Connector valve assembly for endotracheal tubes

Claim 1

A connector valve assembly for admission of catheters through endotracheal tubes comprising: (a) a connector body having a tracheal tube port, a respiratory tube port and an open end portion for insertion of a catheter through said body and said tracheal tube; (b) a valve means at said open end portion including a ring seal portion for sealably engaging said catheter and a check valve disposed inwardly of said ring seal portion toward said respiratory tube port and said tracheal tube port; (c) wall means defining an air lock chamber between said ring seal portion and said check valve for insertion of a catheter without opening said connector body to the outside atmosphere; (d) said wall means includes an end wall with said ring seal portion extending therethrough and a surrounding side wall having a lower skirt portion sized to fit over said open end portion; (e) said open end portion having a shoulder; said skirt portion having an inwardly directed flange providing an inner shoulder to confront said shoulder; and (f) a disc member having a peripheral edge captured between said shoulder and said inwardly directed flange and having portions providing a valve seat wherein said check valve has a flapper attached to said disc member and sealably engaging said valve seat.