Self-sealing male luer connector with biased valve plug

A self-sealing male Luer connector for connecting to a female Luer connector configured with a tubular barrel of a predetermined interior cross-section, the male Luer connector comprising:

• a housing having a central distally-projecting tubular male body and an outer cuff interconnected with the male body along a proximal housing wall so as to form a distally-opening cavity for receipt of the tubular barrel, the male body being formed with an interior lengthwise flow passage having an annular inside surface defining a nominal flow passage diameter, the male body being further formed with an exterior cross-section configured to sealingly engage the interior cross-section of the tubular barrel, the housing wall being formed with at least one activation opening;
• a valve plug slidably received within the housing, the valve plug having a central stem and at least one proximal activation arm interconnected proximally by a base configured to be spaced from the housing wall to form at least one flow opening therebetween, the stem being configured with a distal head to selectively seal the flow passage and with an annular outside surface defining a stem diameter that is less than the flow passage diameter so as to selectively allow flow about the stem and through the flow opening, the proximal activation arm being formed so as to extend distally through the activation opening into the cavity;
• and
• an elastomeric device sealingly configured within the activation opening about the activation arm so as to secure the valve plug in place within the housing and effectively bias the valve plug distally to cause the distal head to seal the flow passage, the elastomeric device being responsive to receipt of the tubular barrel within the cavity to allow the valve plug to shift proximally as the tubular barrel engages the activation arm to open the flow passage and allow fluid flow through the male Luer connector.

A self-sealing male Luer connector for connecting to a female Luer connector configured with a tubular barrel of a predetermined interior cross-section, the male Luer connector comprising:

• a housing having a central distally-projecting tubular male body and an outer cuff interconnected with the male body along a proximal housing wall so as to form a distally-opening cavity for receipt of the tubular barrel, the male body being formed with an exterior cross-section configured to sealingly engage the interior cross-section of the tubular barrel and an interior lengthwise flow passage having an annular inside surface defining a nominal flow passage diameter and terminating distally in a central flow passage opening, the transition between the flow passage and the central flow passage opening defining a frusto-conical nesting surface, the housing wall being formed with at least one activation opening configured with a radially-inwardly projecting annular flange;
• a valve plug slidably received within the housing, the valve plug having a central stem and at least one proximal activation arm interconnected proximally by a base configured to be spaced from the housing wall to form at least one flow opening, the stem being configured with a distal head formed with a frusto-conical sealing surface to selectively seal against the frusto-conical nesting surface to close the flow passage, the stem being further configured with an annular outside surface defining a stem diameter that is less than the flow passage diameter so as to selectively allow flow about the stem and through the flow opening, the proximal activation arm being formed so as to extend distally through the activation opening into the cavity;
• and
• an elastomeric device formed from an elastomeric sealing material is sealingly bonded within the activation opening about the activation arm so as to encapsulate the flange to anchor the elastomeric device within the activation opening, thereby securing the valve plug in place within the housing and effectively biasing the valve plug distally to cause the distal head to seal the flow passage, the elastomeric device being responsive to receipt of the tubular barrel within the cavity to allow the valve plug to shift proximally as the tubular barrel engages the activation arm to open the flow passage and allow fluid flow through the male Luer connector.