Swabbable luer-activated valve

A normally closed valve that may be opened upon insertion of a nozzle, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway having an inlet, the housing being substantially rigid and having an exterior inlet face to which the inlet section opens;
• a plug member disposed within the passageway, the plug member being movable between first and second positions respectively corresponding to closed and open modes of the valve, the plug member having a first end and a second end;
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having:
• a seal section disposed over the first end of the plug member, the seal section having a normally closed aperture therethrough, and
• a tubular section connected to the seal section and disposed around the plug member between plug member and the housing,
• wherein the second end of the plug member is shaped to provide a back-pressure seal with the gland member, and wherein when the valve is in its closed mode, the seal section is substantially aligned with the exterior inlet face of the housing to provide a swabbable surface.

A normally closed valve that may be opened upon insertion of a nozzle, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway having an inlet section and an outlet section, the housing being substantially rigid and having an exterior inlet face to which the inlet section opens;
• a plug member disposed within the passageway and extending into the inlet section, the plug member being movable between first and second positions respectively corresponding to closed and open modes of the valve, the plug member having a first end and a second end;
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having
• a seal section disposed over the first end of the plug member, the seal section having a normally closed aperture therethrough, and
• a tubular section connected to the seal section and disposed around the plug member, wherein the inlet section of the housing's passageway has a tapered zone adjacent the exterior inlet face and is shaped to receive the nozzle, and
• an expanding zone adjacent to the tapered zone and having a greater inner diameter than the tapered zone's inner diameter, wherein the gland member's seal section has an outer diameter that is larger than the tapered zone's inner diameter and smaller than the expanding zone's inner diameter, and
• wherein the seal section's aperture opens after the nozzle presses the seal section past the tapered zone into the expanding zone of the inlet section,
• wherein when the valve is in its closed mode, the seal section is substantially aligned with the exterior inlet face of the housing to provide a swabbable surface.

A normally closed valve that may be opened upon insertion of a nozzle, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway having an inlet, the housing being substantially rigid and having an exterior inlet face to which the inlet section opens;
• a plug member disposed within the passageway and extending toward the inlet, the plug member being movable between first and second positions corresponding to closed and open modes of the valve, the plug member having a first end and a second end, the plug member's shape remaining constant as the plug member is moved between first and second positions;
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having
• a seal section disposed over the first end of the plug member, the seal section having a normally closed aperture therethrough, and
• a tubular section connected to the seal section and disposed around the plug member between plug member and the housing;
• wherein, when the valve is in its closed mode, the seal section is substantially aligned with the exterior inlet face of the housing to provide a swabbable surface.

A normally closed valve that may be opened upon insertion of a nozzle, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway having an inlet section and an outlet section, the housing being substantially rigid and having an exterior inlet face to which the inlet section opens;
• a plug member disposed within the passageway and extending into the inlet section, the plug member being movable between first and second positions corresponding to closed and open modes of the valve, the plug member having a first end and a second end;
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having:
• a seal section disposed over the first end of the plug member, the seal section having a normally closed aperture therethrough, and a tubular section connected to the seal section and disposed around the plug member between plug member and the housing;
• wherein, when the valve is in its closed mode, the seal section is substantially aligned with the exterior inlet face of the housing to provide a swabbable surface, and
• wherein the first end of the plug member and the gland are shaped to permit a length of travel of the seal section with respect to the plug member.

A medical valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway, the passageway having an inlet section and an outlet section;
• a plug member movably mounted within the passageway;
• and
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member secured to the housing and the plug member, the plug member being supported within the passageway by the gland member.

A medical valve having an open mode and a closed mode, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway;
• a plug member mounted within the passageway, the plug member having an inlet end and a sealing end, the sealing end formed to substantially seal the passageway when in the closed mode;
• and
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having a seal disposed over the inlet end of the plug member.

A medical valve for use with a nozzle, the medical valve having an open mode and a closed mode, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway having a tapered section with an inlet port, the passageway also having an expanding section;
• a plug member mounted within the passageway;
• and
• a substantially flexible, resilient gland member having a seal section disposed over the plug member, the seal section having a normally closed aperture therethrough;
• the seal section being movable through the passageway between the tapered section of the passageway and expanding section of the passageway,
• the aperture being substantially closed when the seal section is disposed in the inlet port,
• the aperture being open when the seal section is disposed in the expanding section.

A medical valve having an open mode and a closed mode, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway;
• means for plugging the passageway when the valve is in the closed mode, the plugging means being mounted within the passageway;
• and
• means for supporting the plugging means within the passageway, the supporting means being substantially flexible.

A valve engagable with a nozzle, the valve comprising:

• a housing defining a passageway;
• a substantially flexible gland within the passageway and shiftable therein, the gland having an aperture configured such that when it is engaged with the nozzle, the gland shifts within the valve body and the aperture deforms to allow liquid to flow therethrough to or from the nozzle;
• and
• a plug member in the gland, the plug member shiftable to a position of generally sealed engagement with the gland while the instrument is engaged with the aperture in the stem.