Manifold for infusing medical fluids

• US 5,431,185 A
• Filed: 07/15/1994
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacific Device, Inc. (Flex, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Device, Inc. (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shannon, William M., Koenig, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US08/275,817
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 137/512.4, 137/605, 137/606, 604/83, 604/247
• US Class Current: 137/512.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0205 for injecting media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/242 designed to open when a predetermined pressure or flow rate has been reached, e.g. check valve actuated by fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2433 Valve comprising a resilient or deformable element, e.g. flap valve, deformable disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2466 being fixed in its center
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2493 Check valve with complex design, e.g. several inlets and outlets and several check valves in one body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/04 having pierceable self-sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7843 Integral resilient member forms plural valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87676 With flow control

Abstract

A fluid manifold includes a housing having a first inlet and an outlet and a plurality of inlets intermediate the first inlet and the outlet which are provided with check valve action to prevent retrograde flow through the valved inlets, yet allow individual inlets to pass fluid when the fluid pressure in any individual inlet exceeds that of the interior of the chamber by a predetermined cracking pressure. The check valve action is provided by a single resilient backcheck member which is deformably urged against annular valve seats by support members embodied in the housing opposite and central to the valved inlets. A conventional injection site may be provided in the housing so that additional fluids may be injected into the interior of the manifold through an inserted cannula. A chamber within the manifold is configured to direct a flowstream through the manifold onto and around the resilient backcheck member and all interior surfaces, eliminating dead space where air or fluids may collect, and enhancing flushing of the manifold. This enables simultaneous or sequential administration of multiple medicaments in low volume applications.

Claims

1. A fluid manifold for use in intravenous infusion applications adapted for fluid flow therethrough in a direction from an upstream inlet at an upstream end to a downstream outlet at a downstream end, comprising:

a) a first inlet housing member having an upstream inlet, and a plurality of sequentially disposed retrograde-flow-checked inlets downstream thereof having annular valve seats, and a plurality of alignment studs for locating a resilient backcheck member;

b) a second housing member sealingly mated to the first housing member having an injection site formed therein coaxial with the upstream inlet, and having support members for urging a resilient backcheck member against the annular valve seats of the retrograde-flow-checked inlets;

c) a resilient backcheck member adapted to be reversibly disposed on the alignment studs of the first housing member and which is urged against and sealingly abuts the valve seats of the retrograde-flow-checked inlets embodied in the first housing member to provide individual retrograde flow control to each of the retrograde-flow-checked inlets by allowing fluid flow past the individual annular valve seats of a particular individual retrograde flow controlled inlet into the chamber only when fluid pressure in that individual retrograde flow controlled inlet exceeds that of the chamber by a preselected cracking pressure,

wherein the upstream and downstream housing members have inner surfaces that form a chamber within the manifold housing that conforms to the periphery of the resilient backcheck member directing a fluid flowstream transiting the manifold from the upstream inlet to the downstream outlet into flushing contact with the resilient backcheck member and valve seats of the retrograde-flow-checked inlets.

2. A fluid manifold for use in infusing medical fluids, comprising:

a housing having an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet and at least one retrograde flow control inlet intermediate the upstream inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of retrograde-flow-checked valve seats, each such valve seat associated with at least one retrograde flow control inlet, and a chamber interconnecting the inlets and the outlet;

a single resilient backcheck member confined within the chamber and deformably urged against a plurality of the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats providing individual check valve action at each of the plurality of retrograde-flow-checked valve seats;

an injection site formed in the housing opposite an inlet such that it is in fluid connection with the chamber;

wherein the housing comprises support members disposed to urge the resilient backcheck member against the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats.

3. A fluid manifold for use in infusing medical fluids, comprising:

a housing having an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet and at least one inlet intermediate the upstream inlet and the outlet, and a plurality of retrograde-flow-checked valve seats, each such valve seat associated with a selected inlet, and a chamber interconnecting the inlets and the outlet;

a single resilient backcheck member confined within the chamber and deformably urged against a plurality of the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats providing individual check valve action at each of the plurality of retrograde-flow-checked valve seats;

wherein the housing comprises support members disposed to urge the resilient backcheck member against the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats, and wherein the chamber within the manifold is of relatively constant cross-sectional area which is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the upstream inlet and larger than the cross-sectional area of the downstream outlet at a downstream end thereof.

4. A fluid manifold for use in infusing medical fluids having a chamber formed therein, and a flowstream therethrough directed from a most upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, comprising:

a) a first housing member incorporating a plurality of retrograde flow checked inlets including a most upstream inlet, and a plurality of retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats, each such valve seat being associated with a selected inlet, wherein the retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats are disposed within the chamber where they are continuously flushed by the flowstream,

b) a second housing member sealingly coupled to the first housing member with support members positioned opposite and centrally to the retrograde-flow-checked inlets and an outlet positioned downstream of the support members,

c) a resilient backcheck member confined between the first and second housing members,

wherein the support members urge the resilient backcheck member against the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats to provide a backcheck action to prevent retrograde flow past said retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats and yet independently allow downstream flow through each of the individual inlets, and wherein the chamber surrounds and follows the contour of the periphery of the resilient backcheck member so that the retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats in the chamber are continuously flushed by the fluid flowstream transiting the manifold from the upstream inlet through the downstream outlet and wherein surfaces defining the chamber are provided with smooth transitions and overall configuration that directs the fluid flow onto and around the surfaces to flush fluid therefrom, and wherein the chamber has a relatively constant cross-sectional area smaller in comparison with the cross-sectional area of the upstream inlet.

5. A fluid manifold for use in infusing medical fluids having a chamber formed therein, and a flowstream therethrough directed from a most upstream inlet to a downstream outlet, comprising:

a) a first housing member incorporating a plurality of retrograde flow checked inlets including a most upstream inlet, and a plurality of retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats, each such valve seat being associated with a selected inlet, wherein the retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats are disposed within the chamber where they are continuously flushed by the flowstream,

b) a second housing member sealingly coupled to the first housing member with support members positioned opposite and centrally to the retrograde-flow-checked inlets and an outlet positioned downstream of the support members,

c) a resilient backcheck member confined between the first and second housing members,

wherein the support members urge the resilient backcheck member against the retrograde-flow-checked valve seats to provide a backcheck action to prevent retrograde flow past said retrograde-flow-checked inlet valve seats and yet independently allow downstream flow through each of the individual inlets, and wherein the resilient backcheck member comprises a symmetrical plate formed of elastic material which interfits with a housing member, and when reversibly interfit with a housing member the resilient backcheck member is correctly positioned relative to the retrograde-flow-checked inlets regardless of its orientation, and wherein the resilient backcheck member is constrained from lateral movement by alignment studs which interfit with at least two openings in the resilient backcheck member.