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US 5,645,538 AGranted
Needleless valve for use in intravenous infusion
OwnerFrank M. Richmondinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An IV component has at least one opening and a valve associated with the opening. The valve is normally closed to prevent fluid communication through the opening. A needleless connector can be engaged with a male element of the valve to open the valve and thereby establish a passageway for fluid communication thorough the opening.
Claims5
A device for holding liquid medicament, comprising:
- an IV component having an opening formed therein;
- a valve including a valve body operably engaged with the opening and having a first position, wherein a passageway for fluid communication is established through the opening, and a second position, wherein fluid communication through the opening is not permitted, the valve including a male valve element having a skirt disposed in the valve body and an engagement surface extending outwardly beyond the valve body for contacting a spikeless/needleless connector to cause the valve element to reciprocate relative to the IV component;
- wherein the valve is biased to the second position and is engageable with the spikeless/needleless connector to establish the first position of the valve.
A valve, comprising:
- a hollow body defining a fluid passageway therethrough;
- a resilient valve disc positioned in the fluid passageway and biased to a closed configuration, wherein the disc blocks fluid flow through the fluid passageway, the disc being movable to an open configuration, wherein fluid flow is permitted through the fluid passageway;
- and
- a male valve element formed with a skirt and an engagement surface extending outwardly from the fluid passageway for contacting a spikeless/needleless connector, wherein the spikeless/needleless connector can be advanced against the valve element to urge the valve element against the valve disc and thereby move the valve disc to the open configuration.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.