Needleless sampling port
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorGeoffrey R. McElroy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sampling port includes a housing and a valve assembly. The housing includes an internal passage through which fluids flow and defines a port in fluid communication with the internal passage. The valve assembly is mountable adjacent the port of the housing and includes a bezel having a channel extending therethrough and a bladder mounted adjacent the bezel. The bladder includes a bladder base and a bladder stem depending from the bladder base which is at least partially received within the channel of the bezel. The bladder stem is movable within the channel of the bezel between a first position substantially preventing fluid flow through the valve assembly and a second position in which a fluid path is established through the valve assembly and in fluid communication with the internal passage of the housing.
Claims16
A sampling port comprising:
- a housing having an internal passage through which a fluid flows and defining a port in fluid communication with the internal passage;
- and
- a valve assembly mountable adjacent the port of the housing, the valve assembly including:
- a bezel having a channel extending therethrough;
- and
- a bladder mounted adjacent the bezel, the bladder including a bladder base having a flexible bladder segment, and an inner bladder stem depending from the flexible bladder segment and being at least partially received within the channel of the bezel, the bladder stem being movable within the channel of the bezel between a first position substantially preventing fluid flow through the valve assembly and a second position in which a fluid path is established through the valve assembly and in fluid communication with the internal passage of the housing to thereby permit removal of a fluid sample through the port, the flexible bladder segment including a plurality of openings dimensioned to permit passage of fluid as a component of the fluid path when the bladder stem is in the second position thereof,
- wherein the plurality of openings are located around a perimeter of and immediately adjacent the bladder stem,
- wherein the bladder stem provides a first seal to prevent a flow of fluid through the valve assembly when the bladder stem is in the first position,
- wherein the plurality of openings are sealed against a surface of the bezel to create a second seal to prevent the flow of fluid through the valve assembly when the bladder stem is in the first position, and
- wherein the plurality of openings are located within the internal passage with the bladder stem in the second position.
A sampling port comprising:
- a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having an internal longitudinal passage through which a fluid may flow, the housing including a valve housing segment defining a port in fluid communication with the internal passage;
- and
- a valve assembly mountable within the valve housing segment of the housing, the valve assembly including:
- a bezel including an inner surface and an opposed outer surface, the bezel defining a channel through the inner surface and outer surface for reception of a syringe tip, the bezel further defining a plurality of axial recesses coaxially arranged about an axis of the channel and disposed adjacent the inner surface;
- and
- a bladder including a bladder base having a flexible bladder segment mounted adjacent the inner surface of the bezel and a bladder stem depending from the flexible bladder segment toward the outer surface of the bezel to be at least partially received within the channel of the bezel, the flexible bladder segment including a plurality of openings extending therethrough located around a perimeter of and immediately adjacent the bladder stem, the flexible bladder segment sealed against a surface of the bezel to form a first seal to prevent a flow of fluid through the valve assembly when the bladder stem is in a first position, the bladder stem including a stem wall and having a notch within the stem wall displaced from the bladder base, the bladder stem forming a second seal in the channel to prevent the flow of fluid through the valve assembly when the bladder stem is in the first position and being movable within the channel of the bezel upon reception of the syringe tip from the first position to a second position in which a fluid path is established through the plurality of openings, through the axial recesses of the bezel and the notch of the bladder stem to permit removal of a fluid sampling through the syringe tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.