Hollow body coupling device

An interconnector system for coupling a first hollow body to a second hollow body to allow fluid communication between the first and second hollow bodies, comprising:

• (A) a valve interconnector comprising:
• (i) a neck having an internal surface and an external surface, the internal surface defining a longitudinal passageway through the neck, the neck having an internal end for coupling and an external end for securing the first hollow body to the valve interconnector;
• (ii) a valve assembly inside the longitudinal passageway through the neck, the valve assembly comprising a valve head, a valve stem, and a valve retainer, the valve head being biased away from the valve retainer and toward a valve seat inward of the valve head, the valve head being moveable from a closed position to an open position;
• (iii) a retention flange extending radially outward from the neck;
• (B) a hollow receiver interconnector comprising:
• (iv) a housing comprising a base member and an axial extension projecting from the base member, the housing having an internal surface for receiving the valve interconnector;
• (v) a hollow post having a closed internal valve-contact end, an open external end, and an internal longitudinal passageway therethrough, the longitudinal passageway extending from the open external end to the closed valve-contact end, with at least an internal portion of the hollow post being inside the housing, with the hollow post or the housing providing a surface for attachment to the second hollow body, the hollow post being in a fixed position relative to the housing, the hollow post having at least one radial passageway through a wall thereof, with the internal portion of the hollow post providing an external first sealing surface between the closed end of the hollow post and the radial passageway through the wall of the hollow post, and the hollow post providing an external second sealing surface outward of the radial passageway through the wall of the hollow post;
• (vi) a slidable retainer/seal sleeve inside the housing, the retainer/seal sleeve having a head portion extending around the hollow post, the head portion providing an inner sealing surface, the retainer/seal sleeve being slidable along the hollow post from an uncoupled position to a coupled position, the retainer/seal sleeve further comprising a valve retention surface;
• wherein with the interconnectors in an uncoupled configuration:
• (a) the valve head is in the closed position with the valve head being held in biased contact with the valve seat, and (b) the retainer/seal sleeve is in the uncoupled position with the inner sealing surface of the retainer/seal sleeve covering the first and second sealing surfaces on the hollow post to seal closed the radial passageway thorough the wall in the hollow post;
• and
• wherein with the interconnectors in a coupled configuration:
• (a′) the valve head is in the open position with the valve head being separated from the valve seat and held in the open position by the closed end of the hollow post and (b′) the retainer/seal sleeve is in the coupled position leaving open the radial passageway through the wall of the hollow post, and the valve retention surface engaging the retention flange of the valve interconnector to retain the valve interconnector within the retainer/seal sleeve while the interconnectors are coupled to one another.