Valve for interconnecting sterile containers and the like

Claim 1

In a sealed, tubular fluid conduit having a diaphragm positioned to block fluid flow through said conduit, said fluid conduit carrying a spike having front and rear ends positioned in said fluid conduit and adapted for movement to rupture said diaphragm with said front end, and a transversely-enlarged, flexible, axially-collapsible portion of said conduit positioned adjacent said spike and adapted to permit manual movement of said spike from outside of said conduit to rupture said diaphragm, the improvement comprising, in combination: a longitudinal groove defined in said spike extending from said front end and terminating at a point between said front and rear ends, said spike also defining an annular, enlarged sealing portion of a transverse dimension which is proportioned to sealingly occlude a portion of said conduit adjacent to said transversely-enlarged, collapsible portion, said sealing portion being positioned between said terminating point of the groove and the rear end of the spike, said spike being positioned so that said enlarged sealing portion normally resides within said transversely-enlarged collapsible portion, said spike and conduit being dimensioned such that upon rupture of the diaphragm a flow path is defined through said groove and about said enlarged seal portion, whereby, for resealing said conduit after rupture of the diaphragm, the spike may be moved to bring said enlarged sealing portion into flow-blocking relation with said conduit immediately adjacent to said transversely-enlarged portion.