Anti-siphon valve for medical infusion lines and the like

• US 6,409,707 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrie Borla S.P.A. (Carla Finanziaria SRL)
• Original Assignee: Industrie Borla S.P.A. (Carla Finanziaria SRL)
• Inventors: Guala, Gianni
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US09/635,007
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 604/246, 604/247, 137/511, 137/843, 137/850, 137/852, 137/859
• US Class Current: 604/247
• 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 2039/246 being fixed along all or a part of its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7879 Resilient material valve

Abstract

An anti-siphon valve for medical infusion lines and the like comprises a diaphragm made of elastic material interposed between one first tubular connector and one second tubular connector, and co-operating with an annular valve seat to keep the anti-siphon valve normally closed. The diaphragm consists of the bottom wall of a cup-shaped element, the external peripheral edge of which is normally kept pressed in fluid-tight contact against the annular valve seat under the axial thrust exerted by the side wall of the cup element.

Claims

1. An anti-siphon valve for medical infusion lines and the like, comprising one first tubular connector and one second tubular connector which define, respectively, a passage upstream and a passage downstream which are coaxial to one another, and a diaphragm arranged transversely between said first and second tubular connectors, said diaphragm being made of elastically deformable material and co-operating in a fluid-tight manner with an annular valve seat of said first tubular element to keep said anti-siphon valve normally closed, in which a pre-determined pressure of the fluid in said passage upstream causes a deflection of said diaphragm and opening of said anti-siphon valve, wherein said annular valve seat is defined by a conical-surface wall of said first tubular element, which diverges towards said second tubular element, and wherein said diaphragm consists of the bottom wall of a cup-shaped element having a side wall, said bottom wall having an external peripheral edge which is normally kept pressed in fluid-tight contact against said annular valve seat under the axial thrust exerted by said side wall of said cup element;

the deflection of said bottom wall of said cup element produced in use by said pre-determined fluid pressure causing radial contraction of said external peripheral edge and consequent separation thereof from said annular valve seat.

2. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said side wall of the said cup element has a free edge resting against a grooved surface of said second tubular element communicating with said passage downstream.

3. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said side wall of said cup element has a cylindrical surface.

4. A valve according to claim 2, wherein said side wall of said cup element has a conical surface diverging towards said grooved surface.

5. A valve according to claim 2, wherein said grooved surface has series of radial channels arranged like spokes, each of which is prolonged in a respective axial channel formed in said second tubular element alongside said side wall of said cup element.

6. A valve according to claim 5, wherein said grooved surface has axial projections set around said outlet passage.

7. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said bottom wall of said cup element has a variable thickness, increasing towards its central part.

8. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said side wall of said cup element has a variable thickness, increasing towards a free edge thereof.

9. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said external peripheral edge of the bottom wall of said cup element is a sharp edge.

10. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said cup element is formed in a single piece of soft elastomeric material, namely injection-moulded liquid silicone with a central injection point.

11. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said first tubular element and second tubular element are arranged for tube-tube connection, or luer-tube connection, or tube-luer connection, or luer-luer connection of said medical line.