Normally closed automatic reflux valve

• US 4,683,916 A
• Filed: 09/25/1986
• Issued: 08/04/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B Braun Medical Incorporated (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Burron Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Raines, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US06/911,419
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 137/843, 137/852, 137/854, 251/149.1, 251/149.7, 604/247
• US Class Current: 137/854
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/148 the closure elements being fixed in their centre
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1825 for check valves with flexible valve members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/789 Central mount

Abstract

A normally closed, one-way check valve having a body composed of two cylindrical containers which complement each other, each of said containers having a tubular projection with a liquid opening therethrough, one of said cylindrical chambers provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs therealong for preventing sticking of a valve disc as contained within an assembled valve device, also further including a traverse bar for pressing against a valve disc. The other body component is provided with a pointed triangular support and also a plurality of radially extending ribs for preventing a valve disc from opening so far as to close off the egress port provided with said second element, together with a rubber resilient valve disc which is retained between the pointed triangular support and the traverse bar when the unit is assembled by sonic welding into a permanently assembled device. The assembled device further includes a circumferential ring having a pair of projecting legs, each leg having a rib on the free end thereof for reinforcement and direct engagement with the resilient valve disc for the purpose of opening same when the ring is moved under the force of the tip of a syringe.

Claims

1. A valve device comprising:

a first body element having an input opening therethrough;

a second body element which complements said first body element and having an outlet opening therefrom;

a resilient valve disc mountable between said first and second body elements;

first means with one body element for supporting the disc at the center thereof;

means with the other body element for holding said disc firmly against said first means in such a manner that said disc is restrained from sideways movement; and

means adjacent said valve disc for engagement by a syringe to open said normally closed disc to permit injection and aspiration of fluids through the device.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein said means for opening said normally closed disc includes a circumferential ring having a pair of legs projecting therefrom for contact with said valve disc when the ring is depressed by the tip of a syringe inserted thereinto.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein said projecting legs are provided with enlarged ribs at the free end thereof.

4. The valve of claim 3, together with further means for preventing the disc from blocking the path of fluid flow in the open direction thereof.

5. The valve of claim 4, together with additional means for preventing the circumferential edge of the disc from binding or sticking against the sides of the body element it is most closely adjacent to.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein said means for preventing the disc edge from binding against the sides of the body element comprise ribs which extend lengthwise of the inner circumferential wall of said body element.

7. The valve of claim 2, wherein said further means for preventing the disc from blocking the path of fluid flow include a plurality of radially extending ribs along the floor of the other body element having the outlet opening therethrough.

8. The valve of claim 1, wherein said means with one body element for supporting the disc at the center thereof comprises a pointed triangular member which makes a depression directly in the smooth surface of the flexible rubber valve disc.

9. The valve of claim 8, wherein said valve disc is normally flat on both surfaces and is only deformed at the center thereof under pressure between said first and second means.

10. A normally closed one-way check valve comprising:

a first cylindrical chamber having an opening centrally thereof;

a second cylindrical chamber having an opening centrally thereof, said first cylindrical chamber having a slightly smaller external diameter than the internal diameter of said second cylindrical chamber so that it complements and fits inside thereof for forming an overall closed chamber body element;

one of said cylindrical chambers provided with a traverse bar thereacross;

the other cylindrical chamber provided with a pointed support member;

a resilient disc mounted in compression between said pointed support member and said traverse bar in such a manner that a depression is made in the central area of said disc so that said disc is restrained from sideways movement within the valve body element chamber; and

means provided within said first cylindrical chamber for opening the normally closed resilient disc.

11. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 10, wherein said disc is normally flat on both sides except for the central area which is slightly deformed during assembly of the component elements of the valve device.

12. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 10, wherein said means for opening said resilient disc includes a body structure having projections extending therefrom for direct engagement with said resilient disc when it is depressed by external force being applied thereto.

13. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 10, wherein said means includes a circular ring having a pair of projecting legs extending therefrom for engagement with said resilient disc when said ring is moved by pressure from external means applied thereto.

14. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 10, wherein said opening in said first cylindrical chamber comprises a tubular projection having a female luer input taper thereto and retainer projections externally thereof.

15. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 14, wherein said second cylindrical chamber is provided with dual integral tubular projections, one of said integral tubular projections including the central opening therethrough, and the other integral tubular projection being internally threaded for receiving liquid flow structure connected thereto.

16. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 10, wherein said body component elements are sonically welded together to provide a non-disassembleable valve device.

17. The normally closed one-way check valve of claim 16, wherein said resilient valve disc is made of rubber material.