Medical connector with closeable luer connector

• US 8,679,090 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Harold, Lopez, Christopher, Fangrow, Thomas F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bosques, Edelmira
• Application Number:
  US12/641,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20100174242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 604536-537, 604/539, 604/533, 604/256, 604/246, 604/249
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/268 wherein the stem portion is moved for opening and closing the valve, e.g. by translation, rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a medical connector having a selectively closable male end portion. Embodiments are configured to open upon connection with a female connector or female tipped medical implement. Some embodiments include an internal cavity configured to change size as the connector moves from the open to closed or closed to open positions. In some embodiments, the connector is configured to draw fluid from the male end toward the other end of the connector as the connector closes.

Claims

1. A medical connector, comprising:

a substantially rigid housing having a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first and second ends and having an inside surface that is laterally spaced apart from an axial centerline of the connector, said first and second ends being connected by a selectively closable fluid passageway;

said first end including a hollow male luer with an inner surface, a first open end, and a second base end;

a first valve member supported substantially within the housing, the first valve member being configured to selectively seal an opening adjacent to the first end of the housing at the tip of the male luer when the connector is in a closed position; and

an internal bladder member positioned within the housing and outside the male luer, the bladder member defining an inner cavity and being fluidly coupled to the first valve member, the inner cavity of the bladder member having a first volume when the connector is in a closed position and a second volume smaller than the first volume when the connector is in an open position;

wherein;

the inner cavity is configured to fill with fluid during use and configured to be in fluid communication with the first end and the second end of the housing in both the open and closed positions;

a wall of the bladder member extends radially against the inside surface of the housing when the connector is in both the open position and the closed position; and

the rigid housing extends laterally from the base of the male luer and a valve arm extends through the housing adjacent the base of the male luer, a first end of the valve arm configured to engage a corresponding female end of a medical implement and a second end of the valve arm configured to engage at least a portion of the bladder member.

2. The medical connector of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of valve arms, said valve arms being connected by a ring.

3. The medical connector of claim 1, wherein the bladder member includes a wall portion being concave toward a longitudinal axis of the connector so as to form a substantially ovular inner cavity.

4. The medical connector of claim 1, wherein the bladder member includes a corrugated wall portion.

5. The medical connector of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the valve member and at least a portion of the bladder member are integrally formed.

6. The medical connector of claim 1, further comprising an annular ring between the valve member and the inner surface of the male luer.

7. The medical connector of claim 6, wherein the annular ring is integrally formed with the valve member, the ring being in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the male luer.

8. The medical connector of claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the male luer includes an annular channel, said annular ring being recessed into said annular channel and being in sliding engagement with an outer surface of the valve member.

9. A method for selectively closing a medical connector, comprising:

supporting a resilient bladder member within a housing, the housing having a first end and a second end, said first and second ends being connected by a selectively closable fluid passageway and said first end having a hollow male luer with an inner surface and an opening at an end thereof in fluid communication with the fluid passageway;

moving a valve member at least partially supported within the housing and extending into the hollow male luer between a connector open position and a connector closed position such that;

in the closed position, the valve member closes the opening at the end of the hollow male luer and thereby substantially prevents liquid from flowing through the fluid passageway; and

in the open position, the valve member permits liquid to pass through the fluid passageway; and

moving the bladder member between a first configuration having a first volume in the connector closed position and a second configuration having a second volume in the connector open position, the second volume being smaller than the first volume;

wherein;

the medical connector is configured such that the fluid passageway between the second end of the housing and the valve member is open in both the connector open position and the connector closed position;

the bladder member has an opening therethrough and an internal chamber in communication with the fluid passageway configured to fill with liquid during use of the medical connector;

the bladder member is supported within the housing so as to be outside the male luer; and

moving the bladder member between the first configuration and the second configuration comprises moving at least one valve arm between a first and a second position, the at least one valve arm being configured to engage a corresponding female end of a medical implement and having a second end thereof configured to engage at least a portion of the bladder member.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein moving the valve member between the connector open position and the connector closed position and moving the bladder member between the first configuration and the second configuration comprises engaging or disengaging the medical connector with or from a corresponding female end of a medical implement.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein moving the at least one valve arm between the first and the second position comprises engaging or disengaging the medical connector with or from a corresponding female end of a medical implement.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bladder member includes a corrugated wall portion.

13. A medical connector, comprising:

a substantially rigid housing having a first end and a second end, said first and second ends being connected by a selectively closable fluid passageway;

said first end including a hollow male luer with an inner surface, a first open end, and a second base end;

an internal bladder member positioned within the housing and outside the male luer, the bladder member defining an inner cavity having a first volume when the connector is in a closed position and a second volume smaller than the first volume when the connector is in an open position; and

a first valve member fluidly coupled to the bladder member comprising a tube integrally formed with the bladder member extending from the bladder member toward the first open end of the male luer, the tube being configured to selectively seal an opening adjacent to the first end of the housing at the tip of the male luer when the connector is in a closed position;

wherein;

the inner cavity of the bladder member is configured to fill with fluid during use and configured to be in fluid communication with the first end and the second end of the housing in both the open and closed positions;

the selectively closeable fluid passageway extends through the bladder member and the tube, and the rigid housing extends laterally from the base of the male luer and a valve arm extends through the housing adjacent the base of the male luer, a first end of the valve configured to engage a corresponding female end of a medical implement and a second end of the valve arm configured to engage at least a portion of the bladder member.

14. The medical connector of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of valve arms, said valve arms being connected by a ring.

15. The medical connector of claim 13, wherein the bladder member includes a wall portion being concave toward a longitudinal axis of the connector so as to form a substantially ovular inner cavity.

16. The medical connector of claim 13, wherein the bladder member includes a corrugated wall portion.

17. The medical connector of claim 13, further comprising an annular ring between the valve member and the inner surface of the male luer.

18. The medical connector of claim 17, wherein the annular ring is integrally formed with the valve member, the ring being in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the male luer.

19. The medical connector of claim 17, wherein the inner surface of the male luer includes an annular channel, said annular ring being recessed into said annular channel and being in sliding engagement with an outer surface of the valve member.