Valve assembly

Claim 2

A valve assembly for receiving an elongated element such as a catheter, comprising: a hollow body member having a cavity; a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity; an elastic duckbill valve having a slit adjacent the distal end of the cavity; an elastic disc received in the cavity and having a central opening intermediate the valve and the annular flange; a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity and having a bore circumferentially surrounded by inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve, the sleeve thickness dimension between the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve being less than the length dimension of the sleeve; said slit, opening and sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element; and means for adjusting the compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, so that the sleeve permits passage of the elongated element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, inhibits flow of fluid, such as air or blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 including an annular washer located intermediate the valve and disc.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 2 wherein the washer has an outward taper.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the body member has an annular shoulder adjacent a distal end of the cavity, and in which the valve is engaged against the shoulder.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the body member includes an annular flange located intermediate the disc and sleeve.

Claim 7

A valve assembly adapted for receiving an elongated element such as a catheter, comprising: a hollow body member having a cavity; a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity; a first elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough; a second elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough; a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity, located intermediate the first and second discs, and having an axial bore circumferentially surrounded by an annular wall, the radial thickness dimension for the annular wall being less than the axial length dimension of the sleeve; said openings in said discs and sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element; and coupling means responsive to relative approach movement of the hollow body and compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, and for compressing the sleeve against the element by the relative approach movement of the annular flange toward the cavity, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, prevents flow of fluid, such as air or blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

Claim 8

A valve assembly adapted for receiving an elongated element such as a catheter, comprising: a hollow body member having a cavity; a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity; a first elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough; a second elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough; a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity, located intermediate the first and second discs, and having an axial bore circumferentially surrounded by an annular wall, the radial thickness dimension for the annular wall being less than the axial length dimension of the sleeve; said openings in said discs and sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element; and coupling means responsive to relative approach movement of the hollow body and compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, and for compressing the sleeve against the element by the relative approach movement of the annular flange toward the cavity, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, prevents flow of fluid, such as air or blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

Claim 9

The valve assembly of claim 6 wherein the coupling means comprises cooperating threads on the body member and compression member.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 6 wherein the opening of at least one of said discs comprises a plurality of slits.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 6 wherein the external diameter of the sleeve is approximately equal to the outer edge of the first and second discs.

Claim 12

The assembly of claim 6 wherein the first disc is located farther into the cavity than the second disc.

Claim 13

A valve assembly for receiving an elongated element, such as a catheter, comprising: a hollow member having a cavity; a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity; a first elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in a distal portion of the cavity; a separate second elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in the cavity intermediate the first disc and the annular flange of the compression member; a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity intermediate the second disc and the annular flange, and having a bore circumferentially surrounded by inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve, the sleeve thickness dimension between the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve being less than the length dimension of the sleeve; said openings in said discs and said sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element; and means for adjusting the compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, inhibits flow of fluid, including air and blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

Claim 14

A valve assembly for receiving an elongated element, such as a catheter, comprising: a hollow member having a cavity; a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity; a first elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in a distal portion of the cavity; a separate second elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in the cavity intermediate the first disc and the annular flange of the compression member; a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity intermediate the second disc and the annular flange, and having a bore circumferentially surrounded by inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve, the sleeve thickness dimension between the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve being less than the length dimension of the sleeve; said openings in said discs and said sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element; and means for adjusting the compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, inhibits flow of fluid, including air and blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

Claim 15

The assembly of claim 11 wherein the opening of at least one of the discs comprises a plurality of slits.

Claim 16

The assembly of claim 11 wherein the body member has an annular shoulder adjacent the distal portion of the cavity, and in which the first disc is engaged against the shoulder.

Claim 17

The assembly of claim 13 wherein the shoulder has an outward tape, and in which the first disc has an outer wedge received in the shoulder taper.

Claim 18

The assembly of claim 11 including an annular washer intermediate the first and second discs.

Claim 19

The assembly of claim 15 wherein the washer has an outer inwardly directed taper, and in which the first and second discs have an outer wedge received in the taper of the washer.

Claim 20

The assembly of claim 15 including a second annular washer intermediate the second disc and sleeve.

Claim 21

The assembly of claim 17 wherein the second washer includes an outer inwardly directed taper and in which the second disc has an outer wedge received in the taper of the second washer.

Claim 22

The assembly of claim 17 wherein the body member has an annular shoulder in the cavity, and in which the second washer is fixedly secured by said shoulder.

Claim 23

The assembly of claim 17 wherein the body member has an internal thread, and in which the second washer has external threads to engage the body member threads.

Claim 24

The assembly of claim 11 where in the body member defines an annular shoulder to receive one of the discs.

Claim 25

The assembly of claim 21 wherein the shoulder has an outward taper, and in which the disc has an outer wedge received in the tapered portion of the shoulder.

Claim 26

The assembly of claim 11 wherein the body member has an annular shoulder intermediate the second disc and the sleeve.

Claim 27

The assembly of claim 23 wherein the shoulder has an outward taper adjacent the second disc, and in which the second disc has an outer wedge received in the taper.