Medical valve element

Claim 2

An elongated flexible valve element for medical use comprising: a first portion of solid circular cross-section, said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough; and, a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element and exerting a radially compressive force thereon said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element.

Claim 3

The medical valve element of claim 1 wherein said collar is a solid ring.

Claim 4

The medical valve element of claim 1 wherein said second portion includes a frustoconically shaped interior passage adjacent said first portion and a cylindrical interior passage extending therefrom, said cylindrical interior passage having at least one peripheral groove on the wall surface thereof.

Claim 5

A medical valve for use in a medical connector having an inlet port and an outlet port and an inner passage extending through said medical connector from said inlet port to said outlet port to define a conduit inner passage in said medical connector, said medical valve comprising: a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within the conduit inner passage with the piercing portion of the cannula directed toward the conduit inlet; an elongated flexible valve element having a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough, said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element and being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 6

A medical valve for use in a medical connector having an inlet port and an outlet port and an inner passage extending through said medical connector from said inlet port to said outlet port to define a conduit inner passage in said medical connector, said medical valve comprising: a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within the conduit inner passage with the piercing portion of the cannula directed toward the conduit inlet; an elongated flexible valve element having a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough, said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element and being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 7

The medical valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for fixing said hub within said conduit inner passage includes a hub annular body portion dimensioned to engage a portion of the surface of said conduit inner passage to retain said hub and said cannula within said conduit inner passage.

Claim 8

The medical valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for securing the valve element to the hub includes a peripheral flange at the end of said second portion of said valve element opposite said first portion of said valve element and an annular ridge in said hub dimensioned so that the peripheral flange is compressed between the hub annular ridge and the surface of said conduit inner passage so as to hold the valve element within said conduit inner passage.

Claim 9

A medical connector comprising: a connector main body with an outlet and an inlet, and in which the inlet and the outlet each have a passage extending therefrom through the main body so as to be in communication with one another to provide a fluid passageway between the inlet and the outlet; a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within said fluid passageway with the piercing portion of said cannula directed towards said inlet; an elongated flexible valve element received within the fluid passageway, said valve element including a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element, said collar being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 10

A medical connector comprising: a connector main body with an outlet and an inlet, and in which the inlet and the outlet each have a passage extending therefrom through the main body so as to be in communication with one another to provide a fluid passageway between the inlet and the outlet; a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within said fluid passageway with the piercing portion of said cannula directed towards said inlet; an elongated flexible valve element received within the fluid passageway, said valve element including a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element, said collar being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 11

The medical connector as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for fixing said hub within said connector fluid passageway includes a hub annular body portion dimensioned to engage a portion of the surface of said connector fluid passageway to retain said hub and said cannula within said connector fluid passageway.

Claim 12

The medical connector as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for securing the valve element to the hub includes a peripheral flange at the end of said second portion of said valve element opposite said first portion of said valve element and an annular ridge in said hub dimensioned so that the peripheral flange is compressed between the hub annular ridge and the surface of said connector fluid passageway so as to hold the valve element within said connector fluid passageway.

Claim 13

The medical connector as defined in claim 7 wherein said inlet of said connector main body is configured to be received within a female Luer type connector.

Claim 14

A Y-site port medical connector comprising: a connector body having an axial passageway therein and a first inlet port and an outlet port in flow communication with said axial passageway, an inlet arm having a second passageway, said second passageway having a second inlet port and an internal outlet in flow communication with the outlet port of said connector body; a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within said axial passageway with the piercing portion of said cannula directed towards said first inlet port; an elongated flexible valve element received within the axial passageway, said valve element including a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element said collar being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 15

A Y-site port medical connector comprising: a connector body having an axial passageway therein and a first inlet port and an outlet port in flow communication with said axial passageway, an inlet arm having a second passageway, said second passageway having a second inlet port and an internal outlet in flow communication with the outlet port of said connector body; a cannula having a piercing tip; a hub in fixed and surrounding relation to said cannula; means for fixing said hub within said axial passageway with the piercing portion of said cannula directed towards said first inlet port; an elongated flexible valve element received within the axial passageway, said valve element including a first portion of solid circular cross-section and a second portion of generally circular cross-section adjacent to the first portion with a longitudinal central passage therethrough said first portion having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon; a collar surrounding said first portion of said valve element said collar being sized to exert a radially compressive force on said first portion of said valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said flexible valve element; and, means for securing the valve element to the hub.

Claim 16

The Y-site port medical connector as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for fixing said hub within said axial passageway includes a hub annular body portion dimensioned to engage a portion of the surface of said axial passageway to retain said hub and said cannula within said axial passageway.

Claim 17

The Y-site port medical connector as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for securing the valve element to the hub includes a peripheral flange at the end of said second portion of said valve element opposite said first portion of said valve element and an annular ridge in said hub dimensioned so that the peripheral flange is compressed between the hub annular ridge and the surface of said axial passageway so as to hold the valve element within said axial passageway.

Claim 18

The medical connector as defined in claim 11 wherein said first inlet port of said connector body is configured to be received within a female Luer type connector.

Claim 19

The medical connector as defined in claim 11 wherein said second inlet port of said connector body is configured to be received within a female Luer type connector.

Claim 20

A medical valve comprising: a conduit having an inflow port and an outflow port, an inner passage extending through said conduit interconnecting said inflow and outflow ports, said inflow port configured to be coupled to a Luer type connector; a hub member retained within said conduit and including an upstream end and a downstream end; a cannula extending from said hub member and having a first cannula end disposed near said inflow port and a second cannula end extending axially away from said first cannula end, said cannula including an inner lumen for establishing a fluid flow passage between said first and second cannula ends; a resilient valve element having a generally cylindrical first end portion configured to fit within said conduit inflow port, said first end portion of said resilient valve element having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon and being axially movable from a first location within said inner passage of said conduit to a second location within said inner passage of said conduit for piercing penetration by said first end of said cannula when said inflow port of said conduit is coupled to a mating Luer fitting to thereby form a passage in said first end portion of said resilient valve element, said resilient valve element being axially movable from said second location toward said first location when the inflow port of said conduit is disconnected from said mating Luer fitting to effect withdrawal of said cannula first end and thereby substantially close said passage in said first end portion of said resilient valve element; a collar on the cylindrical surface of said first end portion of said resilient valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said resilient valve element, said collar having an inner diameter sized to exert a radially compressive force thereon which is sufficient to effect a closing of the passage therein to prevent fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 21

A medical valve comprising: a conduit having an inflow port and an outflow port, an inner passage extending through said conduit interconnecting said inflow and outflow ports, said inflow port configured to be coupled to a Luer type connector; a hub member retained within said conduit and including an upstream end and a downstream end; a cannula extending from said hub member and having a first cannula end disposed near said inflow port and a second cannula end extending axially away from said first cannula end, said cannula including an inner lumen for establishing a fluid flow passage between said first and second cannula ends; a resilient valve element having a generally cylindrical first end portion configured to fit within said conduit inflow port, said first end portion of said resilient valve element having an outer end which includes an enlarged annular ring formed thereon and being axially movable from a first location within said inner passage of said conduit to a second location within said inner passage of said conduit for piercing penetration by said first end of said cannula when said inflow port of said conduit is coupled to a mating Luer fitting to thereby form a passage in said first end portion of said resilient valve element, said resilient valve element being axially movable from said second location toward said first location when the inflow port of said conduit is disconnected from said mating Luer fitting to effect withdrawal of said cannula first end and thereby substantially close said passage in said first end portion of said resilient valve element; a collar on the cylindrical surface of said first end portion of said resilient valve element, said collar being positioned between said enlarged annular ring and said second portion of said resilient valve element, said collar having an inner diameter sized to exert a radially compressive force thereon which is sufficient to effect a closing of the passage therein to prevent fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 22

The medical valve of claim 16 wherein said collar is formed of metal.

Claim 23

The medical valve of claim 16 wherein said collar is formed of stainless steel.