Valved catheter

Claim 1

A catheter device, comprising: A. an elongate, flexible tubular element, said tubular element being open at its proximal end and being closed at its distal end, and having an outer surface and an inner surface, said tubular inner surface defining a first lumen extending along an axis substantially parallel to a central axis of said tubular element and adapted for selective flow of fluid therethrough; B. a first valve assembly near said distal end including means for selectively establishing fluid flow in a first direction between said lumen and the region adjacent to said outer surface near said distal end, said valve assembly including at least one convex, beveled slit defining a flap valve surface and a base valve surface, said flap valve surface and said base valve surface both extending from said outer surface to said inner surface and both extending from a first line connecting a first endpoint on said outer surface and a first endpoint on said inner surface and from a second line connecting a second endpoint on said outer surface and a second endpoint on said inner surface wherein said first and second endpoints on said outer surface are other than on an axis parallel to said central axis, and wherein said first and second endpoints of said inner surface are other than on an axis parallel to said central axis, said flap valve surface defining an edge of a flap portion of said tubular element, and said base valve surface defining an edge of a base portion of said tubular element, wherein the outer surface edge of said flap portion is substantially wholly between two axes on the outer surface of said tubular element, each of said outer surface axes being parallel to said central axis and passing through an associated one of said first and second endpoints on said outer surface, and the inner surface edge of said flap portion is substantially wholly between two axes on the inner surface of said tubular element, each of said inner surface axes being parallel to said central axis and passing through an associated one of said first and second endpoints on said inner surface, said flap and base valve surfaces being nominally opposed, adjacent and complementary when substantially no pressure differential exists across the portion of said tubular element bearing said slit and when a pressure differential exists across the portion of said tubular element bearing said slit, is of a first polarity such that said flap valve surface is biased toward said base valve surface, said flap valve surface and said base valve surface being biased apart otherwise; whereby said flap portion is displaceable in response to said pressure differential being of a polarity opposite said first polarity to enable fluid flow in said first direction between said lumen and the region adjacent to said outer surface near said distal end.