Inflation valve for catheter retention balloon

Claim 1

In a catheter including a retention balloon and an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon, an inflation valve comprising: a housing including, a sidewall extending peripherally around a chamber in the housing, a plate secured to the sidewall adjacent one of its ends and having a plurality of openings communicating between said chamber and inflation lumen, an inwardly directed flange adjacent the other end of the sidewall, and a rim attached to the flange with the flange extending between the rim and the sidewall, said rim having a first portion prOjecting inwardly from the flange into the chamber, a second portion projecting outwardly from the flange relative to the chamber, and a passageway extending through the rim between the chamber and the outside of the housing, with at least a portion of said passageway being tapered from adjacent the inner end of the first rim portion; and a compressible plug retained in the chamber and including, a first shoulder having a lower surface engaging the inner surface of said plate, a neck extending from said first shoulder, a second shoulder extending from said neck, said first and second shoulders having a plurality of outwardly directed protuberances spaced around their peripheries, with said protuberances extending adjacent to the inner surface of said sidewall to retain the plug in an upright position in the chamber, and a tapered stopper extending from said second shoulder and received in said passageway, with said plug biasing the stopper against the inner tapered portion of said passageway in sealing engagement to prevent passage of fluid from the chamber through the passageway, and said plug compressing responsive to the insertion of a syringe tip into the passageway from its outer end, whereby the stopper at least partially retracts from the passageway to permit the passage of fluid from the syringe tip into the chamber.