overmolded to the slider.

4. The needleless connector according to claim 1, wherein:

the resilient member has a passage therethrough and the slider has a tubular extension that depends into the passage through the resilient member, and

the tubular extension has at least one aperture that the resilient member seals in a first state, and that is unsealed in a second state.

5. The needleless connector according to claim 4, wherein the resilient member comprises an inwardly-directed seal disposed along the passage in the resilient member, the inwardly-directed seal abutting an outer surface of the extension in the first state to limit the passage of fluids through the aperture.

6. The needleless connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one side port in communication with the housing passage.

7. The needleless connector according to claim 6, wherein the housing has two side ports in communication with the housing passage, the side ports being non-aligned.

8. The needleless connector according to claim 6, wherein the housing passage has a closed end opposite the open end, the resilient member being disposed in the closed end and having a moveable seal formed therewith that abuts an inner surface of the housing that defines the housing passage.

9. The needleless connector according to claim 8, comprising a stationary seal disposed in the housing passage between the open end and the moveable seal, the housing, the slider, the stationary seal and the moveable seal defining an expandable space.

10. The needleless connector according to claim 6, the slider comprising one or more side passages in communication with the slider passage, the side passages being disposed opposite the at least one side port.

11. The needleless connector according to claim 1, wherein the slit septum comprises an inwardly-concave overmolded slit septum.

12. The needleless connector according to claim 11, wherein the inwardly-concave slit septum has an inner surface with a curvature, and the first end of the slider is concave and has a curvature that is similar to the curvature of the slit septum.

13. The needleless connector according to claim 12, wherein the resilient member biases the slider to that the first end of the slider abuts an inner surface of the slit septum.

14. The needleless connector according to claim 13, wherein the resilient member comprises a compression spring.

15. The needleless connector according to claim 1, wherein the slider comprises a side between the first and second ends, the slider passage having first and second open ends with the first end of the slider passage disposed along the side of the slider and the second end of the slider passage disposed at the second end of the slider.