Control of fluid flow with internal cannula

• US 5,806,831 A
• Filed: 11/28/1994
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Paradis
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Paradis
• Inventors: Paradis, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US08/345,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.8, 251/149.1, 251/149.6, 604/905, 604/256, 604/167
• US Class Current: 251/149.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1418 Threaded type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1468 Containers characterised by specific material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1481 with connection retaining means, e.g. thread or snap-fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1487 with friction fit, e.g. connecting tubes directly to a protruding port
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2453 not being fixed to the valve body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/02 Access sites
• 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 flexible container for medical fluid including a flexible housing with an adapter secured to the housing for connecting an outlet to a complementary inlet of another container sealed by a stopper having an outlet connected to an inlet and disposed to serve as a conduit for fluid flow, with a movable member sealing the inlet and having a flexible body for controlling flow by the extent to which the flexible body is buckled and the removal of flex restores the seal; the stopper can take the form of a flow control device with an inlet for fluid and a slotted movable member sealing the inlet and closing the slot, with the unsealing of the inlet and the opening of the slot permitting the passage of fluid to an outlet, advantageously through a cannula that is surrounded by the opened slot and extends to the outlet; a member external to the flow control device, such as the tip of a Luer taper, can activate the moveable member by depressing it to allow the flow of fluid.

Claims

1. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet having a circumferential end wall, the valve body further comprising a substantially rectangular well and an upstanding tubular cannula extending from a central portion of the well, towards the inlet, the tubular cannula having a first portion proximate the inlet and a bore with a first open end in the first portion and a second open end at the outlet for providing a passage for fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; and

a movable plug comprising a flexible head with a closed slit, the flexible head having a first position sealing the inlet, the flexible head being flush with the circumferential end wall of the inlet when in the first position, thereby facilitating antiseptic swabbing of the plug,

the movable plug further comprising a flexible body coupled to the flexible head, the flexible body comprising elongated legs sitting in the well of the valve body, such that when the flexible head is moved to a second position over the first portion of the tubular cannula, the slit is opened, enabling the flow of fluid through the passage of the tubular cannula and the elongated legs are flexed, providing a return force for returning the flexible head to its first position.

2. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the valve body has an exterior surface with a rectangular exterior cross-section.

3. The flow control device of claim 2, wherein the flexible head has an internal open area below the slit, the open area including inclined wedges to provide a mechanical advantage for opening the slit when the flexible head is moved from the first position to the second position over the first portion of the tubular cannula.

4. The flow control device of claim 3, wherein the flexible head has a bore portion below the inclined wedges, the bore portion having an inner surface in sealing contact with the first portion of the tubular cannula when the flexible head is in the first position.

5. The flow control device of claim 4, wherein the inner surface is in sealing contact with an outside wall of the tubular cannula as the flexible head is moved from the first position to the second position.

6. The flow control device of claim 3, further including means for permitting the depression of the flexible head by a member external thereto, over the tubular cannula.

7. The flow control device of claim 6, wherein the external member has a tip with a Luer taper.

8. The flow control device of claim 6, wherein the inlet extends to a tapered bore which is spaced from the movable plug, the tapered bore providing space for the flexible head to expand into, as the flexible head is moved from the first position to the second position.

9. The flow control device of claim 8, wherein the tapered bore leads to a bore portion with an essentially constant diameter adjacent the first portion of the tubular cannula.

10. The flow control device of claim 6, wherein the flexible head has a top portion including an exterior circumferential side wall tapered outwardly toward the circumferential end wall of the inlet when the flexible head is in the first position, whereby the taper of the flexible head promotes the sealing of the inlet.

11. The flow control device of claim 1, wherein the legs flex outwardly when the movable plug is depressed.

12. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a well with a central portion and a tubular cannula extending from the central portion toward the inlet, the tubular cannula having a first portion proximate the inlet, a bore with a first open end in the first portion and a second open end at the outlet, the bore providing a passage for fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a plug comprising a flexible body, a base sitting in the well of the valve body and a flexible head coupled to the flexible body, the flexible head sealing the inlet and having a closed slit with a longitudinal axis;

the first portion of the tubular cannula and the flexible head being engageable with each other to open the slit, and the flexible head having an open area below the slit including two opposed inclined wedges each having flat surfaces converging towards the longitudinal axis of the slit for providing a mechanical advantage as the first portion of the tubular cannula opens the slit by engaging the inclined wedges.

13. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a well with a central portion, a tubular cannula extending from the central portion toward the inlet, the tubular cannula having a first portion proximate the inlet and a bore having a first open end in the first portion and a second open end at the outlet for providing a passage for fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a movable plug comprising a flexible body having a base sitting in the well of the valve body, a flexible head coupled to the flexible body and having a closed slit, the flexible head having a position sealing the inlet, the flexible head being depressible over the first portion of the tubular cannula from the position sealing the inlet, to open the slit; and

the valve body further comprising a tapered bore extending from the inlet, the tapered bore being spaced from the movable plug such that when the flexible head of the movable plug is depressed over the first portion of the tubular cannula, the flexible head expands into the tapered bore.

14. The flow control device of claim 13, wherein the inlet has a first portion at its external end with a first diameter and the valve body has a tapered portion and an interior portion with a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein the first portion is connected to the interior portion through the tapered portion.

15. The flow control device of claim 14, wherein the flexible head has an internal open area below the slit, including inclined wedges for providing a mechanical advantage as the first portion of the tubular cannula opens the slit by engaging the inclined wedges.

16. The flow control device of claim 15, wherein the valve body has a rectangular cross-section.

17. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet having a circumferential end wall, the valve body further comprising a well and an upstanding tubular cannula extending from a central portion of the well, towards the inlet, the tubular cannula having a first portion proximate the inlet and a bore with a first open end in the first portion and a second open end at the outlet for providing a passage for fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; and

a movable plug comprising a flexible head with a closed slit, the flexible head having a first position sealing the inlet, the flexible head being flush with the circumferential end wall of the inlet while in the first position, thereby facilitating antiseptic swabbing of the plug,

the movable plug further comprising a flexible body coupled to the flexible head, the flexible body comprising elongated legs sitting in the well of the valve body, such that when the flexible head is moved to a second position over the first portion of the tubular cannula, the slit is opened, enabling the flow of fluid through the passage of the tubular cannula and the elongated legs are flexed, providing a return force for returning the flexible head to its first position.

18. The flow control device of claim 17, wherein the flexible body comprises two opposed, elongated legs, each having a first portion proximate the flexible head and a second portion sitting in the well, wherein the distance between the first portions of each leg is less than the distance between the second portions of each leg.

19. The flow control device of claim 18, wherein the well is substantially rectangular and the second portion of the legs are connected to a substantially rectangular base sitting in the well.

20. The flow control device of claim 18, wherein when the legs are sufficiently flexed by movement of the flexible head from the first position to the second position, the legs fold over themselves.

21. The flow control device of claim 20, wherein the well is substantially rectangular and the second portion of the legs are connected to a substantially rectangular base sitting in the well.

22. A flow control device comprising:

a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet having a circumferential end wall, the valve body having an exterior surface with at least one flat side for being positioned on the surface of a patient, the valve body further comprising an internal well and an upstanding tubular cannula extending from a central portion of the well, towards the inlet, the tubular cannula having a first portion proximate the inlet and a bore with a first open end in the first portion and a second open end at the outlet for providing a passage for fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; and

a movable plug comprising a flexible head with a closed slit, the flexible head having a first position sealing the inlet, the flexible head being flush with the circumferential end wall of the inlet while in the first position, thereby facilitating antiseptic swabbing of the plug,

the movable plug further comprising a flexible body coupled to the flexible head, such that when the flexible head is moved to a second position over the first portion of the tubular cannula, the slit is opened, enabling the flow of fluid through the passage of the tubular cannula and the flexible body is flexed, providing a return force for returning the flexible head to its first position.