Back to results
US 11,141,569 B2Granted
Catheter devices with valves and related methods
AssigneeB. Braun Melsungen AG
InventorsKevin Woehr, Jarryd Keng Gene Ng, Boon Ping Neoh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Needle assemblies and related methods in which a valve opener is used to push into a valve to open one or more slits on the valve to open the valve. The needle assemblies each includes a needle hub with a needle, a catheter tube with a catheter hub and the valve and valve opener positioned in the interior cavity of the catheter hub. The valve can have a valve skirt and a nose section of the valve opener can locate therein. One or more reliefs can be provided with the valve opener so that an elbow or diagonal section on a needle guard can project from a holding space within the valve opener through the relief.
Claims27
A needle assembly comprising:
- a needle hub with a needle having a needle tip extending from a distal end of the needle hub;
- a catheter tube attached to a catheter hub having a body comprising an interior surface defining an interior cavity, the needle extending through the catheter tube and the needle tip out a distal end of the catheter tube in a ready to use position;
- a valve positioned in the interior cavity of the catheter hub, said valve comprising an outer perimeter, at least one slit and two or more flaps;
- a valve opener sized and shaped to open the at least one slit to open the valve, said valve opener comprising a nose section having an activation end and a continuous perimeter section, two plunger elements each having two lengthwise edges, two stabilizer elements connecting the two plunger elements to form a stabilizing ring, a holding space between the two plunger elements, a first through passage, and a second through passage located between the nose section and the stabilizing ring;
- a needle guard comprising a resilient arm located at least in part inside the holding space of the valve opener, wherein said needle guard comprises an elbow (i) projecting through the first through passage, (ii) projecting through the first through passage and in contact with a perimeter of the first through passage, (iii) projecting through the first through passage and in contact with the interior surface of the catheter hub, or (iv) projecting through the first through passage and contacting the perimeter of the first through passage and the interior surface of the catheter hub.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a needle assembly comprising:
- providing a catheter hub with a catheter tube having an open distal end and a proximal end attached to the catheter hub by a bushing, said catheter hub comprising a hub body having an interior surface defining an interior cavity and a proximal opening;
- positioning a valve comprising at least one slit and two or more flaps proximal of the bushing;
- positioning a valve opener inside the interior cavity of the catheter hub to slidably push open the valve when actuated by a male medical implement, said valve opener comprising a nose section having an activation end and a continuous perimeter section, two plunger elements each having two lengthwise edges, two stabilizer elements connecting the two plunger elements to form a stabilizing ring, a holding space between the two plunger elements, a first through passage and a second through passage located between the nose section and the stabilizing ring;
- placing a needle, which is attached to a needle hub, through the catheter hub, the valve, and the catheter tube so that a tip of the needle extends out the open distal end of the catheter tube in a ready to use position;
- and
- placing a needle guard at least in part inside the holding space of the valve opener so that an elbow or diagonal section on an arm of the needle guard extends through the first through passage of the valve opener;
- the elbow or diagonal section being (i) in contact with a perimeter of the first through passage, (ii) spaced from the perimeter of the first through passage, (iii) in contact with the interior surface of the catheter hub, (iv) spaced from the interior surface of the catheter hub, or (v) in contact with the perimeter of the first through passage and the interior surface of the catheter hub.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.