One piece self-aligning, self-lubricating catheter valve

• US 5,562,632 A
• Filed: 05/18/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davila, Luis A., Querns, Stephen J., De La Mata, Carlo R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US08/444,217
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 604/167, 604/256, 604/164, 604/283, 604/8, 137/849, 137/844
• US Class Current: 604/167.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/062 used with a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0633 the seal being a passive seal made of a resilient material with or without an opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/064 Slit-valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0653 Perforated disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0606 without means for adjusting the seal opening or pressure A61M39/0693 takes precedence

Abstract

An elastomeric valve partition is conventionally mounted on a catheter comprising a tubular catheter body. The valve partition defines a central aperture extending inwardly from one of the faces, only partway through the valve partition. The partition also carries a plurality of radial slits extending from the other of the faces only partway through the valve partition and intersecting the central aperture. The central aperture is of a diameter to closely fit a guidewire extending through the valve partition, while the radial slits have a length that is at least double the radius of the central aperture. The slits preferably rotate circumferentially about 5 to 60 degrees as they extend through the valve partition from one face toward the other. A lubricity enhancing additive is present, selected from the group consisting of bismuth oxychloride, polytetrafluoroethylene, titanium dioxide, graphite, polyethylene wax, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A catheter which comprises a tubular catheter body having a proximal and a distal end, a housing carried on said proximal end, said housing carrying an elastomeric valve partition defining a slit therethrough to permit penetration of an elongated member through the catheter and valve partition, said valve partition comprising an elastomer which contains from about 5 to 20 weight percent of a lubricity enhancing additive selected from the group consisted of bismuth oxychloride, polytetrafluoroethylene, titanium dioxide, graphite, polyethylene wax, polyvinylpyrrolidone and combinations thereof.

2. A catheter of claim 1 in which said valve partition comprises about 5 to 15 weight percent of graphite.

3. The catheter of claim 1 in which said elastomer is silicone rubber having an elongation of at least 900.

4. The catheter of claim 3 in which said additive comprises about 5 to 15 weight percent of graphite.

5. The catheter of claim 2 in which said additive is about 5 to 20 weight percent of bismuth oxychloride.

6. The catheter of claim 5 in which said elastomer is silicone rubber having an elongation of at least 900.