Valve assembly

A valve assembly adapted for receiving an elongated element such as a catheter, comprising:

• a hollow body member having a cavity;
• a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity;
• a first elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough;
• a second elastic disc received in the cavity and having an opening extending therethrough;
• a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity, located intermediate the first and second discs, and having an axial bore circumferentially surrounded by an annular wall, the radial thickness dimension for the annular wall being less than the axial length dimension of the sleeve;
• said openings in said discs and sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element;
• and
• coupling means responsive to relative approach movement of the hollow body and compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, and for compressing the sleeve against the element by the relative approach movement of the annular flange toward the cavity, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, prevents flow of fluid, such as air or blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.

A valve assembly for receiving an elongated element, such as a catheter, comprising:

• a hollow member having a cavity;
• a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity;
• a first elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in a distal portion of the cavity;
• a separate second elastic disc having an opening extending therethrough and received in the cavity intermediate the first disc and the annular flange of the compression member;
• a cylindrical elastic sleeve received in the cavity intermediate the second disc and the annular flange, and having a bore circumferentially surrounded by inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve, the sleeve thickness dimension between the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve being less than the length dimension of the sleeve;
• said openings in said discs and said sleeve bore being adapted to receive said elongated element and to seal against the outer surface of said element;
• and
• means for adjusting the compression member relative to the body member into a plurality of axially spaced apart positions for exerting different axial forces on the sleeve for inwardly bulging the sleeve, so that the sleeve permits passage of the element axially through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve open position, immobilizes and holds the element in the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve gripping position, and after removal of the element from the bore of the sleeve, inhibits flow of fluid, including air and blood, through the bore of the sleeve in a sleeve bulged inwardly position.