Connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11116958-B2
Application number	US-201816231361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 24, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A connector includes: a housing that includes a tubular body connecting unit to which a tubular body is connectable, a concave portion inside the housing, and a receiving portion; and a valve body configured such that, when the tubular body is connected to the tubular body connecting unit, the valve body is pressed by the tubular body against a biasing force, thereby sliding from a closed position to an opened position. The valve body includes an overriding portion configured such that, as the valve body slides from a closed position side toward an opened position side, the overriding portion is pressed against the receiving portion of the housing and rides over the receiving portion by elastic deformation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a housing comprising:
a tubular body connecting unit to which a tubular body is connectable, the tubular body connecting unit defining:
a connecting opening configured to receive the tubular body, and
an internal flow path configured to communicate with a lumen of the tubular body when the tubular body is connected to the tubular body connecting unit, and

a concave portion inside the housing, the concave portion having an inner peripheral surface comprising:
a small-diameter portion having a first diameter,
a large-diameter portion having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter, and
a receiving portion extending from the small-diameter portion to the large-diameter portion; and

a valve body configured such that, when the tubular body is connected to the tubular body connecting unit, the valve body is pressed by the tubular body against a biasing force, thereby sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion from a closed position, in which communication of the internal flow path with an outside of the housing is interrupted, to an opened position, in which the internal flow path communicates with the lumen of the tubular body, wherein the valve body comprises:
a cylindrical head portion that closes the connecting opening when the valve body is in the closed position,
an overriding portion located below the cylindrical head portion and configured such that:
when the valve body is in the closed position, the overriding portion abuts the receiving portion at a location between the small-diameter portion and the large-diameter portion, and
as the valve body slides from the closed position toward the opened position, the overriding portion moves from the large-diameter portion to the small-diameter portion by riding over the receiving portion by elastic deformation, and

a pressing portion configured such that, as the valve body slides from the opened position to the closed position, the pressing portion is pressed against a second receiving portion provided on the housing.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the overriding portion has an annular shape and comprises a seal portion, and the overriding portion is configured to slide on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion as the valve body slides from the closed position toward the opened position.

3. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the overriding portion is an annular convex portion, and the receiving portion is an annular stepped portion.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein, in the closed position of the valve body, the pressing portion abuts the second receiving portion.

5. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein:
the second receiving portion is continuous with the connecting opening; and
the pressing portion has an annular shape and comprises a second seal portion, and the pressing portion is configured such that, in the closed position of the valve body, the pressing portion abuts the second receiving portion in a liquid-tight manner.

6. The connector according to claim 5 , wherein the pressing portion is an annular convex portion, and the second receiving portion is an annular stepped portion.

7. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pressing portion is configured such that, as the valve body slides to the opened position, the pressing portion moves to an inside of the concave portion;
each of the pressing portion and the overriding portion is an annular convex portion; and
a circumference of the pressing portion is smaller than a circumference of the overriding portion.

8. The connector according to claim 7 , wherein the circumference of the pressing portion is smaller than a circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion.

9. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a spring body is located in the concave portion, the spring body being configured to apply biasing force to the valve body from an opened position side toward a closed position side.

10. The connector according to claim 9 , wherein the valve body and the spring body are integral parts of a valve member made of an elastic material.

11. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the housing comprises:
a cap member that comprises the tubular body connecting unit, and
a holder member; and

the internal flow path comprises a space defined between the cap member and the holder member.

12. The connector according to claim 11 , wherein the holder member comprises the concave portion.

13. The connector according to claim 11 , wherein the holder member comprises the small-diameter portion, the receiving portion, the large diameter portion, and an annular convex portion configured to inhibit the valve body from moving from the large-diameter portion away from the small-diameter portion.

14. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the concave portion inside the housing further comprises a bottom surface.

15. A connector comprising:
a housing comprising:
a cap member comprising a tubular body connecting unit to which a tubular body is connectable, the tubular body connecting unit defining:
a connecting opening configured to receive the tubular body, and
an internal flow path configured to communicate with a lumen of the tubular body when the tubular body is connected to the tubular body connecting unit, and

a holder member comprising a concave portion inside the housing, the concave portion having an inner peripheral surface comprising:
a small-diameter portion having a first diameter,
a large-diameter portion having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter,
a receiving portion extending from the small-diameter portion to the large-diameter portion, and
an annular convex portion; and

a valve body configured such that, when the tubular body is connected to the tubular body connecting unit, the valve body is pressed by the tubular body against a biasing force, thereby sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion from a closed position, in which communication of the internal flow path with an outside of the housing is interrupted, to an opened position, in which the internal flow path communicates with the lumen of the tubular body, wherein the valve body comprises:
a cylindrical head portion that closes the connecting opening when the valve body is in the closed position, and
an overriding portion located below the cylindrical head portion and configured such that:
when the valve body is in the closed position, the overriding portion abuts the receiving portion at a location between the small-diameter portion and the large-diameter portion, and
as the valve body slides from the closed position toward the opened position, the overriding portion moves from the large-diameter portion to the small-diameter portion by riding over the receiving portion by elastic deformation,

wherein the internal flow path comprises a space defined between the cap member and the holder member,
wherein the annular convex portion is configured to inhibit the valve body from moving from the large-diameter portion away from the small-diameter portion.

Assignees

• Terumo Corp

Inventors

• Ueda Yasuhiro
• Toyama Takeshi

Classifications

• A61M39/26 Primary

  Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof {(check valves A61M39/24)} · CPC title

• A61M2205/0216

  Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking · CPC title

• A61M2039/229

  Stopcocks · CPC title

• A61M39/20

  Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes · CPC title

• A61M2039/1033

  Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors · CPC title