Positive flow needleless connector
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Abstract
The positive flow needleless connector has a cannula slideably mounted within a tubular housing. A sleeve-like septum seals the cannula from an outside environment while also sealing an internal chamber of the cannula from a flow path in a male luer housing. Movement of the cannula from an extended position to a retracted position against the force of a spring exposes a second inlet of the cannula to the flow path of the male luer housing to permit flow therebetween. During disconnect, the inlet from the cannula is sealed prior to the cannula returning the extended position. This allows fluid to move from a reservoir between the cannula and septum to move into the passage of the male luer housing.
Claims15
A female connector comprising
- a tubular housing;
- a male luer housing mounted on said tubular housing and defining a flow path;
- an elastomeric septum having a tubular portion concentrically within said tubular housing, a body portion at one end of said tubular portion closing said tubular portion and an outwardly directed flange at an opposite end of said tubular portion disposed in sealed relation to said tubular housing;
- a cannula slideably mounted concentrically within said tubular housing for movement between an extended position and a retracted position, said cannula having a chamber therein concentrically within said tubular portion of said septum, at least one inlet at one end communicating with said chamber and an outlet spaced from said inlet and communicating with said chamber, said outlet being disposed in sealed relation with said tubular portion of said septum in said extended position of said cannula and being disposed in communication with said flow path of said male luer housing in said retracted position of said cannula;
- and
- a spring biasing said cannula into said extended position.
In combination,
- a tubular housing;
- a male luer housing mounted on said tubular housing and defining a flow path;
- a septum having a tubular portion concentrically within said tubular housing, a body portion at one end of said tubular portion closing said tubular portion and an outwardly directed flange at an opposite end of said tubular portion disposed in sealed relation to said tubular housing;
- a cannula slideably mounted concentrically within said tubular housing for movement between an extended position and a retracted position, said cannula having a chamber therein concentrically within said tubular portion of said septum, an inlet at one end communicating with said chamber and an outlet spaced from said inlet and communicating with said chamber, said outlet being disposed in sealed relation with said tubular portion of said septum in said extended position of said cannula and being disposed in communication with said flow path of said male luer housing in said retracted position of said cannula;
- a spring biasing said cannula into said extended position;
- and
- a male adaptor having a central passage for a flow of fluid and a hollow projecting nose for pushing said body of said septum over said cannula to resiliently collapse said tubular portion of said septum and to expose said inlet in said cannula to said central passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.