Valved male luer with vacuum feature
AssigneeCardinal Health 303, Inc.
InventorMark C. Doyle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A male luer connector device that attaches to any standard female luer valve to open a flow channel between the two luers. The male luer is comprised of a tubular housing element, a resilient member contained within the housing and extending within an inner tubular portion defined in the housing, a resilient member that extends within the inner tubular portion of the housing, and a valve member attached to the resilient member that seals the tubular portion. When the male luer is engaged with any standard female luer, a female luer connector device drives the resilient member of the male luer into a compressed position to open the forward end of the male luer and permit liquid flow between the luers.
Claims25
A male medical fluid connector for engaging a female connector to open a flow channel through the male connector,
- the male connector comprising:
- a tubular portion having a forward end for engaging a female connector:
- a valve member located within the tubular portion, the valve member having an open position when the tubular portion is engaged with a female connector at which position fluid can flow through the tubular portion, and a closed position where the tubular portion is disengaged from a female connector at which position fluid is prevented from flowing through the tubular portion;
- and
- means for creating a relative vacuum within the forward end of the tubular portion wherein the vacuum means comprises a vacuum section formed in the valve member.
A method of disengaging a male medical fluid connector from a female connector, the male connector having a forward end inserted into the female connector during engagement, the method comprising drawing liquid located on the forward end of the male medical fluid connector into the forward end upon disconnection of the male connector from the female connector;
- wherein the step of drawing liquid comprises creating a relative vacuum inside the forward end of the male medical connector upon disengagement of the male connector from a female connector thereby drawing liquid on the forward end into the forward end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.