# US 10,478,608 B2 · Valve device with elastically pretensioned closure element for a medical system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,608 B2 - Document ID: US10478608B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/122,872 - Filed: 2015-02-25 - Published: 2017-03-02 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-19 - Assignees: Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GMBH - Inventors: Michael Becker; Barbara Amon; Benjamin Schafer; Leo Zeimetz; Matthias Rau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478608B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/22: Valves or arrangement of valves {(A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405)} - A61M 5/16813: {by controlling the degree of opening of the flow line} - F16K 7/16: the diaphragm being mechanically actuated, e.g. by screw-spindle or cam - F16K 15/145: {the closure elements being shaped as a solids of revolution, e.g. cylindrical or conical} - A61M 2039/226: {Spindles or actuating means} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A valve device (1) for a medical system comprises a valve housing (10), an inlet port (102) arranged on the valve housing (10), an outlet port (103) arranged on the valve housing (10), a flow duct (12) extending through the valve housing (10) connecting the inlet port (102) and the outlet port (103) to allow for a fluid flow (P) through the valve housing between the inlet port (102) and the outlet port (103), and a closure element (11) arranged on the valve housing (10) for selectively opening and closing the flow duct (12). Herein, the closure element (11) is displaceable along a displacement direction (A) relative to the valve housing (10) between a closed position in which the flow duct (12) is closed for preventing the fluid flow (P) from the inlet port (102) to the outlet port (103) and an opened position in which the flow duct (12) is opened for allowing the fluid flow (P) from the inlet port (102) to the outlet port (103), wherein the closure element (11) is elastically pretensioned towards the closed position. In this way the valve device is provided which allows for an optimized integration into a medical device such as an infusion line or an infusion pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve device for a medical system, comprising: a valve housing, an inlet port arranged on the valve housing, an outlet port arranged on the valve housing, a flow duct extending through the valve housing connecting the inlet port and the outlet port to allow for a fluid flow through the valve housing between the inlet port and the outlet port, and a closure element arranged on the valve housing for selectively opening and closing the flow duct, wherein the housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part, wherein the closure element comprises an elastic planar section which is held in a clamped fashion in between the first housing part and the second housing part, wherein the closure element is displaceable along a displacement direction relative to the valve housing between a closed position in which the flow duct is closed for preventing the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port and an opened position in which the flow duct is opened for allowing the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the closure element is elastically pretensioned to move axially into the closed position by the elastic planar section, wherein the closure element comprises a head adjoining the planar section and extending through an opening of the first housing part so as to be configured to be accessible from an exterior of the housing, wherein the planar section extends, in the closed position, substantially perpendicularly to the displacement direction and is configured to cover the opening so as to prevent the fluid flow into the opening, wherein the closure element is actuatable to move the closure element from the closed position into the opened position by pulling on the head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the head carries at least one lever for manually displacing the closure element in the displacement direction from the closed position into the opened position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the closure element is arranged displaceably in an access member arranged on the first housing part, wherein the access member protrudes from a surface of the first housing part and is arranged around the head circumferentially about the displacement direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The valve device according to claim 3, wherein the access member comprises at least one recess for providing access to the head for actuating the closure element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The valve device according to claim 3, wherein the first housing part is integrally formed with the access member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the closure element comprises a closing section arranged on a side of the planar section opposite the head and having a circumferential edge section which in the closed position abuts an abutment face of the housing surrounding a duct opening of the flow duct. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The valve device according to claim 6, wherein a diameter of the closing section is larger than a diameter of the opening of the first housing part through which the head extends. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The valve device according to claim 6, wherein the edge section of the closing section extends circumferentially about the displacement direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an actuating mechanism with at least one movable actuation element arranged on the housing, the at least one actuation element being actuatable for displacing the closure element along the displacement direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The valve device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one actuation element is formed as a pivotable lever member arranged pivotably on the housing and comprising an engagement section being in engagement with the closure element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A medical system, comprising the valve device according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1 wherein the closure element is a one-piece structure including the head and the planar section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1 wherein the closure element includes a waist section and a closing section having a circumferential edge section in a shape of a sealing lip extending radially outwards with respect to the displacement direction and the waist section in both the opened and closed positions, said circumferential edge section being spaced in the displacement direction from the planar section of the closure element by the waist section so that an annular recess is formed so that the closure element and the housing are configured so that the fluid flow into the housing through the inlet port enters the annular recess and causes a pressure force on the circumferential edge section so as to enhance holding of the closure element in the closed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The valve device according to claim 1 wherein the elastic planar section of the closure element includes a top surface that extends substantially perpendicularly to the displacement direction and a bottom surface that extends substantially perpendicularly to the displacement direction, and wherein the elastic planar section is held in the clamped fashion by the first housing part engaging the top surface of the elastic planar section and the second housing part engaging the bottom surface of the elastic planar section. ### Claim 15 A method for operating a valve device for a medical system, the method comprising the steps of: providing the valve device comprising a valve housing, an inlet port arranged on the valve housing, an outlet port arranged on the valve housing, a flow duct extending through the valve housing connecting the inlet port and the outlet port to allow for a fluid flow through the valve housing between the inlet port and the outlet port, and a closure element arranged on the valve housing for selectively opening and closing the flow duct, operating the valve device by a user directly or indirectly engaging a head portion of the closure element from an exterior of the housing and manually displacing the closure element by pulling the closure element along a displacement direction relative to the valve housing from a closed position in which the flow duct is closed for preventing the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port to an opened position in which the flow duct is opened for allowing the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the closure element is elastically pretensioned to move axially into the closed position by an elastic planar section of the closure element that is clamped within the valve housing.