Manifold hub for patient fluid administration

A hub for use in a fluid administration system comprising:

• A. a housing providing at least two mutually distinct flow channels through the housing and being composed of at least three components;
• i. a first component comprised of a first member having at least two separate first openings each associated with a distinct flow channel and at least two of tubular first projections surrounding and aligned with said first openings and open at their upper and lower extremities each associated with a distinct flow channel, said first projections formed as one part of a two-part connector;
• ii. a second component comprised of a second member having at least two second openings each associated with a distinct flow channel and defining at least two separate outlets each associated with a distinct flow channel;
• iii. a third valve component interposed between the first and second components associated with the distinct flow channels for controlling flow through the distinct flow channels;
• B. said first, second and third components forming said housing (a) with the components establishing the at least two mutually distinct flow channels through the housing, and (b) the mutually distinct flow channels being sealed one from the other;
• C. whereby each said first projection can be connected to a terminal complementary part of a two-part connector such that when the connector is complete fluid can flow through the at least two distinct flow channels under the control of the valve component;
• and
• D. whereby the separate outlets of the second component can be connected to separate lumens each terminated with its own connection element for fluid flow relative to a patient.

A method for manufacturing a housing for supporting proximal inlet ports of a plurality of isolated flow channels, for use in a patient fluid administration system, wherein each of said flow channel further comprises a distal outlet for connecting to a patient fluid administration member comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a first component comprised of a first member having a plurality of spaced first openings each associated with a distinct flow channel and a plurality of spaced upward, tubular first projections surrounding and aligned with said first openings and open at their upper and lower extremities each associated with a distinct flow channel, said first projections formed as one part of a two-part connector;
• b. providing a second component comprised of a second member having a plurality of spaced second openings each associated with a distinct flow channel and defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced separate outlets each associated with a distinct flow channel;
• c. providing an intermediate component comprised of a third member being resilient and having a plurality of spaced third openings each associated with a distinct flow channel and a plurality of spaced upward annular second projections each associated with a distinct flow channel, each second projection surrounding a respective third opening, said projections having closures at their upper extremities with normally closed slits defined in said closures and being open at their lower extremities;
• d. arranging said first, second and third components together with the intermediate component between the first and second components and integrated together to form said housing;
• e. positioning said second projections in the first projections with the closures at the upper extremities of the second projections exposed at the upper extremities of the first projections;
• f. placing the second openings and the third openings in fluid communication;
• g. establishing the integrated components as a plurality of mutually distinct flow channels through the housing;
• h. sealing the mutually distinct flow channels one from the other by the intermediate component;
• i. whereby each said first projection can be connected to a fluid administration set via a terminal complementary part to said one part of the two-part connector such that when the connector is complete, the resilient second projection received in said first projection is depressed downwardly forcing the normally closed slit defined in the closure at the upper extremity thereof to open;
• and
• j. whereby the separate outlets of the second component can be connected to separate lumens each terminated with its own element for infusing fluid into a patient.