Luer-receiving medical valve

Abstract

A luer receiving medical valve for the sterile transfer of fluid from a luer-tapered male end having a surrounding female luer lock threaded end. The luer receiver includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a lumen extending from the inlet to the outlet. An elastomeric sealing member occludes the inlet and has a slit extending through it. In a preferred embodiment, a support is provided adjacent the housing inlet and adjacent the sealing member. The support includes opposing posts separated by slots, the slots permitting expansion of the sealing member when the male luer is inserted into the slit.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe risk of needlestick injury and the expense associated with accessory cannulae, whether blunt or sharp, are well known. Conventional intravenous tubing systems utilize tapering luer male cannula connectors, often within an associated surrounding threadable member defining a luer-lock connector commonly used for achieving tight, sustained connections. A bare luer taper cannula without the associated threadable member is commonly called a luer slip connector and is widely utilized for brief prn injections. Both of these luer systems are in wide use throughout conventional hospital systems and it would be preferable to develop a connecting valve system which receives and is activated by conventional luer slip tapers or luer lock tapers so that incorporation into existing hospital systems is rapid and associated with minimal cost. It would be advantageous for such systems to avoid deadspace so that the surface could be easily wiped with antisept...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The risk of needlestick injury and the expense associated with accessory cannulae, whether blunt or sharp, are well known. Conventional intravenous tubing systems utilize tapering luer male cannula connectors, often within an associated surrounding threadable member defining a luer-lock connector commonly used for achieving tight, sustained connections. A bare luer taper cannula without the associated threadable member is commonly called a luer slip connector and is widely utilized for brief prn injections. Both of these luer systems are in wide use throughout conventional hospital systems and it would be preferable to develop a connecting valve system which receives and is activated by conventional luer slip tapers or luer lock tapers so that incorporation into existing hospital systems is rapid and associated with minimal cost. It would be advantageous for such systems to avoid deadspace so that the surface could be easily wiped with antiseptic to avoid the need for capping after each use. Furthermore, the elimination of deadspace allows for the aspiration of blood through such systems without the collection of blood within the deadspace. Another important feature of such systems is the minimization of "kickback"--that is, it is important that the luer slip tip or luer lock systems, when not tightly locked, do not kickback out of the valve, thereby producing the potential for a spurt of blood or fluid into the environment and potential contamination of the operator.

It is further the purpose of this invention to provide a luer-activated opening of a central fluid path which is automatically aligned with the bore of the luer and which will directly communicate with the bore of a luer taper cannula upon the transmission of longitudinal force of the luer taper cannula against the septum piston, thereby providing a mechanism for the opening of a centrally-positioned fluid path at the same time tight sealing occurs adjacent the distal end of the luer taper cannula against the septum piston. It is further the purpose of this invention to provide a valve which progressively closes from its proximal extent to its distal extent, thereby expressing residual fluid from the valve away from the environment. It is further the purpose of this invention to provide a two-piece valve which can be simply manufactured by the insertion of an elastomeric septum piston into a rigid tubular structure, thereby avoiding the need for expensive and complex insert molding.

Problems solved by technology

The risk of needlestick injury and the expense associated with accessory cannulae, whether blunt or sharp, are well known.

Such a system will not work with a conventional luer lock system since the role taper extends centrally adjacent the luer lock threading member and therefore, it would not be possible to compress the septum piston within the luer-lock threads in such a system without inserting the male member itself into the septran piston.

However, such systems would be expected to be associated with substantial kickback when used with a luer slip system since the septum piston must be relatively resilient to prevent leakage associated with higher fluid pressures within the cannula.

Further, tile requirement of a spike or cannula within the bore of the valve results in considerable increase in expense associated with complex insert molding of the device.

Such a device also will not receive a blunt cannulae and, therefore, may be difficult to implement with conventional drug delivery systems.

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