Plastic needleless valve housing for standard male luer locks

In a medical device for coupling to a standard male luer lock having a luer taper and an internally threaded locking nut thereabout wherein the medical device includes a normally-closed valve being openable by the taper of the male luer lock, the improvement comprising:

• a plastic housing surrounding the valve and having an opening sized to receive the luer taper therethrough, a top surface of the valve being situated at the opening of the housing, the housing including a portion having an upper end adjacent the opening and a lower end spaced from the opening;
• a thread extending about the upper end;
• the lower end being connected to the upper end by a tapered exterior surface which is (i) narrow adjacent the upper end and sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, and (ii) wider adjacent the lower end such that the tapered exterior surface wedgingly interacts with the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock to hold the male luer lock to the device with the valve opened by the luer taper.

In a medical device for coupling to a standard male luer lock having a luer taper and an internally threaded locking nut thereabout wherein the medical device includes a normally-closed slit septum valve being openable under pressure of the taper of the male luer lock thereagainst, the improvement comprising:

• a thin-walled plastic cylinder surrounding the valve and having an outer diameter sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, the cylinder having an opening With the slit septum being situated at the opening of the cylinder;
• and
• a plastic tapered thread extending about the plastic cylinder, the thread having (i) a narrow end adjacent the cylinder opening sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, and (ii) a wider end spaced from the cylinder opening such that the thread strengthens the cylinder and interacts with the internal threads of the locking nut of the male luer lock to lock the male luer lock to the device with the valve opened by the luer taper inserted into the slit septum.

In a medical device for coupling to a standard male luer lock having a luer taper and an internally threaded locking nut thereabout wherein the medical device includes a normally-closed valve being openable under pressure of the taper of the male luer lock thereagainst, the improvement comprising:

• a thin-walled plastic cylinder surrounding the valve and having an outer diameter sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, the cylinder having an opening with a top surface of the valve being situated at the opening of the cylinder;
• and
• a tapered wedging member extending about the plastic cylinder, the wedging member having (i) a narrow end adjacent the cylinder opening sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, and (ii) a wider end spaced from the cylinder opening such that the wedging member strengthens the cylinder and interacts with the internal threads of the locking nut of the male luer lock to lock the male luer lock to the device with the valve opened by the luer taper.

In a medical device for coupling to a standard male luer lock having a luer taper and an internally threaded locking nut thereabout wherein the medical device includes a normally-closed valve being openable under pressure of the taper of the male luer lock thereagainst, the improvement comprising:

• a thin-walled plastic cylinder surrounding the valve and having an outer diameter sized to be received into the interior of the locking nut of the male luer lock, the cylinder having an opening with a top surface of the valve being situated at the opening of the cylinder;
• and
• a thread spiraling along the cylinder and away from the cylinder opening, the thread being sized to strengthen the cylinder and interact with the internal threads of the locking nut of the male luer lock.

In a medical device for coupling to a male luer taper wherein the medical device includes a normally-closed elastomeric valve having a tubular body and an annular flange extending outwardly of the tubular body, the valve being openable under pressure of the taper thereagainst, the improvement comprising:

• a plastic housing surrounding the valve, the housing having first and second portions, the flange being situated between the housing first and second portions whereby to grip the valve;
• and
• an annular ring interposed between the flange and one of the housing portions situated to dig into the flange.